Managing a productive workforce goes beyond processing payroll and filling out forms, especially in 2022. We’re in the midst of the Great Resignation (or however you want to describe it). And even if you’re not dealing directly with increased turnover, it’s likely you soon will be.
Employees are looking for better options. And as an employer, the best thing you can do is to become the best option available. In order to do that, you’ll need to hone your listening skills and show your employees you are willing to make changes that are beneficial to them as well as your business. The following no-nonsense steps will help you get started.
Five Ways to Create an Engaged, Committed Workforce
1. Understand and Be Responsive to Employee Needs, Motivations, and Priorities
A paycheck may be the reason everyone has a job in the first place, but it’s not the only reason people choose to work or decide to work for one employer over another. Your employees stick with you because there’s something in it for them besides the money. The job is useful to them. Knowing why it’s useful enables you to keep employees satisfied and, better yet, make their jobs even more appealing.
2. Prioritize Employee Development
A work environment in which people gain knowledge, learn new skills, and advance in their careers speaks more clearly and loudly than any marketing message can. People like working where they can grow and develop. According to a LinkedIn report, companies “that excel at internal mobility are able to retain employees nearly twice as long as companies that struggle with it.” And a better trained workforce is also a more productive and profitable workforce!
3. Reward Success
In fact, reward anything you want to see more of. Whether large or small, the rewards have to be meaningful. Ideally, figure out what type of reward speaks to each employee. For some, acknowledgment in a company meeting will make their heart sing. For others, receiving a token of your appreciation, such as a coffee gift card, will be more meaningful.
4. Allow for a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Flexibility is a big selling point for employees looking for better balance between work and life. Your employees have other commitments they need to attend to. Some are caring for young children or other family members while navigating daycare and school closures or multiple appointments. Give employees the time to see to those commitments and have a life outside of work, and you’ll get more from them when they’re on the job. Options may include remote or hybrid work, paid time off, flex hours, four-day workweeks, alternative schedules, and reducing workload. Remember, however, that policies are only as good as the practices around them. Ensure that employees don’t need to jump through hoops to request time off. Remind managers to be responsive to requests for time off and on the look out for signs that employees are feeling overwhelmed.
5. Conduct “Stay Interviews”
Don’t wait until people are leaving to investigate what could have inclined them to stay. Talk to employees now about what’s going well, what pain points they’re experiencing, and what could be done to take the relationship to the next level. Stay interviews enable you to address problems and unfulfilled wishes before they drive people out the door.
Full article: TrustMineral.com
SmartPayroll Solutions – HCM offers tools and services to help you build a winning culture and retain those hard-working employees. For example, we can help you provide flexible work arrangements with cloud-based tools to communicate, track time, and manage PTO. We can also help you provide online training courses. Contact us today to learn more.
