Managing a team with a high turnover rate can be challenging and stressful. You may face issues such as low morale, poor performance, knowledge loss, and increased workload. However, there are some strategies that can help you cope with this situation and keep your team motivated, productive, and engaged.
The first step is to understand why your team members are leaving and what factors are influencing their decision. You can conduct exit interviews, surveys, or feedback sessions to gather insights and identify patterns. Some common causes of high turnover may include low pay, lack of career growth, poor work environment, or mismatched expectations. By analyzing the data, you can pinpoint the areas that need improvement and address them accordingly.
Periodic employee engagement activities and surveys help to gauge overall team job satisfaction, engagement, and potential concerns that might lead them to consider leaving. I call this as ‘organisational mood monitor’! This can help identify common themes or areas where improvement is needed. For example, if a significant number of employees express dissatisfaction with communication within the team, or if turnover is higher in a particular department, or lack of clarity in roles or inadequate support for career development or simply a work cultural gap of expectations.. understanding the reasons behind high turnover involves delving into the specifics through regular communication and creative engagement exercises.
The second step is to communicate clearly and frequently with your team and other stakeholders. You need to keep everyone informed about the goals, expectations, roles, and responsibilities of the team. You also need to provide regular feedback, recognition, and support to your team members. Communication can help you build trust, rapport, and alignment among your team and reduce confusion, frustration, and conflict.
The third step is to hire the right people for your team and ensure that they fit well with the culture, vision, and values of your organization. You can use various tools and methods to assess the skills, personality, and potential of the candidates, such as interviews, tests, references, or trial periods. You can also involve your existing team members in the hiring process and ask for their input and feedback. Hiring smartly can help you avoid costly mistakes and increase retention.
The fourth step is to train and develop your team members and help them grow professionally and personally. You can offer them opportunities to learn new skills, take on new challenges, or pursue their interests. You can also create a mentoring or coaching program where you or other experienced team members can guide and advise the newcomers. Training and development can help you boost the competence, confidence, and loyalty of your team members.
Another thing to consider is your onboarding process. If high turnover is regular then it might also be time to revise and update your processes to ensure ease of learning to new members. Too much information or too much confusion around internal policies and procedures should be limited to ensure the individual is not getting overwhelmed. Implementing a question session for new hires could also make them stay involved with learning the business.
The fifth step is to delegate and empower your team members and give them autonomy and responsibility over their work. You can set clear and realistic goals and deadlines, but also allow them to decide how to achieve them. You can also encourage them to make decisions, solve problems, or initiate changes that can improve the team's performance or processes. Delegating and empowering can help you foster a sense of ownership, creativity, and satisfaction among your team members.
The sixth step is to celebrate and appreciate your team members and their achievements. You can organize social events, team-building activities, or recognition programs to acknowledge and reward their efforts and contributions. You can also express your gratitude, praise, or feedback personally or publicly. Celebrating and appreciating can help you create a positive, supportive, and fun work atmosphere that can motivate your team members to stay and thrive.
An important side to consider as well when discussing the turnover rate or frequency, it is worth mentioning that it is not an absolute or a fixed ratio as it depends upon a number of factors including but not limited to: - The industry in which the Company is operating. - The skill set (mental vs. physical) required to perform the work. - The experience accumulation gained over time. Having said the above, each Company and each industry sector should determine a broad-line turnover rate which is considered healthy and appropriate in the circumstances.