It is a candidate’s market out there now, and it has never been more important to hold onto the best talent within your organisation. Employees don’t tend to stay in jobs the way they used to, so retaining them can be a hurdle. The last thing you want is for your employees to be on the brink of leaving when any appealing offer turns up. The main goal is that your employees are happy with their job. These are some ways to increase employee loyalty in the workplace.
Promote Positive Culture
The company culture includes the company values, but also the general environment and how people interact together. Managers are responsible for ensuring that they build and maintain a positive culture, and this involves analysing their behaviours and the behaviours of others. If, for instance, you have an employee that is constantly complaining, don’t be afraid to tell them it is unacceptable. One person can bring down many, and it can cause others to want to leave. A positive culture will enhance employee loyalty.
Listen to Employee Concerns
If your employees have genuine concerns, don’t just ignore them. They will only tolerate things for a set time, and then they’ll start looking for other jobs. Some common concerns employees have are that they have been paid incorrectly or they are not getting holidays when they want them. They may need to wait weeks for responses to concerns, or they may not have adequate equipment for their job. No matter how seemingly insignificant you think the concern is, you should always take steps to deal with it, and this will increase employee loyalty.
Offer Flexibility
We live in a time when employees have more options, and they want flexibility in their day-to-day working life. The days of working 9 to 5 in an office are all but over, and unless there is a reason you are unable to facilitate this, you should consider offering flexibility. It may include working on a semi-remote basis, finishing early on a Friday, etc.
Ensure Fairness
Employees want to be treated fairly, and they are likely to consider leaving if they feel they are not being treated the same as others. For instance, if there is the opportunity for overtime or to travel with work, make sure you are offering is based on specific and legitimate reasons – and communicate these reasons. You should never offer benefits based on who you get on with best, but rather, on work-based reasons, if you want to ensure employee loyalty.
Communicate
Make sure you communicate with your employees regularly and keep them up to date on any changes within the business. There is nothing worse for employees than hearing important updates second-hand, and they will appreciate your honesty, no matter whether the communication is positive or negative. Ask employees for feedback, reach out and make sure they are happy, especially if they are working remotely. The more honest and open you are with your employees, the more employee loyalty you will get in return.
Attractive Salary and Benefits
Of course, one of the ways to improve employee loyalty in the workplace stay is down to the pay and benefits. Make sure you are paying a competitive rate and are offering similar or better benefits than your competitors. Employees need to feel valued, and the salary and benefits they receive are one way to achieve this.
Refrain from Micromanaging
Most employees just want to be able to get on with their work, the last thing they want is their manager constantly calling them up or feeling pressured to meet targets, etc. There is a way of getting the most from your employees, and micromanaging is not one of them, give your employees space to breathe, trust them to do their job and you will get employee loyalty in return.
If you’d like more advice on getting the most out of your employees, contact us for an initial chat at info@bluetreehr.uk or call 07516 335 419.
