Reduce Turnover With These 5 Strategies

Your team is the foundation of your business. Employee retention rates directly affect your company's bottom line, so taking steps to reduce turnover is critical. Follow these five strategies to keep your staff happy for the long term.

1. Offer Flexible Scheduling

Rigid schedules often make for disgruntled workers. Keeping everyone on the same page is important, but sometimes allowing employees to come in late or leave early makes a big difference in morale, which naturally helps to reduce turnover. Find a balance between enforcing a to-the-minute schedule and letting people come and go as they please. As long as you're up front with your expectations, you shouldn't have to worry about people going overboard.

2. Allow Remote Work

For many professionals, working from home is the ultimate goal. While some types of work require employees to be in the office, there are some projects that can be completed anywhere. Allowing team members to work from home provides them with a change of scenery, which helps to reduce turnover caused by stagnation. It also shows that you trust them, which goes a long way in boosting morale. It also frees up space and resources at the office, creating a more comfortable work environment for everyone.

3. Show Gratitude

One of the easiest yet often overlooked ways to reduce turnover is simply to show appreciation for a job well done. Employees who feel undervalued are far more likely to seek out new opportunities than those who are shown appreciation. Giving occasional bonuses or rewards is great, but sometimes, just saying "thank you" and acknowledging an employee's hard work is enough. When it comes to retaining staff, upper management is often one of the main factors that contribute to an employee's decision to stay or leave. When people like and respect their boss, they're far more likely to stick around.

4. Cultivate an Uplifting Work Environment

Sometimes, the best way to improve employee retention is to improve your surroundings. Keep the office clean and organized. Stock the break room with snacks, and create comfortable sitting areas. Encourage employees to exercise, relax, and socialize. Smile at your team members, and ask them how they're doing. When people genuinely want to go to work (or at least don't dread it), productivity skyrockets. Loosen the reins a bit, and you may be surprised to see profits rise while you reduce turnover.

5. Increase Responsibility

Employees want to feel like they're contributing. If they feel like their daily duties are trivial, they may seek more significant work elsewhere. You don't necessarily need to promote employees to make them feel like they're on an upward trajectory, although regular advancement certainly helps to reduce turnover. Occasionally, give your team projects that carry more weight than usual. Let them know what's at stake, and give them room to breathe. Your goal is to make your team feel like vital members of the organization, so give them more control and let them make important decisions.

Every office is different, and some of these strategies may not fit yours. Try to figure out what makes your employees leave, and then make the necessary changes to reduce turnover. Communicate with your employees, and genuinely listen to what they have to say. Sometimes, that's all it takes.

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