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10 Tips for Retaining Employees

Gone are the days where employees spent the better part of their careers with one company. In fact, 50-60% of workers admit that they search for a new job frequently. Studies show 33% of employees quit within the first 90 days of being hired. So how do companies keep employees on board?

Being intentional about your company culture is very important. Prioritize maintaining an attractive company culture to keep employees engaged. Also make sure all employees have a voice and feel comfortable approaching peers and leaders, regardless of title. Offer employees flexible scheduling or work arrangements when possible. Give incentives for high performance and get involved with your community by giving employees volunteer opportunities. Most importantly get to know your staff, the more connection you have with an employee the easier it will be to have open communication. 

Here are 10 tips for retaining employees.

 

  1. Give more praise & recognition- it’s not always about money or tangible rewards. Why? Many people quit because of a lack of appreciation. Extroverts or introverts, your employees still get a kick out of public or private praise.
  2. Set clear objectives and goals– it’s difficult for employees to give their best if the task’s goal changes more often than the change of their clocks. Communicate your expectations clearly and set precise goals. Results are only as strong as the objective set.
  3. Be future driven– Analyzing the past is important to projecting the future. But focusing solely on employees’ progress isn’t enough in a fast- paced workplace. You need to study the future, as impossible as it might sound. Using P.P.P (Progress, Plans, Problems)-helps you be aware of your teams’ plans.
  4. Seek input & ideas– More often than you think, decisions are made without seeking input. This strategy might save you a few minutes or hours, but it doesn’t guarantee success. Sometimes it’s OK not to be the smartest person in the room. Ask input from people around you. Your team has brilliant ideas: just learn to ask.
  5. Give continual feedback– As tasks grow more complex, people need more feedback. Employees need to feel that they are heard by their managers, and they need it more often than twice a year. There is a correlation between employee engagement and periodic feedback.
  6. Communicate openly– Open internal communication plays a big role in successful teamwork. Share your plans and thoughts; being transparent will encourage an open atmosphere. Only after mastering the skill of sharing openly, can you expect the same from your team.
  7. Ask about emotions & attitudes–Don’t mix giving praise and providing feedback with asking about attitudes and emotions. The two are not the same. You’ll be surprised what you learn about your team when you ask emotional questions.
  8. Measure satisfaction– All of the tips mean nothing if you fail to measure their success. Although it would be wonderful if it were true that one could verify two pieces of feedback a week increased employee satisfaction by a certain percent, it is just not the case. Guidelines are only guiding lines. You are responsible for figuring out the exact actions. You can manage only what you measure
  9. Don’t be negative – Constructive feedback is necessary, even if it’s negative, but regular criticism will take down even the strongest. People have a much greater recall of unpleasant memories than positive ones. To keep your people happy and motivated, be positive and lead by example.
  10. Save time in meetings–One of the biggest employee motivation killers is wasting their time. Holding a poorly prepared meeting that lasts for hours wastes everyone’s time, including your own. Prepare for meetings, stay on topic, and have someone take meeting notes if the topic is important so the notes can be shared with your team

Talent is your biggest asset, and while you’ll never eliminate employee turnover, following these strategies can help you keep your best employees. Employees who feel engaged in their workplace tend to stay in their jobs, workers who feel disconnected from development opportunities, management, or the organization’s values will be more likely to leave 

Of course, sometimes turnover is inevitable, so organizations must be prepared to lose top talent. It’s difficult when we lose someone who’s a rock star, but that’s one of the things you must be prepared for. Especially in today’s market, it’s so competitive. So be active in universities, consider partnering with a staffing agency, professional organizations, and local chambers.

Have a strong — positive — presence. Be visible and become the employer of choice.