Recruitment: Staff Retention
Breakups can be messy affairs. When key staff members decide to leave, the effects can be damaging to a company’s morale and bottom line. Antony Elkington, Managing Director of Trusted Recruiter, shares his tips for helping ensure those star employees don’t part ways with you.
How to avoid losing your most valued employees!
Before we start, it is important to remember that not all of your employees may be happy in their jobs. Some may be living out their dream position and enjoying every moment but others may want to take a break or leave completely.
Sometimes a key employee leaving is inevitable and sometimes it is preventable if an employee is able to understand what is motivating them to leave or join a competitor.
Here are some of the reasons registering candidates tell us they are looking for a new challenge:
Feeling they aren’t valued
The vast majority of candidates registering with Trusted Recruiter explain that in some way, they do not feel valued by their current employer or their manager. Not everything needs to be rewarded with pay increases and sometimes, the best reward is a certificate, trophy or even verbal recognition. Why not try running monthly or quarterly recognition events to both incentivise and recognise employees?
Having a bad manager
Are you or your senior managers well trained not only in the industry or your company’s products and services but also as a manager? Be careful not to underestimate the importance of people management skills; they can be as valuable, if not more so, as the attention paid to products, services or industry knowledge, especially when it comes to retaining those star employees.
They did not get a promotion
Many employees feel that they have been overlooked for a promotion. Understandably, not all staff can be promoted at any one time but it is always a good idea to offer training and development to support your staff in their future aspirations. You may also wish to assign them with tasks relating to their future career paths where possible. If you decide to cut your training budgets, you will see a company that is less efficient and productive.
Too much work
Many candidates express dissatisfaction with a lack of work/life balance, wishing to work fewer hours or those in field-based roles finding themselves travelling more miles than they spend working. This can cause burn out and result in your employees leaving you. Regularly assess individuals’ workloads, hours worked and distance travelled and, if necessary, bring in support.
Not enough trust or autonomy
Some of the attributes people value most are trust, honesty and fairness. A common reason we hear is that there is a lack of trust, with employees believing management is not giving them freedom and the ability to express themselves. This often results in an employee feeling micromanaged and under a lot of pressure. It may be worth providing staff more freedom if they are doing or even exceeding what has been asked of them.
Lack of company direction
Do you share your company’s goals and plans with all employees, even those who may not be directly affected by them? There is no reason not to unless, of course, they are too confidential. Every time someone new joins, ensure you communicate to them clearly what your company stands for and the role they play in helping the business achieve its objectives.
Trusted Recruiter are not only specialists in the field of Assistive Technology and healthcare, we also offer our clients ongoing support and advice where needed on any existing or future staffing plans. Why not speak to one of our consultants confidentially about your staffing plans and help avoid that Valentines’ break up in February. Call us on 0333 0144 014 or email us at contact@trustedrecuiter.co.uk