Employee Retention: Engage to Retain

A commitment to professional growth, proper training, and an environment with open communication are all efforts employers should make to engage and retain employees. 15Five, a company providing web-based software to help managers and employees communicate, recently conducted a survey of 1,023 full-time employees. According to shrm.org, the survey found that only 15% of employees feel as though their employers are doing a “very good” job of promoting open communication, and more than one in eight said they would rather work for an organization which invites open communication than one whose selling point is top health plans, free food, and gym memberships.

Environments which encourage communication, feedback, and interaction among managers and team members build trust and enable honesty. David Hassell, CEO of 15Five, states “trust leads to higher productivity and performance.” When employees know they can trust leaders to consider their opinions and concerns, not only do they feel valued, but new ideas and methods can be shared, and can prove to be better—increasing productivity.

According to a CareerBuilder survey conducted earlier this year, 23% of employees ages 18-34 expect to have a new job by the end of the year. The ability to retain top talent yields to an organization that is productive, successful, and attractive to talented potential candidates. As of now, a lack of employee engagement, specifically a lack of open communication, is important to employees. Organizations which do not focus on properly engaging employees risk decreased retention rates. Here are some tips on how to engage, and in turn, retain employees:

Provide Training

According to the same CareerBuilder survey, 35% of undertrained employees will leave their job in 2015. Proper training is a top necessity for employees. Trained employees have more confidence in their abilities in the workplace which leads to higher productivity and profitability for your organization. Provide new employees with mentors who encourage questions, comments, and concerns, as well as ensure all employees are adequately trained.

Ask about Professional Goals

CareerBuilder found 37% will leave their job due to a lack of career advancement in 2015. Talk to employees! Be aware of the goals and desired development of employees. The more open your work environment is, the more comfortable employees will feel sharing their professional aspirations. When you understand the goals of employees, you can set up employee development opportunities that cater to individual goals. If employees feel like leaders and managers are invested in their future, they will continue to invest their future into your organization.

Promote Teamwork

Team efforts produce greater results than individual efforts. Foster an environment where employees are free to share ideas and opinions. Keep everyone up-to-date on projects, updates, and important company information. All employees should be in the “in” club at your organization. The more engaged and included employees feel, the more connected they are to the organization—which will improve retention.

Retain top talent by creating an environment which encourages open communication and engages employees. For tips and best practices for employee retention, read, “Best Strategies for Employee Retention.”