If you are in a leader’s role in an organization, it can be both daunting and exciting, especially for the newly minted manager. Employee retention in an organization is influenced a great deal by the dynamics between direct managers and front-line workers. When any organization is looking to reduce the churn of employees, hiring and developing good managers is key. Good managers that follow significant practices will always have team members that are engaged, supported, and more significantly on the job. Here are some key employee retention techniques for the leaders.
- Be good communicators: The significance of good consistent communication between direct reports and managers can never be overstated. Keep in mind that these conversations are never just once-every-year events. Regular chats and meetings mean workers that are almost 3 times more engaged than others with managers that check-in less often. So, for all new managers, it is imperative to develop good communication lines with the members of the team. Good managers always respond to the messages or calls within 24 hours. Ongoing communication establishes transparency between employees and managers.
- Set clear expectations and targets: The establishment of well-designed performance goals goes a long way in promoting engagement. If the employees are getting a strong direction, they will develop a sense of purpose and a connection with the workplace. Providing direction goes a long way beyond just handing written job descriptions to the person or handing him the annual performance reports. Good managers always review the performance of the team members. The same thing applies to the job responsibilities as well as you must assign the scope of their duties to them.
- Recognize the good work: Providing recognition to outstanding work comes in several forms. It does not always mean cash rewards although it is nice to receive one. Other kinds of acknowledgments can be just as effective and they can strengthen retention and engagement. Sometimes, just simple thanks can express your gratitude. Good managers will use “thanks” moments as opportunities for reinforcing the recognition of outstanding efforts. Significantly, you tell the employees about what they did right and why they are getting the accolades.
- Concentrate on the strengths of your team members: After an employee is recruited possibly by using the employer of records services, you need to develop his or her talents and strengths. It boosts the quality of work and mastery over work duties. After the manager has recognized the strengths, he can develop them either by using personal coaching or by encouraging the employees to take up training courses to develop their knowledge and skills. Good managers will always concentrate on developing the strengths and positive characteristics of their employees.
- Promote constant learning: If the employees feel that an organization is investing in them, they are less likely to switch jobs. One of the ways for managers to invest is through learning and development. All surveys will show that the employees stay with an organization longer when it is investing in their development. Many good managers go about developing learning opportunities. They can upload their resources and assign them the various team members. They will focus on building stackable business skills that are required in all sectors.
- Develop soft skills: All good managers are aware of the fact that the team members have lives away from the workplace and many times this intrudes on their work. They will take time to get to know their team members personally and not as co-workers. Open lines of communication aid the employees in feeling empowered to connect with the managers about any problem that is interfering with their work. Perhaps there is a challenge an employee and a manager can resolve together.
Conclusion
There are some online platforms available that allow the employees and managers to develop their capabilities and learn new skills. You can find several courses on the web teaching soft skills, Excel, project management, and several other practical topics. In many cases you can customize the software by developing groups, assigning your courses, and monitoring your progress with a simple understanding of analytics and reports. You can use these tools to make sure that you retain the best talent.
