The HR/IR Solutions Guide for Preventing Employee Turnover
Over recent years, employee turnover has been consistently on the rise for a number of reasons. One major reason is that many managers are unaware of their employee’s unhappiness until it is too late. Up to 52% of employees say that their manager or organisation could have done something to prevent them from leaving.
Here are three of the best ways to improve your business’ employee retention:
1. Catching an intention to leave early:
Often employees quitting can come as a shock to both the team and the manager. However, such a decision is often a long time in the making, allowing you to catch an intention to leave before it is too late.
Often there is a period in which you can make a difference before it is too late, so it is important to talk to your employees consistently about their job satisfaction or their future with your organisation.
Increasing the frequency of conversations with employees allows you to identify concerns and signs of disengagement long before the employee’s last day.
2. Listening to employee feedback and prioritising their workload:
Often, an employee will be satisfied if they feel like their manager is always willing to listen to their work-related problems. Although it may not feel particularly special or important, a willingness to listen will show engagement with your employees and help prevent burnout.
In a similar vein, whilst you may not be able to decrease an employee’s workload, you can help to reorganise and prioritise their work effectively. Employees may be focusing their attention in the wrong areas which can lead to employee unnecessary anxiety. A few simple clarifications on the priority of their work can prevent employee dissatisfaction immensely.
3. Finding creative and personalised solutions to problems
Sometimes simply listening to an employee’s concerns is not sufficient and the manager will need to solve the employee’s problem.
When solving an employee’s problem, a manager should create manageable, but effective changes. Sometimes an employee’s role makes them feel uncomfortable and shifting a few responsibilities between staff members can create a more effective working environment.
Effective problem solving will create a better working environment for all members on your team and increase employee satisfaction and retention.
The cost of losing an employee is more than an empty seat. High employee turnover creates an unstable team environment and can lead to a domino effect where other employees leave.
