Thanks to Covid-19 and the reevaluation of the workforce, it’s more or less a buyer’s market… if buyers are the workers and sellers are companies. The Great Resignation forced employees to reconsider their work-life balance and several left their jobs in search of something better. In many cases, it’s more expensive to hire a new employee and start training from scratch than it is to provide raises and bonuses.
Communication
Effective communication is necessary in order to hang on to good employees. Throughout the uncertainty of Covid and remote working, employees craved communication and instruction. A quick email about workplace procedures, updates to staffing, or simply a weekly newsletter is more appreciated by staff than leaders know. Frequent communication breaks down barriers between boss and worker and allows the entire company to feel informed. Company leaders can institute office hours or opportunities for employees to sign up for informal “listening sessions” where they can safely have conversations with their direct superiors. Employees know the inner workings of companies best and have valid input that could improve day-to-day procedures, they just need the platform to do so.
Employee Treatment
The pre-Covid workforce no longer exists. Employees quit their jobs in droves in search of better conditions and higher wages. Many companies have made adjustments to give workers greater amounts of vacation time, more remote work opportunities, and pay increases of some sort. In addition, successful companies recognized the need for a better work-life balance and simplification of work procedures. Don’t make it difficult for people to be healthy. If an employee needs to schedule a medical procedure at Northwest Surgery Center, for example, allow the time and make the process easier. Employees that are given more freedom with time and vacation rarely hinder productivity, but work hard to show their appreciation.
Leadership
Employee retention is more than a relationship between management and the workforce. It requires senior members to stay up to date on best practices and be aware of employee concerns. Aside from the pandemic, management is often a leading cause of employee turnover. Management should consider deliberate feedback from employees. Workers are held to certain standards on the job and managers should be expected to do the same. Not only allowing but also encouraging and planning opportunities to give feedback are great ways for employees to buy in and feel as if they have a say in the company.
Retaining employees doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Companies can make minor adjustments that have massive results but only if they’re willing to put in the work. Set the expectation that there is always room for improvement and your company will do the same.