Keep in touch!

How to hold on to your best employees

Whenever an experienced employee leaves an organization, the cost of replacing them with a new hire is significant. Training a new employee takes time, and the new worker won’t reach the peak of their productivity right away. This is why it’s important to know how to retain your best workers. Here are a few tips to help you hold on to your top talent.

• Keep your employees motivated. Many employers think that money is the primary motivator for their employees, but in reality job satisfaction tends to be the most important factor for workers. Job satisfaction is highest among employees who have a clear understanding of what is expected of them, have access to the tools they need to do their job effectively, and have a workload that corresponds with their capacity. Normally, if the working environment is good, the employee enjoys a level of autonomy and their work is recognized and appreciated, they will be satisfied and motivated at work.
• Be a good leader. Yes, you are the boss – but it’s important that your employees feel that you are also a part of the team. You should play the role of a good coach! Ideally, your employees will see you as a competent leader with skills and knowledge that will help them to improve and grow in their position. Be available and an essential part of your team, and your employees will appreciate working for you.
• Respect the skills of your employees. Avoid criticizing your employees’ way of doing things as a tactic to get them to change the way they work. Rather, be diplomatic, respectful of their knowledge and listen to them. Your employees need to feel that they have a certain amount of control over their work, and will feel unappreciated if you dismiss their opinions out of hand to impose your own unilateral viewpoint.
• Support your team. By nature of your position, you will be required to act as a mediator – and sometimes even a psychologist – when workplace conflicts occur. For example: let’s say the auto body painter misses a few spots, and the vehicle must be returned to the shop. Before tempers get out of hand, defuse the situation like the good head of the family that you are. Show respect to your employees, and make it clear that you expect them to respect each other. Your employees’ sense of belonging will only increase as a result.
• Offer training. If you want to retain your best employees, strive to provide them with opportunities to participate in training and continuing education programs that are in line with their competencies and area of expertise. You can alternate between offering internal or external training. The possibility for advancement will motivate your employees and ensure that they feel proud to be a part of your organization.
• Communicate your vision clearly. Employees like feeling that they are an important part of the team and that their contributions are valued. Part of this involves communicating your vision for the future clearly. It’s not only rewarding and motivating to work for an employer who has new and interesting projects in mind – it’s reassuring!