Great employees are hard to come by, so you want to do all you can to keep them around. Employee retention is key for a successful small business.
Replacing employees is time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating. You don’t want to hire a promising new employee only to lose them a short time later.
If you’re looking for ways to keep good employees on the job, we can help! Here are some tips for how to retain employees and improve job satisfaction.
Why Do Employees Leave?
Good employees leave for a variety of reasons. Although it’s normal to lose an employee from time to time, it shouldn’t be a frequent occurrence.
Exit interviews can provide insight into why employees are leaving and help you determine which retention strategies need improvement.
Reasons for leaving a job include:
- Feeling unappreciated or unsupported
- Inadequate pay or benefits
- Lack of advancement opportunities
- Lack of recognition
- Lack of job fulfillment
- A need for more work-life balance
- The need to make a change
- Unhappiness with management
- A more desirable job opportunity at another company
- Concerns about the company’s direction or future
Although some employee loss is inevitable, there are many ways to increase employee job satisfaction and retain your employees for years to come.
Offer Competitive Pay and Benefits
One of the main reasons good employees leave is for higher pay. Make sure you’re offering a competitive salary.
Your employees will not stay on the job for long if they feel they’re being underpaid. To retain your best employees, the pay and benefits you offer should be on par with industry standards.
It’s much better to offer competitive pay and benefits for your current employees than it is to keep recruiting and hiring new employees. Offering competitive pay and an attractive benefits package is one of the best ways to improve employee retention.
Implement Transparency in the Hiring Process
Take the time to create a hiring process that helps you find the right talent for the job. Invest in a recruiting process that allows you to locate candidates with the necessary skills and temperament for the job.
Keep the entire hiring process as transparent as possible. Be upfront about job duties and expectations.
Candidates who are most suited to the job you’re offering are more likely to stay on the job. Don’t underestimate the importance of the hiring process if your goal is keeping employees on the job.
Poor communication leads to poor hiring decisions. This often leads to an early exit and a loss of time and money for you.
Be upfront and transparent throughout the recruitment and onboarding process to find, hire, and retain qualified employees.
Promote a Healthy Work Environment
Most people spend several hours a day at work. And today’s workers expect a positive work environment.
A hostile work environment is a common reason people leave their jobs. The company culture starts at the top.
Workers who are treated with respect are more likely to stay on the job. When your employees feel appreciated and enjoy their time at work, they’ll be happier, more productive workers.
A few ways to create a positive work environment include:
Encouraging a Work-Life Balance
Consider the workload of your employees. They should not have to neglect their personal health or family due to the demands of their job.
Overworked employees are at risk for increased stress or burnout. They’re more likely to view their workplace negatively and more likely to quit.
Make sure your employees know you value them as individuals. Give them time to attend to personal matters, medical appointments, or other needs.
Encourage them to take breaks and take care of themselves. Happy, healthy employees are more likely to value their jobs and remain employed.
Train Managers on Soft Skills
Have you heard the saying “People don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses”? This saying is true.
A rude or disrespectful manager can make an employee’s job miserable. It leads to low morale and job dissatisfaction.
A well-trained manager understands the importance of valuing all employees. They should have training in stress and conflict management, crisis management, and effective leadership practices.
Don’t Engage in Favoritism
Try to remain neutral in regard to your employees. Treat everyone the same.
Although it’s normal to get along better with some employees, it’s unprofessional to play favorites. Your employees will notice, and this can lead to bitterness and resentment in the workplace.
Create a merit-based awards system and treat every employee with the same level of respect. In return, you’ll earn their respect and loyalty.
Give Regular Feedback on Performance
Many employers perform annual performance reviews, but more frequent one-on-one meetings with employees may be more effective. Make a point to talk with employees about their performance and their short and long-term goals.
Help them visualize a future with the company and offer some incentive for them to stay. Don’t make promises you can keep. Instead, talk through potential promotions or career advancements and develop a plan for attaining these goals.
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
During the pandemic, businesses around the world learned that flexible work arrangements can be a positive motivator for employees. More and more, companies are offering candidates flexibility in the workplace.
Remote work, a compressed workweek, flextime, and telecommuting are all options to consider depending on if your staff member is in the field or the office. Find what works best for your employees and consider adding flexibility as a perk to retain employees and keep them happy at work.
Know the Importance of Employee Retention
Employee retention should be an ongoing process that begins with the recruitment process. It’s inevitable that you’ll lose a valuable employee from time to time. But there’s so much you can do to keep your employees happy and on the job for many years to come.
When an employee feels valued and appreciated at work, it makes leaving a lot harder. Employee turnover costs you time and money. Implementing these retention strategies can help you keep your top talent and avoid costly turnovers.
If you’re looking for more winning strategies for making your cleaning business successful, we can help! Contact us today to learn more.
