It’s no secret that people are by far the most valuable asset of any organization, facility, and team. So, how can leaders in an organization help reduce employee turnover? From scheduling regular meetings to leading your team by example, there are several strategies that help leaders and HR professionals work together to reduce turnover in an organization. Here are some common strategies to reduce your employee turnover:
- Schedule Meetings from the Start
- Have a Candid Conversation About Retention
- Review Your Entire Work Environment
- Develop Coaching Skills
- Lead by Example
1. Schedule Regular Meetings from the Start
When an employee is hired, they report to one direct supervisor, and there is an often overlooked golden opportunity in this scenario. The opportunity is for the supervisor and the employee to set up one-on-one meetings at the beginning of the employment relationship.
In my opinion, everyone at all levels of the organization should regularly meet with their supervisor. This ensures that there is a regular window of time to have a discussion, whatever that may be. In keeping the dialogue open and honest, the employee has the chance to share what they are and are not happy about in their current role – before they start on the path to disengagement and potential resignation.
2. Have a Candid Conversation About Retention
Make no assumptions that you know what it will take to retain your best teammates. The equation of work has changed dramatically post-2020. The drivers for retention today are often different, and this is your opportunity to open a candid conversation about retention.
These one-on-one sessions will take time and commitment from you as a leader. However, I predict this will yield a return on this investment. Be present, fully ready to listen, and hear the requests of your team. This direct feedback might need a follow-up conversation. This is the important work we need to do now amidst the many uncertainties that still remain. Team building starts one-on-one.
3. Review Your Entire Work Environment
It’s well known that a leading reason for the Great Resignation was employees leaving corporations in pursuit of a better work-life balance. Employees want to feel appreciated for their contribution to an organization. The pandemic was a huge wake-up call for millions of people who reassessed the quality of their lives, and if companies want to reduce employee turnover, then they need to review the whole work environment.
Leaders can assist by offering more flexibility with work hours, for example. Showing empathy for the challenges employees have taking care of kids or loved ones or even finding time to get to a dentist without taking a day of unpaid leave. Focus more on productivity than rigid work hours.
4. Develop Coaching Skills
The research is clear – turnover is most commonly due to the boss, manager, or supervisor. It follows that developing coaching skills and a coaching culture is key to changing outcomes. When leaders learn to coach, they develop their team, empower their team, and engage their team. How specifically does coaching reduce turnover? Instead of telling, micro-managing, demanding, limited or poor communication, with coaching skills, the leader will be interested in the people on their team, ask questions, delegate, empower, and communicate effectively.
5. Lead by Example
Leaders can help reduce employee turnover by living the company culture. Leaders in the company can exhibit collaborative behaviors that inspire others to do the same. This sense of fitting in and being a part of something bigger can contribute to enjoyment in the workplace. Another way leaders can reduce turnover is to focus on employee development. In combination with HR’s help, finding out each employee’s career goals will allow specific plans to be made for employees. This plan can help achieve their goals, and this type of career fulfillment will foster company loyalty and reduce turnover.
This is an excerpt from Annette Harris’s “14 Strategies to Reduce Employee Turnover.” Read more here: https://blog.shrm.org/blog/14-strategies-to-reduce-employee-turnover