In this ever-changing digital age, how do you retain employees who are hard working, value your company, gritty and loyal?
Promote from Within
First, look at your existing staff. Maybe there’s someone who is a very good fit for a promotion to the position you want to fill. That person could be actively looking for other employment opportunities and not realize there is something available within their current company.
Approaching a staff member to try for promotion will give them confidence and build loyalty. Think about people who might be overlooked, especially women and people from diverse backgrounds.
Nurture your Current Employees
Consistent negative feedback is very demotivating and an employee on the receiving end will almost certainly feel the need to look for work elsewhere. If someone feels that they are valued and that their potential has been recognized, however, they will be motivated to work harder and perform better.
Communicate Clearly for Trust
Clear communication is a must to develop trust between boss and employee. Tell your employee what is working and what may need improvement in a matter-of-fact way, always starting with the positive aspects first.
Work Hard on Oversight to Ensure a General Sense of Fair Play
A common complaint is about the new person who received that extra bonus or vacation time when they “hadn’t put in their time.” You might hear about the 30-year veteran who was overlooked for a raise, or the mother just back from maternity leave who is relegated to a smaller role, or swamped with work and expected to put in massive overtime.
Fairness in pay and treatment are very important for keeping staff motivated and working well in their teams.
Dig for Hidden Talent
Seek out other skills that your employee may be able to bring to the table. Maybe they studied art and could help develop a new logo. Or perhaps they are a strong writer, but they don’t get to use that skill in their current position. You never know until you ask.
Get to know your employees better. They’ll be delighted to bring their passions to work.
Reward Talent with Growth and Cash!
Growth opportunities offered within the company, such as sponsored training seminars, can energize and motivate a potentially stagnant employee. These can be as rewards, or simply because.
If you are looking at monetary incentives, well, why not? Your employees help the company make money, and staff retention is important to that profit. Giving bonuses may save on pay rises.
Monetary incentives can really help to motivate your employees to continue to work for you and with you, every step of the way.
Get to know your staff, properly
Which brings us to the final point.
Getting to know your employees makes them feel valued!
Whether it’s remembering and asking about their family, giving them a few days off for an event that is important to them, or offering a bonus for work well done, showing that you appreciate them as a real person with a life outside the office will do a great deal for staff retention.