Finding the best talent is hard, but keeping your new hires can feel even harder. Those first three months are critical. To keep your new employees during a disruptive stage of their career, you need to know what they are looking for from you as an employer. That means good onboarding, recognition, motivation, and growth. Here’s the recipe to reduce the risk of turnover in those first few months.
Onboarding Matters
Your onboarding process is literally what will enable your new hires to do their best work in the first three months on the job. Don’t assume they will figure out how to navigate the job independently or come to you with questions they don’t know to ask. Encourage shadowing of other employees. Check-in with them frequently and make sure they have access to the information and the tools they need to be successful right from day one.
Recognition Matters Too
Recognition has a huge part to play in that satisfaction and confidence in your new hire’s career path and long-term success. If they know that they are valued (whether recognition comes as a financial reward or even verbal recognition), they are more likely to feel that they made the right choice. Nothing is more disheartening than failing to be recognized for the hard work that goes into a project or deliverable. That recognition may not need to be more than a simple statement of thanks, but the long term value is often immeasurable. Employee engagement is built and supported by both recognition and compensation. Too many employers forget that recognition is as much a part of the equation. Don’t let your staff feel like they are working a thankless job. Rather, boosting morale with on-spot recognition is a budget-friendly and moral boosting leadership strategy that will result in new hire retention.
Invest in Mentorship Opportunities
Mentorship is another valuable tool for supporting your employee’s career growth and overall feelings of being valued and recognized. Sometimes an organization can’t recognize individuals regularly. But having a mentor provides the support and validation many employees crave at the right moment. Providing the support and sharing the insider knowledge that helped get you where you are today will help your staff prepare for the next step in their career. That understanding and appreciation of the real work being done daily can be critical to long-term retention.
Facilitate Career Growth via Professional Development
In a recent Randstad US Survey, it was revealed that the number one reason employees leave their jobs is the perceived lack of a career path. Think about that for a moment, because it’s a huge problem. A lack of an individualized career path for employees shows a lack of commitment to long term staff and those employees who leave know it. Companies must reevaluate their long-term retention strategies to include the kinds of succession paths and career growth opportunities that encourage and engage workers. If an employee feels that their company is committed to their success as an individual and supporting their long-term growth within the company, they are more likely to feel satisfied on the job and motivated to do their best work on a day to day basis.
Employees are motivated to do their best work when they are learning the new skills and abilities that will make them more effective on the job. Employers who invest in their staff’s ongoing education are likely to see employees more committed and loyal to their companies in the long term. It can be a real challenge to stay on top of all the latest trends and processes needed to stay ahead of the competitors, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not interested in staying up to date. The support and investment of their employers will go a long way to employees empowering themselves to keep learning.
For more advice on how to grow a team that will stick around for years to come, connect with the staffing team at ESGI today.