If you are reading this, it is only because I didn't break ExecuNet's "Word Factory" while Online Editor Will Flammé was away on vacation. That's him last Halloween as "Robyn's Hood."

I value Will and all he does to keep things moving in the right direction, and I doubly appreciate him when he isn't here and I don't have him to rely upon. That's when I really see all the things he does that now fall upon my shoulders.

When you have great team members, it's always important to let them know they are valued, and if you are responsible for their happiness, workplace expert and author Leigh Branham says there are strategies senior leaders can implement to raise engagement:

• Set a clear, compelling direction that inspires employee trust and confidence.
  
• Foster open and honest two-way communication.
  
• Continue to focus on career growth, learning and development.
  
• Recognize all employee contributions when they happen.
  
• Show strong commitment to employee well-being.
  
  

If you manage executive teams, step up your retention efforts. Just over half of the respondents to our recent executive market intelligence survey reported they considered leaving their organizations in the last 12 months, up from 43 percent the year prior. Executives who said they find their work engaging and fulfilling dropped from 86 percent to 78 percent, and their organizational pride dwindled too.

Receiving viable calls from recruiters, having conflicts with management, and their organization's poor performance will encourage executives on your team to look for new roles.

Moreover, you'd be more challenged replacing good talent. There was a 3.4 percentage point rise in the number of executives who said it would be more difficult to find the skills they'll need to add to their team over this next year.

The good news is that 71 percent of surveyed executives said their boss is someone they respect and enjoy working for. The challenge is to make sure you're continually counted among them.

Robyn Greenspan
Robyn Greenspan is ExecuNet's Chief Content Officer, where she is responsible for setting and driving the editorial content engagement strategy across the private business network's publications and expert-led programming. She is also a Huffington Post blogger. You can follow her on Twitter @RobynGreenspan

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