When looking to grow your business, recruiting new talent is only the beginning. Retention is a key factor in success. Not only is retaining your new recruits important, but it is equally as vital to retain the talent that is already on your team. It is imperative that employees within your organization feel valued so that they are not looking to competitors for employment. There are several ways to improve on retention rates and overall team morale. We believe the two go hand in hand. DRG Professional Services has put together the following action items to help you navigate through retaining top talent within your organization.
- Understand what motivates each individual person on your team and incentivize them accordingly.
Get to know your team collectively and individually. Develop a working relationship with each person to better understand how they are motivated. Ask questions like, “what makes you get out of bed in the morning?” and “what gets you excited about work?”, and then listen to what they have to say. The answers to these questions will help you understand how to best incentivize your team.
Money, project-based work, competition, public recognition, verbal appreciation etc. are all ways to incentivize. However, not everyone is motivated in the same way. Incentivize individuals as they are best motivated, but always keep the interest of the collective team in mind when doing so. For example, one teammate may be extremely motivated by money and another teammate may be best motivated by being given kudos in a meeting. However, it may affect the morale of the team if the first person is always being monetarily recognized and/or the other is the only one ever getting public shout outs.
- Open opportunities for people to showcase what they are good at.
Teams are filled with all types of backgrounds and ideas on how to tackle the obstacles of day to day operations. Provide avenues for comradery in a laidback social setting. Get to know your employees so that you can understand their skills and utilize them effectively. For example, if you have someone who is super creative, collaborate with them on ways to innovate and create to make your brand stronger. Set collective attainable goals that allow each person to shine individually and thrive together.
- Be approachable.
Allow yourself to be a safe place for your employees. If they are struggling with something at work, you want them to be able to feel comfortable enough to ask you for help and guidance rather than checking out and looking for a new job. Be open to hearing new ideas from your team. Growth brings a lot of opportunity to see and hear new perspectives that you may not have thought about before. When managers are approachable and practice actively listening, employees are more likely to trust their decision-making even if it is different than the employee may have wanted.
- Don’t ignore shortcomings.
Strong employees want to know their weaknesses so that they can work on turning them into strengths. Conduct monthly or quarterly meetings that allow you, as the manager, one on one time with each member of your team to discuss upcoming projects and areas you may want to see them improve on. These meetings should be something they look forward to; more of a goal setting session rather than a scheduled reprimanding. These meetings are also a great outlet to share how the employee is bringing value to the organization.
- Verbalize where each person fits within the big picture.
Most people want to know what is next for them and how they personally fit within the organization’s growth strategy. Bring the employee into the bigger picture. Lay out what the plans are for the team or department in the future, and set goals based on those plans. The goal is to let them see where they fit into the grand scheme and how they are impacting the mission. Let them know where you see their growth potential, where they excel, and how they can grow within the organization by capitalizing on those strengths. - Make work fun!
This one may seem obvious, but it is sometimes lost in the hustle. Allow for team building opportunities. Celebrate birthdays, babies, graduations, weddings, holidays, etc. Take a Friday afternoon off once a quarter to go out and volunteer in the community together. Have a “bring your kids to work” day to encourage the next generation. Throw a party when the department hits a milestone. Make work enjoyable and fun! This not only helps ease the stress of daily business but allows the organization to prove that they are sincere when they say, “we have a great team”. Most of us spend more time at our offices than we do in our homes with our families, so it is important that it is a fun environment to be in. When work is fun and enjoyable, employees want to stay.
People stay in organizations where they feel valued, appreciated and see opportunity for personal growth. They are even more invested if they know the part they play in the bigger picture of the organization. Team morale is a huge part of retention. Make work fun. If people feel that they are a part of a team, they are far less likely to risk losing that with a new employer. We hope these tips are helpful to you as you create and execute your own retention strategies.
If you are a company looking for your next top talent, let us help you find them! Visit our website at www.drgproservices.com to learn more about us and what we offer. Email us any time with comments or questions at drgprofessionalservices@drgok.com. We would be honored to partner with your organization and help you achieve your recruitment goals.
