By Brooke Trick-Senior Director of Retail Operations
North Central Region – District Council of Madison
Hiring and retention are hurdles for many organizations as we navigate this modern work environment. Businesses are becoming more creative in how they hire and retain employees. Employees’ views and expectations of the work environment are shifting. Burnout and dissatisfaction at work are high. As employers, we need to change course to a more people-centric work culture.
Here are three ways to keep your employees engaged, increase morale and improve loyalty while adding to your bottom line:
1. Maintain competitive salaries and wages
- Evaluate your local market every 2 – 3 years and adjust the pay schedule to ensure your employees feel valued and are fairly compensated.
- Know the cost of living in your area and surrounding communities. Employees’ wages should cover their basic living expenses so that they themselves do not need to use your charitable services.
- Factor in an employee’s experience, skills, performance, tenor, reliability and productivity in salary and wage discussions.
- Be transparent with your salary structure. Employees should know and understand their earning potential and growth opportunities. If employees do not see attainable promotions or advancements, they will look elsewhere.
2. Keep open lines of communication
- Provide regular performance feedback and set clear expectations.
- Employees crave feedback! They want to do an excellent job and know that they are appreciated. Regular performance reviews allow managers to outline employees’ opportunities for growth and development.
- Welcome employees into discussions and decision-making processes.
- Team building and collaboration give employees the opportunity to be heard — one of the most powerful motivational forces in human nature! When employees don’t feel like they’re being heard they may feel resentment, withdraw from work or disconnect from coworkers. Employees who are actively involved in their organization have an increased sense of belonging and a more positive view of their workplace.
3. Invest in workplace happiness and employee wellness
- Have a supportive management team that encourages open communication and transparency. Hold weekly departmental meetings where you can update employees and hear feedback.
- Offer opportunities for professional development and career growth within the organization.
- Recognize and celebrate employees’ achievements in a variety of ways: in-person, individually, and in front of their peers. Some ways to celebrate an employee’s achievement are highlighting an “Employee of the Month,” acknowledging work anniversaries, or having an incentive program for when sale/production goals are met and/or exceeded.
- Provide mental health resources and quality resources to employees. Consider hosting workshops for departments or groups that will help foster teamwork and create a positive work culture.
- Organize events or projects that promote employee participation and camaraderie. Have a company picnic or celebration once a year where everyone involved in the organization gets the opportunity to talk with one another. Include staff in a group project like a special advertisement or other public facing information.
When you have open communication, include employees in work processes, and show that you care for employees’ well-being, you cultivate a work environment that not only attracts and retains top talent but creates a committed workforce to help drive business.
THANK YOU to those who attended the Mid-Year meeting in St. Louis, MO. We hope you are planning to join us in August when we gather for the National Meeting in Phoenix, AZ!
If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Director of Stores Support Jeff Beamguard.
