Staff retention is an important part of running any business. It is especially critical for small businesses that rely heavily on employees to keep things operating smoothly.
Here are some tips on how to keep your team motivated and happy.
Be Honest About Expectations.
If you are honest with your staff about what you expect from them, they will appreciate it more. They also won’t feel as though they need to meet unrealistic expectations. This will help them stay focused on doing their job well instead of worrying about whether they will be able to meet your expectations.
Make sure you clearly discuss their roles and responsibilities, as well as what your expectations are of them, at the interview stage. Being transparent with your employees from the beginning will build trust and confidence. It will also reduce speculation and assumptions about the job you are hiring them for.
Give Staff Time Off.
It’s easy to forget how much work goes into running a business. You might not realize just how much effort it takes until you start looking at other people’s schedules. People who take time off tend to be happier and more productive when they return to work.
Offer Training and Induction Opportunities.
One of the easiest ways to keep employees engaged is by offering training opportunities. This will help them develop new skills and knowledge, and make them feel valued and appreciated.
Tip: If you offer training opportunities, make sure you provide enough time for them to complete the training.
Job training, induction and continuous professional development boost employee career growth. Encourage staff to pursue relevant and meaningful courses and workshops that will further their career advancement. A mix of virtual and in-person learning opportunities can ensure that investment in employee training and career development positively affects your business’s ROI.
Maintain a record of each employee’s training and induction programmes so management and staff can refer to the results and scores. This record also serves as a good reference point for when a refresher may be required.
Provide Feedback.
It is also important to provide feedback to your team members. This helps them understand what they are doing right and where they need to make improvements. You should also encourage your staff to ask questions when they feel confused or unsure of how to perform a task.
Here are some tips:
- Stay focused on the issue. Always focus on the situation or issue, rather than focusing on the person’s personality or traits.
- Be sincere. Effective feedback must be sincere and honest.
- Be specific. Give specific feedback focused on one issue rather than addressing multiple issues at once.
- Allow a response. Always provide an opportunity for receiving feedback. It works both ways.
- State the next steps clearly.
- Summarise. Conclude the feedback session with a brief summary of the discussion.
Reward Good Work.
A good reward system will help keep employees motivated and engaged with their work. Make sure you offer incentives that are meaningful to your team members. Find out how each of your employees would like to be recognized. Some may prefer financial rewards, others may like to be recognized publicly.
Some ideas for rewarding good work are:
- Leaving early one day a week
- One-off bonus
- Ticket to an event or game of their choice
- Paid expedition or adventure
- Public recognition
Here are some key insights from a Satisfaction & Motivation Study conducted by Seek New Zealand:
- ‘Career development’ (a structured career development plan, study and training) was one of the big four key drivers of ‘happiness’ amongst New Zealand employees.
- The most important management qualities identified by employees are openness, honesty, and communication.
- The top two ways employers can motivate employees are by looking after employees on a personal level, and via bonuses and incentives.
According to a study conducted by Glassdoor, some reasons why U.S. workers don’t use their vacation time include:
- They worry they will miss out on participating in an important project, decision or meeting.
- They feel guilty about leaving the office too long because they think their team might feel lost or overwhelmed.
- Some worry their desire to take vacation time will make them appear less motivated or dedicated.
- Others feel the need to constantly check emails or take phone calls while on vacation, so why bother?
Staff retention is a vital component of running any organisation efficiently.
Food Safe Passport can help with your staff retention goals by providing training, induction and career development programmes.