How to keep the employees you want

This week I perused an advanced copy of Closing the Engagement Gap: How Great Companies Unlock Employee Potential for Superior Results by Julie Gebauer and Don Lowman with Joanne Gordon. I'm sure in these crazy times, the last thing management at any size company is doing is focusing on employee engagement, but that could be a huge mistake. The companies that are going to make it through this crisis (or should I make that crises?) are going to need engaged employees.

First off, I'll be honest--I was expecting a bit of a dry textbook. But since my pal Joanne Gordon (Roadtrip Nation, Be Happy at Work) was involved, my gut said it would be worth the read. True to form, it was a bit lighter than expected and included lots of lists (excellent to use as HR checklists), as well as colorful anecdotes.

The book starts off with an interesting global work force study by Towers Perrin (Gebauer and Lowman are from Towers Perrin), which examined and categorized the top 10 items that drive employees and even broke those items up by different countries. The rest of the book is written in five sections that encapsulate how to engage employees.

1. Know them
2. Grow them
3. Inspire them
4. Involve them
5. Reward them

To continue reading this review, visit my Top Shelf book review blog for Entreprener magazine.