FEBRUARY 26

Recognition makes it hard for employees to leave.

FORGET THE GOLDEN HANDCUFFS

Carrots—in the form of rewards and recognition—make it hard for employees to pull up roots and move to another company. Face it, most people can give up a corner office with a window without a lot of heartburn. They won’t bat an eye while swapping one benefits plan for another. They’ll even sacrifice a company car or a nice office. But they won’t part with appreciation and rewards.

There are very real costs associated with leaving a job, and the more social ties that exist, the greater those costs will be. Appreciation captures the heart and the mind. Don’t miss the chance to lock up a great employee with recognition.