Business success requires a team of people who support your vision and goals. Once you assemble your dream team, employee retention is crucial. After more than 20 years resolving workplace disputes as an attorney and another five in operations and human resources management, I’ve witnessed a lot of changes in workplaces. Technology will continue to alter the ways we work, arguably making our “soft” skills like conflict resolution more important than ever.
Let’s explore some ways to use your those skills to retain the best employees for your organization, recognizing that retention begins with effective recruitment.
Search for Candidates Beyond Traditional Boundaries
Don’t assume the best candidates only come from certain schools, geographic locations, or anything else. Post your job wherever people with the education, experience, and skills might be. Try looking where your competitors aren’t.
Focus on Objective Hiring Criteria
Regardless of how simple an employer believes a job is, the hiring need is for more than a warm body or someone likable. When we focus on the essential functions of a job, we are more likely to hire a good fit and avoid quick turnover due to incompatibility of skills and needs.
Reduce Opportunities for Bias Incidents
Bias can inadvertently seep into hiring decisions. Eliminate this risk by anonymizing applications, reducing the potential for bias based on gender, race, or ethnicity. Concentrate on what truly matters—the essential job functions and what is necessary to perform them. Care less about where and when candidates went to school. It might not matter if they got a degree, as long as they can do the job.
Set New Employees Up for Success
Too often, new employees report to work where their supervisors and co-workers are unprepared for them. They spend their first day sitting alone for an hour in the waiting room or at a desk without a functioning computer. Their first impressions make them wonder if they made a mistake, and it’s very difficult for the employer to recover from that.
While new employee orientation might not require a grand celebration, it must include a clear path to success in the role. Then, as often as necessary, you must reinforce the behavior you want to see.
Remove Barriers to Success
Actively listen to employees and identify obstacles hindering their best performance. Instead of taking complaints personally, focus on finding practical solutions. Whether it’s a breakdown in trust or a lack of support during challenges, redirect energy from blame to problem-solving. A workplace that addresses concerns fosters an environment conducive to employee growth, satisfaction, and retention.
Apologize Completely When You Err
Mistakes happen, but a sincere apology goes a long way. “I’m sorry” is a starting point, but true resolution requires:
- Acknowledging the specific error,
- Devising a plan to prevent recurrence, and
- Consistently implementing that plan.
A complete apology rebuilds trust and demonstrates your commitment to improvement. In turn, you create a culture where employees can be accountable for their actions and continuously improve.
Conclusion
Employers typically assume employees want more money and tangible benefits. Those are crucial to employee retention, but so is a workplace where employees feel valued and empowered. Most employees start their jobs with visions of doing well and enjoying their work. When they don’t, it might be that the employer didn’t do the work necessary to have them succeed. Sometimes, the employers provided a lot of bells, whistles, pomp, and circumstance. But they didn’t provide the basics like:
- Recruitment
- Orientation
- Ongoing Training
- Necessary Equipment
- Clear Communication
- Continuous Encouragement
By implementing these strategies, we not only retain valuable talent. We also create employment partnerships that thrive on mutual success. This creates more peaceful and productive workplaces so everyone in them has a better experience.
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