There is mounting evidence that many full-time employees, especially the best ones, are not happy with the way they have been treated during this horrendous downturn. A recent article in Workforce Management reports on two recent studies that suggest you might want to review if you have been neglecting your people this past year or so. It’s entirely understandable if you have, what with all the pressures just to keep the revenues up and the ink flowing black.

Here are several findings from the research quoted:

• 60% of employees intend to leave their job as soon as the economy turns around, perhaps as early as next year.
• An additional 27% are actively networking with an updated resumé in hand.
• 90% of executives would take an executive recruiter’s call
• more than 50% of them are currently looking for another employer

Regardless of how accurate these data are, they do remind owners and executives not to forget the people management aspect of running the firm day-to-day. You cannot afford to forget how your people are faring, even though they have a job and perhaps aren’t terribly concerned about losing it.

My colleague, Scott Campbell and I authored an article earlier in the 2009 maelstrom with seven actions you can take in your organization. You can read our full piece at “Down the Slope and Up Again: Seven Strategies to Lead Your Team through the Recession.” Here are the strategies we recommend:

1. Pay attention to the messages you are sending.
2. Make the tough decisions quickly but don’t just react.
3. Focus on the vision.
4. Keep people informed.
5. Involve people with today.
6. Demonstrate caring – even when letting people go.
7. Invest in your leaders and key players.

Your people want to be appreciated for their contribution (which, because of the times, is probably well beyond the norm). They want to know what your organization is doing to remain strong in preparation for the turnaround. They worry that their learning and professional growth has been on hold for the last 12 months and are looking for reassurance that you will be investing in their skills again soon.

If you neglect your people or take them for granted, you are running a huge risk. Many will be joining that group already looking over the fence watching for when the grass over there starts to get greener. I wonder how many already are?