Read this guide for ideas to retain employees through incentives like flexible schedules, wellness programs, career development, and team-building.
The following is a guest post from my bloggy friend Ashley Nielsen. Interested in having a guest post on my website? Click here for my guest post submission form.
9 Proven Ways to Create a More Engaged and Loyal Workforce
The modern employer has to provide innovative incentives to retain quality employees in competitive industries. Employees have access to new job opportunities through a simple internet search, and successful employers are going to focus on incentives to build a strong workforce. Employees have options when it comes to competitive industries, and it’s important to pay attention to the needs of employees as a way to retain those who work hard for your company. As an employer, there are many ways you can boost engagement among your employees and improve the work-life balance that each employee experiences.
Provide Flexibility Around Work Schedules
One of the best ways to show employees that you are invested in their ability to balance work and life obligations is to offer flexibility around work schedules. Take the time to look over schedules, and identify ways you can offer employees control over their work hours. Be creative, as employees appreciate the ability to work from home when necessary, or to work off hours to better balance what they have going on in their life. Flexibility is essential to retaining a dedicated workforce in today’s work environment. New hires are going to be looking for flexibility when it comes to working from home, changing work schedules temporarily, or with the ability to go for an unexpected appointment without retaliation from their employer.
Increase Opportunities for Career Development
Opportunities to engage in educational opportunities help to retain qualified talent. Most employees want to grow in their careers, and a good employer will assist employees in getting the education they need for advancement. Tuition reimbursement, workshop opportunities, and other educational events can all improve morale and increase employee retention. When employees know that you care about their career advancement, they are going to be more dedicated to your agency overall. Each employee should know what steps are needed to advance in their career within your company, and be provided with opportunities to achieve these advancements.
Offer Wellness Choices to Employees
A healthy workforce performs more efficiently. Employers who are supportive of the mental and physical health of their employees are going to improve employee engagement overall. Look for ways to bring wellness classes to the office, such as yoga or meditation, as a way to show employees different activities to improve health. Offer to pay for gym memberships, health screenings, or other proactive healthcare measures to show employees that you are invested in their physical and mental health. If you have the space, opening up a small gym somewhere in your building can make a big difference to the physical health of your employees.
Invest in Team-Building Events
Team-building is more than having a pizza party with your employees once a month. When you truly want to get your employees invested in your company, you have to build a team that is cohesive and works well together. Team-building activities can be any activity that your employees enjoy doing as a group. This could mean you create a bowling team for employees to have fun on a weekday night, or movie night party, or you come up with a group challenge where the winner of the challenge gets a prize at the end of the month. When you build a strong team, you will have better communication and cohesiveness between your employees.
Recognize Employees Through Incentive Programs
Incentive programs are an excellent way to reward employees who are working hard at their jobs. You can use a point system that provides employees with financial compensation once they reach set parameters. Points could be redeemed for time off, money, or other incentives you come up with. When you have good employees who work hard for your company, find ways to reward these employees with quality incentives that are personalized. You want employees to value the incentive program, and this means the program must offer incentives employees believe are worth the hard work. Awards such as Employee of the Month should come with more than a pat on the back and should include a gift card or other financial reward for achieving the award.
Create Space for Peer to Peer Recognition
Whether it is done anonymously, or in person, peer-to-peer recognition can help to improve morale among your employees. This type of recognition can be done using electronic means, such as creating the opportunity to blast a message to other employees about the good work someone has done. Peers should feel comfortable recognizing each other and taking the time to let others know that they appreciate the work being done. Peer-to-peer recognition can come in the form of points to be spent in the incentive program, or in other ways that the employees would appreciate.
Company Retreats for Better Cohesiveness
Company retreats can occur during a work day, or over a long weekend if you have the time and money to make this happen. A retreat takes everyone away from the daily distractions of the work environment and allows the team to learn more about each other. It is often beneficial to do a company retreat that isn’t in the office building, as employees don’t often feel enough separation from their job duties if the retreat is down the hall from their office. A retreat provides you with the opportunity to get to know your employees better and builds cohesiveness among your employees.
Look for Community Initiatives
As an employer, you can look for opportunities to make a difference in the community with the help of your employees. You can ask for suggestions from your employees, and choose the idea that matches best with your goals. Community initiatives can include cleaning up a park, beautifying a school playground, or planting a community garden. Your team of employees can join an effort that is already in place, or you can create your event for the community if you have enough support. Employees should receive time off for the time spent on the community initiative to always support their work-life balance. Employees will become more engaged when you are focused on their health, and career advancement, and recognize solid work efforts. When employees feel seen and heard by employers, they are more likely to stay at the company. As you build your workforce, always look for ways to communicate with employees and come up with strategies to address any concerns that come up. You want a dedicated workforce, and this is done by showing your employees you are invested in their long-term career goals.
About the Author
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.
