--- title: "Six Ways to Keep Your Best People" id: "61405" type: "post" slug: "six-ways-to-keep-your-best-people" published_at: "2022-07-18T17:00:29+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:08:15+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/six-ways-to-keep-your-best-people/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/six-ways-to-keep-your-best-people.md" excerpt: "With more employees than ever changing jobs, smart strategies for staff retention are especially essential. Two experts share tips on what encourages workers to stick around." taxonomy_category: - "Operations" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Six Ways to Keep Your Best People Part of the Deep Dive[No Going Back](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/no-going-back-remaking-the-association-workplace/) The Great Resignation—the trend of employees changing jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic at record rates—has put retention front and center of associations’ management needs. Now that employees have become used to more flexible work arrangements, many are more sensitive to ones they dislike and are prepared to move on if necessary. “Employees are not going to stay with an organization that isn’t treating them the way they want to be treated,” said Amanda Haddaway, executive coach and managing director of HR Answerbox. Naturally, she says, associations should look at turnover numbers to get a sense of whether management problems are alienating employees. But the flaw with that metric is that it’s what Haddaway calls a “rearview mirror” number. It’s better if organizations take steps to improve retention before it becomes a problem. Haddaway and Jon Hockman, FASAE, chief practice officer at McKinley Advisors, shared six tactics association leaders can implement to shore up employee retention. **Recognize that being an association is an advantage.**One reason employees go job hunting is that they lack a sense of purpose in their work. Associations, because they’re rooted in a mission to support a particular profession or industry, have a built-in message about the work’s inherent value. “Mission creates a sense of meaning that I think so many folks are craving,” said Hockman. The Great Resignation “has affected associations, but I do think we have a card to play that’s powerful and unique from the corporate world.” [Mark Athitakis](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Mark Athitakis, a contributing editor for Associations Now, has written on nonprofits, the arts, and leadership for a variety of publications. He is a coauthor of The Dumbest Moments in Business History and hopes you never qualify for the sequel. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/mark-athitakis/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [A Workplace Focused on Results](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/a-workplace-focused-on-results/) - [Building the Future With Maximum Flexibility](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/building-the-future-with-maximum-flexibility/) - [New Rules to Support New Work Options](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/new-rules-to-support-new-work-options/) - [A Skill-Set Revamp for Leaders](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/a-skill-set-revamp-for-leaders/) - [How to Future-Proof Your Association](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/how-to-future-proof-your-association-2/) - [Finding Remedies for Employee Burnout](https://associationsnow.com/2022/07/18/finding-remedies-for-employee-burnout/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/no-going-back-remaking-the-association-workplace/) ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Industry Partner Edition-Helping Associations Thrive in the Age of AIJuly 16, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/16/associations-now-presents-industry-partner-edition-helping-associations-thrive-in-the-age-of-ai/) - [VideoSkip the Search. 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