Finding the right person for the right job is crucial for business success. That’s why you get a lot of satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment when you’ve found the ideal candidate for a post. If, however, that employee then decides to move on after a short time, it’s immensely disappointing. Add to that the costs of re-recruiting, including time as well as direct costs, and you’ll likely feel frustrated at having to go through the same process all over again. Luckily, there are steps you can take to improve your employee retention. In fact, if your business currently has a high staff turnover rate you need to look urgently at what’s causing it and find appropriate solutions.

Welcome aboard!

From the outset, new employees need to feel welcomed by their teammates and their boss. Make personal introductions to individuals who will be working in the same team or even hold a get-together to encourage everyone to relax and get to know each other better. Make time for company celebrations when significant milestones are achieved, so that everyone feels good about their personal contributions and how the business has performed. That is a great way to motivate your employees, which in turn encourages them to stay with your business.

Mentoring

A mentorship program is ideal for pairing newer employees with more experienced staff members. Be crystal clear about the benefits to both parties: new employees are not being ‘supervised’ by existing ones, rather they are being invited to use their skilled colleague as a sounding board and to make the most of the knowledge and resources the senior member of staff has at their disposal.

Company culture

It can take a little time for new employees to learn about the organizational culture in a business. This is because their awareness will tend to evolve gradually as they learn more about what is expected of them in their new post. Remember that, as well as the nature of their work, they will need to understand the approach the business takes to issues such as a healthy work-life balance and flexible working. What is the company stance when it comes to taking vacations, working late or when a project demands extra long hours? Generally, it’s a good policy to encourage your employees to use up their vacation time, enjoy their vacation rentals, and to accept time off in lieu or compensation for extra hours worked. That is a positive way of acknowledging their hard work and promoting a sense of wellbeing.

Rewards and recognition

As well as paying a fair salary for the post, saying thank you to an employee who has done a good job is a courtesy and should happen automatically at every level in your business. Adding a gift card or allowing an extra day off is a strong indicator that your colleagues’ efforts are recognized and appreciated.

Actions to improve team bonding can be useful for rewarding collective hard work – organizing a day out with shared activities, for example. Another good option is to set up a lottery syndicate for the team. There’s nothing quite like the shared hope of winning the lottery jackpot to bring a team together, and you can use a Lucky Number Picker to keep everyone happy with your chosen numbers.

Coping with change

Remember that every new employee is experiencing an immense change in their working life, and also that existing employees have to deal with change when you implement new strategies or procedures. If you encourage an atmosphere that makes it easy for workers to take change in their stride, you will find that glitches and setbacks will be identified and dealt with promptly. This is useful because it stops members of the workforce feeling frustrated and even angry, and helps management iron out any inconsistencies as early as possible.

Development options 

Some people decide to move on from their jobs because, frankly, they become bored or don’t see any way forward for the future. It’s important, therefore, to ensure your employees are given adequate training, so they do their job well, are recognized for their efforts and can see clearly that the future holds potential for personal advancement. It’s a good move to promote investment in people, so that your employees can learn new skills, gain additional knowledge and make progress that is satisfactory for them as well as for you.

Finally, don’t forget the valuable role that clear communication plays in the workplace. Be open and honest with employees about how their work is progressing, and when they come to you with concerns or questions, take the time to listen, think carefully about what they are telling you, and respond accordingly.