15 Tips For Developing And Retaining High-Potential Employees

High-potential programs have long been used to develop future leaders and encourage them to remain within their organizations. However, in the new normal (Covid-19 era and beyond), a shift in workplace dynamics presents new challenges for retaining top talent.

Leaders now face the need to develop high-potential training that aligns with employee expectations to prevent them from looking for advancement elsewhere. To help, the members of Forbes Human Resources Council discuss how leaders can retain high-potential employees and maintain effective training programs that reduce attrition rates.

1. Foster Ongoing Discussions And Opportunities For Future Roles

True talent management is not just about having a list of names for potential future roles. It is about having actively engaging discussions and preparing your people through experiences, exposure and educational programs to give them the opportunities to grow and be better prepared for future positions. People want to feel valued, knowing they can have the opportunity to continue to grow internally. – Claire McKenna, Stoneridge Software

2. Combine Formal Training, Stretch Assignments And Mentorship

A successful leadership development strategy involves tailored plans combining formal training, stretch assignments and mentorship from senior leaders and executives. This accelerates growth, strengthens the connection between high-potential employees and the company and improves retention. Offering a variety of leadership programs ensures equal advancement opportunities for all aspiring leaders. – Donnebra McClendon, Dayforce

3. Allow For ‘Job Sculpting’

Embedding flexibility into all practices for high performers and high potentials is key in time, place and load. Arrangements that allow for job sculpting—personalized for high performers and potential people in terms of employment, nature of work, structure of roles, place of work and expected contribution—make the individual more committed to where this is offered. – Prithvi Singh Shergill, entomo

4. Incentivize Strong Performance

Implement a reward system for high performers. Many managers applaud underperformers to help motivate them, but that results in high-performing workers feeling underappreciated and resigning. Managers should stop taking a catch-all approach to feedback and create an incentive program, such as varying pay increases based on merit, to reward high performers and motivate underperformers to do better. – Shannon Gabriel, TBM Consulting

5. Reward High Performers Based On What Matters To Them

Ensure you know who your high performers are and reward them accordingly. This can include promotions, job enrichment, training, further development into management or individual contributor roles and more. Companies should be flexible and assess through surveys and/or stay interviews what is important to each staff member or team. From there, they can develop a program that rewards people appropriately. – Erin ImHof, CertiK

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6. Get Senior Leaders Involved In High-Potential Development

Ensure that senior leaders are actively involved in the development and mentoring of high-potential employees. Encourage leaders to model the behaviors and values expected of high-potential employees, setting a strong example. – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal

7. Offer Flexible Arrangements To Support Work-Life Balance

In the new normal (Covid-19 era and beyond), a flexible work arrangement program can significantly impact attrition rates shortly after its implementation. Offering options like remote work, flexible hours and hybrid models supports work-life balance and meets diverse employee needs. This approach greatly enhances job satisfaction and loyalty, leading to talent retention and reduced turnover. – Dr. Timothy J. Giardino

8. Focus On Building A Positive Culture

Almost 3% of top performers resign annually. To retain these highly productive employees, employers need to stop counting on programmatic solutions as the turnover antidote and focus on building an irresistible culture that prioritizes employee well-being, flexible work arrangements, alignment between corporate and employee values, leadership trust, transparent communication and equitable pay. – Laci Loew

9. Implement Personalized Development Plans

One effective strategy is implementing personalized development plans. These tailored programs address individual strengths and growth areas, increasing engagement and reducing attrition. Leaders can further retain top talent by offering stretch assignments, mentorship opportunities and clear career progression paths. Regular feedback and recognition are essential. – Jessica Kriegel, Culture Partners

10. Survey Employees On Desired Areas Of Development

Every organization’s high-potential programs will differ. It starts with knowing how these high-potential employees want to grow their careers, hopefully within your company. Surveying employees and asking them directly where they would like to develop can help customize career pathing programs and increase retention rates. – Niki Jorgensen, Insperity

11. Analyze And Utilize The Skills Of High-Potential Employees

First, leaders must analyze and utilize the diverse skills of high-potential employees. Second, they have to motivate staff by providing means to satisfy their professional development and create on-the-job learning opportunities. The HR leaders must take personal responsibility for developing in-house leadership and management programs that can have immediate and powerful long-term effects. – Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear

12. Create Self-Directed Professional Growth Programs

Creating clarity in what development looks like and providing on-demand career exploration and development opportunities for the HiPo to interact with at will. Growth isn’t just title changes or pay increases, and ultimately, growth lives with the team member. Create programs that are self-directed so the HiPo isn’t waiting for someone else to develop them. They don’t want to wait. – Monica Lloyd, People Forward

13. Understand Your Employees’ Long-Term Goals

We all know it’s much more cost-effective to retain top talent than it is to attract net new employees. The first key step is to identify your top performers through a robust performance appraisal program. Then, get to know them. Understanding their long-term career goals will help you to design bespoke progression plans that will proactively address their long-term loyalty and retention. – Alex Gillespie, Gillespie Manners

14. Invest In Continuous Learning With Tailored Programming

Fostering a culture of continuous learning, curiosity and enablement supports growth and retention across the business. Effective programming provides clearly defined career paths, along with strong mentors, access to the Exec team, the ability to take on stretch assignments and ongoing upskilling, all individually tailored. These investments in employee potential reinforce connection and drive engagement. – Maria Miletic, ActiveViam

15. Provide Opportunities For Leadership, Cross-Training And Problem-Solving

High-potential employees thrive on challenging, rewarding work that allows them to add value. While a structured development program is one option, organizations can also engage these employees by assigning them to lead projects, providing cross-functional training and exposure or giving them the autonomy—with guidance—to solve complex problems. – Jalie Cohen, Radiology Partners