Marie Raperto, The Hiring HubRetaining your employees is extremely important and yet extremely hard to do.  According to a survey by Business 21 Publishing, 78% of HR executives said it was at or near the top of their priority list but only 20% are taking proactive steps to keep their employees.Employee turnover costs are very high -- estimated at 1.5 times the salary of each employee who must be replaced.A good hire fits within the organization's culture and their individual abilities are properly aligned to their position which results in that employee being engaged and contributing to the bottom line with productive work.  A bad hire hits the bottom line as hiring managers must restart the hiring cycle, wasting time, money and productivity.According to TalentLens, it is important to recognize that the most critical step in retaining employees comes before the hire itself.Resumes represent a static list of skills and duties but not how well a candidate has performed.  Reference checks are with specific candidate contacts and many supervisors are wary of litigation.  Most interview questions are designed to start a conversation and not for candid, self-critical evaluation.  Just because someone is qualified on paper doesn't mean they are right for the job.  Employers must be upfront about their needs and expectations before the hiring process begins.  Abilities, skills and personality all must be considered.Professional assessments maximize person-job fit.  They can offer:1. Behavioral - how someone assesses and interprets information, solves problems and makes decisions.2. Skills - what proficiencies has a candidate learned over time.3. Personality - can the person handle stress, are they persistent and dependable, can they handle multiple tasks?4. Critical Thinking - can someone recognize assumptions from facts, evaluate arguments and draw logical conclusions.Assessment testing, today, is very different.  They have been scientifically and real-world validated, are easy to administer and are not expensive,  most of important of all, they do help you hire the right person and retain your employees.