Our research and tips, based on Beverly Kaye's Wall Street bestselling book Love ’Em or Lose ’Em, is a practical and easy manual for managers to improve engagement and retention of their teams.
10 great engagement and retention tips you can apply:
1. Exciting, Challenging, or Meaningful Work
How can you make your employees’ work more challenging and meaningful?
Go out of your way to find enrichment opportunities for them! But be careful:
enrichment can take many different forms. Remember to ask your talented employees what they’d like to do and how they’d like to do it.
2. Supportive Management and a Good Boss
There’s a reason business expert Marcus Buckingham said, “People leave managers, not companies.” One of the best ways to retain employees is to make sure they have excellent bosses. So what makes a good boss? The best bosses empower their employees instead of micromanaging them. In essence, good bosses are willing to yield some of their power to their employees.
3. Recognition for Work Well Done
Multiple studies around the globe tell us that a majority of people leave their jobs because they don’t feel appreciated. What about your employees? Ask them how they are recognized and appreciated. If they immediately respond with “You notice my contributions” or “You thank me all the time,” then you’re doing great. If they stare blankly at you and then finally say, “Do you mean my paycheck?” you might have some work to do in the rewards department.
4. Career Growth, Learning, and Development
In a constantly changing world, people crave learning more than ever: it’s the only way to stay at the top of your field. Young employees in particular are hungry for learning and will go wherever their quest for knowledge takes them. So you have to make sure there are plenty of ways people can pursue their quest for knowledge inside your organization! Don’t leave them in the dark about their next steps, either: they’ll want to know where their new knowledge will take them.
5. Flexible Work Environment
Sometimes the organization has no rule about working from another place, but the manager says no anyway. If you are one of those managers, ask yourself why. Is it a lack of trust in your employees? Is it a concern that they will not be productive without your ever-vigilant eye? If so, consider managing based on results. Be clear about your expectations: what do you want them to produce or create? By when? Consider letting your employees get those results from whatever location they wish.
6. Job Security and Stability
Research shows that employees want security and stability. Believe it or not, you can give your employees a greater feeling of security (even in an unstable environment) by demonstrating consistent habits of honesty and transparency. The more information your employees have about the situation within the company and their place in it, the more empowered they feel. Even if the news is bad, being up-front wins their trust and helps them prepare for changes, positive or negative.
7. Drawing Purpose from the Organization’s Mission or
Product
According to a report by global brand consultancy Calling Brands, the corporate purpose is emerging as a powerful driver of attraction, retention, and productivity. “The survey revealed that, on average, 57% of respondents (64% Germany, 58% US, 48% UK) said they would favor joining an organization that has a clearly defined purpose. Moreover, an average of 65% claimed that purpose would motivate them to go the ‘extra mile’ in their jobs and 64% claimed it would engender a greater sense of loyalty towards the organization they work for. Purpose will be increasingly recognized by corporations as an important driver of engagement.
8. Fun Work Environment and Great People
Research shows that a fun-filled workplace generates enthusiasm—and that enthusiasm leads to increased productivity, better customer service, a positive attitude about the company, and higher odds that your talent will stay. A lot of the time, all that is required for fun is just having a way to connect with your awesome coworkers. It doesn’t have to be complicated or cost a lot of money.
9. Good Benefits
Even if benefits aren’t a decision within your purview, you can advocate as much as you can for your employees to receive good benefits. In particular, health and wellness benefits like gym memberships, health savings accounts, or healthy office snacks can help you create an environment of office well-being.
10. Respect
People are most likely to feel loyalty and commitment toward people who respect them. The one behavior that talented people seldom tolerate for long is disrespect. If you wish to keep your employees, it is absolutely critical that you recognize each person’s unique qualities and then demonstrate your respect in consistent, undeniable ways.
For the best ideas and practical examples to start each of these 10 ways to ensure employee retention, download
- 10 Ways to Stop the Great Resignation, adapted from the bestselling employee retention book Love 'Em or Lose 'Em by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans.
l Iearnt about the strategies to engage my staff. I love the practical tips and good resources provided. Since the workshop, I started having 1:1 lunches with my team and in this process, got to understand their needs and drivers. The ideas on engagement made a real difference to my people's productivity and teamwork! — HR Director, government statutory board
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