The pandemic has created another shift in employee expectations and values, leading to the Great Resignation, and many employers are scrambling to figure out what their employees want.
If you’re struggling to attract or retain your dream team, here are some things you might want to consider implementing:
Flexible Work Schedules
Working from home is both a blessing and a curse. While technology has made it possible for employees to work at all hours, many employers make the mistake of assuming their workers should be available at all hours. Don’t make that mistake.
What you can do is focus on how this situation can work for you and your team. If your employees are early birds who will answer their phone at 7am, don’t expect them to answer their phone at 7pm, and vice versa. Instituting a flexible work schedule is all about letting your team work when they’re at their best. That’s called working smarter, not harder, and not only does it lead to happier employees, it also leads to more productive employees.
Work-Life Balance
Your business should be built around your life, not the other way around, and that holds true for your employees. No one wants to spend their whole lives working, so set some boundaries about when and for how long you expect employees to be on the job. This might include a flexible work schedule, but it could also include other factors, like offering more vacation time or the occasional long weekend.
Opportunities for Growth
A bored employee is a waste of resources. If they seem disengaged, ask them what projects they would like to work on, regardless of whether it’s currently in your workflow. If it’s not, offer to figure out a way to make it happen, or give them free reign to figure it out themselves. If your employees ask questions, answer their questions and encourage them to learn more, either on their own or with a mentor. If they’re not sure whom they should ask, offer to introduce them to someone with expertise in the area that interests them. These strategies will keep them engaged at work, which will keep them happier at work.
A Work Environment That Is Both Challenging and Safe
People like to feel like they’re being challenged in their jobs, so give them opportunities to stretch their skills and try new things. Offer to teach them and provide support when necessary, but don’t hover over their shoulders (no one likes a micromanager, and they tend not to be very effective).
At the same time, they also need to feel like the environment where they work is a safe one. Right now, there’s a big focus on creating and maintaining guidelines to protect everyone from COVID, but it also means improving interpersonal relations on your team. All it takes is one bully or one overbearing manager to make everyone feel uncomfortable, and then they’re less likely to stick around.
Whether you need help attracting and retaining your dream team, or your team could use some help in a specific area, it might be time to bring in a sales strategist with more than 40 years of experience in corporate training, sales, and public speaking.