We all know that finding employees is only half the battle. The other half is retaining them, which can be as tricky as recruiting them.
Patty Durkin of Aim NationaLease suggested looking outside of the HR department for ideas on how to retain and maintain your workforce. Speaking at a recent NationaLease meeting, Durkin said it is also important to set a turnover goal so you have something to measure your retention efforts against.
Depending on your retention percentage, it might be worth spending money hiring a retention specialist who can help you put in place programs and practices that will up your retention percentage.
The way employees are onboarded plays a significant role in your retention efforts. Durkin shared some of what she has learned about the subject.
- Lack of strong initial engagement during the onboarding process leads to turnover.
- Onboarding needs to be an ongoing process that lasts up to 90 days.
- The onboarding process should be different depending on the needs of the individual you hired.
- Consider assigning a mentor or buddy to each new hire to help them navigate the "social" aspects of work.
- Reduce the amount of paperwork new hires have to complete so they are not overwhelmed.
- Review your onboarding practices on a quarterly basis to keep them current.
Training can also be a great way to increase retention, especially as many people entering the workforce today are concerned about their career path. Training is a big part of career advancement. It is also important to acknowledge employee achievements and employment milestones. Make sure you recognize employee "wins" publicly, as it sends a strong message of how much you value your employees.
Consider engaging with peers that have companies that are similar in size to yours to learn about what they are doing to retain employees. Also, leverage your vendors, attorney, accountant, and other professionals you interact with, as well as professional associations to see what suggestions they have for improving your employee retention percentage.
Ideas on how to improve employee retention don't need to come only from your HR department. Expand the pool of sources and resources for retention assistance, and you might find yourself in the enviable position of having an abundance of employees with long tenures.
Jane Clark is vice president of member services for NationaLease. In this position, she is focused on managing the member services operation as well as working to strengthen member relationships, reduce member costs, and improve collaboration within the NationaLease supporting groups. Prior to joining NationaLease, Clark served as area vice president for Randstad, one of the nation's largest recruitment agencies, and before that, she served in management posts with QPS Cos., Pro Staff, and Manpower Inc.
