Employee turnover is a big problem, especially for small business owners. For one thing, it requires significant effort to hire a new employee, not to mention the money you need to spend in the recruiting process. Also, losing an experienced employee means that you will need to train his replacement, and as we all know, it takes time for a new employee to learn all the tricks of the trade. In addition, when hiring someone new you don’t know how that employee is going to turn out. Finding a good employee is a challenging task. Your best option is to create an atmosphere in your workplace from where employees won’t want to leave. How can you do that? Continue reading to find out.
Be Firm but Fair
Obviously, you can’t be everyone’s best friend if you are in charge. There is a dynamic between employees and employer, and you must stick to it religiously. Still, that doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk just because it makes you feel better. Employees hate bosses that are seemingly unfair because it doesn’t sit well in the office. In fact, it’s a major reason why they leave as workers think the grass will be greener on the other side. As long as you are fair, you can be firm without causing complaints. Well, they will still complain because it’s in their DNA, but it will only be cosmetic.
Demonstrate Leadership
The phrase ‘I will follow you anywhere’ often gets parodied because it’s corny. Let’s face it – no one is going to follow you into battle in the workplace. For one thing, it’s a health and safety violation. And, employees have other priorities which come before your wants and needs. However, even if this is the case, you should never underestimate the impact of a leader on organization. For starters, they inspire confidence in the workforce. And, they make the lives of the people at the bottom of the ladder easier. The right in-house strategic leadership program can work wonders for everyone from the IT people to the cleaning ladies. So, now is the time to be the person they want to follow.
Give Credit
Workers hate it when they do something and no one notices. Okay, so that might seem selfish to you, but think about it from their point of view. They work hard, they toil, and they don’t get any recognition. All they want is a simple ‘well done’ or ‘thanks for that’ and they will be happier than a pig in its feces. And, the kicker is that it’s so easy to do if you’re the boss! Just keep in mind that words are as strong as actions.
Show that You Care
Plenty of businesses are faceless corporations that don’t give a hoot about their employees. You don’t want to be such an establishment. You want to be the firm that thinks about its employees and makes their lives better. It might be a simple addition like flextime, or you might stand up for them in their time of need. Regardless, showing that you care does add an emotional bond that is hard to break.
