Part of the growing pains for any new business is finding the perfect combination of personalities, skill packages, and will to succeed in employees. Sometimes an individual puzzle piece can be alluring and polished, but in the end, it doesn’t fit or match the composition of the bigger picture. As time, experience, and a little bit of chance start to come into play, your company will find talented employees who provide a solid foundation. Thinking about your foundation crumbling can be a scary thought, so how will you actively keep your brightest and most promising from leaving? The following 6 steps can be implemented today:

1. 1. No More Blinders To Warning Signs – It is important to recognize the warning signs. Holding a management role within the company means that you need to regularly check in with your employees and team members. More often than not, concerns dwelling below the surface will be brought into the open and addressed if you take this kind of proactive approach. Are your team members acting disconnected or not as enthusiastic about their work? These attitude and behavioral changes can also serve as a warning sign. If you sense a switch, ask and check-in!
   2. Ask them “what is your dream job?” – Knowing what your employees and team members wish for, aspire to and strive for is key not only to their growth but also to the success of your team and company.  Hearing their hopes and helping them become a reality will boost morale and make employees continue to want to work for the company.
   3. Helping Hand To Climbing Up The Ladder – It is no secret – people want to be acknowledged for the great work they do. This can come in the form of company-wide recognition or rewards. Others may appreciate bonuses. Another tactic you can take to retain talented employees is matching their skill and contribution in promotions and salary increases. Whichever method works best for your company, people respond to a “bravo” or “pat on the back” for all that they have done.
   4. Cultivate A Healthy Work Culture – As you start to get in a routine, it is easy to hunker down and not see your company with a fresh pair of eyes. Employees may view the company culture differently than you, so it is imperative that you remember to see situations from everyone’s point of view. How do you treat employees and clients? How do you communicate information with the company? Are you transparent or is it a need-to-know line of communication? For low achievers, do you set higher standards or let them slide with the work they are capable of? Do you set meaningful goals and measures for all team members? Some of the answers to these questions may not be in line with what employees seek in company culture. Are there things you can change to let the company grow in a better light?
   5. Find The Balance Between Work and Life – Bottom line, do you find a healthy work-life balance important? It’s important to be honest about expectations upfront. Let potential employees know if they will be working longer hours. However, if you have stressed that you want employees to have a work-life balance and then you do not follow through on that, it will be hard to retain talented employees who feel overwhelmed, overworked and underpaid. Be sensitive to employees’ work schedules and the schedules they have outside of the office. In high-level positions, some long nights and stressful days are inevitable, but if your employees start to feel you lack concern for their well-being, they may walk out on you and your business.
   6. Do Not Go Back On A Promise – One of the first promises you make to potential employees comes in the form of a job description. Employees will get discouraged if they are performing tasks that do not align with their training, expertise, or skills. Also, if you promise room for growth and instead employees are performing repetitive and non-challenging job duties, they are more likely to start looking for opportunities elsewhere. Remember what was discussed in that first conversation and stay true to that.

We all want to retain talented employees, but in order to do so, we often need to make a few changes.  Showing your willingness to adapt and consider your team members’ needs and aspirations will encourage them to stay committed to your business. Need help diving deeper into creating benefits and a culture more suited to retaining talented employees? Consult with HSD Metrics to get started!