Author: Blue Tree HR

What is employee ghosting? Well, ghosting is mostly associated with the dating world. Quite simply, it involves one party falling off the face of the planet. Failing to respond to phone calls, text messages, etc – simply doing a disappearing act. Ghosting is not confined to the dating world, in fact, it can happen in all walks of life. A friend could suddenly stop responding to messages without any known reason or you may even find that some recruiters decide to stop responding to you. It also happens in the workplace. An employee might fail to turn up to work and might quit without providing any notice of their intentions or they may not even show up on their first day. 

Why does this happen and what can you do about it?

Employee Ghosting in the Modern World

The main reason people ghost is that they want to avoid having an awkward conversation. In the dating world, they want to avoid the ‘it’s not you, it’s me conversation’ and in the workplace, they don’t want to have to explain why they want to resign or why they don’t want to come in in the first place. Ghosting is becoming more prominent due to low unemployment rates and the wealth of job opportunities there are. Back in the day, people had limited job offers, so they would never dream of ‘ghosting’ an employer. The nature of employment references has also changed. These days, employers don’t have any obligation to provide a detailed reference. Therefore, employees don’t need a good reference, they just need dates of employment. In short, they can leave under a cloud, and won’t really be affected.

How to Prevent Employee Ghosting

It takes around 27.5 days and £3,000 to recruit a new employee so it is worth keeping hold of your good workers. There are various steps you can take to avoid employee ghosting. If an employee ghosts you, there is a lack of respect, or they feel intimidated and uncomfortable to speak to you. It is, therefore, important that you build good relationships with your employees. This includes undertaking regular performance reviews, checking in with them during one-to-one meetings, and asking for feedback. In this way, you can deal with any potential issues before the employee decides to do a disappearing act.

If you find that candidates are not even attending for the first day, you should look at reviewing your onboarding process. Are you reaching out to them prior to them starting? Are you ensuring they are happy with the information they are received and comfortable about the arrangements? If not, you may find that candidates are feeling anxious and deciding not to turn up, while avoiding any uncomfortable conversations by ghosting you.

Employee ghosting is never comfortable for either party, so no one is really doing it lightly. They are doing it because there are aspects, they don’t feel happy with, and they don’t feel comfortable communicating these. They would rather ignore their phone for a few weeks than just speaking about their issues. Therefore, it is so important to ask for regular feedback and check in on your employees before they start and on an ongoing basis.

If you are looking for advice on employee relations and helping avoid ‘ghosting’ employees, or have any other question relating to HR advice and guidance then you can contact us at info@bluetreehr.uk or by calling 01787 695084

Although it is not always possible to hold onto staff, as they may just want to move on, there are many other reasons why employees resign. If you are finding it difficult to retain your staff, and your retention levels are particularly low compared to your competitors, there are often reasons behind it. These are some of the key reasons your employees are resigning.

They Don’t Feel Valued

One of the main reasons an individual will choose to leave is that they don’t feel valued. We all want to feel valued, whether that be in the workplace or within our external relationships, and this is something you need to consider. Most employees don’t expect you to buy them a gift every time they do something right, but a bit of praise when they do a good job will go a long way to helping retain them. Don’t just leave them to get on with the job and forget about them, check in with them every so often and ask how they are and let them know what they mean to your business. Don’t undermine your employees or belittle them, as they will find another employer that will value them. 

They Want Better Compensation

The feeling of value also includes compensation and if you are paying below the market rate, you can’t expect employees not to be enticed by better offers. It is only natural to want to earn more money, and employers need to keep track of what their competitors are paying. If you can’t afford to pay the same as competitors, then consider other incentives, such as flexible working, performance-related bonuses, etc.

The Environment is Negative 

Most people spend over 13 years of their lifetime at work. This is quite staggering and when you think about it, it makes sense that people want to spend this time in a place they enjoy. If there is negative energy in your workplace, it won’t entice people to stay. It is quite simple to understand your culture. When you look around, are people smiling and chatting, or does everyone have their heads down? Are people constantly complaining about aspects of the company/job? What are your productivity levels like? If you analyse these, you will get a good feel for whether you have a positive or negative environment.

