Some managers think their best employees will stick with the company just because they have nowhere else to go — but that type of attitude could leave many employers with a huge turnover problem in the near future.

Once more jobs are available, current employees will jump ship to take them. In fact, 54% say they plan on changing jobs once the economy rebounds, according to a survey from Adecco Group North American.

And the younger employees are, the more likely they’ll be out the door at the first opportunity. Of employees ages 18-29, 71% plan to look for a new job after the recession.

Why? It’s easier now than usual for employees to get disgruntled, considering many have survived layoffs and been asked to do more work for less pay.

To compound that, too many managers think they don’t need to worry about retention when the economy’s tanked.

But a lousy job market really only delays retention problems, which could leave companies stuck with a mass exodus of top talent.

Here are the top ways managers ensure people will leave the company as soon as they can:

1. Staying silent – Employees need honest, open communication. When managers withhold information, employees will always feel uncomfortable and on edge.
2. Being too cynical – Being honest and open doesn’t mean only focusing on negatives — employees still need a healthy dose of good news. To provide that, announce and celebrate the company’s small victories.
3. Keeping employees out of decisions – Top performers want to know what’s going on — and feel like they’re making a real impact in the company’s future. Managers should involve employees in some of the decision making about cost-cutting measures. That’ll generate some good ideas and make employees feel trusted and valued.
4. Forgetting the little things – Even when budget cuts lead to benefit reductions or salary freezes, there are still some low- or no-cost benefits managers can add — for example, flexible scheduling and training.
5. Ignoring compensation concerns – Though everyone should understand what difficult times mean, top employees still want to know their interests are important to the company. It’s important for managers to maintain an open dialogue throughout the entire process and remind employees that only their hard work will ensure that pay raises are available in the future.

According to a report last year by consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, 90% of employees decide how long they plan to stay with an organization within six months of their arrival. Many employees will even make that decision within the first few days.

Most companies have the basics down for getting a new hire ready — get a mentor, make sure the workstation is ready, show them where the bathrooms are, etc. But here are some other reasons a new hire’s early experiences could drive them away from the company:

1. Managers assume the deal is set in stone – When candidates accept an offer, the “sale” isn’t over. There’s always the chance they’ll get a counter-offer or an offer from another company before their first day with your organization. And even after someone starts, there’s a chance they’ll change their minds. Managers need to understand the impact that an employee’s early tenure will have on long-term retention.
2. No one keeps in touch until day one – New hires’ biggest complaint is often that the few days are disorganized and they don’t get to do any actual work quickly enough. One solution: Have managers contact new hires before the start date and give them any pertinent information. Contact before the first day also reduces the chance the hire will accept a counter-offer and quit before even starting.
3. HR doesn’t stay involved – HR pros are a new employee’s first point of contact with the company. They’re familiar with the person’s expectations and what motivated them to take the new job. So HR can provide a big retention boost by periodically checking in during a new hire’s first few months.
   
4. Managers’ expectations are unreasonable – When a desirable candidate gives a knockout interview, it’s common for the hiring manager to expect a miracle as soon as the person arrives. But any employee, no matter how talented, needs time to adjust to a new environment, and managers  should temper their expectations accordingly. But note: The flip side can also be true: Some managers take too long to start trusting new employees, so the person is unproductive and feels disgruntled.
5. The same is expected from every hire – Some people will get going more quickly than others and require different things from the boss. For example, some people learn best independently, while others need frequent check-ins. If a manager’s newest employee isn’t progressing as quickly as the last hire, that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up.

When it comes to recruiting and retaining employees, bad bosses are many companies’ biggest obstacle. Another problem: Bad bosses often don’t realize what they’re doing.

It all comes down to respect. When managers respect employees, employees will respect managers. And that creates a productive workforce that will stick around.

Here are the most common ways bosses unconsciously sabotage that mutual respect — and how HR can help them change:

1. Blaming others instead of taking responsibility

It’s obviously trouble for a supervisor to blame a subordinate when something goes wrong instead of taking the fall. But some managers get around that by pointing the finger at other departments, suppliers or higher-ups. And that can look just as bad to employees.

