"That one-in-a-million hire signed the paperwork and is officially on board. You're already mentally assigning them to every high-profile project on your plate, eager to see the impact they'll have. But hiring that superstar was just the beginning. Now you need to make sure they want to stick around. So, what can you do to keep them from getting poached? What do they need to stay motivated? And how can you give them what they need without creating resentment on your team?"
"Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston."
Hiring a standout candidate marks the start of a retention process that requires active attention. Managers often immediately assign high-profile projects and expect impact, but retention depends on understanding and meeting the new hire's needs. Critical actions include preventing poaching through competitive compensation, growth opportunities, meaningful work, recognition, and strong relationships. Leaders must balance providing individualized support with fairness to existing team members to avoid resentment. Clear communication, transparent advancement paths, mentorship, and inclusive team dynamics help sustain motivation. Proactive onboarding and ongoing engagement reduce turnover risk and protect team cohesion.
Read at Harvard Business Review
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