Change is rarely easy and often expensive, especially when it comes to staffing your business. Take intentional steps to retain your employees and build your business.
Retention starts as soon as you make an offer to a new employee. Before your team member starts, you want create a relationship to build trust and excitement. It’s common to wait 2-3 weeks between accepting an offer and the first day of employment. Here are a few ideas to help:
Stay in contact with the new employee via email or phone.
Set them up for success, and be available to answer questions. Give them information about parking, first day logistics, dress code, etc. before they walk in the door on their first day.
Get to know your new employee.
Gather information about your new employee that you can share with the rest of the company and clients to announce and welcome your new team member. This builds trust and makes the new employee feel welcome.
Give your employee a proper onboarding experience.
Be prepared. Before the employee starts, show them where they can find necessary items and prepare an agenda for their first day (or maybe even their first week). During the employee’s first couple of days, teach them about the company history, strategy, and vision. Go over expectations, perks and benefits. Give them a run-down of the facility, introduce them to other team members, and schedule a team meal to encourage unity and provide support.
Communicate!
Set up frequent 1-on-1 check-ins. Set goals, track progress, and coach through learning opportunities. Listen to any concerns they may have, and be genuinely interested in their success and career aspirations. Their success is your success!
Recognize success.
Celebrate success – both big and small. Reward effort, remember that a “thank you” goes a long way, and praise a job well done. Set up a timeline for regular performance check-ins, and compensate fairly. Employees who feel appreciated perform better than those who don’t and are more likely to stick around long-term.
Create growth or learning opportunities.
Invest in your employees by providing opportunities for professional development. Encourage employees to expand their skillsets (training), and be transparent about internal openings (promotions). Provide a safe environment for feedback, and encourage your employees to speak up when they see opportunities for growth and improvement.
Invite culture and change.
Find out what motivates your employees and capitalize on it to build team morale. Your employees should look forward to coming to work. Encourage a healthy work-life balance, and create a plan so your employees don’t feel guilty or stressed about being away from their work. Promote health and wellness by encouraging breaks, and stock the kitchens with healthy snacks and beverages.
Happy employees lead to happy clients, which in turn leads to a happy business!