Better managers beget better employees. A common thread that runs through all companies that are consistently successful at attracting and retaining good workers is the investment they make in developing mentors and coaches among their managers. It shows up in many ways, but the key indicator is the amount of time and attention the CEO and other senior executives spend developing their reports. That behavior flows through the organization and gets recognized and rewarded with various incentives. But money is a very weak tool for stimulating imaginative thinking and creative problem-solving.
Motivation is instead multidimensional.
Here's where heart and soul become critical. Applied to today's retention problems, employees' happiness and self-fulfillment can be realized only when they are given a stable, secure work environment and healthy social interactions. When those qualities are absent, people seek other sources. Give employees the proper environment and they will blossom. Companies with fewer problems attracting and keeping good people know how to appeal to their employees' hearts and souls in several ways.