5 ways to keep employees from jumping ship

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Are you concerned about high turnover rates at your organization? You have good cause, as a robust jobs market is nudging employees to consider whether or not their current work environment is really the right fit.

In a recent survey by job posting platform Monster, 95% of workers are currently considering changing jobs, and 92% say they are willing to switch industries to land a new position.

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There are a variety of reasons employees look to jump ship, says Tami Simon, corporate consulting leader at employee benefits consulting firm Segal. Bad managers, poor benefits, a lack of career development and growth opportunities and major life events can all cause employees to consider an exit.

“Attrition is evolving in terms of what it means nowadays,” Simon says. “An organization has got to approach this not from a defensive perspective — How do we stop our people from leaving?— but rather by understanding that your human beings matter. And when you start from that place, then you're able to make sure that you’re not just saying you're a great place to work, but that you’re creating an environment where people look forward to going to work.”

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Simon offered up five useful tips employers can utilize in order to keep attrition levels down and really make a connection with their workforce.

Develop deliberate onboarding

“Time and time again I hear about terrible onboarding experiences,” Simon says. “But onboarding can actually be incredibly fun, engaging and frankly, a great way to start on the right foot. People want to think of onboarding the same way they think about a first date — imagine how many more people would actually be excited for that job. Give a proper welcome and training. Employees remember how you made them feel on day one.”

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Increase engagement

“Use a variety of communications methods — text, Intranet, email, team meetings, personal touch points,” she says. “Make communication a two-way street. Hold ‘Stay Interviews’ to learn what makes employees feel connected to your organization.”

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Analyze workforce analytics

“Review workforce attrition patterns — decisions aren’t made in a vacuum,” Simon warns. “Look across pay scale, years of service, by manager, role, geography, and internal mobility. Check for managers who have a high retention rate and find out what they’re doing right.”

Create alumni networks

“Keeping the alumni relationships alive builds up a recruitment tool, reputational resource, and source of intuitional knowledge.”

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Build connections

“Employees who understand their contribution to the organization’s mission, and are inspired by their leaders, are more likely to stay.”
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