5 Tips to Reduce Employee Churn and Increase Retention

Posted September 5, 2018

Job retention is an important topic among HR personnel and in today's workforce it is a growing issue. The talent pool is thinning because of baby boomers retiring and more jobs available due to the strengthening economy. As millennials begin building their careers, the struggle for retention is likely to get worse. These younger professionals have shown tendencies towards job hopping. Employers are going to have to work harder to create an environment that keeps employees happy and wanting to stay in a job.

Taking it Back to Basics

Make sure you are hiring the right people. Candidates should have a clear understanding of what the position requires, and you should ask questions that directly relate to the position. Having applicants complete a task that mimics something they may be required to do can reveal who truly has the skills needed to succeed in the position. You should also look at whether the company culture is compatible with any given candidate.

Show Them the Money

Employees want to feel appreciated and shown they are indeed valuable to the company. Compensation and benefits continue to be an important factor in tamping down turnover. Offering competitive wages and benefits will help get qualified employees in the door.

However, it is what you do from that point on that will keep them there. Supporting employee development also shows them what they are worth to the company, as does rewarding specific achievements and efforts of your employees.

Happiness is…

Ultimately, employee retention has a lot to do with how happy someone is with their job. Creating an environment that promotes mutual respect and gratitude is key to employee happiness. Provide employees with opportunities to connect with each other and encourage them to recognize each other's achievements. This can help create a sense of ownership within a company. Work to build a culture of engagement to boost engagement and increase productivity.

Offer flexibility

It is becoming more and more common for people to want a flexible schedule and the possibility of remote work. Today's workforce prioritizes a healthy work-life balance, and offering flexibility helps people achieve that balance, while increasing employee retention.

Purpose and Performance

Giving employees a sense of purpose in their work can increase loyalty. Give them feasible goals and a firm vision of their future work. Showing them they have a purpose within the company can increase their sense of belonging.

This goes hand-in-hand with performance reviews. Annual performance reviews have limited usefulness due to outdated procedures and poor execution. You must create a system of review that accurately evaluates and motivates employees. If done correctly, you should be able to use this as a tool to build employee relationships and increase job satisfaction.

At Ambassador, we support all the employee engagement initiatives of our clients. If your company is currently looking for a talent acquisition partner, please contact our full-service staffing firm today to find out how we support the success of our clients.