No matter what part of the country you reside in, you’re likely bombarded with news stories and discussions centered around our current economic climate. Gas prices, inflation, labor shortages and supply issues are affecting just about everyone these days.
Businesses are no different and many have experienced the effects of the global health crisis, in one way or another. The workforce landscape has changed in a variety of ways, over the past 2+ years. Now more than ever before, organizations should focus on employee retention. In these modern times of labor shortages and hybrid working conditions, companies need to think outside of the box when it comes to the type of culture they create.
The leadership team may call the shots, but most organizations need a full staff to run day-to-day operations. This potentially requires service technicians, specialists, IT managers, administrative personnel, sales and other roles to effectively navigate the business. If your company can’t maintain a workforce, then you can’t do business. Further, if staff turnover is high, no one is ever in the position long enough to become truly proficient at their job.
These are all reasons why organizations should be centrally focused on employee retention. The future of your business depends on fostering a company culture designed to enhance employee satisfaction. Read on for four factors to consider when crafting an employee retention and management plan.
1) Seek employee feedback:
Your staff is a valuable resource. Seeking their input should be something that is done on a regular basis. Listening to employee’s ideas or concerns can help organizations build cohesive teams. Fostering an “open door” policy, for all levels of staff is key. Don’t make the mistake of restructuring how business is done, benefits programs and the like without consulting your employees.
At AOT, we highly value our staff’s expertise. We routinely consult our service team to ensure they possess the necessary tools to complete jobs as effectively as possible. Our technicians will never be denied access to the parts and supplies they recommend. After all, we hire and retain the best and brightest in the industry. They know their stuff, and we understand how worthwhile it is to take note of their invaluable feedback and suggestions.
While management may not be able to address every concern, the fact alone that a company is listening to staff feedback can aid in boosting employee morale. This tactic enhances job satisfaction, increases engagement and inspires a positive workplace environment. The constructive changes happening within the company often impact client interactions, and ultimately the performance of your business.
2) Support an inclusive culture:
Inclusion is another retention strategy that not only benefits your employees, but also your current and even potential customers, as well. Most businesses strive to build a diverse, inclusive team. Yet, diversity and inclusion efforts should extend beyond programs and policies. Creating and encouraging inclusion illustrates to your staff that management values their employees unique needs and perspectives. Respecting the diverse background of team members inspires enhanced trust and commitment from employees. This equates to a deeper connection to the organization and an enriched dedication to co-workers and clients alike.
3) Offer modern-day “perks”:
Many organizations offer incentives such as, full health benefits, flexible PTO, and 401K with employer contribution matching, as we do at AOT. However, these days office place perks may also include a free snack bar, company supplied vehicle, gas card, mileage reimbursement, flexible working arrangements, company retreats or vacations, reduced higher education courses, complimentary gym membership or wellness program enrollment.
Providing perks for your employees assists in creating a beneficial work-life balance and the opportunity to enhance career skills. These modern day perks aid in employee retention and help to improve overall job satisfaction. When offering incentives, staff turnover decreases and employee efficiency improves. Take, for example, our first call efficiency incentive. This benefit examines “first call” stats, or the amount of times a technician is called on-site for a particular issue. Our service professionals are incentivized to address customer issues the first time, which is a benefit to both them and our clients.
Anything that adds to your staff’s daily experience can improve morale and enhance company culture. At AOT, we offer complimentary, fully stocked company vehicles to all of our technicians. Gas costs and car maintenance are never a concern for our hard-working team members. In fact, we value our staff so much so, we even allow personal use of company vehicles with prior authorization.
4) Invest in employee growth opportunities:
Increase employee retention and satisfaction by offering plenty of professional growth opportunities. Promoting employees from within the organization is also a beneficial strategy for maintaining a consistent workforce with low turnover. Encourage staff to participate in conferences, industry specific organizations or to gain new skills through digital courses. Many businesses offer on-site training and continuing education related to their field. By offering these opportunities, businesses endorse a development-oriented company culture.
AOT strives to build strong relationships with our staff, at all levels, in an effort to foster support both in and outside of the office. We are proud of the workplace culture we’ve created for our staff to truly thrive. When employees are happy at work, productivity increases, retention is higher and customer relationships improve. Our belief is that organizations that prioritize people first, will rise to the top. To learn more about what makes AOT unique, reach out to us here.