Post by Veronica Eyenga, contributing Women On Business writer

Employees are the driving force to your business’ success and retaining those key people is critical to the health of your company.  The ability to keep your best employees ensures customer satisfaction, product sales, and deeply embedded organizational knowledge.

But how do you get your best employees to stick around?

Compensate fairly.
Paying your employees competitively, and fairly, shows that you respect and value them.  Money isn’t the only reason people stay in a job, but it can play a significant role.

Treat people as equals.
Keep the lines of communication between employees and managers, or yourself, open.  People will feel a higher sense of loyalty if they are treated as partners, not hired hands.

Encourage creativity.
Provide a challenging and creative work environment to ensure that your employees enjoy the work they do.  Avoid micro-managing, it stifles creativity.

Be human.
Thank your employees, demonstrate flexibility with work/life balance, and earn your employees respect.  If you can provide a positive, uplifting work environment, your employees will stick around.

Employee turnover can cause chaos and disorganization within your company.  In order to keep your company at the top of its game, you need to keep your best employees.

Is there someone in your company you absolutely cannot afford to lose?  How do you keep them around?  Share your advice in the comments.