5 Tips for Retaining Great Employees

Your staff is what makes your business successful, effective and viable. Finding the right people who work well together and have the skills to grow the business is valuable in today’s competitive market. Once you find them and have the correct mix of talent to get the job done well, it is important to create an environment in which they want to stay because they feel respected and appreciated. Here are some tips for retaining the great employees you have hired, trained and need to stick around. 

1. Offer Awesome Benefits

One of the first questions asked during the interviews with your employees is probably based on the benefits package you offer. You may already have in place small business health insurance Utah, competitive pay and paid time off policies that make your business attractive to desirable employees You have established the importance and significance of offering these because benefits are some of the reasons they chose to work for you. During annual reviews, inquire as to which parts of the package are useful and what doesn’t work so you can adjust according to what your employees need. This will ensure that your employees are taken care of and that you are not paying for benefits your people don’t want. 

2. Deliver on Promises

Your employees will stay with you if you prove that you mean what you say. If you say a raise begins two weeks after the yearly review, make sure you deliver on that promise. Quality workers will not stay with a company they do not believe in and breaking your word is a sure way to lose their trust. Building rapport with your employees gives them the knowledge that when they speak, you listen, and they can come to you with concerns, questions or other possible job offers. 

3. Reward Loyalty

Rewarding loyalty can come in many forms, including pay raises, incentive programs, gift baskets and certificates, raffles, special titles and after-hours activities. Find out what your employees enjoy and make that a part of your culture so that hard work is rewarded. Spell out very clearly what is required to receive the rewards. Put in place a program that is respectful, fun and offers a variety of ways to show appreciation. 

4. Nurture Creative Thinking

You feel ownership over something if you create it, so nurturing creative thinking by encouraging your employees to offer suggestions when possible and then implementing those ideas into your business will give your employees a true sense of feeling like they are a valuable part of the company, and they will be less likely to leave. When there are problems that affect a group, let the group work together to find a solution so that there is transparency. Set up parameters to measure productivity so that new ideas can be assessed and tweaked as necessary.

5. Promote Open Communication

Your business has open communication when your office manager feels he can tell you about his son’s upcoming surgery to adjust his schedule, your team lead suggests the deadline for a project is too tight or that the company mission could be better met by trying a different social media platform. These are all examples of employees feeling empowered to be open with their lives, thoughts and ideas to make the most of their time in and outside of work. Respecting your employee’s communication and acting compassionately will give them reasons to stay with you and add to your retention rate of great people. 

Your employees will stay with you if they get good pay and benefits, if they believe in the company, if they are appreciated and if they have a voice. Be true to your vision as a leader and to the people you have trusted in the roles you have given them. Your products and services will increase and your business will grow if you keep great people beside you.