How To Retain Best Employees
You spend a lot of time, effort and resources trying to attract the right talent for the roles available at your organisation. Well, it doesn’t stop there because you need to do some work on keeping them too! This is where sadly, some companies fall short because the employee is made to feel like the ‘grass is greener’ when actually, it often isn’t. That said, as a business, you need to keep your workforce happy, engaged and interested over a long period of time. We’ve written a detailed blog to give you a few tips and methods of being able to do this. The long-term benefits to your business should not be underestimated.
When a member of staff leaves, it leaves you having to invest your time in recruiting new staff and training up new employees. You’re left with one less position than you previously had, a skill-set deficit until filled once again of course and sometimes you’re obliged to financially support the person leaving so you could be out of pocket too.
The knock on effects of this scenario can be felt by the rest of the team too in different ways, which can lead to more people leaving; it can be a domino effect. However, if you work hard to ensure you get the right people on board in the first place as well as implement a strategy to keep them, make them feel wanted and rewarded, then you’ll be buying people gifts for 25 years service plus in no time!
Strategies To Retain Best Employees
Hiring the correct people
This isn’t as easy as it might seem and we are sure every recruiter or HR professional has had a slight error in judgment in the past, but there is a lot of sense to this point. When you are recruiting, you can pay attention to their CV to see how long they’ve stuck at previous roles. You can ensure your job specification truly matches the activities that would be happening in the role itself. You can make sure that all the information given about your business is truly accurate and that there aren’t any mishaps or major discrepancies when the actual role begins.
Work on your systems and processes
Developing a set of processes for onboarding and employee development is key to making people feel in the loop. Following a standard procedure means people know what’s ahead and they feel informed but recognised too. Processes for things such as reviews, catch ups, onboarding, holidays, achievements are all extremely important. Having the relevant employment documents in place such as employment contracts and employment handbooks are essential for keeping employees engaged and feeling part of the team from the very beginning.
Create company opportunities
Many people are engaged and motivated by opportunity. This may be a financial opportunity of a bonus, or opportunity to go up the career ladder. Each person’s development should be monitored and progressive. This gives employees something to aim for and a constant challenge is therefore in place. It’s always a good idea to have appraisals with employees to find out what motivates them most and also to reward them where it’s necessary to keep them feeling valued.
Create a space where people want to be
It’s so important to build trust between the business and staff. Allowing working from home, flexible working hours, longer lunch times and other things can build trust but also make the employee feel they can have their off-work time and in return they’re expected to perform. That mutual respect and expectation is built. The actual office itself should also be a comfortable space where people feel welcome and able to communicate. Open plan office spaces and cordoned off areas for ‘rest’ or ‘chill time’ or ‘quiet time’ can help achieve this too.
Provide plenty of training opportunities
When employees feel that the business is investing in them, they are much more likely to excel in their relevant roles. Putting employees on courses to further their skill sets will result in increased confidence and therefore, productivity and output. Many employees are interested in personal development and continuously progressing themselves so offering this is a fantastic way to retain your best employees.
Contact NORi HR & Employment Law
There are of course more specific ways in which you can encourage employee retention. If you’d like to know more about this, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with NORi HR & Employment Law on 01254 947829 as we’d love to help you and your business. Your staff are the beating heart of everything you do so make sure you are treating them right, offering benefits regularly and showing your appreciation too, it goes a long way for sure!
