Employee wellbeing expert Loopin has highlighted six ways team leaders can keep their staff happy amid the ongoing war for talent.
Opportunity for growth
Employees require opportunities to progress in order to feel their hard work and commitment are recognised. To prevent people seeking more appealing opportunities elsewhere, offering promotions for existing employees rather than hiring externally is one way to help people grow. Leaders should communicate to their workforce how they need to perform in order to move up the ladder. Alternatively, providing relevant training courses for staff allows them to educate themselves and stay up to date with the sector.
Provide feedback
Offering feedback to employees not only shows recognition but can help them to succeed. Regular one-to-ones provide an excellent opportunity to provide feedback, as they give employees the chance to address any areas they may be struggling with. Asking questions and putting the employee at the heart of the feedback will enable leaders to discover more about their goals and ambitions, as well as any concerns or pain points.
Greater autonomy
Micromanagement can limit employee creativity and implies that the business does not trust its employees to make decisions on their own. Although it can be daunting to let team members take control of projects, it will ultimately help them to feel more valued, trusted and confident. Allowing employees to complete these tasks will also allow leaders to see their skills first hand and allow for timely feedback.
However, managing expectations ahead of tasks is essential to zone out of the micromanagement phase and offer more freedom to employees, so leaders should make clear their thoughts and goals on the task beforehand.
Flexible working
Flexible working options offer a practical solution for employees and enables them to be more autonomous and set their own schedules to offer a healthier work-life balance. To incorporate flexible working into the organisation, leaders can start by selecting the core working hours in which every employee must be present and outside of this, allow employees to decide when they start and finish. On top of this, switching to a hybrid workplace where employees split their time between the workplace and working remotely can increase productivity and allow them to use their time more efficiently.
Work-life balance
Leaders should monitor the workload of all employees and find ways to protect them from burnout and stress caused by unavoidable workloads. Without doing so, staff are more likely to search for another role that offers a better work-life balance. Regular one-to-ones are particularly useful as they allow leaders to ask questions and find out how employees are coping with their workload.
Appreciation
Employees need to feel their work is valued and their contributions are recognised by their employer. Understanding an employee’s concerns, values, needs and hopes for the future is crucial and efforts need to be made to communicate and understand individuals’ needs and aspirations.
Loopin said: “It’s vital that employers consider the reasons for high employee turnover, particularly if they are due to factors that can be prevented in the future. This requires spotting signs at the earliest opportunity and having a true understanding of employee concerns. High staff turnover not only affects the efficiency of a business, but also comes at a huge cost to businesses too. It’s essential to understand the reasons why past employees have left to prepare for the foreseeable and secure future business success.”
