Sustained Respect and Honesty Bring About Employee Loyalty

As of 2018, America has a robust labor market, and companies typically use great perks to lure top talent. Sometimes, these perks mask a toxic office culture. Senior executive director Paul MacDonald of staffing firm Robert Half suggests that companies earn employee loyalty and sustained respect through a few targeted initiatives that have nothing to do with expensive perks.

Start With Hiring Practices

Delaying the hiring process simply creates frustrated talent, according to MacDonald, with up to 40 percent of talent believing waiting one to two weeks for an offer is too long. Hiring managers should conduct interviews and provide post-interview follow-up information in a timely manner. This earns employee loyalty immediately, even before the person is officially with your company.

Find the Right Fit

Choosing the right person for a position is critical to keeping turnover rates low. Employers must determine if the prospective employee understands the company's goals, has the right skill set and can work well with active employees. At the same time, employees want the financial rewards of working hard. This means employers must be proactive about telling workers how to earn promotions and raises.

Let interviewees know that it's possible to move up the corporate ladder. That way, they have a goal in mind. Earn sustained respect and employee loyalty from workers who know precisely what it takes to succeed from day one.

Balance Work and Life

Employee loyalty might also come from people who want to balance their professional and personal lives. In a survey conducted by Robert Half, more than half of workers would change jobs if they found companies that offered a better work-life balance. Employers must do more than just offer this as a perk, however. They must also be willing to embrace work flexibility as a normal part of the work routine without any stigmas attached. In other words, employees shouldn't be made to feel guilty for taking personal time off.

Determine What Matters Most

Give new hires what matters most to them. This doesn't mean coming up with trendy perks that tend to serve younger workers. Some employees want good health care benefits for their families, paid time off, child care perks and flexible work arrangements. Choose perks that benefit all members of your organization.

Understand the Benefits of Employee Loyalty

The benefits of loyalty are also tangible. Happy, engaged workers are more productive and are less prone to absenteeism. Finding loyal, talented workers is a financial key to doing business that keeps your company competitive.

Because the labor market is so competitive, employee loyalty is an extremely valuable asset. To land and keep top-notch employees, employers must understand that the process of building employee loyalty starts at the hiring process and is never-ending.

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