Keeping your staff happy & loyal
Recruiting talented people for your company is one thing, keeping them with you can be another thing altogether says Sean McDonough of Mogers Drewett
Losing people can have a huge impact on a business. Recruiting is time consuming and expensive and once you have found the right person the investment continues in induction and training before they can fully step into their new role.
The more valuable the employee you have lost, for example someone with specialist skills or with particularly strong customer relationships, the more damaging their resignation can be, especially if they move on to work for a competitor. In addition, the departure can adversely affect other employees, morale can go down and pressure up, as they try to pick up the slack.
Clearly, it makes good business sense to retain good people. The more you do the more you’ll motivate and engage your staff and the more attractive you will be to new recruits. Here are some tips to help you keep great people on side.
Flexible rewards – Keep in mind that the power of salary to motivate is short-lived. While it is an essential foundation, people get used to it and take it for granted so other measures need to be in place as well. Be creative one size never fits all, while some employees will find life insurance and healthcare attractive others may prefer gym membership or even pet insurance.
Having interesting work to do is a key motivator to retaining staff. Boredom grinds people down and while some jobs are by their nature mundane you can still build in interest to their role by engaging people with your broader business values.
Work flexibly – Staff surveys regularly highlight that most employees prefer a culture where there is a flexible working policy. Home working or flexible shifts that recognise people have commitments and interest outside of work makes a company a more attractive place to work. Try to avoid rigid working patterns like fixed start times, breaks and lunch hours unless it is absolutely essential for your business.
Invest in your managers – Poor managers are a key reason for people leaving a job. Investing in training and skills development is vital to ensure valuable staff are properly managed and motivated.
Finally, consider the social needs of your team. Socialising makes the day feel more natural and enjoyable. It generates a sense of belonging and cultivates good relations between people. Small low cost gestures are all that is needed such as after work drinks or holding team meetings at breakfast and bringing in coffee and doughnuts – it’s a normal part of life and should be included in the workplace.