Nowadays, a normal work environment is extremely dynamic. The days of lifelong employees have certainly passed. You rarely get to see people working in the same place for more than a couple of years because high-profile careers can be forged in a series of workplaces. For millennials, job hopping is the quickest way to a vast professional experience.
While that may be exciting for the employees who get to experience their profession from a wide variety of angles, it is not as useful for the companies hiring them. In fact, the prevention of job hopping is one of the main priorities of the HR department. Here are a few tactics that could prove useful in the job retention process:
Establish Good Communication with the Employee
If you want to get your employees to go the distance, you have to spark their interest. A job can only become personal if the employee is personally involved and the best way to lay the foundation for that is through communication.
Make the employee feel heard and your company will already have an advantage. This does not mean that every single idea that an employee has must be put into practice. The objective is to get him/her to relate to the project goals and to know that communicating with both peers and higher-ups is a possibility.
Make the Work Environment Relaxing
Coming into work can and should be something that puts a smile on the employees’ faces in the morning. Instead of the typical cubical jungle, investing in a relaxing work environment could pay off tremendously because it would make people more productive and more prone to keep their jobs. The best possible example is Google that has raised the bar for office spaces everywhere.
While that is an entirely new level of office display, you don’t need to be Google to make your employees happy. Even a simple relaxation area where they can take a break will make a difference. Anything from a mini bar with POS system for a cafe to entertainment gadgets (there are plenty inexpensive ones) to take your mind off of work could help your workers relax and connect. Think of it as an investment in the company’s future!
Help Employees Connect as a Team
People who work well as part of a team are far less likely to leave their jobs. This is why encouraging your employees to connect as a team is a very good retention strategy. Setting this up must be done in two ways. First, project managers must find the best ways for their employees to work together. They should assign tasks that stimulate them to work as a team.
The second part of this strategy is getting the employees to feel like a team outside of work as well. Company team buildings are crucial because they are an excellent moment for colleagues to get to know each other on a personal level. In turn, this will play a significant role in the quality of the teamwork in the office.
Creating a Bonus System for Employees
Establishing a bonus system for employees will have a powerful impact. Getting a bonus is an instant reward and combining this with the possibility of getting more rewards will put the job in an entirely new light.
This strategy has a very strong psychological basis. As such, the bonuses awarded do not have to be substantial to have an effect. It is advisable that the bonus system does not lead way to competition between the employees. The best results are noticed when the process is individual.
Setting Up a Good Benefit System
Aside from the standard set of benefits that employees can get from most companies, having a few unique ones could set you apart. From flexible work hours to the possibility of working remotely every once in a while, you could earn quite the stellar reputation with minimal effort.
To find the best possible benefits for your employees, we have to go back to the no.1 item on our list, which is good communication. Offering personalized benefits will certainly go a long way and it might make even the most determined of job hoppers to think again.
Each of these strategies could help companies in their job-hopper retention endeavors. However, when using some or even all of them together, the effects are impressive. If you want to keep your employees around, make the job personal.
If you treat them like pawns in your grand plan, they will feel replaceable and leave for any better offer they get. But if you make them feel that they are part of a plan and a team and that their contribution makes a difference, we guarantee that they will think twice before setting up that interview.