The Happiest Hours: Five Key Tips to Cut Turnover and Boost Morale

The numbers are in and the news isn’t great: workplace turnover rates hit an all-time high in 2018, and staffing statistics don’t seem to show much sign of relief ahead. While that may not be what we all want to hear, there’s good news to be had, too: We can do something about it.

At Market Recruitment, I have the unique opportunity to interact with tons of wonderful talent and great companies — none of them want to manage the stress, disruption, and extra work of regular staff transitions. What they do want is an engaged, passionate, fun, and productive workplace, and workers who fit the bill, too.

Here are ways we’ve seen our teams get there.

1. Begin at the beginning: welcome recruits with great onboarding. New employees are an open book, and they make their way through the hiring process with a simple end goal: to get a new job. Now that they’ve got it, it’s up to the staffing and management teams to make the onboarding process feel as great as new candidates imagined it might be. Plenty of information, easy integration and orientation, and lots of direct, personal engagement are good places to start.

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2. Offer incentives that make sense. Some employees need work-life balance. Some are looking for the opportunity to grow and advance. Some want to hustle as hard, get as many hours, and make as much money as they can. Some want lots of holiday time, and some don’t care at all — in fact, they’d prefer to work while the rest of the world takes time off. Put thought into bonuses, rewards, and incentives: do they serve the real needs of both employer and employee? Programs that balance everyone’s needs — thoughtfully — are those that make for maximum satisfaction.

3. Keep talking: communication keeps us thriving. Every step of staffing — from the first line of an application to the last exit interview — can be improved with savvy communication. Without clear support, many workers find themselves feeling unrecognized or disrespected. Then, of course, they leave in search of someone who will acknowledge their worth — in fact, a 2018 Randstad study cites the lack of recognition as what drivers 27% of workers to new employment.

4. Everyone’s an individual — treat them that way. We work with a lot of creatives at Market Recruitment — our specialty is B2B marketing, after all. But they’re not the only ones who want opportunities that fall “outside the box.” For some workers, that means floating holidays and flexible scheduling. For others, that’s remote resources or gym passes. Teams acknowledging more of their unique players — and their differences — make for a more joyful experience for everyone.

5. Set a clear path to tomorrow: everyone wants to seize the day. Another major driver for morale — confirmed by the aforementioned Randstad study at a rate of 43% — is the answer to an age-old question: What comes next? Limited challenge or a limited career path makes for restless work, unmotivated teams, and lost talent. Keep everyone on the same page by being clear about progression and incentives, whether that’s an employee of the month award, a promotion, or a wage increase.

Matt Dodgson

Matt Dodgson
Matt Dodgson is director and co-founder of Market Recruitment. He can be reached at matt.dodgson (at) market-recruitment (dot) co.uk.

Matt Dodgson

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