2. Refusing to make timely decisions

Managers never want to take action hastily. But some bosses think they appear thoughtful and deliberate, while staffers just see them as hesitant and wishy-washy.

Employees want leaders who take action, not bosses who drag their feet.

3. Being untrustworthy

Managers can’t keep everything employees tell them confidential (for example, if there’s a harassment case involved). But especially these days, staffers might come to bosses with sensitive topics, such as personal financial woes.

Once a manager relays those discussions to a colleague, you can bet word will get around — and the boss could permanently lose every staffer’s trust. It’s up to the supervisor to know what’s to be kept under wraps.

4.Accepting free passes

If there’s one thing employees hate, it’s double standards. For example, when they screw up, there are consequences — but too often, when bosses make mistakes, nothing happens.

Not that it’s anyone’s businesses what goes on in someone else’s personnel file. But when managers drop the ball, they need to make it clear to subordinates that they aren’t getting a free pass just because they’re higher up in the organization.

5. Hogging credit

Too many managers rely on scheduled events to tell staffers how much they appreciate their efforts. But to truly share the credit, bosses need to make it a point to talk frequently about employees’ accomplishments, both in public and one-on-one with the employee.

These days, employees have a lot to worry about. That gives HR and management a new challenge: keeping all those outside distractions from affecting people’s work.

Obviously, you can’t change the situation. But what can you do?

You can help front-line managers keep the situation under control. Their behavior will have the biggest impact on whether so-called “recession fatigue” takes hold of the workplace.

The first thing to do is make sure they understand recession fatigue is contagious, says executive coach Ellen Lubin-Sherman. Once one employee starts worrying aloud, complaining or gossiping about the company’s future, everyone’s productivity can go out the window.

Managers need to head off problems at the pass. Here’s what Lubin-Sherman recommends:

• Pay attention – Managers need to be on the lookout for employees acting unusually — coming in late, calling in sick often, turning in work late, etc. If anything like that starts happening, it might be time for the manager to have a face-to-face chat to see what the problem is.
• Keep the door open – Many managers say they have an open door policy — but now’s the time to stick to it and remind employees.
• Be realistic – Employees can see right through false optimism during difficult times. If layoffs, pay cuts or hiring freezes are likely, managers need to discuss the possibility openly and honestly. They just need to make sure they stress that company will do anything it can to protect people’s jobs.
• Don’t play therapist – In tough times, managers do need to handle some emotional topics with employees, but that doesn’t mean its their place to “diagnose” employee’s problems. Just reassuring people about the company’s future is sufficient.

It’s a new twist on the issue of generational conflict and can result in a lot of battered egos. Older workers don’t think they should be taking orders from someone with less experience. And younger managers may view the other group as old-fashioned and unable to adapt.

But when a conflict arises, here’s some advice you can give both sides to help cool things down:

1. Don’t take it personally. Both the employee and manager need to know that misunderstandings are bound to occur, especially at first. However, they need to know it’s not personal and won’t last forever.
2. Give — and take — advice. Older workers may be reluctant to advise their boss — and likewise, younger managers may not want to take tips from a subordinate. That’s not good for the company — the employees likely have valuable experience they can share with the new manager.
3. Forget about style. Conflict often arises when employees and managers do things in a different — but still effective — way than the other side is used to. But stress the fact that it doesn’t matter how something is done, just how well it’s done.
4. Don’t make assumptions. Problems between generations are often there before the two sides even work together. That’s because both groups make assumptions about how the other will act. Instead, managers and employees need to view each other as individuals, not as stereotypes of their generations.

More than three quarters (77%) of employees wouldn’t want their boss’s job, according to a recent survey by OfficeTeam.

Why not? Many feel they don’t have the right skills to be the boss. When asked if they thought they could do a better job than their supervisor, only 33% said yes.

That statistic may sound good to a boss with a frail ego, but the findings are bad news for employers. Most employees aren’t content to stay in the same job forever — so if they don’t want to be promoted, they may just be waiting until they can take a higher-level job somewhere else.

What can be done?

One thing experts recommend: Have bosses lead by example. If managers always appear stressed and overworked, it’s no wonder their employees won’t want the gig.

