5 Ways To Prevent Employee Turnover

Lakesia Wimberly

2020-07-14

It has been well documented that it costs more to hire, onboard, and train a new employee than it does to keep one you already have. There is no denying the high costs associated with employee turnover. Consistently losing employees can have a severe impact on your company culture, team chemistry, and customer relationships.

 

Yet, employee turnover is becoming a growing concern for most companies across the country. Decades ago, people used to stay with a company for decades. Now, working professionals weigh their options, explore opportunities, and continuously think about what is best for themselves and their future. How does a growing company ensure its employees are satisfied enough to stay for the long haul? Here are five ways you can help prevent high employee turnover in your company.

 

#1 – Create Accurate Job Descriptions

 

It’s well known that a job description does not cover everything you will do in that position. Roles will evolve and change over time. However, before you post a job opening, you should have a solid understanding of what 90% of that job entails. The individual reading it should have a pretty good idea of what there day to day is like. If you do not commit time and energy to this, you risk giving the applicant the wrong impression. Once they start, they will become confused, unhappy, and begin looking for a way out.

 

Ideally, a job description should be created by someone who has held that job in the past. If that is not possible, then it should be created by the hiring manager. The hiring manager must be truthful in listing all the role’s responsibilities, even the less than glamorous ones. Employees are more likely to put up with mundane or difficult tasks if you are upfront about them. The last thing you want is a new employee feeling like they were tricked into the role.

 

#2 – Implement Clear Processes

 

When a company is first starting out, you have a few people wearing multiple hats. These first few employees are too busy to stop and document what they are doing. However, as your team grows, your processes and procedures should be explained and enforced. You should try and prevent your new employees from being overwhelmed because no one taught them how things are done.

 

If an employee is not trained correctly at first, it is possible they will still get the hang of it. However, now that employee is used to working in a chaotic and unorganized environment. They will always be frustrated by the lack of clarity and the inability to make a decision. If that employee ends up getting in trouble, they will become even more frustrated and look for a new role with structure and control.

 

#3 – Encourage Employee Communication

 

As employees, we get so busy doing our work that we often feel as if we do not have time to speak about what is on our mind. If no one stops to ask us our thoughts or opinions, we tend to keep them to ourselves. This type of mindset can lead to frustration if you think things can be done a better way or if something happening is bothering you. Many employees do not speak up until there exit interview after finding a new job. Then, it’s too late.

 

Each employee should have a weekly, one on one meeting with their manager. Managers should encourage their direct reports to speak up about new ideas, potential improvements, or issues that are bothering them. This will make the employee feel heard and appreciated. It also allows the manager to take the necessary steps to make any improvements or fix any issues they feel necessary.

 

#4 – Appreciate Your Employees

 

We get so caught up in hitting our goals and winning new business that we forget that we are all humans, working as hard as we can every day for a common cause. Companies that suffer high turnover do so because they believe the only reward an employee needs is a paycheck. This type of transactional attitude towards your employees is bound to create resentment. Furthermore, when those employees see other companies treating their talent better, it becomes the motivation to move on.

 

A yearly Christmas party and monthly birthday cake are not enough to properly appreciate your employees. Each quarter, take time to celebrate your team by giving out rewards and taking a break from work with a themed party. Also, do not be afraid to give more time off than what is typical. For example, several startups in NYC allow employees to take 6 Fridays off each year, on top of their regular PTO. Lastly, emphasize to your team that you value their work quality, not the amount of time they sit at their desk. They should not feel like you are watching them and judging them based on their ability to arrive or leave at a specific time.

 

#5 – Offer Personal and Professional Development Services

 

People are likely to stay in a job where they feel like they are learning something new and growing in their careers. When talent feels like a job or company has become stale for too long, they begin to see what else is out there. It may seem like pulling employees away from work is counterproductive. However, development programs have been proven to motivate employees and teach them new skills to make them more useful and valuable.

 

Companies should actively bring in speakers and programs designed to help develop their talent. These programs focus on areas such as communication, organization, presenting, leadership, management, empowerment, and so much more. It allows your employees to take a break from working on your business to work on bettering themselves. Ideally, you will want to bring in speakers that offer interactive workshops that require employees to communicate, present, and work together.

 

Conclusion

 

Employee turnover at some level is inevitable. People find new jobs and move on. However, it does not need to be high or consistent. The key is to show your talent that you genuinely care about them as individuals and people. They want to see you investing in their skills and development. They want to feel like they are a part of the team. If you can do this, you will be able to retain top talent for years to come.