According to research by Gallup®, 64% of employees say income and benefits are the highest-ranking, most critical factors they consider when looking for a new job. You can assure top employees they are valued by competitively updating salaries on a regular basis.
Offering a solid benefits package can also help keep employees happy. Research shows that the top five desired benefits are:
- Employer-covered healthcare
- Life insurance
- Pension and retirement plans
- Mandatory paid time off
- Mental health assistance
Earn employees’ trust
Fostering personal connections with employees helps build trust. Express interest in employees’ personal lives with simple conversations that show you care. To build trust, it’s also important to:
- Be honest and transparent
- Not show favoritism
- Give credit and take blame when appropriate
- Demonstrate competency
Promote well-being
Encourage employees to have a positive work/life balance by promoting flexibility, including work-from-home options, if possible. Allow employees to set their own schedules so they have time for personal responsibilities and interests outside of work.
Breaks are also important. In fact, 94% of employees feel happier when they can take a lunch break. Encourage employees to get away from their desks by handing out branded bento boxes or lunch coolers.
Every employee needs a chance to refresh and recharge with vacation time. Make their time away more comfortable with a branded tech bag or blanket. They’ll remember how supportive you are about taking time off when they see your company logo on their travel gear.
Offer positive reinforcement
Has an employee completed a professional certification or reached a milestone anniversary? Celebrate achievements with a gift, like Bluetooth® headphones or a picnic carrier set. Depending on the employee’s preference, show your appreciation publicly, such as during a work meeting or on social media, or privately with a thoughtful handwritten note.
Ask questions
Regularly checking on employees can help prevent small issues from escalating. Do they have the resources they need for their job? Is there anything management could do differently? Are they happy with their current responsibilities? In which areas would they like to grow? In addition to asking questions, follow up to show that their input matters.
Encourage creativity
Give employees the freedom to manage their own schedules and create processes that work for them, instead of following rigid guidelines. By focusing feedback on results instead of how they got there, employees will feel they are trusted to work in a way that best suits their skills and preferences.
Build a lasting team of top employees
Proactive measures to retain key employees can help build a longer-lasting team. Your workplace culture and company performance will benefit from keeping top employees on the team.