By - July 25, 2022
Categories: General
“We can’t find good workers.”
You’ve heard it. I’ve heard it. Even though we are beginning to go through a recession, companies are still looking to hire new employees, and they are struggling to do so. And sadly, a lot of businesses are losing employees. Even if the company pays well enough, employees are choosing to leave for something different. After speaking to both employers and employees, I have found that you can sum up the problem in two words- company culture.
Avoid Micromanaging
One of the most annoying things that employees have pointed to as a big part of the reason they left is micromanaging. They feel like the boss is always over their shoulder, waiting for them to slip up so they can be corrected. When the boss micromanages, the employees don’t feel trusted or capable. If you find yourself micromanaging, it’s a sign that you don’t trust your employees. And micromanaging leads to other problems. If you spend your time ensuring that everything is done your way, you won’t have time to get your work done too. The reason you hired employees was to get yourself into a position to handle the business as a whole, not do what you had to to start the business.
Provide (And Trust) Training
Training isn’t just a process that you use when you hire a new employee. Employees who receive ongoing training as part of their jobs will be more capable of doing their jobs. But there is a caveat to this. You have to trust the training you provide. This goes back to micromanaging. Once you’ve provided training, you have to trust that the other person received it and is capable of using the training. It’s okay to check in and see how implementing the training is going. But if you want your employees to feel trusted, you have to leave them to do their work.
Create a Culture of Mutual Respect
Your employees want to be respected. And respect starts at the top. This means respecting their time on the clock and off. Companies that demand access to their employees at any time (at work or at home) are not respected. They’re hated. If you need your employees to be on-call at any point in time, that expectation needs to be set in terms of duration and compensation, well in advance of when you need. A culture where you respect your employees abilities to do the job, as well as their time outside of work will repay you with respect.
Keep Your Wages Competitive
This might be a touchy subject for some. Paying your employees a higher wage might not seem like a great financial decision but when you take care of your employees and they feel valued financially, they will be less likely to begin looking elsewhere for new employment. You don’t have to break the bank to keep your wages competitive. And if you are wondering how much you can afford to pay, you should check with your bookkeeper and see what your margins are. Keeping your employees happy and financially stable will go a long way to bolstering your company culture.
Be the Kind of Boss You’d want to Work For
Recently, I heard someone ask a question. “Are you the kind of boss you would want to work for?” That question neatly sums up everything you need to think about in employee retention. Are your wages something you would accept if you were in your employees shoes? Are you the kind of person people enjoy working with? Would you feel trusted and comfortable if you worked for you? If not these are the things you should start to change in order to improve your employee retention. And as you generate the reputation of being the kind of boss people want to work for, you may find that you are better able to find new employees well.
