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US Police or HK Police ?
We didn’t listen!!!
Remember this folder on your phone?

Any chance firms mandate the vaccine?
Very aptly said.!!

Anyone have any good book recommendations?
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Give them a good recommendation when a company that knows their worth comes calling.
This. 💯
Turn a blind eye to policy and give them flexibility above and beyond what is typical. Let them work remote, show up late / leave early, whatever so long as they are performing ahead of the curve. Soft benefits such as flexibility go a great way towards rewarding deserving employees.
Yeah I’d second this one!
Set aside some money from your paycheck and buy them a nice dinner or a trip IE. A cruise for 2
Public atta boy or atta girl. Can't spend it, but let's you know they are noticed and appreciated.
Can you offer training, secondment, sending them to conventions if they want to? Sometimes, a buddy role to new starters is a reward in itself, as it shows you are the one with the capability and capacity to upskill others and they (the new starters) will be grateful. They could take some additional responsibilities (you'll have to reduce their workload) to maybe create and lead some lunchtime learning for the company, that would put them in a visible space. Most of all, I would recommend an open discussion with the employee about what would they value if not money or promotion. Remember that everyone is different and you can't think what is best for them without talking. You might be surprised at the answers.
I have done small things as a manager at nonprofits to reward people and build teamwork - flexibility in scheduling and PTO (learned it from an old boss who called it "manager's discretion" 😉) ; bought lunch out on my dime; recognition to higher ups of contributions every chance I got; blocked out half a day every month for the whole team to work on whatever they wanted - prof development, training, pet projects, playing around with new things - no meetings or work allowed. Enjoying the people you work with and the team culture does matter.
Are they working on GTA?
Are you in for the long run? Only then should this be a concern, if you’d leave for a 10% raise next week, then let them go if they are indicating to do so.
If not, then talk to them about long-term plans of how both of you will ascend, what the goal is, where you see them in the org 5 years from now, even if it means them sitting parallel to you or above you. Be real, be authentic, people value that.
But again, only if you actually have a way to live up to all of those things, if you can’t, and they really are that good, you’ll have to be more than okay with them leaving.
It's great that you have a valuable employee like that but unfortunately none of us can hold anyone back and should not hold anyone back if they feel the desire to pursue something that they feel is a better fit for them. I know it's hard to lose someone that does a great job but we have to realize that no one will work for the company forever. I learned a long time ago when I first got into management that you can't put all your eggs in one basket and no matter how good an employee is, one day they will end up leaving the company for one reason or another. That's just a fact of work life. You can let them know how valuable they are but in the meantime you should let them know that you do not want to hold them back from pursuing another career that they might enjoy better. You should instead focus on another employee that could be trained to fill their position.