Employee turnover is the archenemy that HR professionals are constantly fighting against. Recruiting, hiring and training replacements can be lengthy and costly processes. Every employer wants to minimize turnover and keep its retention rates up. To do this, you should know what to look for when employees are thinking of leaving, but more importantly, understand what your staff members want so you can keep them around.
What does a turnover risk look like?
The good news for employers is that turnover doesn’t appear out of nowhere. More often than not, it’s possible to spot signs indicating that an employee is considering packing his or her bags. While every individual is different, Inc.com shared a few of the more common indicators that things could be off.
If you notice an employee displaying a marked drop in productivity, particularly if he or she was a strong performer up to this point, that could be a warning sign. Similarly, workers who begin spending less time with their co-workers or who begin taking more time off work than they have in the past may very well be in the “time to leave” mindset.
How to keep your staff
If you notice an increase in employee turnover, or if your workplace exhibits some of the above warning signs, it’s probably a good idea to evaluate your current HR solutions to increase retention. Important to note is that retention isn’t solely the province of HR services – management is also responsible for cultivating a workplace that employees want to stay at.
One step Go2HR recommended actually begins at the recruitment process. Making sure you hire for cultural and personality fit as well as qualifications and experience can go a long way in reducing the number of people who leave after a few months because they’re not a great fit. Of course, keeping your staff productive, engaged and happy is an ongoing task – like cultivating a garden, it’s not enough to plant the seeds if you don’t consistently water them.
What this looks like in the office is making a point to recognize employee achievement and foster development. Sure you’re paying your staff to do its job, but workers also like to feel like their contributions are valued. Similarly, hires aren’t meant to be static positions. Even if an employee was hired for one position, he or she may have a desire to expand his or her skill set, and will be looking to you for development opportunities. Creating an environment where workers can prosper and excel is one of the key steps to boosting retention.