We are living in The Great Resignation, and turnover is highly contagious. Workplace culture and employee well-being is more vital than ever, and if you do not make this a priority, your organization’s future could be at risk. Here are some points to consider moving forward in an age where employee retention is not just a good thing, but a vital one.
The Harsh Reality of the Domino Effect
When key employees leave the company, it presents a critical opportunity to recruit new staff and invest more heavily in the employees who remain. However, most employers do not see the opportunity for what it is and end up putting too heavy of a workload on the employees who remain. This creates the domino effect of even more employees resigning due to feeling overworked and underappreciated.
Having several employees leave in a short time is a sign that something is off-balance. While you may not be able to control all factors, such as the growing trend of people seeking self-employment due to COVID or leaving for family reasons, knowing why people are quitting is the first step in reversing the trend.
Do You Understand Why Your Employees are Leaving?
Hearing that your employees are not talking well about your organization when management is not around to monitor them can feel humbling and discouraging. However, it also presents an ideal opportunity to change the workplace atmosphere and offer better support to employees. People who feel supported and appreciated at work tend to speak highly of their employer to others, not to mention stay employed with the company as long as possible.
Employee surveys can be an ideal way to find out what current and exiting employees are thinking without putting them on the spot to share how they feel in front of others. Be sure to offer your employees complete anonymity when completing the survey and stress how important it is that they do so. Management also needs to implement specific actions related to employee feedback or workers will come to feel that completing surveys is a waste of time.
Turn Things Around - But Don’t Offer a Quick Fix Offering
At the same time, you do not want to implement simplistic solutions too quickly that do nothing to solve larger organizational problems. Taking this approach will not resolve a cultural issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. Employees may also view it as lazy and feel insulted that management did not seem to take their concerns seriously. Take time to analyze employee feedback and include employees whenever possible when determining how to implement organizational changes.
High Turnover is Costly, and You Should Want Your Employees to Brag About Your Organization to Friends and Family
Word of mouth advertising is one of the most effective types a company can receive, and it costs nothing except dedication to making the company a great place to work. People who enjoy working for your company will spread the word wherever they go and inspire others to research whether working there is the right choice for them as well.
Try to say yes whenever possible to requests such as flexible schedules and benefits to show employees that you support them inside and outside the office. When you cannot honor a request, be sure to explain why and let employees know that you appreciate them sharing their ideas.
Need Help with Retaining Employees?
TPC has years of experience helping businesses cultivate a positive and constructive work environment, along with a culture that leads to better retention. Our company, which enjoys a very low turnover rate among our own staff, is happy to share what we have learned and tailor it to your organization.
