$11 billion is lost annually due to employee turnover. (1) Think about that number for a minute. It is undoubtedly a frightening statistic to any employer. Hiring new a employee costs significantly more than retaining a current one.
Why has turnover become such an epidemic in recent years? The belief their voice is not heard – even if it is not true – plays a big role in many employees’ decision to leave. In fact, just 30 percent of U.S. employees reported that their feedback is acted upon by their employer. (2) This leaves the majority with the nagging opinion that corporate culture isn’t friendly for workers, and management isn’t willing to action to help employees succeed.
Your employees’ level of engagement makes an enormous difference in how they feel about their job. Highly engaged employees are 87 percent less likely to leave their companies than those who are less engaged. (3)
Improving the employee experience your organization delivers goes beyond halfhearted attempts such as making purified water available as the sole component of your health and wellness “program” or sending out an annual employee satisfaction survey and letting the responses gather dust indefinitely.
Keep reading to learn about the fundamental tenets of a positive employee experience and ensure that you have happy, productive employees.
Work They Find Meaningful
Bored employees are more prone to spreading harmful gossip, starting disruptive drama and looking for the nearest exit. One of the best ways to circumvent these undesirable tendencies is to give them work they find meaningful.
As you can guess, busy work should be avoided as much as possible. At times it is necessary for every staff member to complete, but it should not make up the bulk of an employee’s job. Make it a point to hold open, honest conversations a few times per year, perhaps every two to three months, to ask your employees if they are happy or dissatisfied with the assignments on their plate.
PRO-TIP: Do not stop with a basic question such as, “Are you satisfied or dissatisfied?” Find out which parts of the job, including people and processes, are satisfactory. Then identify issues with people, processes and goals, as well sa personal objectives that could make work fulfilling for each employee.
Management They Feel is Supportive
Few issues will make an employee head for the hills faster than management they perceive as vindictive or absent. Now, it is important to note that if an employee is misbehaving or neglecting to get their work done on time and well, management is completely justified in reprimanding them.
However, employees who are performing well, showing up on time and exhibiting professionalism should feel they can turn to management for support and guidance. They should feel valued. Otherwise, they will likely either withdraw and start submitting job applications or grow resentful and lash out.
PRO-TIP: Management is more than just a title or role. A good manager encourages employees to come up with solutions, is open to changing their perspective, listens and then makes assessments, is open to feedback and so forth. He or she gives employees enough space to do the work, but is present to ask questions, get insight and go to bat when issues need to be addressed. Departments and teams thrive under managers who are respected by both teams and peers.
Leadership They Trust to Lead
Landing a C-Suite or management role does not automatically make someone a leader. There are certain qualities that people inherently recognize as leadership traits including thoughtful listening, motivational encouragement, effective problem solving and a calm approach to conflicts.
If you want your employees to take your leadership seriously, make sure the folks in these positions possess the skill set and knowledge they need to win your employees’ trust. You can achieve this through a variety of resources such as corporate retreats, business leadership courses and organized brainstorming sessions.
PRO-TIP: Management plays an extremely critical role in the employee experience. In fact, a recent study by Gallup (4) reports that 70 percent of employees hate their jobs due to their bosses. If you want employees to trust leaders, it starts with selecting the right people to lead. Just because someone is great at sales does not mean that he or she will be effective when placed in a leadership role, for example.
Understand the difference between having specialty skills which may be better served in a role such as a trainer, selecting new hires, technical adviser – versus – a leadership role where leading a team, communicating your company’s mission, mentorship and creating a thriving culture is mandatory. Knowing how to train, for example, is not the same as knowing how to lead a team.
Opportunities for Growth
With the exception of lazy employees – who you do not want to work for you anyway – the vast majority of people do not want to feel they are stagnant in their role. While growth can mean a promotion, it does not have to mean this in every case or even most cases.
Keep your employees alert and interested by continuously broadening the scope and type of assignments you give them. Seek out their feedback on these projects to find out whether they are happy with them or would like their work to go in a different direction.
PRO-TIP: Employees who feel stifled in their jobs are three times more likely to seek new employment. (5) One of the best ways to combat frustration with a stagnant job is through professional and personal growth. Provide opportunities such as a day or two with full pay for employees to volunteer for a charity organization that matters to them personally. Send them to offsite training in a beautiful city that includes a tour, food or activities to explore the city on the company’s dime.
When you follow the tips given in this article, you will create a positive experience for your employees that will improve their productivity, performance and desire to continue working for your organization.
For more information about how Gavel International can help your organization through outsourced meeting planning, event and travel incentive programs, contact us.
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SOURCES:
2 https://www.qualtrics.com/employee-pulse/#section1
3 https://www.stcloudstate.edu/humanresources/_files/documents/supv-brown-bag/employee-engagement.pdf
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