How can you use these powerful employee retention Strategies NOW in 2023

This blog is written by Jonie Banks a freelancer writer specialising in employee engagement and company culture pieces – with thanks from Your FLOCK – the employee feedback platform for hybrid work

Employers today are looking for ways to heighten their retention strategies for 2023.

With mass resignation trends happening worldwide, UK leaders are becoming wary.

A May 2022 survey reports that 18% of workers said they were “extremely likely” to switch jobs within 12 months. Another 32% said they were “moderately or slightly likely” to do the same.

Although these rates can be alarming, it offers an opportunity for business leaders to reassess and adjust how they run the workplace to improve job satisfaction and organisational growth. Here are some top retention strategies you can implement in 2023.

Improve your onboarding process

The onboarding process is an excellent opportunity to make new hires feel welcome. Making a good impression from the get-go can cultivate employee confidence in your organisation and set the tone for their journey with you. Adversely, an unstructured, overwhelming, or rushed onboarding process may reflect poorly on your company, causing employees to consider resignation.

To avoid this, stay communicative with new hires between the time they accept their role and start their first day. You can keep them in the loop by asking them to do administrative tasks like filling out paperwork or reading company policies. Ensure structure and engagement by giving them something to do from the very first day. This way, they can immediately apply what they’re taught. Deliver information in manageable amounts and vary the tasks you assign. Lastly, focus on the social aspect of onboarding. Introduce the new hire to as many of their coworkers as possible — even those outside their team. This not only helps them understand their role in the company but also helps them get a good grasp of workplace culture. By having a comprehensive and structured onboarding process, you can ensure new employees develop trust and enthusiasm for the job.

Enhance your office design

A good office design is critical to heightening productivity. Reducing distractions and discomfort can boost focus and productivity. This can help employees condense their working time more efficiently, leading to improved work-life balance and overall job satisfaction.

One of the best ways to ensure this is by investing in quality furniture. The best ergonomic chairs can reduce aches and pains that result from poor posture by supporting the neck, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. They thus allow employees to work without the distraction of body pain. Meanwhile, a Japanese study reveals that ergonomic standing desks effectively reduce body pain by minimising sitting time at work. Because employees aren’t weighed down by the health impacts of sitting for long periods, they reported increased vitality in work-related engagement.

You can also boost comfort by introducing more break areas, ample walking space, and more natural light into the office to boost the mood. These changes can help workers stay more awake and encourage them to take breaks when needed. By focusing on comfort and wellness, you can help employees work better and reduce stressors in the workplace that may discourage them from staying.

Broaden professional development opportunities

Employees want to feel like they are progressing in their careers. However, surveys have found that 73% of employers don’t hold responsibility for development opportunities. This This can be detrimental to your retention efforts: it causes workers to feel like they don’t have a future in your organisation. That’s why you should seriously consider providing multiple opportunities for learning and professional development. Doing so will allow workers to stay marketable in your company and the wider industry — and your organisation will benefit from their improved skills.

You can start by researching the latest skills and technologies relevant to your field or surveying employees about what they want to learn. From here, you can provide training opportunities like seminars, workshops, online courses, or mentorship. You can even schedule regular feedback sessions so employees feel like you are focused on their development. (You can use Your FLOCK to help with this employee feedback process too.) By steering them in the right direction, they can feel your dedication to helping them thrive. This can make them feel like valued team members, motivating them to become more involved and proactive in your business.

Foster a healthy organizational culture

Nurturing a healthy organizational culture means improving the employee experience. You can do this by encouraging work-life balance and creating work arrangements that are as inclusive as possible.

For instance, you can offer flexible work hours and hybrid or remote options to help employees have greater control over their time.

You can also incorporate non-monetary incentives like parental leaves or lower employee healthcare premiums to accommodate personal circumstances.

Since demographics in each workplace are different, it’s vital to seek employee feedback to know what suits your company best. By asking employees about their experiences at work, what could be improved, and what benefits are most helpful, you can improve management to cater to their desires. When they get a say in their work conditions, they are less likely to look for better working conditions elsewhere.

 

Using a tool like Your FLOCK based on employees motivations to get their feedback could make all the difference.  With employees expecting more from companies, it’s integral that managers provide optimal working conditions in 2023. The above strategies can guide you towards crafting an excellent environment that gets people to stay.

By: Jonie Banks For: www.yourflock.co.uk