Communication is Poor

How often does management check in with their employees? Are employees asked for their feedback? Do you update employees with changes in the business? When communication is poor, it can lead to employees feeling that they are not respected, and they may even consider leaving. Make sure you are communicating regularly with your employees. Management should always provide support to their team.

Lack of Opportunities

Most employees want to have the option of progressing within the company and if you are not offering this, they may look elsewhere. It is important to have a clear plan in place for employees to grow within the business, as if not, they are likely to look for other opportunities if they are not challenged.

If you would like to discuss employee retention and how you can improve this, you can contact us by email at info@bluetreehr.uk or by calling 01787 695084 for an initial discussion.

Managers will often try to avoid one-to-one meetings, as they may not know exactly what they should be asking in them, or they might be concerned about bringing up a difficult topic. One-to-ones are important, as they help ensure your employees feel valued, and they also allow you the opportunity to raise any concerns before they become unmanageable. For example, if an employee’s productivity has fallen, you can ask them about it during a one-to-one, rather than waiting until it gets to the point where you can no longer employ them. They may be having difficulties at home, and simply by checking in, it can get to the heart of the issue and allow you to make constructive changes to help support them.

One-to-ones should be regular, and you should make the most of the opportunity to speak to your employees. These are some ways to make the most of the meetings.

The Human Touch

When you are having a one-to-one, don’t just dive in headfirst to discuss work-related issues or updates, make sure you show the human touch, by checking in with how they are. It is particularly important during current times when people have just recovered from the aftermath of the pandemic or are still going through it. Ask how they are, how their family are, and what they’ve been doing outside of work. Employees want to feel valued and that their employer cares about them as an individual, and not just as a number. One-to-ones should take place at least once a month, and they can be informal and relaxed. Employees are more likely to enjoy the meetings and feel more relaxed to open up about their feelings, if the meeting is informal.

Set Objectives

A one-to-one meeting should have some objectives. At the start of the meeting, you can explain what these are to the employee. For instance, you want to discuss updates in the office, address concerns, and set goals for the month ahead. It is important to have a breakdown so that employees understand what to expect.

Address Concerns

If you have any concerns about the employee’s performance/attitude etc, this is the time to raise them. A difficult conversation is not pleasant for anyone, but this is why one-to-ones are important, as you can deal with the concerns before they get out of hand. For instance, if an employee’s productivity has dipped, you might want to ask if there’s any reason for it, whether external or internal to the company, and what you can do to help. You should never come down hard on employees during a one-to-one, this won’t help anyone. Always go into it with a focus on what you can do to improve the concern.

Discuss Achievements

If, for instance, an employee’s productivity has dipped, but they are producing quality work and are having a good impact on their colleagues – say it! You should always leave the employee with some positive feedback, even if there are other concerns. Everyone has their good points in the workplace, you wouldn’t have hired them in the first place if they didn’t, and these should be a part of the one-to-one, especially if you need to discuss problems too.

Set Goals

Each one-to-one meeting should finish with some goal setting for the next one-to-one. What do you want them to improve on and what are your expectations? What does the employee need in terms of guidance, support, and training? Make sure this is covered at the end of the meeting.

If you want some advice on undertaking one-to-one’s, you can contact us for an initial chat, either by email at info@bluetreehr.uk or by calling 01787 695084

The prospect of performance management is often dreaded by employees. Performance management, when done correctly, can be vital in running a successful business. It allows you to understand how your employees perform in various aspects of their roles and whether these are in line with the company goals. It is not there to make employees feel bad or to interrupt their working day, it is in fact, a tool used to help them identify strengths and weaknesses, some of which they may not even be aware of. When done well, it can make employees feel rejuvenated. There are various types of performance management, including appraisals and check-ins. The one you opt for depends on what is best for your business objectives and whether you want these to be formal or informal. You may even want to use a couple of different options.

Performance management is important for any business, and these are some reasons why they are worth consideration.

Identify Training Needs

It can be difficult to determine exactly where the strengths of your team lie, and where they might need some training, without consistent reviews. Whether formal or informal, a performance review gives you the opportunity to discuss the aspirations of your employees and identify areas of training that might be useful to them. Performance reviews can also help with succession planning as you can plan for future vacancies, and where your current employees might be able to slot in. It is vital that you continue to grow your business, and performance management can help with this.

