Nobody wants to go through the added stress and annoyance of a recruitment drive. Not only does it take up time and money, but it also means that focus is taken away from the everyday running of a business. The best solution? Keep your existing employees happy and motivated, and there will be no need to recruit on a regular basis!
Of course, finding new talent is always a good thing, but this should not be a regular event. Ensuring that your current, highly trained staff are happy at their office tables and not about to go anywhere anytime soon is a better course of action, but how exactly do you do that? Surely people get itchy feet from time to time and want a change of scenery? Yes, and there’s nothing you can do about that, but there are many things you can do to avoid losing valuable staff members for needless reasons.
1 – Offer Flexible Working Arrangements
These days more and more businesses are waking up to the reality that staff want a better work and home life balance, and that if they don’t get it from their current employer, they’re happy to move on to another business who will give them the opportunities they desire. In this case, offering different arrangements is a great option, and one which also brings benefits for the business too.
For instance, allowing staff to work remotely either part of the time or on a full time basis cuts costs, reduces the number of office chairs needed, and also ensures that staff are retained and don’t go to a competitor instead. If remote working isn’t something you want to offer, how about working from home several times per week, or a different type of desking system, such as hot desking or agile working perhaps? A high quality manager is able to consult with staff and find the right system.
2 – Create a Working Environment Staff Can be Proud of
Creating an office which inspires staff to work hard on a daily basis is a great way to retain staff, but it goes beyond design. You need to think about comfortable and supportive bespoke office desks, ergonomic designs and styles which increase health and wellbeing, such as biophilic elements.
If you don’t believe that office design has a direct impact on morale, you need to catch up! Of course your employees would rather work in an office they like, one which they find comfortable, easy to work in, and one which looks the part. It’s far better than the alternative – a space which is uncomfortable, dark, and lacks character. Look towards branded office furniture to create a stylish space, as one example.
3 – Ensure Morale is High
How do you know if morale is high? There will be less sick days, productivity will be up, profits will be up as a result, you’ll see smiles on people’s faces, and more creative ideas will be coming your way. Morale cannot be measured in terms of numbers, but it can easily be seen from results.
When a team is high in morale, they want to work hard, they want to come up with new ideas and creative solutions, and they want to see the business thrive and do well. They will go the extra mile and that impacts directly on productivity. In addition, when an employee feels happy and satisfied in their work, they’re not going to be looking to move any time soon.
4 – Offer Educational And Developmental Opportunities
A business which wants to see their staff fulfil their potential will always maintain their current workforce, over one which doesn’t seem to offer any such opportunities. Why not incorporate a learning zone into your office? This can be as simple as some dedicated office desks with computers or tables for online learning, and perhaps acoustic panels to keep the noise out.
By doing this you’re showing your staff that you care about their futures, and you’re also getting the added bonus of additional skills flooding into the business from what they learn!
5 – Create a Team Working Environment
A collaborative, team working environment is far more pleasant to work in than one which focuses entirely on individual working. This ‘one for all’ way of thinking helps to develop what is essentially a working family, and nobody wants to leave their family!
Think about break out spaces, collaborative areas and quiet ones, perhaps oval boardroom tables to encourage conversation and to ensure everyone is involved, and also ensure that you seek out ideas, encourage staff to come forward with solutions, and that you actively listen to what they are saying.
By incorporating these five tips, you’ll keep your existing, highly experienced staff, you won’t need to conduct regular exit interviews, and productivity will certainly be on the rise too!