How To Reduce Turnover and Retain the Top Talent in an Employee Market
Across the United States, companies are struggling with hiring and retaining quality employees. Unemployment rates are high but still there is a labor shortage. With many open positions, it’s very difficult to get people to apply and show up for interviews. The market is hot! It’s more important now than ever before that you have a plan to retain quality talent and improve employee engagement.
Do you have a plan to increase employee engagement and retain your team?
Your team members need to feel appreciated. They need to feel like leadership cares about them and is invested in their growth and development. That is why we recommend establishing one-on-ones with those that report to you. When I recommend this to my clients, I initially get an eye roll or two, but after implementation they are all glad they committed to the additional meetings.
Supervisors need to be available and supportive. The single most important determinant of an individual’s performance and commitment to stay with an organization is the relationship the individual has with his or her immediate manager. As stated in McKinsey & Company’s article, The boss factor: Making the world a better place through workplace relationships, improving a worker’s job satisfaction can be the most important thing an employer can do.
“Few managers realize what a dramatic impact—either positive or negative—they have on the world through their everyday behavior. It is the responsibility of senior leaders to enlighten them and provide the organizational context that consistently fosters high-quality relationships between bosses and the people who report to them.”
– McKinsey & Company
Creating a great workplace culture is not accidental
Companies must make a conscious decision to focus and develop a plan that fosters a fantastic working environment for employees. By focusing on culture, leaders can improve all aspects of their businesses, from productivity and hiring to customer relations and employee satisfaction. People don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses. In a recent poll conducted by LinkedIn, when asked why they were voluntarily leaving an organization, 75% cited a manager as their number one reason.
Short, intentional meetings with your team can make a huge impact. Initially it may seem like more work added to an already busy and demanding schedule. However, many of my clients have found that the result is fewer minor issues turning into major issues, and that managers are able to proactively give direction and set goals with their direct reports. It is also an opportunity for managers to delegate projects based on an individual’s specific goals within the organization.
“I had always tried to be present and connected with my team, always with an open-door mentality. However, moving to our 1:1 with an intentional time set aside has really made an impact. Issues are being resolved with our internal customer and our external customer is already reaping the benefits. It really is a powerful communication tool and one that demands a regular cadence. Grateful to Jess for helping craft a 1:1 template that is unique to us and works well for our team. Staff is going above & beyond for each other, and it is truly inspiring.”
– Jim Busch, Owner & President
These 1:1 meetings should have structure so that the employee can come prepared to discuss topics. The leader can use these meetings as a platform to reinforce training concepts, process or new procedures. However, the leader should be guiding the conversation casually and should not be robotic. The template for the session should simply be guiding the conversation. And finally, at the close of the 1:1, the leader and employee should set goals and expectations for the next session. Accountability is very important on both ends of the conversation.
“We have found these [one on ones] to be a game-changer on employee engagement as our employees know we care and know that regularly they can share what they need help on. For managers, they now know their employee on a deeper level and are able to help them achieve their goals both at work and personally. In sports, you would not wait to the end of the year to coach your team and we find the same in business that regular meetings are more effective than annual ones”
– Andy Heck, President
Retaining quality talent and improving employee engagement is the best investment you can make in your people and your corporate culture.
*Related – How to Find Employees Who Fit Your Company’s Culture
Ron Lovett Keynoting 2021 Customer Service Revolution
We are so thrilled to announce that Ron Lovett will be speaking at this year’s Customer Service Revolution. Ron is a serial entrepreneur who has started, scaled, and sold multiple businesses. Ron is a globally sought-after professional speaker and thought leader in organizational culture, hosts an award-winning podcast and is releasing his second book and master class called Scaling Culture in Spring/Summer 2021.
Episode 048: A World-Class Patient Experience 
Chief Revolution Officer John DiJulius of the DiJulius Group interviews Dr. Vance Thompson, owner of Vance Thompson Vision. Vance Thompson Vision has totally disrupted the LASIK and cataract surgery industry. They provide a world-class employee experience, patient experience, vendor experience, and community experience. Vance’s genuine love for people and enriching their lives is contagious and inspiring. Vance is one of the most amazing human beings you will ever meet. Listen to Podcast 48
The Top 6 Books That Will Help You Disrupt Your Industry
Each of these books are a key component to revolutionizing your organization’s Customer Experience. What do they all have in common? Each of these amazing authors are presenting at the 2021 Customer Service Revolution October 5th – 6th in Cleveland, Ohio.
Register for the 2021 Customer Service Revolution October 5-6, Cleveland Ohio
We are offering both in-person and virtual options for the two-day 2021 Customer Service Revolution. For the ultimate experience and peace of mind of our in-person attendees, we will take every safety precaution. As a result, we will be limiting the number of in-person tickets that we can sell. Our virtual tickets will also provide access to every speaker that the in-person event will.
Your future success will be around the customer experience strategy and the percent of customers you create that cannot live without your company.