Increase Retention

You could have an employee who is on the brink of leaving, and without regular reviews, you may not even be aware of this. Performance reviews can increase retention as you can understand how your employees feel and whether you need to do anything to enhance their enjoyment of their role. For instance, they may feel that the role has become stagnant, and you could consider promoting them if you really want to keep hold of them. Hiring new employees takes a lot of time, resources, and money. If you find a good employee, it is worth doing everything you can to hold onto them.

Greater Freedom

There are two extremes in the workplace that can turn employees off and force them to consider leaving. If they feel that they are being micro-managed, this can be off-putting for someone that likes to work autonomously. On the other hand, if there is no input whatsoever, this can leave them feeling isolated, and devalued. The step in between this is performance management. If you have regular feedback meetings with employees, even just a quick catch-up every month and a more formal annual performance review, you can basically leave your employees alone to do their job. This is the best of both worlds, as you can keep track of how your employees are doing, without getting in their space and preventing them from doing their job.

Morale Boost

The performance review should not be used as a tool just to identify areas of weakness, it should also be used to encourage employees and praise them for what they’re good at. Everyone likes a bit of praise, and this can be a good morale boost.

You could take inspiration from Nationwide, which is one of the most engaged companies in the world. Their ethos is to put people before profits. If you put your people first, your profits will follow.

As Nationwide Vice President, Edward Wagner said, “Most people go into business to make money, we went into business to serve people and ended up making more money than the guys who were out to make it in the first place.”

They have 26,000 associates and $270 billion in assets, so they must be doing something right! 

Putting your people first is vital and encouraging them via performance reviews is just one way to do it.

If you would like to discuss getting a performance management system in place or you want a review of your current processes, contact us today at info@bluetreehr.uk or phone 01787 695084.

Recognition in the workplace is important. It makes employees feel valued, and it encourages employee loyalty and productivity. Employee recognition is particularly important now, as the pandemic has had such a detrimental effect on mental health. Simply telling your employees that you recognise their hard work and efforts is vital, but there are also other ways you can recognise the efforts of your employees. These are some employee recognition ideas for your business.

Merchandise

It is a good idea to give your employee’s company merchandise as part of your onboarding process, such as a pen, mug, notebook, t-shirt, etc. It will instantly make your employees feel welcome as soon as they join the company, and they will be more likely to feel recognised and make more of an effort.

Extra Holidays

An unexpected extra holiday that will allow employees some important ‘me’ time to relax is a great form of recognition. It shows that you care about their mental health and wellbeing, as well as appreciating their efforts. Extra holidays can be used to show that you are happy with your employee’s performance or the extra hours they put into a project to ensure it was delivered on time.

Surprise Gift

Happy with an employee’s effort? A gift will go a long way to show you appreciate them. If they are working remotely, you can send this out to them, or if they are in the office, you can hand-deliver it. You’d be surprised at how happy your employees will be with this, no matter how small the gift may be.

Vouchers

You could treat your employees to vouchers to give them an opportunity to choose their own gift. Vouchers are always appreciated, and they are a good example of employee recognition.

Free Lunch

You may want to offer your employee a free lunch as a form of employee recognition. If you can do this in person, all the better as it gives you the chance to bond with your employees. However, if they are working remotely, a delicious lunch turning up at their doorstep will be sure to be appreciated.

Dog Day

More people than ever are becoming dog owners, with 26% of the UK population owning a dog. You might want to consider a day where employees can bring their dog to work as a token of your appreciation. Who could resist a visit from a furry baby!

Fun Break Room

What does your canteen area currently look like? Is it a place of fun or boring chat? A good way to show you appreciate your employees is to have some activities available to make lunchtime and breaks a little more interesting. Consider hooking up a PlayStation, ping pong table, or an arcade machine. It’s relatively cheap and will show your employees that you care and want to make them happy.

