Too Much Turnover? Generating Employee Loyalty May Be Easier than You Think

Dixie Somers

March 05, 2014

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How long does an average employee stay at your company? If employees come aboard and leave quickly, your company has a problem. Employee turnover costs money and erodes a company’s reputation. There may be several factors that are contributing to the high rate of employee turnover at your company, so it can be difficult to pin down the exact cause. If you've been experiences high turnover rates and want more loyal employees, here are a few suggestions to help promote a loyal staff.

Change Your Hiring Strategy

Procter & Gamble, also known as P&G, is a leader in health, beauty and baby products. In business for nearly 200 years, the company hires experienced professionals, college interns and everything in between to conduct business in the United States and abroad. One element of the company’s success is the difference in its hiring strategy. “We hire the person, not the position”, is the hiring philosophy. Why does this method reduce turnover? By looking at the big picture, recruiters can determine if the person is likely to be employed there in the years to come.

Value Part-Time Employees

Starbucks Coffee Company isn’t just a success because of its cappuccinos but for the way it holds on to its team members. Long before health care reform was discussed on TV, the company decided to offer its part-time employees the same health insurance its full-timers would enjoy. What was the motivation? Starbucks knew that costly employee turnover could be reduced by recruiting part-time employees that would have the motivation to stick around for more than just a summer. How is your company doing in this area? Are part-timers given the same benefits as full-timers? If not, making those changes will help reduce turnover.

Think Outside the Cubicle

Does your company have telecommuting positions? Companies like Alpine Express, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Convergy's do. Employees love working at home because they don't have to commute, and they can get their work done in an environment where they are more comfortable. If offered a position closer to home, many of your employees will actually get more done because they have more freedom. Creating work-at-home positions isn't always a viable options for some companies, but if you can implement this practice into your business plan, you may find that you have more satisfied, more productive employees.

Make Time for Team

When was the last time your employees had a retreat, training, trip, banquet or team-building day? Some businesses use venues like this Atlanta conference center to host events like special trainings or appreciation dinners to promote employee unity and loyalty. These types of events tell employees that you appreciate them and planning something like this can build trust among team members. Need ideas? At your next staff meeting, give everyone a blank index card and ask what training they’re interested in. You don't have to spend a ton of money to get your employees involved and engaged in company events. Hosting an event, retreat, or training once a year will be well worth the cost of having continually loyal employees.

With these strategies, any company experiencing a high employee turnover rate can create an improvement plan. Some employees will still leave the company due to events beyond your control, but with these methods, morale will be higher and turnover will be lower. If you continue to experience high turnover rates, you should go straight to the source to figure out what is going on. Ask your employees about their levels of job satisfaction and how their work environment and job responsibilities could be more enjoyable. Getting advice from those who actually work for the company could offer helpful insights that will offer solutions to your turnover problems.