Many employers will face retention and hiring challenges during the remainder of 2011 and into 2012. Combine stressed-out employees with employers across the country planning to increase hiring... and you get the likelihood that more employees will be looking to jump ship for a better job.

This creates a challenge for employers: What can you do to retain your better and best employees? And what can you do to attract the better and best applicants?

Fact 1: More employees with jobs are looking, or thinking of looking, for a new job.

A recent survey of U.S. employees, conducted for the American Psychological Association, finds that 32 percent of respondents intend to seek new employment this year.

Another study, conducted for MarketTools, Inc. and released in early March, reported that nearly 50 percent of surveyed employees "have considered leaving their current jobs." And 21 percent of the responding employees had actually applied for a new job in the previous six months.

What's motivating employees' desire to jump ship?

The newly released survey results from the American Psychological Association finds that 36 percent of employees reported regularly experiencing work stress, with nearly 50 percent citing low pay as a significant cause. Other reasons included:

• Lack of opportunities for growth and advancement (43 percent);
• Heavy workload (43 percent);
• Not getting adequate non-monetary rewards or recognition for good work (43 percent);
• Unrealistic job expectations (40 percent); and
• Long hours (39 percent).

In addition, only 52 percent of surveyed employees said they feel valued on the job.

A survey conducted earlier this year for Everest College, part of Corinthian Colleges, Inc., finds that among 1,000 surveyed adults, 77 percent are stressed by at least one thing at work. Causes of stress at work cited by the respondents include: low pay, commuting, unreasonable workload, fear of being fired or laid off, annoying coworkers, poor work-life balance, lack of opportunity for advancement, and "the boss."

Fact 2: Employers plan to hire.

Employers have been adding jobs for the last six months. In March, the private employers in the U.S. economy added 230,000 jobs. Private employers have added 1.8 million jobs in the last year, with a third of those added in the first three months of 2011.

Survey results released in late March from Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Lumea Staffing, Inc. find the economic recovery is prompting more employers to plan for increased hiring. Employers in all 50 states report positive hiring intentions. Employers in 33 of the 50 states report "considerable intentions" to hire. Employers in all 13 industry sectors surveyed report plans to increase hiring.

The challenge: So, what do you and your organization do to retain your better and best employees? (What you do will also help you attract the better and best employees.) Check out the following strategies:

1. Re-hire your employees. Think of this as a re-hire interview. But instead of an interview, engage in a two-way conversation. Sit down one-on-one with each employee and talk with him or her about (1) the organization's goals for the future, near-term and long-term, (2) the employee's needs and goals for the future, near-term and long-term, (3) how the employee's strengths and talents can best fit both the organization's goals and the employee's goals.

2. Communicate benefit information. Employees' employer-paid benefits often represent 30 percent or more of the total compensation. Yet most employees rarely think of this and many simply have no idea of the total value of the benefits. So communicate the value of your employer-paid benefits. Communicate often and regularly. Include the employees' family members in the communications, also.

3. Be a jerk-free workplace. If you are a jerk, change. Don't hire jerks. (A dictionary definition of jerk is "A person with unlikable or obnoxious qualities and behavior, typically mean, self-centered, or disagreeable.")  If you inadvertently hire a jerk or two, coach them to turn around, and if they don't, free them from your employment so your competitors can hire them.

4. Show appreciation. Psychologist Noelle C. Nelson, author of The Power of Appreciation in Business, suggests you demonstrate appreciation of employees in ways like these:

• Catch people in the act of doing something right. Do this spontaneously. Be specific in your encouragement and recognition. Go beyond the catchall phrase "Great job." Example: "The specs you wrote up really make a difference to X customer."
• Say "Thank you" more often. You can't say "Thank you" too often when your "Thank you" is genuine.
• Learn to say "How can I help?" rather than "What do you want?" Respond to employees with compassion, not defensively.
• Make the rounds. Move around the workplace. Ask people if they need anything to do their jobs better.
• Make heroes of the men and women who work for and with you. Collect stories of work done well. Spread the news throughout your company.

5. Stop doing time-wasting things. Jane Boucher, consultant at janeboucher.com and author of How To Love the Job You Hate, says, "Throw away irrelevant tasks. Neither the boss nor the employee should waste time on inconsequential things."

6. Offer flexible work schedules. Given the opportunity, many employees will choose a flexible work schedule over a higher paying position. Engage in one-on-one discussions with employees about how they might complete their assignments and reach their goals while performing their work on flexible schedules. Examples: Some employees can perform well while doing some or all of their work at home. Some employees' duties can be completed in seven hours a day, rather than eight. Offer these employees the reward of leaving work each day when their assigned duties are completed.  

7. Do job-match evaluations. Job positions change. Employees' skills, talents, and interests change. The needs and opportunities in your organization change. Lessen employee job dissatisfaction by doing job-match evaluations. Conduct new, current evaluations of each employee's strengths and weaknesses. Also analyze each work position to confirm the current skills and strengths needed to perform the position well. The result may be that you find some employees who will be happier and perform better in newly-designed positions.