Losing good workers is expensive. It costs about $4,700 to find and train each new person on the low end. That’s a lot of money! The good news is that you can increase the retention of your best people with some easy changes.
Why Do People Leave Their Jobs?
People quit for many reasons. Here are the most common ones:
- They don’t feel valued
- Their boss is mean or unfair
- They want more money
- The work is too hard or boring
- They can’t balance work and home life
- They don’t see a future at the company
Easy Ways to Keep Your Workers
- Say “Thank You” More Often
Everyone wants to feel special. Tell your workers when they do good work. A simple “great job” can make someone’s whole day better.
You can thank people by:
- Saying it out loud in front of others
- Writing a nice note
- Giving small gifts or treats
- Having a “worker of the month” program
- Pay People What They’re Worth
Money matters. If you don’t pay at least market value, people will continue to look for better jobs. Continually check what other companies pay, about every 6 months, for the same work. Make sure you know where your pay rates fall in the market. Are you leading with a high wage or are you lagging with a below market wage. Knowing where you fall can help you with your workforce planning and turnover expectations.
Don’t forget about nontraditional benefits too:
- Public Transportation passes
- Wellness and therapy coverage
- Flexible work hours – Hybrid work schedules
- Free snacks or lunch
- Cafeteria plans
- Gas cards
- Phone discount plans
- Help People Grow
Most workers want to learn new things and feel like they are appreciated in their workplace. They want to get better at their jobs and make more money. Help them by:
- Cross training – Teaching new skills
- Letting them try different tasks
- Paying for classes or training
- Leadership path and development
- Well defined ways to increase their pay
- Be a Good Boss
This one is simple. Bad managers make people quit. Good managers make people stay. Here are some ideas on how to be a good boss:
- Make time to listen to your workers – let them have a voice
- Be fair to everyone – give opportunities to all
- Help solve problems – be a safe place for employees to share what they are struggling with.
- Temper – Temper – Always keep calm and ask lots of questions
- Give clear directions when you are making decisions
- Make Work Fun
Work doesn’t have to be boring. Make your workplace somewhere people want to be:
- Decorate the office for holidays and warmth
- Have company parties – find reasons to celebrate
- Offer hybrid work schedule
- Allow music or headphones when appropriate
- Encourage friendships at work, have a mentorship program
- Care About Work-Life Balance
People have lives outside of work. They have families, hobbies, and other things they care about. Help them balance everything:
- Be careful with overtime – make it optional
- Offer Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, Paid Bereavement, and Paid birthdays as a minimum
- Let people leave early for important events
- Understand that family comes first with both you and your employees
- Ask What People Want
Don’t guess what makes your workers happy. Just ask them! You can:
- Do surveys
- Have scheduled one-on-one talks
- Ask for ideas in meetings
- Create a suggestion box
- Just open up the options so people will share
Listen to what they say. Then try to fix the problems they talk about.
- Hire the Right People
It’s easier to keep good workers if you hire good workers from the start. Consider the following:
- Manager Training for interviewing and new hires
- Job evaluation – what is actually needed?
- Past job tenure compared to the wage you are offering
- Look at past promotion or growth with other jobs
- Well defined recruiting and onboarding process for a high candidate experience
Watch for Warning Signs
Sometimes people think about quitting before they actually do. This is called “Silent Quitting”. Look for these signs:
- Someone seems sad or angry
- They stop talking to coworkers
- Their work gets worse
- They take more sick days
- They stop participating in meetings
- They start showing up late, or always leaving early
If you see these signs, talk to the person. Find out what’s wrong. You might be able to fix the problem before they quit.
Small Changes Make a Big Difference
You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with small, easy things:
- Smile more
- Learn everyone’s name
- Bring donuts on Friday
- Let people decorate their desk
- Say “please” and “thank you”
These little things add up to make a big difference in work life quality.
It’s Worth the Effort
Keeping good workers takes work and saves money. Always remember, happy workers:
- Do better work
- Help customers more
- Come to work every day
- Tell others good things about your company
- Stay longer
- Make your job easier
Remember, people don’t quit jobs. They quit bosses and companies that don’t care about them.
Need Help Building a Team That Stays?
Keeping great employees starts with hiring the right people. At HRmango, we don’t just find you workers. We find you the right workers who want to stay and grow with your company.
Our team knows what makes people happy at work. We’ve been helping companies for over 20 years. We can help you:
- Work with great recruiters that find you the best people
- Build a recruiting and hiring process that works
- Create a workplace people love
- Keep your best people from leaving
Don’t let your competitors steal your best workers. Let’s talk about how we can help you build a team that stays.
Ready to stop losing your best people? Visit us at HRmango.com to schedule a free consultation
Because great teams don’t happen by accident – they happen by design.
