3 Effective Ways To Make Employees Want To Stay With You

With the amount of turnover in the job market, you'd assume retention is the new Unicorn. Some turnover is normal and healthy, but when your percentage of employees leaving before two years (which is like 7 in job years) trumps those that stay...you have a Leadership issue. I said it and I meant it!

Like most (all) relationships, the work relationship needs consistent attention. When one party begins questioning how the other party feels about them, whether or not they value them, is there truly a future together...? This is when many people hand in their complimentary drink and begin putting out the "I just may be on the market vibe."

Again, like most relationships...it's the small things that matter most and it's the small things that people stop doing that creates a lack of security and loyalty. It's when you, as the Leader, become lazy that you are in the danger zone of losing people you don't really want to lose.

The great news is that this is a totally rectifiable situation. Maybe not for the ones you've already blown it with, but for the current and future keepers. I've never been a believer that money is enough to keep any relationship (personal or professional) together (Jeff Bezos is a key example). Professionally, money is a given...obviously you should be paying your employees market rate or higher...that's a no brainer. The following three suggestions are the things that actually make people not want to leave you, even turn down higher paying positions because they are that "in" with you and your company.

3 Easy Ways To Make Employees Want To Stay With You

1. Make sure they understand their role - When people understand their role, why their role exists, and how their role affects the daily/weekly/monthly/annual results, they are far more likely to engage and become passionate about the company. When the Leader is able to communicate to somebody about their role, it also shows the employee that the Leader sees value in the role. This should be a weekly practice. Each team member should be involved in a one on one or group discussion on what the weekly goals are and what is expected of them. No discussion should end without two things happening: 1) an active Q&A. As the Leader it is your job to make each member feel heard. You don't have to have all the answers, but you do have to find them and get back to the asker. 2) verbally verify that each person understands what their role is and what is expected of them. Sound childish? Who cares, it's better to leave no stone unturned. In the thousands of people I've spoken with, I've yet to hear anybody complain that their boss is too good at making sure they understand what's what. Error on the side of being too clear...it'll work out favorably.
2. Expect more from them - Many Leaders fear that if they push people hard, they'll feel overwhelmed and leave. The exact opposite typically happens! As a Leader, it's your accountability to learn how each member of your team is best motivated and then customize how you push them. People want to know and feel that you believe in them. This is probably the one thing you can do for somebody that will make them aggressively loyal to you. When they feel that you see more in them than anybody else has or at least see something different in them, this person will go to the moon and bring you back a piece of the moon and a star. As a Head Hunter (and I am very good and effective at my job), when I approach a potential candidate and discover that they are somewhere where the leadership has pushed them to become better and better...I stop pitching them. As a human, I don't want to break that up and most of the time I'd be wasting my breath and time...which I don't like doing either. Expect more and they'll give you more and they'll grow more. It is an absolute win!
3. Make sure the Leadership is top notch - Without question, Leadership is the number 1 reason people stay or leave. THE NUMBER 1 REASON. If you think differently...knock it off...you're wrong! Leadership needs to be checked often, professionally trained continually, open and mentally evolving, and when identified as no longer the right fit...they need to be set free. Minimally, 90% of the candidates we place came to us due to poor past Leadership. A bad Leader will chase away good people...and more will follow. It's like when you have a bag of lemons on the counter and you notice one has a smidge of mold but it's a pain to reach in and grab it, so you ignore it. The next day, three more lemons have mold...before you know it the entire bag is ruined sparring one unlucky collateral damaged lemon. Sure, maybe you could use the one that doesn't show visual signs of mold but chances are it's contaminated...That's what happens when bad Leaders are ignored! Get rid of the actual problem and save the team. When the Leader is phenomenal, they inevitably will attract the right team that will go in and out of the trenches together. Crucial for the highest Leader is to ensure your Leaders feel valued, heard, understand their role, and know you believe in them. Ultimately, the way the Leader feels is the way she/he will make the team feel.

Like most relationships, we complicate what should be easy. Not every relationship is meant to last long but those that do are typically amazing and worth the knock down drag outs that can happen when people are passionate and fully engaged.

Keep it simple.

Keep it human.

Keep it kind.

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#retention #leadership #team