Retain and Grow Your Team – How to Keep Employees Happy and Productive
September 12, 2022 in Facility and Management News
It’s no secret that retaining employees is key to a successful business. When employees are happy and productive, the company benefits in many ways. But how do you go about retaining and growing your team? Here are Absolute’s Top 10 Tips for retaining and growing your team:
1. Set clear goals and expectations
When it comes to retaining employees, setting clear goals and expectations is key. Employees need to know what is expected of them, and they need to be able to see how their work contributes to the overall goal of the company. When employees feel like their work is meaningful and has a purpose, they are more likely to stay with the company.
Make sure your goals are realistic and achievable, and be clear about the deadlines for achieving them. Communicate regularly with your team about how they are doing in relation to the goals, and provide feedback on their progress. Celebrate successes along the way, and remind employees of the importance of these goals in relation to the overall success of the company.
2. Encourage creativity and innovation
Encouraging creativity and innovation is another important way to retain employees. When employees feel like they can be creative and innovative in their work, they are more engaged and invested in their job. And as we all know, engaged and invested employees are more likely to stay with the company.
You can encourage creativity and innovation in a number of ways:
- Make sure you have a supportive environment that allows for creativity and new ideas.
- Provide employees with the resources they need to be creative, such as tools, equipment, or software.
- Allow for flexibility in how employees can do their work, and give them the freedom to experiment with new ideas.
- Promote collaboration among employees, and reward team efforts.
Encouraging creativity and innovation is not only good for employee retention, it’s also good for the company as a whole. New ideas lead to progress and innovation, which helps a company stay competitive in today’s marketplace.
3. Promote teamwork and collaboration
One of the best ways to retain employees is to promote teamwork and collaboration. When employees feel like they are part of a team and that their work contributes to a common goal, they are more likely to stay with the company.
4. Facilitate communication and feedback
In order to keep your team happy and productive, it’s important to facilitate communication and feedback. This means encouraging an open dialogue between employees and managers, as well as between employees themselves. By establishing a culture of communication, you’ll be able to identify and address any issues before they become a problem. Additionally, providing feedback allows employees to know how they’re doing and makes them feel appreciated. Feedback can also help employees learn and grow, which will in turn make them happier and more productive. Make sure to facilitate communication and feedback in your workplace today!
5. Reward success
Rewarding success is a great way to motivate employees and keep them happy and productive. By rewarding employees for a job well done, you’re acknowledging their hard work and thanking them for their contribution. This not only makes employees feel appreciated, but it also encourages them to continue working hard and putting forth their best effort. There are many different ways to reward success. Choose the one that best suits your team. Whether it’s a cash bonus, an extra day off, or simply some words of praise, make sure you recognize and reward success in your workplace!
6. Celebrate diversity
Diversity is a key component of a healthy workplace. By celebrating diversity, you’re not only acknowledging the individual differences of your employees, but you’re also demonstrating your commitment to inclusion. This can help to create a positive and welcoming work environment for everyone. There are many different ways to celebrate diversity, so find the one that best suits your team. You could hold an event such as a diversity breakfast or lunch, or you could simply make a point of acknowledging different cultures and religions.
7. Encourage work-life balance
Encouraging a work-life balance is another great way to keep your team happy and productive. By providing employees with a healthy work-life balance, you’re helping them to maintain a good balance between their personal and professional lives. This can lead to happier and more productive employees. There are many different ways to encourage work-life balance:
- Offer flexible hours
- Allow for telecommuting
- Provide time off for vacation or illness.
- Optional four-day work week
- Financial assistance for wellness classes or programs.
8. Offer training and development opportunities
To retain your team members, it is crucial to offer training and development opportunities. By providing employees with access to training and development programs, you’re helping them to learn new skills and grow their careers. This shows your employees that you are invested in them as individuals and support their goals. Additionally, you are helping your team grow in ways that benefit your company.
9. Promote a healthy workplace culture
Does your company have a clearly defined work culture? At Absolute, we used our Core Values to develop our “We Care” company culture. Every company needs core values that are clearly defined and ingrained in its employee’s day-to-day activities. (Check out this resource for developing core values.) Not only do core values set clear expectations for your company, employees, and clients, they will help your team feel like they’re a part of something larger than themselves and that their work is meaningful. That, in turn, will build a healthy workplace culture.
10. Manage performance
A big part of retaining and growing your team is managing their performance. Make sure you have systems in place to help employees stay on track with their goals, and provide feedback (both positive and negative) in a timely manner. Employees who feel like they’re making progress and are given clear feedback are more likely to be productive and happy.
Another way to manage employee performance is by setting expectations for their roles. It’s important that employees know what is expected of them, and what the consequences are for not meeting those expectations. This will help to avoid any surprises and will ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Finally, make sure that you celebrate successes along the way! Employee recognition is key to keeping team members motivated. Throw a party, give out bonuses, or just take the time to say thank you – whatever it takes to show your team that you appreciate their hard work.
Creating a healthy workplace culture, offering training and development opportunities, and managing employee performance are all important ways for retaining and growing your team. By implementing these tips, you’ll be able to create a positive work environment that encourages productivity and happiness. What strategies do you use to retain and grow your team? Let us know in the comments!