Do you think your employees are engaged? Or should we ask, do you know your employees aren’t engaged?
And what do disengaged employees cause? A loss in profits, business productivity, and output. You’re essentially paying someone to do half a job. One study revealed that 85% of employees aren’t engaged with the work they’re doing.
Don’t get us started on the costs of retaining employees.
If you want that number lower, read on for 3 ways to boost employee engagement and retention.
Assessing Employee Engagement Levels
Do you know how engaged your employees are? You can’t boost employee engagement without understanding what’s happening within the company. Ask employees what they think, that’s the best way to do it. You can do a 360 anonymous survey – not every employee will be open with anonymity.
Tools like surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews are a great way to understand employee satisfaction, motivation, and loyalty.
Analyzing performance metrics, turnover statistics, and absenteeism rates can show patterns and areas needing attention.
Crafting a Comprehensive Onboarding Experience
The onboarding process is essential. An effective onboarding program is more than administrative formalities. It’s training, ongoing support, perks, etc. Onboarding an employee costs, on average, $2,500. It pays to do it right the first time.
By equipping newcomers with essential resources and integrating them into the organizational community from day one, companies demonstrate a commitment to their employees’ success. Brands could also explore mentorship programs or buddy systems – and ones where they actually stick to it. Being told you’ve got a training buddy that’s never available is the worst.
And it doesn’t matter what the industry is – if you’re a medical scribe, IT software engineer, or receptionist, you need a good onboarding process with the right training.
Empowering Employees with Essential Tools and Technologies
Slow systems are the worst – how can you expect employees to be motivated if they’re working using systems that take all day to load? Or worse, keep crashing when they’re in the middle of tasks. And yes, modern technology and software are expensive, but you can rent them. It’s a more feasible option for SMEs.
Investing in modern tools and technologies will minimize stress and increase employee output.
Fostering a Positive and Inclusive Workplace Culture
Workplace culture will keep employees for longer. Anyone knows that going into a fun working environment with good colleagues is one of the things that keeps us in a job for the longest. You’ll always hear people saying I love the people I work with before they say the people they work for.
And now, the workplace is getting more modern. Employees want modern amenities, fun perks like takeaway Fridays, and early finishes – generally, they want something back for working so hard.
But it’s not just about pizza Fridays. It needs to be an environment with open communication, channels of support, and a place of focus. Organizations that prioritize work-life balance, flexibility, and employee well-being are also more likely to foster a loyal and committed workforce. Many employees are now looking for roles with flexible working arrangements, for example. Thanks, pandemic.
Encouraging Professional Growth and Development
Continued professional growth and development are essential for maintaining high levels of employee engagement. Opportunities for further learning, skill enhancement, and career progression satisfy employees’ motivations and contribute to their sense of value within the organization. Not everyone wants to stay at the bottom of the company – most employees look for roles with guaranteed progression. According to one study, 63% of employees need a job with progression.
Highlighting the Benefits of Employee Retention
You want skilled employees who know what they’re doing. The process of onboarding and training new employees is long and expensive.
Skilled employees know what they’re doing, they’re far more efficient, and they understand the company. A consistent run of new employees is complicated. You have a company full of people who don’t know what they’re doing, and the other half want to leave.
It’s a strategic asset to have retained employees who know what they’re doing. And there’s more of a sense of belonging to them.
This deep understanding and familiarity breed an environment of efficiency and productivity. It’s one where workflows are optimized, and operational best practices are identified and consistently applied.
Long-term employees understand the core values and principles of the organization. They reinforce the culture of the workplace. Well, they’re the ones creating and maintaining it.
Brands must find a way to keep employees engaged and retained – the statistics speak for themselves. Yet, so many companies are plagued with high turnover rates. On average, in the US, the employee turnover rate is at 47%. More must happen to support employees and create a culture they want to stay in. Most of the time, there are multiple issues causing employees to leave.
