NEW YORK (AP) — It's natural for small business owners to focus on customers at the start of the year. Owners are looking for new business opportunities and making sure their relationships with existing customers stay strong.

They need to shift some of their focus to their employees. Now is the time for owners to sit down with staffers to discuss what they'll do for them during the coming year. That's right — what owners will do for their workers.

The Labor Department's report on employment during December showed that employers are hiring more workers. The unemployment rate is falling. Your staff is well aware that the job market is showing signs of improvement. And chances are, you have employees who are thinking about their next move — including your best ones, the staffers you don't want to lose.

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