The Key to Retaining Employees  

People leave positions for various reasons, yet a great deal of research indicates people don’t leave organizations. Instead, they leave their direct supervisor. What could a supervisor do that would cause a person to leave?   

There are many ways in which a supervisor can support people and many ways which will have them heading for the door. One of the main reasons people leave is they don’t feel that what they do matters! Employees don’t feel seen or heard and wonder why he or she is wasting their time. To stay competitive, you need a high employee retention rate. You need to give your people a reason to stay so you don’t receive an unexpected knock on your door.  

Create a Positive Work Culture: To reduce turnover, your people must understand how their work matters. If your organization has a clear vision, do employees understand their role in bringing it to life? This should be a two-way conversation; people should feel free to voice their opinions without fear of repercussions.  

Work/Life Balance: The pandemic has changed how we work, and working from home has become the new normal. This means it’s even harder to help your people feel seen and heard, which means you must make an effort to connect with your people. Even now that many are returning to work, there needs to be a process in place to help individuals understand their role in the company’s success.  

Educate Leaders: Leaders must be trained in clear communication, recognition, respectful accountability, self-awareness, and many other skills. This is especially true as the pace of work increases. Take time to get to know your people and what makes them tick. Teach leaders how to give feedback in a manner that people feel acknowledged. The time spent in these endeavors will save you time spent replacing your people.   

By taking the time to help people understand their role in the company’s success, you will help them understand the importance of their position. So, I encourage you to find ways to recognize people either individually, in a team setting, or during an organization-wide meeting. Giving your employees the opportunity to acknowledge each other will also help stabilize your team.