5 Ways to Increase Employee Retention

As a leading Kansas City staffing agency, Morgan Hunter knows when it comes to employee retention, things aren’t looking good for U.S. employers. In fact, according to a 2013 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, the average tenure of an employee is now only 1.5 years.

What’s worse is that it usually takes a good six months for a new hire to learn the ropes and get up and running. So you essentially get 1 productive year out of a new hire.

If this sounds all too familiar, then it’s time to invest more effort and resources into engaging and retaining top talent. Here’s how:

1. Focus on strong employee/manager relationships.

One of the biggest reasons employees leave is due to a bad relationship with their boss. Many times, though, people are promoted into management positions without ever being trained on how to manage their people. As a result, they don’t really know how to motivate different personalities, diffuse challenging situations, or handle an underperforming employee.

For instance, an employee may not be clear about expectations and not given the support and resources necessary to succeed. Yet their manager simply views them as underperforming. There’s clearly a communication gap – one that needs to be bridged by training managers on how to manage people.

2. Be a champion for your employees.

If you see an employee you know is highly talented, then don’t let them waste those talents – maximize them! It’s better for your company to develop your best people – even if it means they might eventually leave – than to waste their abilities.

When you enable an employee to achieve their potential, you will not only advance their careers, but also improve retention in the process. On the other hand, if a top employee feels like they’re in a dead end position, they will leave the company eventually out of frustration.

3. Follow through on your promises.

Another reason an employee will leave is because they feel like their employer is not keeping promises. For instance, during the interview process, if you touted a strong mentoring program for new hires, but didn’t deliver on that promise, the employee is going to feel burned. They’ll also wonder what else you’re lying about. From job description to day-to-day job duties, always be honest with your employees.

4. Offer flexibility.

For many employees, scheduling flexibility has gone from a “nice-to-have” perk to an absolute “must-have.” So if your company doesn’t offer flexibility, then it’s only a matter of time before employees leave for companies that do.

5. Invest more in hiring right.

Another primary reason for turnover? A mismatch between an employee and their job. Sometimes, when a company hires too quickly or doesn’t assess personality along with skill set, a hiring mistake can occur and turnover will follow suit.

That’s why it’s so important to hire the right person from the start…even if it means a longer process to do so.

If you need help hiring and retaining top people for your organization, call Morgan Hunter. As a leading Kansas City staffing agency, we’ve helped companies throughout the area secure their most valuable asset – quality employees. And we can help you too!

Contact us today if you’re ready to find out more.