Talent Management – Holding on to your most innovative employees

I recently read an article in the New York Times about some of the challenges Google faces in holding on to its most innovative and entrepreneurial employees.   This is something that we face at Innovations ourselves, and also see our clients face every day.   Here are some of the keys I'd suggest you consider:

1)  Cut out the red tape--Creative people really don't enjoy going through process for the sake of process.  That of course does not mean that collaborating with other people in a way that adds value to the creative process is not something that they enjoy...in fact, to the contrary, most creators find it exhilarating to create with others.  But checks and balances that don't add value to the process can be demoralizing.

2)  Creativity within your own job--For our most creative people, about 50% of their job based on internal and client needs, while the other 50% is really created independently by them.  Of course, their projects are consistent with their roles and our organizational goals, but at the same time it gives them the ability to create  and to continue to develop their own personal brand.

3)  Give them the resources they need--I have found that much more so than monetary reward, our most creative employees want either the technological or human resources that they need to do work on their projects.  Not that they don't appreciate monetary reward, but their requests for resources have far outnumbered any requests for money.

Those are a few of the items that we have found important.  Please feel free on your comments to share your experiences retaining your most entrepreneurial employees.

Danny