Over the last 2 years the global trend has been to batten down the hatches, reduce costs, improve efficienceis and numerous rounds of redundancies. The old saying that "change brings unrest" has a lot of truth behind it and in many businesses employees have been nervous about the safety of their roles and unhappy at the reduction in training they are getting accompanied with increased workloads.
With the recruitment market picking up and more new jobs being advertised it is inevitable that good staff that are not happy will move on.
What are three things can employers do to reduce the risk of losing their best staff?
- Talk to them! Too many businesses are afraid of telling their staff how things really are and portray an image that things are much better than they really are. Engaging with your staff not only gives them the big picture and a better appreciation of why certain cuts and sacrifices have been made but also can give them the opportunity to come up with ideas to help the business move forward.
- Identify your influencer - These may not just be your senior staff. Look to those who know what is going on in the organisation at every level and "bring them into the fold" as advisers. Talk to them about what is going on inside the company and listen to their opinions. By involving the infulencers at a strategy level they can become your champions and also your informants identifying who is at risk and helping you keep your finger on the pulse of the organisation.
- Revisit training and personal development plans now! - Generally people don't look for work because they want more money it is because they are not happy or do not feel valued. By revisiting training and development plans and taking action you are once again letting your staff they are valued and that you are prepared to invest in them.
I come from a marketing background and a lot of what I do now is still marketing focused however I strongly believe that if it means reinvesting some of your marketing budget in training you will be better off. In most businesses the ROI you will get from training can get much greater results - better customer service, conversion rates, higher margins with the right closing techniques and staff that are not only feeling appreciated and valued but also are better at what they do.
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