Staff retention and empowerment: functions of leadership

Regardless of any organization's structure and technology, the most potent leverage for exceptional performance and quality assurance resides within personnel. Retention of empowered, committed staff who believe in their organization's purpose and leadership is important to an organization's success. The Clinical Laboratory Sciences (CLS) profession faces a different kind of crisis, not only one of economics, but also one of quality because of lost professional expertise. This dilemma is because of profound neglect of the organization's greatest asset--its CLS professionals. Retention of expert CLS professionals requires a dramatic change in management's belief system regarding the value of their assets. Laboratory leaders must create a culture of empowered people with the freedom to exhibit self-direction toward achieving the organization's mission and goals. Managers must consider employees valuable enough to invest in their professional growth. A laboratory's long-term sustainability and economic performance will depend on a committed workforce.