- Believe it or not, worker loyalty is at an all-time low in today’s job market.
- Employees tend to quit their jobs (and their employers) at the slightest provocation.
- To worsen matters, these provocations are varied and could come from anywhere.
- So how can you as an employer create a work atmosphere that your employees will want to return to week after week? This article gives 3 methods that you should be aware of.
No wonder our Baby Boomer parents and grandparents don’t look fondly upon today’s younger workforce.
The Boomers, whose generation spans from 1946 to 1964, were the hard working offspring of Depression and War-era parents who instilled in their children a sense of duty through holding down a solid job.
As for subsequent generations such as:
- Gen X (1965 to 1980)
- Gen Y – also known as Millennials (mid-80s to early 1990s) and
- Gen Z (mid-90s to mid-2000s)
That work ethic found back in the Baby Boomer days has not really shown up.
In short, Gen X through to Gen Z has been more difficult to pin down as far as dedicated employees are concerned.
Yes, they want certain incentives that a large part of the job market has never considered much less even heard of.
But above that, these last three generations also want to know that their work effort has some sort of value beyond the work itself. In other words, is their day-to-day effort on a job making a difference for the greater good?
Well, depending upon the job tasks you have given these X, Y and Z generational workers, the value their employment yields is something only you, as their boss, can explain.
To that end, here are 3 methods first suggested in an article published on Inc.com that you can take to help ensure that these generations will return to work long after you first hire them.
- Add Praise to the Agenda
If your business has company-wide meetings, you should dedicate a portion of that meeting to sharing compliments and thanks by your management team (or yourself).
Praise is taken in high regard by almost any worker from any age group. It is enjoyed, and makes a worker feel like they truly matter inside your company.
Some businesses employ “huddles” in which positive messages from clients are used to motivate workers that can subsequently increase what is hopefully an already high level of customer service.
Praise also encourages team members to build camaraderie and reinforce the fact that everyone on the team plays a vital role in the work that is done.
Use the company-wide meetings in conjunction with the simple act of dropping by an employee’s office to compliment them on an achievement.
The personal visit in itself can mean much more than company-wide accolades for a number of reasons.
- Some employees may feel that the praise you privately give them is more sincere.
- More than likely they will enjoy the time you’ve taken to pull them aside to praise them.
- Honestly, some people don’t like to be in the limelight, so personal praise expresses not just your appreciation of them, but your acknowledgement of their personality.
- Personal praise from you can quite simply make them feel more special.
As the Inc.com article explains, it is important for employers to make praise and encouragement systematic.
If you don't already have a dedicated time for employee recognition, build it into your company-wide meetings and encourage your management team to highlight employees' accomplishments during one-on-one meetings.
- Make Individual Growth a Priority
Every good business owner and/or manager understands that no two employees are alike.
Suffice to say it is almost guaranteed that the employers and/or managers who believe all employees are alike – that they are faceless, nameless figures which are to be regarded only as workers, will be the first to lose the trust, faith and loyalty of those same employees.
Inc.com suggests that a large part of recognition is acknowledging that each of your employees is different from the others and brings a specific set of strengths to the table.
It's beneficial for your team, and for your company, to know what makes your employees tick and to cultivate their talents. In fact, your company can make personal and career growth a required (and soon-to-be massively appreciated) goal for each of your employees.
There are several paths you can take to achieve this:
- Each year, allot a portion of your budget for employee education and other growth opportunities.
- Encourage your team members to cultivate new skills and incorporate them into their work in creative ways.
- Make an effort to connect with each employee in which you talk to them about their aspirations.
- Support and encourage your employees as they make progress.
- When they use their skills to better the company, make sure to acknowledge their contributions to them and the rest of your team.
- Emphasize the Value of Everyone's Time
While the bottom line of your company is important, when dealing with workers who have different personalities, needs and wants, sometimes the bottom line has to temporarily be put on hold.
You should instead put more focus on your employees. You need to recognize that their time spent at work is time away from family, friends, pets, and other high-value aspects of life.
This makes it imperative to acknowledge the time your employees have invested in you and your company. To that end, you should continually incentivize your employees with the gift of time.
One, two and three-year anniversaries should be recognized with thank you gifts of time off or any other gift you deem appropriate.
Be specific about who the lauded employee is and how they contributed to the team.
Do this on a frequent basis – maybe even weekly in which you can treat your team members to surprise early-release days such as Friday in which they can get a head-start on the weekend.
Conclusion
People are motivated by money, but not money alone. Inc.com suggests that for an employer and/or manager to create an environment that employees want to stay in, they need to develop systems and good habits within their management style that can enable everyone within a company to grow to their full potential.
This in and of itself will help guarantee you will have fantastic and dedicated workers for years to come while competitors who aren’t so involved and personal with their staff continue with a revolving door-type business where the employees, unfortunately, come and go.
