How to look after your top talent

Research recently carried out by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) found that more than a third of ambitious workers are dissatisfied in their current jobs.

The research, carried out among 1,400 members of the ILM, found that 34% are likely to change their job this year. This dissatisfaction leads to many employees looking for new jobs and businesses missing out on the talent they have already invested in, which is costly to replace.

So, what can you do to ensure you retain your top talent?

Establish clear cut expectations

Problems arise when goals are unclear, and constantly changing expectations can create unhealthy stress.  Make sure your employees know what to do and how to do it – providing a specific framework will empower them to be successful.

Create a culture of open communication

Does your business solicit ideas and provide an environment in which people are comfortable providing feedback? If so, employees can feel free to contribute ideas and commit to continuous improvement.  A process where employees are able to contribute ideas will result in them feeling valued and able to contribute to the growth of the business.

Let employees use their talents in the workplace

Engaged employees will often want to contribute to areas outside their job description.  Take time to learn your employees’ skills, talents, past and current experience – utilising these extra skills will not only boost the business but employee engagement too.

The best employees will want to grow and develop

Exemplary employees want to learn and grow. Unless employees can try new opportunities and take on challenging tasks, they will stagnate. When employers invest in their employees by providing them with opportunities to learn new skills or knowledge, it signals an investment in their present and future career growth.

Make employees feel valued

Everyone likes to feel appreciated.  Make sure employees are treated fairly and that management consistently acknowledges team members for jobs well done and the effort they put into their work.   A simple “thank you” is a good first step, however, if you’re able to offer greater rewards why not ask what would most appeal to your employees.

Understand why employees stay

Most businesses make a habit of conducting exit interviews, but very few take the time to understand why some employees choose to stay. Asking valued employees for insights into what compels them to remain at the company is invaluable for identifying the factors that are contributing to your employee retention strategy, and for learning if there’s any room for improvement.

About the Author

This guest blog was written by Sam Moxham, Managing Director of Halo HR. As a boutique HR business, Halo HR provides first-class, outsourced HR services offering complete support across the entire employee life cycle. By quickly eliminating people problems and continuously improving leaders’ management skills, clients grow in confidence. With HR aligned to their business objectives, customers are free to focus on improving their business. Visit www.halohr.co.uk for more information.

A huge thank you to Halo HR who responded to our request to be a guest blogger for us. If you an HR expert willing to share your expertise with businesses seeking HR advice or with other HR professionals, email [email protected] for your guest blog to be considered for our blog or newsletter.