The proper care and feeding of your help desk

You are now comfortable with your role as your staff's leader and they're comfortable with you. You might even be able to leave for the duration of a lunch break with things under control. Almost all is right with the world, except...why do your staff members keep leaving?. The issues that lead staff members to leave a position are numerous. You yourself don't want to be one of the problems simply because you aren't sure how to properly care for your help desk. The question of how and why to show your staff appreciation is one of the most difficult to answer, because it will be different for each institution and may vary based on the type of staff you employ. However, to have a successful help desk, this issue needs to be addressed. Morale, work ethic, and motivation all can be severely impacted when a manager overlooks the importance of training, incentive programs and appreciation of the contributions of his or her workers. In this paper we will discuss ways to acknowledge and appreciate your employees to keep your turnover rate low, how to use turnover to your advantage, and how to forecast trends in your staff in order to make the proper management adjustments. We will also explore how to make training a part of your incentive program and how proper training affects morale and productivity.