96 • Employee engagement has been studied for more than 25 years. Recent research has clearly illustrated the benefits of engagement and the hazards of disengage- ment. Strong companies realize the effort spent, building a strong culture of engage- ment, is now part of how they must do business. • Understand what motivates your people to reach for excellence. High salaries and benefits will not propel employees forward in the same way as opportunities to pursue their values and passions, continued learning, and strong relationships with peers. • High turnover is one of the most common problems companies deal with, causing them to miss their net operating income goals because this expense is typically not on a budget line – and neither is the projected lost revenue line accounted for in the revenue projections. You can control that turnover by recruiting and selecting the right people, providing them with the training they need to maximize their talent, and compensating them effectively. • More than ever, factors like work flexibility and a strong company mission contrib- ute to a positive company culture and a workforce that doesn’t want to leave. • The relationships you build with your employees are not fluff – they directly impact the bottom line. While people join a company, they leave a boss. The sales manager is the single most important factor in why a salesperson decides to stay. • Consider putting an end to your annual performance review and instead, provide continuous coaching and feedback in an ongoing, two-way conversation. Why make them wait until the end of the year to learn what they could have improved months ago? RETENTION TAKEAWAYS What you need to know about retaining your people to turn talent into performance