Dive Brief:

• As unemployment has fallen within the past 4-5 years, much has been written about how that statistic is making life difficult for employers seeking new talent. Nowhere is that more evident than in a state like Colorado, which has an unemployment rate at 3.2% (the national rate is 5%).
• Because of that, Colorado employers have to be more focused than ever on ways to keep workers who are increasingly looking for new opportunities — even if they're content right now, according to the Denver Post.
• Experts and employers told the Post that the best strategies for talent retention involve combining challenging, meaningful work with opportunities for advancement. That's a common strategy. But, those two factors also must be combined with a workplace culture that encourages respect and support along with job flexibility, fun and a sense of family and friendship, the Post reports.

Dive Insight:

John Challenger, CEO of Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, told the Post that when unemployment gets low, companies have a difficult time filling jobs and "their people are more likely to be poached."

He also said that putting together programs and strategies to hold onto people is really crucial, and something as simple as "having a friend at work" can make the difference in retaining a talented worker.

Challenger told the Post that no matter where they work, employees today see themselves as free agents much more than in the past. And in highly competitive job markets like Colorado's, more employees are being headhunted and poached.

"And it's so easy. People are so accessible today," he told the Post. "Companies can find them on LinkedIn. Everybody has their resume online."