Why employees stay with a job

Here's the scenario that I see emerging in multiple companies: One valuable and respected employee is frustrated by the way she's been treated by her employer over the last few years - reduced hours, lost pay, no advancement, and some personal conflicts with her boss. She finally works up the courage to look outside for other jobs.

Because she has valuable skills, she manages to get a great job with the competitor across town. This sends shock waves through her previous co-workers, because they now realize that it's quite possible, and beneficial, to start looking for jobs elsewhere.

Those who get jobs first, of course, are the employees who are the most valuable. They have the best skills, experience and soft skills. The holes that open up are significant, and the company will pursue one of three avenues for recovering.

First, these may become opportunities for promotion. That may be quite attractive for some who want to advance, depending on how the process is handled.

Second, the company could take this opportunity to continue to eliminate jobs and save money. The remaining employees will interpret this as a strong signal that advancement is only an illusion, and the company is falling behind the competition.

Third, the