How to Keep Your Best Staff — 5 Solutions for Managers

Have you ever wondered why it is so difficult to keep good staff? Here are 5 solutions to think seriously about before you receive that shock email from one of your best workers/

Just look at these figures. 27% of employees upped and left in 2018.

Another shocking statistic is that 35% of employees will leave their jobs every year (until 2023) to work for someone else. You can read the full report from the Work Institute 2019 Report here.

If you are a manager, CEO or startup founder, you will be asking yourself the following question:-

What can we do to reduce this turnover?

We all know that the costs of finding and training up replacements are no joke. It costs about twice a worker’s salary. Add to that the fact that this will slow down productivity and add pressure and stress to those who stay. The average time for training a new worker is about 6 months.

Here are 5 ways we can help to stop the outgoing tide.

1. Invest in training and skills development

Offering employees a chance to upgrade their skills or develop new ones is a tempting offer for most employees who want to advance their careers. The return on this investment is tenfold because workers feel that their careers are being nurtured and they are not being exploited in any way. Here are some ways we can do this without breaking the bank.

· Encourage mentorship where applicable so that a worker may learn from a more experienced colleague for a set number of hours a week.

· Offer a few perks like hours off where study time for exams and extra qualifications is required.

· Offer to pay for tuition fees and travel expenses. Also, ask whether flextime can help.

2. Give feedback as and when necessary

When I was a manager, we were fixed on the annual performance assessment. Looking back now on that we would have been more effective if we had opted for mini feedback sessions on specific goals. The yearly one became a nightmare for employees and managers alike! If I were doing it now, I would opt for:-

· Asking for permission to give feedback on a report, presentation or project shortly after the event. This is the time element that is often missing from the annual feedback sessions.

· Offer a choice of time slots for this as people generally like to prepare for it even it if is a minor goal.

· Make feedback more specific. Mention content, delivery, and audience participation if you are talking about a presentation. It is not enough to say “great presentation.”

· Be specific and clear about what was great. “Your grasp of those statistics was excellent and you impressed people with the confidence you showed.”

· Avoid the “feedback sandwich” where the manager wraps up the criticism by starting positive, then mentioning the bad stuff and finishing up with a nice compliment.

· For constructive criticism, it is always best to ask them what went wrong and what the problem was. Then help them find solutions and offer to help if needed. This can be a simple follow up to see how they are getting on. Never email negative feedback as the written word is still very powerful.

3. Make benefits attractive and appealing.

Have a good look at how workable the following perks are for your company. Some surveys suggest that the benefits package offered can be a decisive factor for 60% of applicants.

· Flexible time schedules

· Some work can be done at home

· Health insurance

· Free meals or meal vouchers

· Fitness courses

· Nap rooms. (Google & many companies offer these)

· Pet facilities

· Paid vacations

4. Be as open and transparent as possible.

I know many workers who were obsessed with gossip. The reason was that there was simply not enough information coming from top management. Share as much as is possible This could include financial goals and achievements. Staff feels more involved are less likely to believe stupid gossip and fake news.

Making sure that all staff is on the same page as regards business goals and customer care is incredibly important. It is when there is a lack of communication or transparency that staff may feel apprehensive about their future and start to apply for other jobs.

5. Use the latest technology to keep staff in the loop

It can be useful to substitute some boring meetings with the latest technology. These can be easily installed and will save loads of time and frustration. New technology only has a shelf life of 2 years so this needs to be kept in mind.

· Video calls

· Instant messaging

· Screen sharing

· Drag and drop files during a conversation

· Staff sees what each team member is working on and their progress.

· Tracking workflows, budgets, and communications.

Keeping your best staff is worth a fortune to you and your company. A little self-awareness and empathy will go a long way. As Lynn Taylor (work expert) says:-

“If you can stay mindful of whether you’re the type of manager you’d want to report to, you’ll likely keep your team engaged and committed.”

If you found this useful, you might like to read my other articles about relationships in the workplace.