Employee Retention is a struggle for various companies. However, there are certain steps that HR professionals can take early on to prevent employees from leaving. According to HR Magazine, these are the top reasons workers plan to stay with their employers:
- Work/life balance
- Recognition for their work
- Compensation and corporate benefits
- Great working relationships with manager
- Company culture
- Company values align with their values
These are also similar to the reasons why employees consider leaving their job.
Early on, HR professionals can ensure that employees have a great company experience by following these tips:
Address employee concerns
Genuinely listening to employee's challenges both inside the workplace and outside the workplace, can prove to be beneficial when it comes to retention. Employees want to work for a company that they feel values them. By listening to concerns, your company be highly thought of by employees.
Present realistic job descriptions
New hires present the biggest risk for turnover. This can be avoided by providing realistic job descriptions. By doing so, you will be more likely to receive an employee who understands what is expected of them. Employees tend to quit once their expectations of a job do not line up with reality. Another way to combat this is to expose candidates to the worst parts of the job before hire, such as through tours of the company. Also, make sure the candidate is a good fit for the company's culture before hiring.
Establish strong onboarding, mentoring, and advancement opportunities
Another reason why new hires are one of the greatest risk of turnover is because they have weak ties to the organization. Connection opportunities, such as mentors, are extremely important for new hires. By establishing themselves within the company, it makes it harder for them to leave. Additionally, if you provide advancement opportunities within the company, employees are less likely to feel stuck in a role. Typically, employees appreciate the opportunity to advance within a company, which makes them more likely to stay.
Use stay interviews, not exit interviews
Do not wait until the employee quits to figure out what is going on. Rather, figure it out while they are still in the company. This will allow the employer to make adjustments where needed.
Offer accommodations
Be flexible. For example, employees with young children may need flexible hours or opportunities to work from home. Employees appreciate it when an employer is flexible because it shows trust in the employee to get the job done. This builds loyalty between the employee and the employer, making it less likely that they will leave the employer.
Communicate frequently
This is one of the best ways to prevent turnover. Employees like to feel connected to the organization, and communication is the best way to do that. Communication will allow you to understand why employees stay and why they leave, which will enable the employer to make improvements where needed.
Be accessible
Additionally, making it easy for employees to communicate with HR will prove to be beneficial in improving retention rates.
In brief, by implementing these practices, employees will be more likely to stay with a company. HR professionals should constantly be monitoring employee behaviors and looking for ways to improve.
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