Optimizing hiring, engagement and retention strategies
by Darcy Bevelacqua, Managing Director, Analytics & CX
A recent Gallup report on the State of the American Workplace, is a study to help business leaders optimize their hiring, engagement and performance strategies. The study collected data from 195,000 US employees. They asked “What are top reasons you would consider leaving your firm for a different organization?”
The primary answer was “My work doesn’t have meaning and purpose.” This is what employees valued most. If employees aren’t able to link what they do best on a regular basis, they tend to quit. Add to this the fact that only 1/3 of US employees are engaged in their work and their workplace right now. It’s not surprising that according to Gallup 51% of American workers are actively looking for a different job or watching for openings right now.
Gallup says “employees feel rather indifferent about their job and the work they are being asked to do. Organizations are not giving them compelling reasons to stay.”
How do you fix the problem?
Since we know that employees need to have a purpose to have a fulfilling life, we need to think about closing the gap between work and lack of purpose.
Employees love to use their unique talent , skills and knowledge to help a company succeed. How do we help this happen?
1. Take time to get to know your employees and what their unique strengths are.
Find out what your employees are good at and find ways to bring out the best in them by assigning meaningful work that goes beyond their day to day job description.
2. Match your employee’s jobs to their strengths.
There is a need to think about matching employees with jobs to be done. The closer you can align the employee’s skills with their purpose, the less likely they are to struggle and become bored or uninterested. Help them help you by building on what they are good at.
3. Help employees in the wrong roles find another job inside your company.
Encourage your best people to move around inside your company. Get them exposed to other areas. This helps everyone and keeps the employees engaged. Let them see there are plenty of options inside the company and they don’t have to leave to get new challenges and opportunities.
4. Institute the “stay interview” method
We all have a process for exit interviewing employees who quit-but most of this information is never used to improve your company. Instead this is a formality that is left up to HR. Instead managers should be asking questions like : What do you like about your job? What don’t you like? What would you prefer to be doing that you aren’t doing now? Do you feel we are using your talent to its full potential? What could be done to align your job with your purpose?
Summary
As management it’s our jobs to engage our employees and retain our top performers before they look for other opportunities. Look for training programs, special projects, employee “internships,” community involvement, mentoring programs, etc. to get your employees involved and fulfilling their purpose. And check in with employees regularly to assure they are feeling utilized to their best and fullest potential and appreciated, recognized and rewarded for their contributions.
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