- 18 May 2023
Retaining a skilled workforce should be at the top of every employer’s list.
Currently, many trades are experiencing a shortage of workers, making maintaining a team without constant turnover, training and skills shortfalls a real concern.
So, as an employer, how can you help ensure your staff stay motivated, supported, connected and respected enough to stick around for longer?
Provide the tools they need…
Starting with the basics, one key thing you can do is ensure your workers are supplied with the correct tools to do their job.
If your team feels under-resourced, or like they’re constantly forced to work with sub-par equipment, this affects not only their mood but how they feel you look at their skillsets.
…And the mechanisms to help
Checks and processes that your team understands are also a kind of tool; both help ensure they can consistently do the best job possible.
Start by reviewing your scheduling process, ensuring jobs are handled clearly and reasonably from start to finish.
Make sure your workers are aware of and agree with the benchmarks they’ll be held to.
Create a positive workplace
Emotional safety matters as much as physical safety in the workplace. Building a positive environment means avoiding undermining actions like berating workers in front of colleagues, and
having an open door policy.
If employees are comfortable coming to you when something goes wrong they’ll feel properly supported, and problems can be addressed earlier than they otherwise might.
Listen to suggestions
Part of an open-door policy is being willing to hear people out on a problem or idea, whoever they are. Apprentices can bring fresh ideas and up-to-date skills, or new but seasoned workers can offer experience of how other businesses do things.
On top of potentially adding great value to your business, employees will feel more appreciated if they know you value their opinions. It’s a win-win!
Talk about goals
Make time to hear what employees are looking for in their long-term career. Where do they want to be in one year? In three? In five?
Set clear milestones for their growth, and schedule regular check-ins to make sure they’re making progress and getting the opportunities they need to develop.
Reward successes
Encouragement and validation don’t have to look like big, loud gestures of appreciation.
Rewarding employees can be as simple as thanking them for their hard work after a busy week or providing simple incentives for a job done well, like a small bonus or allowing them the afternoon off.
Little perks go a long way
Things like a free lunch every so often are sometimes as far as an employer will go in their efforts to create a positive workplace.
In reality, if this is all you’re doing, you’re not doing enough. But if it’s in addition to the things highlighted in this article, these small gestures go a long way toward building a culture or positivity.
Putting all that simply
Invest in your employees, and they’ll feel invested in your business.
Think about how you can fit in with their lives and careers. By actively listening to your team and taking an interest in their needs, employees will more clearly see a future with your company – because they care in return!
If they know you have their best interests at heart, why would they want to leave?
