Dispelling Myths About Retaining Talented Employees

Abstract: The term “survival of the fittest” was never actually used by Charles Darwin when he explained his theories on evolution. It’s a term used—usually incorrectly—by those outside the scientific community to promulgate the idea that the strongest, fittest, or most perfect species win out over weaker ones. The truth is, plenty of mediocre or simply adequate species continue to subsist for millennia.

From employees’ perspectives, the same holds true in the workplace. The “perfect” job usually eludes most workers. Instead of looking for the perfect job, experts claim that most workers are looking for jobs that are merely adequate to accommodate their life.

The secret to retaining talented workers—those who usually find themselves with multiple job options—is to find out what they want out of life and then tailor an adequate job to accommodate their lifestyle. Instead many managers and companies rely on three myths that they believe will keep workers happy, engaged, and coming to work day after day.

The full article was originally published in the Spring issue of the Student Aid Transcript.