In order to address any ongoing problems in your organization, it is essential to look at the source of the issues first.  If your company is progressively loosing great team members, you should really study the reasons why they are leaving in order to react appropriately.  There has to be something your firm can do to stop this, and it might need to be more than offering a few additional perks here and there to retain your best employees.

 Five tips to increase your staff’s motivation

Motivation, satisfaction and retention, all go hand and hand.  Finding what truly motivates your employees and see how you can meet most of their needs is part of the solution.  People need to feel understood and respected.  They also want to feel that the company they work so hard for cares about their future, and puts the needed efforts to show them.  Here are some of the most useful tips you consider when you are interested in improving your staff’s retention.  Remember, as a leader you can certainly influence greatly how your employees feel when they show up to work every day. 

• Be open minded: although every firm has to implement certain policies, there has to be room for exceptions. Flexibility can go a long way when it’s necessary.  The more you bend backwards for your staff, the more they will express their loyalty towards you and your organization.
• Always communicate: you can choose different ways to contact your staff. You will not always be able to sit down face to face for a meeting or to tell them about their new assignment.  However, make sure you do write them a note, email or call them to make sure they understand the instructions and thank them for their dedication.
• Ask for input: as a leader, you will give feedback to your employees on a regular basis, it is part of your responsibilities. You should request or encourage from them to do the same.  Welcome their suggestions, comments and let them share how different they would manage a certain project or close a certain sale.  You can both learn from each other.
• Include everyone: as a manager do make sure you pay attention and try to understand all the members of your team, even the ones that can seem challenging at times. Often the people who speak louder, are more expressive or perhaps even a little defiant, are more passionate individuals and can make excellent leaders if coached well.  Do not exclude them, instead thrive to understand them.
• Find out your staff’s goals: Finally, you should definitely understand what your employee’s goals are. Being involved as a manager in your employee’s future will create a long lasting relationship that will benefit all parties involved. There is no reason why you should not favor internal promotion comparatively to external hire.  It is cheaper and it can help increase significantly your retention rate.  Think about it, everyone at some point wants to learn new tasks and/or earn more money.  By being aware of your employee’s hopes and expectations for the future, you can train them and help them achieve their goals, and get that other position they have been dreaming of.  It’s a win-win solution.  You keep a motivated and loyal employee and that person does get exactly what they were after.  Everyone is happy, everyone is more productive, everyone stays put.

As a manager, you need to realize that retention is an issue that can be avoided or reduced when you do pay attention to what is truly going on with your employees.

David Klein is a leading Executive IT Recruiter & Headhunter with over 15 years industry experience.  As Manager of Recruitment Strategy for KDS Staffing, Inc., he has achieved industry-leading success. David has successfully led, trained and introduced many in the art of Executive Recruitment and Headhunting. If you or your organization would like to discuss hiring needs, contact David at 646-650-2833 or david@kdsstaffing.com.