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As a manager or leader, it's easy to assume the team you have will stick around for a while. The truth is about half of U.S. employees are actively searching for a new job. Expand that view globally, and about thirty percent of the workforce are active job seekers. Companies looking to fill open positions have learned how to amp up their benefits and incentives to sway your best talent away. What is something that you can offer that your teams honestly want? Let's breakdown two overlooked pain points in retention and see how you can address them:
In 2018, global HR consulting firm Mercer surveyed voluntary turnover in 163 large employers. In the study, career development potential like promotions and career changes were the top reasons most workers quit their jobs.
Look at the job paths of your teams - is there even a path? If they don't want to move up, how realistic is it to move horizontally?
If the answers to those two questions are negative, then there's still something you can do as a manager. For each team member, find out what would make them feel like they're growing either professionally or personally. How? Ask! Then figure out what you can do within your authority to make it happen and map it out as a progression.
This is the start of making a culture of progress - one that is not only confined to the limitations of promotions and raises.
An example [it's detailed, but stay with me]:
Jane has a lot of great ideas but feels nervous about conveying them to large groups, so she wants to be a better public speaker. She knows it's a skill that will come in handy professionally and make her feel accomplished personally.
Her manager [you] found a local Toastmasters [public speaking development organization] she can join, and you've allocated budget to cover her first three months of membership fees. To get better at public speaking, you and Jane have made a plan for her to attend Toastmasters and regularly practice her skills during work presentations. Jane is also going to share videos of great motivational and inspirational speeches she admires with the team at monthly meetings. At the three month mark, Jane will present on her learning experience, and if she still wants to continue the program, you've agreed to cover the next quarter of fees. You check in every quarter on her progress and see how else you can support her growth and goals.
Let the progress process continue and expand!
Career opportunities can determine if your employees stay or leave. See how it can affect your bottom line with our free ROI Calculator!
Let's face this human truth - receiving praise and recognition feels good. It boosts confidence, can flip bad days around and can create a positive outlook for the future. When was the last time you received genuine recognition at work? When did you last give it to someone else?
According to Gallup, only one in three U.S workers "strongly agree that they received recognition or praise for doing good work in the past seven days." When recognition is overlooked, they are twice as likely to say they'll quit in the next year.
You might be thinking, "I tell my team they're doing a good job at every meeting, what else can I do?"
Let's take a look at how you're delivering this praise and give some examples of unique ways that might move the needle in your team's motivation:
How it's typically delivered:
Allow this quote sink in for a bit:
"Nothing is more effective than sincere, accurate praise, and nothing is more
lame than a cookie-cutter compliment." – Bill Walsh, American football coach
The key here is to accurate and sincere, but you can also throw some fun in the mix. Here are some fresh ideas:
Your workplace culture can do more to keep your employees engaged, productive, and more loyal. Make the best of it with a DH Masterclass:
