It’s a balancing act, but you need to put as much effort into retaining workers as you do attracting new ones. Take these four steps to help engage your existing employees and reduce preventable turnover:
- Survey workers. As you come up with ideas, seek employees’ feedback and additional suggestions. Remember that workers aren’t connected or communicating the way they used to, so you need to create new avenues for communication about important issues.
- Create a mentorship program. One reason employees often give for leaving a job is that they feel like they’re in a dead-end career. A mentorship program can help them see new opportunities and feel like their employer is investing in them and their future.
- Acknowledge milestones and achievements. A gift card and shout-out for a work anniversary, a completed course or degree, birth of a child, award, or other accomplishment lets employees know you are interested in their lives and appreciate them as individuals.
- Put people first. Don’t start these efforts with a full-speed-ahead attitude then forget about them over time. Be consistent and make employee appreciation, respect, and support on ongoing, ingrained part of your organization.
