The Jobs Free Forum

As an employer, ask yourself – when was the last time you were excited or energized by your work. Yes, it could be the pay and benefits but, more often than not, employees are attracted to the work itself and their relationships with co-workers. These factors can play a critical role in employee retention and, ultimately, the success of your business. If your employees aren’t happy, there’s little chance they’re going to keep your customers happy. Here are four practical tips to help you attract and retain competent employees:

 1.   Encourage a balanced work/personal life

• Employees who lack a balanced work/personal life are less productive, absent more often (due to personal reasons) and more likely to leave a company.
• Ways to help employees balance a work and personal life include offering flextime, a flexible workweek, work-at-home options, and job sharing.

 2.    Provide opportunities to develop new skills

• Keep your staff’s knowledge and skills current. This is a good way to ensure productivity and helps decrease the possibility of downsizing or the need to hiring someone new.

3.    Involve and communicate with employees

• Without consistent information, employee fears of the unknown (such as change or possibly layoffs) can erode productivity.
• Tools for communicating include weekly briefings, a company newsletter or periodic emails with the latest news.

4.   Offer opportunities to move upwards

• Start a tuition-assistance program so employees can learn and enhance their skills.
• If employees feel that there is room for them to move upward, they are less likely to job hunt for a position where they can develop their skills even more.