Social Activities

Take your team out on a social activity day to show your appreciation, such as bowling, laser tag, or even just for lunch. It is a good way for everyone to get to know each other a little more, and even more important if you have staff working remotely. If it’s difficult to get everyone together, then you could organise a quiz or similar online. 

Employee of the Month

Some companies offer ‘Employee of the Month’ as a form of employee recognition. If you appreciate your staff and want to ensure they feel valued, a reward like this can be desirable.

Office Treats

An unexpected delivery of office treats will be a hit with your employees. A pizza lunch, delivery of donuts, or a box of delicious chocolate will be sure to put a smile on your employee’s faces. If your employees are working remotely, you could always get these sent to their homes.

If you would like us to help you build employee recognition, contact us at info@bluetreehr.uk or 01787 695084

In part one of our blogs, we looked at the pandemic and how people feel about returning to work. In this blog, we will look at the results of the survey. It will include how employers have dealt with the pandemic, employer responsibilities, and what they have done to support their employees. We will offer insight and advice where possible from an HR perspective, from both the employee and employer sides.

How has the pandemic affected you?

According to our survey, just over 33% of respondents felt ‘OK’ about the pandemic and lockdown, while over 66% said they have experienced mood changes. Understandably, none of the respondents were happy about the lockdown, and thankfully, none of the respondents felt depressed. The after-effects of the lockdown are not yet known, and it is understandable to have good and bad days, even for months or years to follow. When it comes to returning to the workplace, there can be feelings of anxiety and stress. Most people will have had their mental health affected in some way.

Advice for Employees

Have an honest discussion with your employer when you return to the workplace and let them know how you’re feeling. It might also be the time to suggest flexible working if this is something that will be possible and beneficial to you. It is vital to take your time and adjust back into the real world. It’s not easy, and the more you communicate and inform your employer about your mental health, the better. 

If you are suffering from poor mental health because of the lockdown, you can take some small steps to try and improve your mood. For instance, spend less time watching the news and more time doing something creative – such as reading, writing, or undertaking a course. Make sure you get outside as much as possible and maintain a good level of fitness. If the lockdown has taught us anything, it is that most of us have not appreciated nature the way we should. Take time to do what you love and stay away from things or people that are harming your mental health. As harsh as it may be to cut ties with people, it is vital to take care of yourself, first and foremost.

Advice for Employers

Make sure you discuss mental health with your employees in a quiet place when they return to the workplace. You should also check in with them regularly, as their mental health is probably going to be changeable. You should do your best to provide information on managing mental health and try to accommodate flexible working requests. It is not the time to throw employees in at the deep end; they will need time to adjust to a new (or old) way of working. Your employer responsibilities including looking after the mental health of your employees.

Flexible Working

All the respondents to the survey said that one thing they would change about the way they work on their return is flexible working. Most of the respondents wanted some form of blended working, with time spent between the office and home. Other comments were that they would like to feel more valued and work in a more positive environment. If you are not yet offering flexible working, it is time to do it.

Employer Support

57% of respondents felt that they were adequately supported by their employer during the pandemic and lockdown. Just over 33% said they were somewhat supported and 9.5% said they were not supported at all. Most respondents (just over 66%) stated that communication with their employer during lockdown was ‘OK’, while just over 33% said it was great. The number of times employers checked in with employees was variable, with around 14% stating that their employer checked in with them daily, around 57% stating they checked in weekly, 14% monthly, 9.5% every so often, and 4.7% not checking in at all. Thankfully, for most respondents, it seems that their employers did check in with them regularly, which is a good sign, especially since this has been a new experience for most of us. For the most part, it seems that employer responsibilities were taken seriously.

Positive Changes

We also asked the respondents what their employers had done to support their engagement or development during the pandemic and homeworking. These could be useful ideas for employers considering offering homeworking in the future. The responses included:

• Virtual team games
• Group calls on Zoom
• Regular communication
• Provided new equipment, laptop, etc.
• Sunshine hour breaks
• Virtual learning
• Social time
• Early finish
• Quiz nights
• Gifts

If you want some advice and support for getting back into the workplace after lockdown or you are an employer with concerns about how to deal with mental health or flexible working requests, you can contact us at info@bluetreehr.uk or 01787 695084.