Thought leaders in management provide solid information on developing people. Bottom line: You must find great people and place them in the right roles. My favorite phrase of all: “Right People; Right Seats.” If only it were that simple!

Talent acquisition and retention remain significant topics in a variety of industries. Based on the results from the recent Management Pulse Survey, 72 percent of respondents, who are fellow EASA members, stated talent acquisition is a significant issue for their companies.

No matter how you receive your business news, talent acquisition and retention remain a consistent topic across all professions. Record low unemployment may be cause to celebrate in some respects but can create a very challenging and competitive environment for new talent. Additionally, retirements both necessitate finding new team members and expose the exponentially widening skills and experience gap.

So, how are we going to solve the problem?

EASA’s most recent Management Pulse survey compared answers to similar questions asked in a healthcare and other benefits survey conducted in September 2014. With the challenges of finding and retaining employees, the survey comparison of what has changed in the last five years could provide some clues to the future direction and employee expectations in those areas.

Hopefully your business is growing. You’re making more sales, acquiring new customers and purchasing more equipment. Now you just need more time, right?  Regardless of the size of your business or the number of employees, you should consider creating an employee handbook or policy manual. While often overlooked, this publication could be one of the most important documents a business owner produces.