The cost of replacing employees, especially productive ones, is high for companies, which is why they place a high value on employee retention. The loss of talented employees can also strain existing employees, who need to take on extra work until those roles can be filled. In light of this, retaining your top employees should be a priority for your organization. These days, keeping your most valuable employees isn’t easy. There is a vast difference between how past generations viewed employment and how it is viewed today. For millennials, job hopping is a common practice in the workplace. To attract top young talent, employers need to use innovative recruiting strategies to find and hire ideal job candidates.

To prevent talent from leaving your company, you must not only recruit the best people but also nurture and engage them. Most companies find it troubling and challenging to deal with the “Great Resignation” (also known as the “Great Reshuffle”). If businesses believe their most important assets are their employees, retaining them is critical. Reviewing current policies and implementing new communications and procedures that will make a difference isalso helpful.  

So how can you keep your best employees?

This blog post outlines a few ways to do it.  

1. Onboarding and orientation

It is imperative to set every new hire for success from the outset. During the onboarding process, new employees should learn not only about the job but also about the company’s culture and how they can contribute to it. Whether in person or virtually, the training and support you provide from day one can set the tone for an employee’s entire career.

2. Employee compensation

A better-than-average salary and excellent benefits are obvious ways to retain top workers. As an incentive to stay with the company, you can also offer a retention bonus. You can also improve employee job satisfaction by improving health care benefits and retirement plans. Employees will remain in their jobs for longer if they are well-compensated and engaged. Your employees’ wages should be tied to the performance of the company. The company’s revenue and profit goals will be aligned with their interests, and it will serve as an inherent incentive for them to stay.

3. Communication

With hybrid and remote work on the rise, good workplace communication has become increasingly important. If your direct reports work on-site or remotely, they should feel comfortable approaching you with ideas, questions, and concerns at any time. To promote timely, constructive, and positive communication across the entire team, the organization needs to do its part.

4. Continuous feedback on performance

To show employees that you are listening to their feedback, many employers are abandoning the annual performance review in favour of more frequent meetings. During these meetings, employees discuss their short- and long-term professional goals, enabling them to visualize their future within the organization.

5, Training and development

Technology continues to change how we work, so it is especially important to upskill employees today. By upskilling, people gain new skills and competencies. Organizations should prioritize investing in their employees’ professional development. Make educational opportunities available, such as virtual conferences, tuition reimbursements, or financial support for continuing education. As a method for building leadership skills and advancing professional development, succession planning is extremely important. When employees aren’t allowed to grow in their organizations, they feel irrelevant.

6. Work-life balance

Working remotely has made it easier for people to avoid going to the office. Remote work offers employees the flexibility they desire. For two working parents, a flexible schedule is essential. It does not mean that they won’t work the same number of hours, but that they can manage their work outside of normal work hours. Job satisfaction depends on a healthy work-life balance. Management needs to be aware that people have lives outside of work, and that maintaining a balance can be even more challenging when working from home. Your best employees can benefit from flexibility.

7. Acknowledgement of milestones, big and small

A great way of promoting employee retention is to shine a light on notable achievements. Whether your team finishes ahead of the deadline on a major project, or a worker reaches a fifth work anniversary, seize the opportunity to mark the milestone together. Even if you need to celebrate virtually, it can be a meaningful and memorable moment for everyone.

8. Great work environment

People will stay at a company that celebrates diversity and makes them feel included. A more interactive and engaging work environment has replaced the drab, permanent cubicle type of workspace. It is becoming increasingly important for companies to enhance their office environments to retain top talent. With amenities like free coffee and snacks, a pool table, and fitness and relaxation rooms, employees won’t dread going to work. Happy hours on some days, birthday celebrations, and parties as rewards for successful projects are effective ways to motivate your employees.

9, Effective change management

Aside from the recent disruptions caused by the pandemic, every workplace is subject to change, both good and bad. These times require insight and reassurance from leadership. If your organization is undergoing a major change, keeping your team as informed as possible can ease anxieties and keep rumours at bay.

10. Don’t micromanage

Employee morale is hurt by micromanagement, and employees are deprived of the opportunity to achieve better results for themselves. Put more emphasis on facts and results than on the process and have feedback revolve around whether or not set expectations have been met. By reviewing their results, employees can determine if their process was successful. They can see what they are doing right and what is leading to their success, as well as how they need to adapt.

In conclusion, organizations must constantly strive to improve if they want to reduce employee turnover and increase employee satisfaction. In addition, they need to prioritize their employees’ overall well-being, which will strengthen their entire organization. Eventually, some of your team members will leave your organization, but they will know they are valued and supported, and they may even recommend your company to others.

References:

Half, R., 2022. 14 Effective employee retention strategies.
Ludwig, S., 2022. 8 Simple ways to retain your best employees.
Rolnick, M., 2022. How to improve employee retention, motivation and wellness.
Talent Lyft, 2018. 9 Tips for keeping your best employees.
Williams, D. K. & Scott, M. M., 2012. Five ways to retain employees forever.