How to Retain Your Employees

You can spend a lot of time and money recruiting new employees but, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that they will stay. Then you are back to square one and you have wasted all that effort. Surprisingly, salary is not the make or break when it comes to employee retention, with many people putting their well-being before their pay-check. How do you make sure your employees are happy enough to stay once you have hired them? Here are some tips you can use.

Ask

It sounds simple enough, but many employers simply don’t ask their employees how they feel about the job. This can seem daunting to both parties; however, there are ways to make this simpler and less intrusive. If your employees have a monthly 1:1 meeting, this could be the best time for their manager to ask if they are happy or if they have any concerns. However, not everyone will feel comfortable answering these questions, especially if their issues are directed at the manager who is asking the questions.

A regular employee survey through a company such as inpulse.com can be a fantastic way to get some feedback about employee engagement. It can remain anonymous so that employees feel more comfortable being honest and you can use this information to make changes or address issues. 

Flexibility

There is a huge emphasis on flexibility in the workplace these days. Many people would like more flexibility, and some won’t take a job unless this is one of the benefits. The idea of working 9-5 Monday-Friday has become outdated in the past couple of years with more people now working from home.

If you think about it, flexibility makes sense to the employer too. No more lateness due to train strikes or traffic jams, less sickness, and reduced overheads make flexible working a huge incentive for the employer as well as the employee. As long as the company doesn’t depend on people being physically present at certain times, this is a great way of retaining staff.

Opportunity

Nobody likes the thought of having to work in a dead-end job forever and if there is no alternative, your employees might start looking for opportunities elsewhere. Developing staff through training opportunities and the potential to get promoted will encourage them to remain in their jobs and work hard. That way they know that they are working towards a definite goal.

Recognition

People like to be recognised for a job well-done and it can be demotivating if your best efforts go ignored. Incentives do not have to cost the company a fortune. A simple thank you card and perhaps a small token such as a bottle of wine or gift voucher will go a long way towards making staff feel appreciated and this will help to keep them motivated. 

None of these ways of retaining your staff will cost the company a lot of money. However, they could save you a fortune. It can mean that you can move away from the constant cycle of recruiting, hiring, and training only to see all your hard work go down the drain when they hand in their notice a few months later.