Improve your staff retention and keep your talented employees happy with these nine strategies.
Recruitment is expensive and staff leaving can be disruptive, so it’s the worth the time and effort to make sure you have happy employees. Research shows that there are consistent reasons why good people go looking for different work – most you can prevent with strong management.
1. Reaching a tipping point
One in two Australians say work keeps them from enjoying time with family and friends during the week, according to research by The Australian Institute. “Flexibility and work/life balance tops the list for those looking to make a change in jobs,” says Kathie Kelly, manager of Busy At Work Employment Solutions in Southport, QLD. “A number of organisations will say they are flexible and believe in work/life balance but very few actually follow through with a true commitment to it.” Employers can look to solutions such as allowing flexible work hours and letting employees work from home at least once a month.
FYI: January is the most popular month for switching jobs, according to the website SmartCompany.
2. Being under the pump
Many employees understand that certain occasions call for overtime, but it can become a problem when it’s constant and/or unpaid. Australians put in 2 billion hours of unpaid overtime annually, according to The Australian Institute, which in 2009, established November 30 as Go Home On Time Day. Managers can curb this trend by rewarding employees who do go above and beyond and ensuring they’re not getting burned out, whether that involves decreasing overall workload volume or making sure they go home on time, more often.
3. Not understanding the contribution
Employees should be, “understanding what they’re doing and why, and how it links to business goals,” says Lisa Spiden, owner of HR consulting business fibreHR in Richmond, Vic. “If they’re sitting in a corner doing this work and don’t know if it’s making any difference, they will lose motivation.” “They need to know why they are doing it and have the tools to do it.”
4. Being undervalued
Then there are the situations where an employee knows why she’s doing the work she’s doing, but still doesn’t get recognised for it. These workers may leave your company for a role with more recognition, says Kelly. A simple word of thanks or an email highlighting an individual’s work on a recent project sent company-wide are inexpensive ways to show your appreciation – but they should be consistent. A 2007 survey by the staffing firm, Accountemps, listed regular recognition of accomplishments as the best way to reward employees aside from monetary bonuses.
5. Not being a culture vulture
A supportive culture in the office can help employees feel valued as people, and not just at work. Research by Gallup, shows that the more friends a person has in the workplace, the happier they will be in other areas of their life. Encourage staff to mingle during lunch and social hours and host team-building meetings and exercises to improve relationships with each other. Respond to reports of bullying by managers or colleagues swiftly; seven out of 10 Australian workers surveyed by the anti-bullying group, Know Bull! say they’ve left a job due to bullying. A good HR department will do whatever possible to make sure employees feel safe in an environment that enables them to do their best work.
6. Finding it hard to get along
“Personality conflicts account for at least half of resignations,” Kelly says. Scheduling a meeting with an intermediary or HR manager, or reassigning the employee may help restore the peace.
7. A conflict of values
Money is actually not one of the biggest reasons people leave jobs, Spiden says. Rather, it’s employees feeling as if their work is out of sync with their life or personal goals. There’s a way to fuse the two – by asking employees about their motivation for working. “Provide goals for life, dreams, aspirations,” she says.
8. Being in a rut
Performance issues, budget restraints or company goals may prevent an employee from getting the promotions or opportunities they desire. Managers can solve this problem by assigning new responsibilities or projects to help with employee growth. Asking an employee to mentor others or provide expert input can help.
9. No opportunity for feedback
“If you gave a football player or athlete feedback once a year, that wouldn’t actually help them,” Spiden points out. Think of your employees in the same way and supply feedback after projects or major tasks in addition to twice a year formally. Don’t forget to ask staff for their feedback as well through engagement surveys and meetings.
What has made you change or stay in a role?