Also, one way to increase responsibility for higher performers, other than a promotion to the managerial level: Cross-train them in areas they’re knowledgable or interested in. That makes the employees more versatile and can be a cost-effective way to deal with a staffing shortage.

Choosing candidates for promotions is a tricky process — even the best employees don’t always continue to shine as they move up the corporate ladder. Here’s how HR can help management identify rising stars and weed out the duds:

Employees without move-up potential will exhibit several warning signs managers should be on the lookout for. Those who aren’t ready for promotions tend to:

1. Prefer working alone. The higher up in an organization employees move, the more people-oriented their jobs become. When employees would rather be a one-person team, it’s likely because they lack the people skills needed for higher positions.
2. Avoid difficult situations. In a lower-level job, it’s possible to avoid conflict and unpleasant people. But once they’re promoted, employees don’t have that option and will need the skills to tackle those situations head-on.
3. Don’t change their minds or admit they’re wrong. Supervisors must be able to take criticism, adapt to new situations and learn from their mistakes.
4. Avoid risk. Just as poor candidates for promotions won’t admit they’re wrong, they’re also afraid to be in situations where they might have problems. But taking risks and trying something new is a critical part of a supervisor’s job.
5. Shun training. Some workers aren’t interested in learning new skills — or worse yet, they think they know everything already. Those aren’t the people you want to promote.
6. Aren’t excited about their work. Even when employees are competent, they may lack the drive required to take on more responsibility. The signs should be there early on — odds are if they aren’t passionate about their current position, they aren’t ready for a new one.
7. Stay in the background. Some people naturally gravitate toward leadership roles. Those are the people who will take charge of their teams.

So if someone shows a few of those traits, does that mean they’ll never be promotion material? Of course not. But managers will need to help them improve in those areas before they’re ready to move up.

Unhappiness with management is the number one reason employees switch employers, according to a survey of top executives by staffing firm Robert Half International. More than a third (35%) said that’s the main reason people have left their companies.

Others reasons employees have cited for leaving recently:

• Limited advancement opportunities (33%)
• Lack of recognition (13%)
• Inadequate salary and benefits (13%), and
• Boredom (1%).

The bad boss problem has only gotten worse in the past few years. When the same survey was conducted in 2004, only 23% of execs said bad management was causing problems.

The reason: During uncertain times when employees are asked to do more with less, strong leadership becomes even more important, says Max Messmer, CEO of Robert Half.

The upshot: For companies concerned about retention problems, a change in supervisors’ attitude and style could go a long way.

Managers only hire the right person about half the time, say Geoff Smart and Andy Street in their book WHO: Solve Your #1 Problem.

The good news: They say many bad decisions can be avoided.

While no manager will get it right every time, here’s a four-step process Smart and Street believe will lead to better hiring choices:

1. Prepare – Before filling a position, managers should write a scorecard with specific skills the position needs. Having all the needed qualifications organized beforehand will help keep everyone involved in the process on the same page.
2. Always look – Keeping an eye out for talent isn’t something to do only when there’s a job to fill. The authors say the search for potential employees should always be on a manager’s mind. That’s where good networking skills come into play.
3. Interview – Smart and Street recommend a four-step interview process, beginning with a quick phone screen, moving to an in-person screen and a final round with the primary decision maker, and ending with in-depth reference checks.
4. Personalize the sale – Convincing candidates the job is right for them requires some knowledge about the person. When managers try to make the sale, they should be aware of the candidate’s family needs, long-term goals, etc., and structure the offer accordingly.

From the candidate’s perspective, here are the eight worst habits they’ve seen, according to a survey by Development Dimensions International:

1. Acting like he or she she has no time to talk (70%)
2. Withholding information about the position (57%)
3. Treating the interview like a cross-examination (51%)
4. Showing up late (48%)
5. Appearing unprepared for the interview (47%)
6. Asking questions unrelated to the job (43%)
7. Asking questions that are too personal (38%)
8. Talking about him or herself instead of the candidate’s qualifications (33%)

The bad news for interviewers guilty of those transitions: Two-thirds of candidates said the interviewer’s behavior has a big impact on whether they accept a job offer.

Even more reason to train managers on how to give off a good impression.