Is poor staff retention an issue for your business? There have always been times where people left jobs in large numbers in search of something better. Sometimes it is related to specific industries and economic times. Other times it can be employee demands for higher pay, better benefits and loftier titles as was the case in 2018. That was also the year remote work became a thing of importance. It took a pandemic to issue in sweeping changes to how we work. We live in a mobile society, where information is swiftly available at our fingertips.
For employees, there is a lot of “the grass is greener on the other side.” This is a highly threatening position for most employers. There is always someone willing to pay higher wages and offer the moon to your key employees.
A savvy employer keeps up with the many reasons why employees quit. Being flexible and adapting to the shifts of employee desires can wear out the best of employers. There is no shortage of factors causing employee retention issues. The question is more about understanding why it is an issue in your business and then solving it.
My first job was a summer position in a popular hotel chain with a restaurant. I was hired with a few other kids to bus tables during the 3 pm to 11 pm shift. I was also fired from that job right before school started back. I talked back to my boss, with good reason as far as I was concerned. This first experience has had the greatest impact on me as a leader.
For an employer, there are sometimes employee turnover issues beyond your control. And there are lots of ways you can improve employee turnover. Because your time is abundantly valuable, you must select which employee turnover reasons are in your control. Here are some ideas to consider based on our experience:
- Establish employee trust by having a survival plan to address a potential crisis
- Develop and implement a coaching culture in your business
- Train leaders to be leaders rather than the do-it-yourself or by example method
- Excel in the implementation and execution of change initiatives
- Embrace and train emotional intelligence for all people in the business
- Create and use a constructive feedback process on a 360 basis
- Align each person in the business to your vision, core values and strategy
If you are having employee retention issues, email me and let’s have a chat. By working together, we ensure that you are moving forward and adjusting as needed to deliver the results you need. We want you to reach your goals and celebrate achievements.