It’s no surprise if you think many of your employees aren’t engaged in their work. Reports show that only 34% of the United States workforce feel engaged in the workplace. So the question is, how can you change those statistics?
If you want to learn more about how to improve employee retention and motivation, this post will help. Follow the seven employee retention strategies below to start seeing a difference.
Table of Contents
1. Find the Right People From the Start
You might be tempted to jump on the first promising candidate you see. However, there is more to a successful employee than having the skills for the job.
During your search for new employees, pay close attention to how invested the candidates appear to be. You want people who find your company and what you do interesting. People simply looking for a paycheck might not be as invested if you take them on.
If you get people invested in your company’s future into the right roles, you’ll know that they’ll stay engaged during the workday. In addition, going this route makes keeping your team engaged a much easier process.
2. Provide Advancement Opportunities
Most people don’t like to be stuck in the same position forever. They want to advance in life. But, if they work the same job for years on end, the chances are good that they’ll burn out and become disengaged.
You want people who are willing to go the distance, so you don’t want this to happen. If you’re going to keep people engaged, make sure to show them that they have a chance to advance at your company.
Give people the chance to explore new roles and learn new skills as much as you can. It will help people developer broader skillsets and advance to new positions.
3. Give Positive Feedback
It’s tempting for owners and managers to focus on negative criticism when evaluating employee performance. After all, you hired your employees to do their jobs correctly. It’s not good when people don’t do what they’re paid to do.
However, nothing but negative feedback is demoralizing. It makes people feel like they aren’t good at their jobs, and this causes them to lose engagement.
Make sure you make regular positive feedback part of your managing style. The chances are good that people do their jobs well far more than they make mistakes. Letting people know that they’re doing well increases their confidence and will help them stay engaged with their work.
4. Encourage Feedback
One of the big problems many employees have with work is that they feel like they just follow orders. Their boss gives them instructions, and they produce results. That isn’t a collaborative environment.
You need to consider employee feedback when building your work culture. You want an environment where everyone feels like they have a voice.
Take time to talk with each member of your team to ask them for feedback. Encourage them to talk about the things they don’t like and the things they do.
If you find common problems in your workplace, you can then take action to make things better. As a result, your team will feel like you take them seriously and feel more engaged when working.
5. Provide the Right Tools
Nobody wants to get stuck doing repetitive tasks over and over again. It’s mind-numbing and the quickest way for your employees to lose engagement with what they’re doing.
Giving your team the right tools is the quickest way to fix that problem. Ask everyone what everyday tasks they do over and over again. The chances are good that there are tools out there that can automate those tasks.
Doing this lets people focus on high-impact work instead of busy work. When people work on tasks that require them to stay engaged, you’re going to have a more productive team.
You can also provide better access to workplace wages with things like payroll cards to make things easier for your team. Keep reading to learn more about how they work and the benefits they bring.
6. Prioritize Work-Life Balance
Not everybody lives on their own and has no other obligations. Everyone has their own lives, and they don’t want to give all their time to the workplace.
It’s tempting to ask more from your team by asking them to work after-hours to complete an important project. While this might not be a bad thing to do once in a while, don’t make a habit out of it.
Cutting into your employees’ rest time is one of the quickest ways to cause them to burn out. People need a break from work. If you don’t let them have that time to rest, they’re going to disengage and become unproductive.
7. Provide a Comfortable Workplace
It’s common knowledge now that sitting down all day isn’t healthy. When your team works in the office, they’ll be at their computers all day. Keeping this up for too long can cause health problems.
It isn’t only the right thing to do to keep people more comfortable, but it can also help people stay engaged in their work. People who work in discomfort aren’t going to perform as well.
Look into office ergonomics products and provide them to people who want them. From keyboards to standing desks, there are plenty of products available that make working at a desk more comfortable.
However, if you can’t afford new furniture, you can find coworking offices with comfortable workspaces conducive to healthy working. Additionally, it allows you to have the amenities you need without breaking the bank.
The same goes for cleaning, as well. Make sure your workspaces are clean and free from dirt. You don’t want your team breathing in toxins during the day and getting sick.
Now You Know How to Improve Employee Retention and Motivation
You can’t afford to have your employees disengaged if you want to maximize your company’s success. However, now that you know how to improve employee retention and motivation, you have what you need to keep your team working efficiently. There are more tips out there, so experiment to see which employee retention strategies work for you.
If the business tips above were helpful, check out the blog to find more information that will help you grow your company.
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