TURNOVER NOT ALWAYS TIED TO DISCONTENT.

Byline: Ken LLoyd On The Job

Q We have had increased turnover lately, and I cannot figure out what is causing it. We are competitive with other companies in the area, and our exit interviews are not turning up any big problems. Do you have any thoughts on this? E.G.

A When employee exiting starts to look more like employee exodus, the most common interpretation is that there are increasing levels of job dissatisfaction. The idea is that the job is no longer meeting the employees' needs, so they are going elsewhere to have them met.

You are already implementing one important step in identifying the source of turnover, namely exit interviews. Since you have not found any trends in these interviews, it is important to make sure they are being conducted in a way that encourages departing employees to be open.

The interviews should be formal sit-down sessions that focus on what the employees like and dislike about the job, and the specifics as to why they are leaving. If they are conducted informally or at the last minute, they will be useless.

Very recent studies are finding that turnover is not linked as directly to job satisfaction as it was in the past. Such studies have found that departing employees can be quite satisfied with their jobs, but they just wanted to make a change. Some theorize that this is part of the spread of the value system of Generation X.

Regardless, the best action to take in today's environment is to be certain that employees are treated with respect and trust. Open-book management, employee empowerment, equitable treatment, educational programs, recognition programs and advancement opportunities all help. However, management may still find that Generation X is short for Generation Exit.

Q Our boss is enamored of an employee who we think is a flake. She is lazy, unorganized and sloppy. We do not like all the attention he gives her, and our fear is that she is going to be promoted. What should we do? G.K.

A Most bosses do not scour their departments in the hope of finding a flake they can promote. In other words, is this person a bona fide flake, or is it possible that you and your co-workers are a little jealous of an employee who seems to be getting excessive attention?

Assuming that your perceptions are accurate and this co-worker seems to have stepped right out of a cereal box, the next step is to try to figure out why your boss is so fond of her. For example, could she be performing well in one or two areas that are particularly important to the boss?

At the same time, if you can find absolutely nothing redeeming about her work, then it appears that your boss is letting factors unrelated to performance influence his opinion of her. The fact that you used ``enamored'' in describing his feelings toward her is quite telling.

If he is truly smitten with this employee, your best move is to focus on your own performance and productivity, and make sure your boss has a clear understanding of your effectiveness and accomplishments.

Q Management is always telling us our suggestions are important and that we can get cash awards if they are implemented. I have submitted three or four and have not heard one thing. When I told my manager, he said my suggestions could not be used, but that I should submit more. What do you think? S.T.

A. You should submit one more suggestion to management: Trash the present program and put in a real one. A real suggestion program provides the employees with feedback on each of their suggestions, whether terrific or ridiculous.

A program that only provides feedback and awards to the select few whose ideas are implemented is virtually guaranteed to increase dissatisfaction, frustration, annoyance and embarrassment for the much larger number of employees whose suggestions are rejected.

Even if your suggestions were beyond ridiculous, management should have thanked you for submitting them, given you some guidance as to ways to help make them work and encouraged Ayou to resubmit them as well as to submit more. Management needs to remember that some of the most creative ideas were initially regarded as beyond ridiculous.