When a long-term employee quits, it has a lasting effect on their team members, department, and even on the company as a whole. Unexpected employee departures lead to lost revenue, but they can also significantly impact the remaining team’s morale and productivity.
So, what can you do as an HR professional or a manager to prevent this from happening in the first place? The key to preventing dissatisfied employees from leaving is to step in and make changes before it’s too late.
Keep reading our guide to learn about the things you can do to avoid losing valuable team members!
Provide Internal Opportunities
Proving internal opportunities or internal mobility is key to employee retention. However, many employers underestimate the importance of internal mobility. Internal mobility is the ability of employees to move laterally or vertically within an organization. In the past, companies would utilize their own employees, but now companies are more likely to look at external candidates.
In fact, seeking out other opportunities is one of the top reasons employees decide to quit. This is especially the case if they aren’t made aware of internal opportunities. Therefore, you’ll need to make sure you have an internal mobility process in place that gives the top talent in your company opportunities to learn and grow.
The bottom line is if you want your business to grow, focusing on your employees is among the top strategies that give you the competitive advantage you’re looking for.
Show Appreciation
Your employees show up every day and work to get the job done. After years of doing this with nobody acknowledging their efforts, they can start to feel like they are not appreciated. If you have concerns that an employee is going to quit, you should ensure they know they’re appreciated and valued.
Remember, everyone needs to feel valued. At some point, any employee is going to start resenting putting in long hours and extra effort at work if nobody appreciates it. So, start by thanking employees each day for their commitment.
It’s well worth the time and effort to make this a habit. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing valuable employees simply because they don’t feel appreciated.
Improve Communication
Good business communication is crucial to running a successful business. The way you communicate with others in your company can affect efficiency, processes, and employee retention.
If you’re not using good communication with your employees, it’s time to start putting it into practice. For example, you may notice an employee showing up to work each day that has behaviors such as:
- Showing up late
- Acting disengaged
- Taking calls
- Leaving work early
Your first step is not to make assumptions that this employee is looking for other jobs or is simply just lazy. In reality, the employee may be dealing with serious personal issues that are affecting their work performance. So, sit down and start a conversation with them by asking if they have any problems you can help with. You’ll also likely find out more in this conversation, including problems, you can help solve. The bottom line is a little communication can keep an employee long-term.
Avoid Losing Valued Team Members
If you’re losing valued team members, you can improve your employee retention by focusing on these things. But don’t stop there. You need to continue to do research and try new ideas to form a quality employee retention program that keeps employees satisfied long-term.
It won’t happen overnight, but never forget that your employees make your business what it is today. If you don’t have your employees, then your business will ultimately sink into the ground.