It’s undoubtedly in the best interests of business owners and managers to keep staff turnover as low as possible; not only can it help to keep operations running smoothly, but engaged employees deliver better results and lead to a more positive working environment. Research also shows that replacing team members costs UK companies more than £4 billion every year – so it’s a financial issue as much as a HR one.
Of course, the best way to keep employees happy – and encourage them to stay put – is to make sure they are engaged and feel valued by the people in charge. But as a recent article on Business News Daily highlights, engagement should begin as soon as a new team member steps through the door, and should be a core part of company culture.
With this in mind, here are just a few ways that organisations can create and maintain a happy, engaged workforce:
Get the right people on board
Although it may sound obvious, you won’t be able to create a positive environment if you don’t have the right people to begin with. This means that when it comes to looking for the ideal candidate, recruiters should asses whether potential employees would fit into the wider company culture and explore this during the interview process. This is just as important as their formal qualifications. And remember that it works both ways; candidates will be looking at the company culture too and deciding if they want to be a part of it.
Create an effective engagement strategy
The best employee engagement strategies take time and care to develop. To begin with, use your organisation’s core values or mission statement as a guide and make sure that employees at all levels buy into it. An effective strategy will help staff to feel part of a team and encourage more collaboration as a result.
Keep communication lines open
Every employee should have the opportunity to provide feedback to their bosses – whether it’s positive or about areas that need improving. This will help managers spot problems before they develop further, and can even help with business operations if, for example, employees who deal directly with customers offer their thoughts.
Equally as important as listening to your employees is making sure that you act upon what they tell you – otherwise the information is useless. Whilst most staff issues tend to concern flexible working or career progression, you can also act on the little things – such as installing a vending machine if staff have requested one. Listening but not acting can be just as detrimental as not listening at all.
Make sure engagement is equal
Rewarding one department whilst ignoring the efforts of another is a big no-no, and will only lead to feelings of disenchantment or even resentment among staff. Make sure that engagement strategies are spread fairly across the company; and if you do give out annual rewards or employee-of-the-month awards, why not make t voted so that you can’t be accused of favouritism?
What other ways do you thoyers can help staff to feel motivated and engaged?
To see our latest B2B marketing and creative jobs please click here for more information.
