How you know you have an Employee Retention Problem
Employers, particularly individuals in small enterprises, are often concerned about employee turnover. But, according to studies, employees thinking about changing jobs are most likely to leak corporate secrets or do actions that harm the organization’s aims.
Management sometimes refuses to acknowledge when many staff leaves the firm for brighter pastures. Many CEOs see this as a “standard for the course” or an operating cost. However, some executives fail to consider the cost of losing personnel regularly.
As a result, directors and managers must be able to see warning indicators that an employee is about to depart. Furthermore, keeping employees happy is essential for enhancing employee retention.
What Is Employee Retention?
Employee retention is when a worker prefers to stay with their existing employer is typically happy and not considering a move. In addition, employee retention is a business measure that demonstrates the level of dedication of the staff and Human Resources’ readiness to take on new tasks.
The 3 Signs You Have an Employee Retention Problem
Following are some warning signs that your employees will soon leave your company.
1. Lower productivity
When things become complex, and your company needs additional support, it’s tempting to turn to your staff, particularly your top achievers, for aid in achieving deadlines. But unfortunately, while it’s OK to challenge your team beyond their comfort bubble now and again, underpaid overtime and broken promises of compensation ultimately lead to fatigue and, perhaps, resignation.
Employee productivity drops sharply at 50 hours a week, and then after 55 hours, the output is so poor that your staff may as well be working part-time.
Your employees’ productivity is frequently a reflection of their level of engagement. Employees that are disengaged are often less effective. If your employee’s output continuously decreases, it might indicate that they’ve had enough and are planning to leave soon.
It’s OK to offer your staff more work if the task is appropriate and comes with an instant return. Employees like a job that allows them to stick out from the competition, but only if they believe their efforts are appreciated. Admittedly, no one wants to do more labor for the same amount.
2. A Decrease in Efficiency
Examining how “present” your staff are in the workplace might help determine whether there’s an issue. Poor punctuality or working “basic minimum hours” instead of investing time into their work are signs that some of your workers are shutting out from the joy of being at the office. The workforce might suddenly become sluggish, and workers don’t show a solid call to action. They don’t grin, don’t appear to be having a good time, and don’t engage in conversation with other employees in the break room.
Managers who report that certain workers spend plenty of time on their cellphone on personal phone calls, texting, or checking Facebook are also red flags. Sudden declines in work performance and reduced levels of corporate participation may indicate the start of a crisis. It might suggest that they are experiencing difficulty getting the same achievements as previously or are less interested or devoted. In this scenario, it would be prudent to investigate the fundamental causes and rectify the issue before the phenomenon spreads to additional employees. One way to get ahead of this lack of efficiency is to run a 360 Degree Feedback assessment on a bi-annual basis.
3. Change in behavior
Of course, you want your employees to focus rather than merely smile, but if the workplace atmosphere becomes hostile, you can bet they won’t be involved in their job. So there is a perfect balance, a point where individuals are attentive and engaged but not overloaded, somewhere in between delightfully comfortable and grim-faced resolve.
When an employee begins to act sneakily, such as reducing all screens before a manager approaches, they may be concealing activities such as browsing at job postings or reading emails from potential employers. We don’t recommend prying into an employee’s workspace, but it’s a good idea to have a check for these red flags.
According to successful organizations’ leaders, employees who are sincerely devoted to their employees are more efficient. In addition, engaging with your employees fosters collaboration, trust, involvement, creativity, organizational development, and performance.
If people aren’t engaged with their job, try ping pong tables, yoga classes, discounted bicycles, healthy muesli bars, etc. Unfortunately, many companies do this only to discover that the results are only transitory. They can even make matters worse by generating the assumption that you must continue to feed. Furthermore, the techniques aren’t necessary if the company culture and environment are good.
7 Ways to Improve Employee Retention
Transforming disinterested employees into engaged employees is the most effective strategy to solve your employee retention challenge. It’s not inconceivable: we’re all human, and we react to human motivating factors: a caring boss who establishes clear goals, inspires us, and eliminates impediments is someone we want to work with.
Consider the following standards in the light of your own company. They should provide you with a baseline for establishing a more successful staff retention plan by identifying possible target opportunities for improvement. Following that, you’ll have to be vigilant in tracking its influence on the effectiveness – and do so regularly, making modifications as needed.
Here are some recommendations to assist you in creating a high-performing working atmosphere as a leader: To transform disgruntled employees into happy, creative, and committed employees:
1. Pose the appropriate inquiries
Check if your staff knows the business mission and their particular responsibilities in accomplishing those goals.
2. Set specific goals and objectives
Employees can always learn from management instruction on doing whatever they must do once they understand what they must accomplish. Your organization is losing time and money if your workers do not receive the assistance they require to execute their tasks efficiently.
3. Show your gratitude
Valued employees are more likely to continue with their employers for more extended periods. After all, it’s an instinct to desire to be complimented on a job well done. In addition, little gestures may go a long way when showing thanks. For example, please send a message thanking somebody for their assistance on a project, purchase a little gift card for a worker, or treat well-deserving employees to lunch.
4. Maintain an open-door policy
Employees may feel obliged to resign due to a negative experience or circumstance with a colleague. Make it clear to your employees that you are always available and that you will respond to their concerns with an unbiased view before taking action to resolve any difficulties.
5. Give adequate training
According to research, turnover is most significant during the first 90 days of work – the training phase. If an individual does not receive appropriate training, they will lack confidence in their ability to accomplish the duties required for the job. This makes the team member want to leave and seek a better match.
6. Motivate people
Ensure that your personnel is inspired and encouraged. Spend the time to get to know each group and individual and their purpose for working on a specific project.
7. Look for obstacles
You may be uninformed that your staff is encountering organizational inefficiencies or barriers. Remove superfluous documentation, unproductive meetings, administrative overhead, and technologies or processes that cause more issues than they solve. “Ask the appropriate questions,” as the saying goes. Allow your staff to express their dissatisfaction with particular roadblocks.
Conclusion
Is it essential to think about how to keep your employees? Lowering turnover and increasing retention has several advantages. Fixing any of these three issues will save you money and improve the efficiency and quality of your business in ways you can’t envision right now.
Related Resource: 360 Degree Feedback: Your Complete Guide
Related Blog Post: How to do Team Building Successfully
Dr. Jaffee (M.A., Ph.D.) is a recognized expert in the field of assessments, and has created effective HR Solutions used by millions of people.