During job searches, people prioritize a few key aspects: pay rates, commute time, and company culture. The more your company offers, the more promising it looks to candidates and your current team. Part of your duty as a manager is to keep employees happy because high turnover rates never reflect well on a company. Below, we’ve compiled some of the best ways to improve employee retention so you can keep your employees happy.
Offer Plenty of Perks
People are more likely to stay at a company that treats them like valued team players rather than numerical assets. Most employees expect general coverage such as health insurance and a 401K, but you should go beyond this if you want to keep them happy.
Flexible office hours are a great perk, so rather than require the standard 9 – 5, allow workers to start and end at an earlier time, like working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Remember, some of your workers have families and young children, so they may want to get home earlier.
Nourish a Healthy Culture
Every workplace has a culture, and the most successful companies have one that fosters great communication, innovation, and teamwork. No matter what field you work in, employees need to remember they’re all part of a team.
How do you create a welcoming culture? Keep communication open with your employees and avoid shooting down ideas. Similarly, offer various work options—in-office, remote, and hybrid—to appeal to everyone.
Pro Tip
One of the best ways to help employees navigate hybrid working is to create reasons they’ll want to come into the office. For example, a fun break room with a full kitchen, comfy seats, and even games make a great place workers can hang out in during breaks.
Encourage Team Bonding
Feeling like you’re a part of a team becomes easier when you bond with your coworkers, so offer team-building events at least once a month. One of the top ways to plan a successful team-bonding event is to provide in-person and virtual options so everyone feels included. Likewise, talk with employees to see what they do and don’t like so they remain a part of the process.
Offer Plenty of Training
When employees feel confident in what they have to do, there’s no stopping them! Ensure you offer new employees ample training to practice expected tasks and shadow other workers. Some workplaces pair new employees with a mentor for their first week or so of work to have a resource for help.
You should also give your team tune-up training courses annually to get a refresher on the skills needed for their job. Likewise, offer training for employees eligible for a promotion so you can hire from within. This allows workers to always feel challenged and valued, which is an incredible way to improve employee retention. When your workers know they can grow with the company, they’re more likely to see it as a career rather than a job.
