Staff Retention – How to Keep Employees for the Long Haul
Small companies will put a lot of work into hiring employees. The successful businesses will spend time researching the marketplace to come up with competitive wage and benefits to attract the best candidates.
After the interviews and hiring, everything should be set up for long-term success, right?
Anyone running a small business will tell you it is never that easy.
To get the most out of an employer/employee relationship it is best to look at it as a two-way street. Employees are hired to do a specific job well while hitting pre-determined goals, and employers should meet their stated expectations and promises.
Still, there is always more an employer can do to retain staff for the long haul. Laying the groundwork to run a company where employees treat it as a destination not necessarily a stepping stone. Here are a few tips to keep employees for the long-haul.
Listen and Act
Regular quarterly reviews are a good chance to check in with staff, to evaluate and set new goals, and to get often-needed face time without the day-to-day bustle interrupting. These meetings are also a good chance for honest feedback on an employee’s perspective and input.
Setting the right tone early on, one of collaboration and meaningful growth, can help an employee feel valued and like a member of the team. Set time aside in those meetings to listen to the employee perspective what they have seen or heard from customers, vendors, suppliers, or generally around the business.
Come up with a plan to address any issues or set a second meeting time for when they can be tackled. Not only can this help an employee feel valued and hopefully want to stay but can have a positive impact on the bottom line.
Respect Boundaries
The balance between home life and work life is increasingly important. With a few exceptions the set number of hours per week should be respected and contacting employees on days off or after hours should be avoided. Meetings should take place during business hours as well as emails, calls, and other needs.
Respecting boundaries will help employees feel more excited for workdays and working hours.
Company Growth
Part of working is the learning of new skills and growth. Companies should offer training incentives for those who want them and a chance to climb in the company ranks, taking on new responsibilities (with matching salary) and growing into new roles. Employers should be part of helping employees achieve their work goals, and this includes helping them move on from the company should there not be a fit for their budding talents.
Showing long-term commitment and growth will help employees feel valued and motivated to put in the hours to helping a company succeed.
People will come and go in jobs but to build a meaningful culture that values retention, expertise, and institutional knowledge can only help a company grow. A few small steps that might require some hard work now and again will keep employees happy and thriving and with you for the long haul.
