How to Retain Top Talent: Strategies You Can Put in Place Today!

A top employment website in America recently released the results of an Employer Survey that stated 39% of employers are concerned that they will lose top talent in the coming year. And considering that the results of a similar Employee Survey showed that 25% plan to switch jobs in the next 12 to 18 months, employer concerns are certainly valid.

Employee retention is one of the greatest challenges facing employers today. It's something that concerns all markets and industries. Many employers are scrambling to figure out how they can retain valuable employees, rather than potentially lose them to competitors. Hundreds of books have been written on the subject of getting good people to stay. Courses in the subject are available online. Seminars are being offered around the country. If you want to invest in any (or all), you certainly can. But it may benefit employers to simply ask an employment agency how employee retention can be improved. And that's what we're discussing in our blog article today!

How do you keep the best talent in your organization working for you when numerous surveys and reports say retention isn't all about the salary you pay your people? Here's a list of employee retention strategies from your friendly Staffing Kansas City team.

Create a Great Working Environment – Employees like to feel comfortable in their surroundings. Work spaces that are clean, spacious, and well lit are happy, productive spaces. Team building events also help to create a friendly, collaborative atmosphere at work.

Open the Communication Lines – Employees don't like to be kept in the dark. They want to know what you and the organization are thinking. At the same time, you probably want to know what they're thinking. An open door policy with weekly or monthly employee update meetings will give them the feeling of being included, being in the know. In addition, yearly reviews to discuss strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement are an important part of regular communication with employees.

Create Opportunities for Growth – Employees want to move up within the company and grow as a people too. The opportunity to continually learn new things or cross-train on the job keeps it interesting and rewarding.

Good Management and Mentors – It can be easily stated that all employee retention efforts begin with management. Leaders that show appreciation for work done, managers that are not afraid to hire smart employees, and an overall reduction in micro-management are all beneficial to the employee retention process.

Give Them Time to Refresh – Time off is a wonderful thing. Everyone needs vacation from time to time. The most satisfied employees are the ones who have the opportunity to take off and recharge. So, give them a break and encourage them to take time off!

This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire, temporary placements, and permanent employment placement services.