You’ve worked hard to find and get the “top” talent you need to produce results. Don’t sit back and get too comfortable; now you have to make sure you retain those “A” players on your team.  It’s in your best interest to engage with them and find out what makes them passionate about life and their work. These questions help determine how your employees feel about their positions and goals–the answers to these questions may be a predictor of how long they’ll  stay in their current positions.

Q1: What would be the one thing that, if it changes in your current role, would make you consider moving on?
Q2: If you could make any changes about your job, what would they be?
Q3: If you could go back to any previous position and stay for an extended period of time, which one would it be and why?
Q4: If you suddenly became financially independent, what would you miss most about your job?
Q5: In the morning, does your job make you jump out of bed or hit the snooze button?
Q6: What makes for a great day?
Q7: What can we do to make your job more satisfying?
Q8: What can we do to support your career goals?
Q9: Do you get enough recognition?
Q10:What can we do to keep you with us?

The search for “top” talent is not easy in the current business climate. It’s a good idea to periodically sit down with employees to take their temperature and see where they are in their thinking. Keeping in touch with your teams’ goals is a good way to stay ahead of the game when it comes to retaining the best talent–be proactive, not reactive.