Why Employees Stay with Certain Employers
Employees and Staff Members: Click here to confidentially rank your current employer on the 10 concepts below. |
For many businesses, retaining employees has always been a challenge. The challenge has become heightened since the pandemic of 2020. Yet, some employers struggle more than others. Here are ten reasons that summarize why employees stay with their employers. Imagine employees giving a grade, from A through F, on each of these nine concepts. The employers with the highest grades have the best results in recruiting and retaining employees and employers with the lowest grades have the most trouble.
Employees stay with employers when they are: 1. Paid Well People understand that the marketplace shapes compensation for various types of work, but they also have a sense for what is "well paid" for what they are doing. Employers should strive to be at the top of the marketplace range for what they pay for various positions. 2. Mentored The kind of people you want in your organization are interested in personal as well as professional growth. Supervisors should know their employees well enough to help them grow. In the annual review, besides only telling someone what they need to do to better serve the organization, also ask them what the organization can do to help them grow. 3. Challenged Gone are the days when employees flourish at companies where they do repetitive, monotonous work. Employees who are challenged in their positions, grow in their skillsets, self confidence and, ultimately, are more satisfied and fulfilled at work. 4. Promoted Everyone appreciates recognition for a job well done, and opportunity for advancement is not only a welcome reward it is a key consideration for most individuals before even accepting employment. Promotions do not have to be automatic at certain chronological milestones, they can be based upon demonstrated quality performance. However, employers should have a thought-out advancement plan ready to present to prospective employees at the pre-employment interview. 5. Involved When an employee feels buy-in with the company, he or she is more likely to give his or her best effort. Engaging employees in decision making and/or seeking and respecting their input on projects, processes or policies not only allows the employee to develop a sense of ownership and accountability, it validates their talent and enhances self-esteem. 6. Appreciated Employees aren’t only looking for monetary compensation, they need to feel appreciated in the workplace to be fully satisfied in their role. There are countless ways employers can demonstrate appreciation – and the aforementioned promotions and involvement contribute to this – but expressions of gratitude can be as simple as a pat on the back or a handwritten thank-you note. Note: In the act of showing appreciation, it’s important to be specific (not generic) and acknowledge the unique contribution each employee makes to the organization. 7. Trusted Trust is a precious dynamic between an employer and employee. When an employer demonstrates trust in his or her workers, they feel valued by and accountable to the organization they serve. No employee wants to be constantly looking over his/her shoulder or worried about unwarranted criticism, correction or suspicion. Likewise, employers will be less productive and more stressed in the role of micro-manager. Train your employees well, maintain an open line of communication, give them the tools they need, then trust them to do their jobs. They will reciprocate with mutual trust and respect. 8. Empowered Much like the value of trust between employers and employees, the concept of empowerment is a mutual win. Once your employees are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to do their jobs well, give them leeway to make decisions, adapt their own workstyles and routines and take initiative. An employee who feels empowered to speak up and/or try something new might just surface an idea that helps you improve your business. 9. Valued All of the aforementioned concepts contribute to this one, which may just be the most important consideration for employee satisfaction. While a paycheck is essential to most of us, an employee who feels undervalued in the workplace will never connect with that company in a meaningful way nor achieve their full potential. Why should they give their best effort for an organization that doesn’t reciprocate? Regardless of the tasks assigned to employees – from the most basic entry level to a more advanced role – they want to be seen not just as a “number” or “station” or “job classification” but as individuals who are important to the overall organization. 10. Part of a Culture of Creative Energy Boredom, repetition, stagnation are soul-sucking for an employee who yearns for a creative outlet at work. The drudgery of the same-old, same-old from day to day, without inspiration or aspiration, can drain an employee’s motivation. Don’t let your business be a place where mundane and grumbling fester. A workplace that rewards creativity, experimentation and out-of-the-ordinary thinking develops a culture of contagious energy where employees approach their work with more gusto and, ultimately, are happier to show up every day. |