How to keep your best people

When a valued employee resigns, the impact can extend well beyond an empty desk. Colleagues take on additional work, client relationships need careful handovers and managers must find time to recruit and train a replacement.

For Lancashire businesses with small teams, losing one experienced person can be particularly disruptive. At the Eventus Recruitment Group, we advise businesses on recruitment and employee retention. Our advice is to review what encourages people to stay throughout their employment, before a resignation prompts the conversation.

Here are six practical areas to focus on:

1. Ask what would make people stay

Exit interviews can provide useful feedback, but they come too late to address concerns for the person leaving.

Make time for regular conversations with existing employees about their experience. Ask what they enjoy, what makes their work harder and what they would like to change.

Questions such as 'What would make your role more rewarding?' and 'What would you like to learn next?' can open up useful discussions.

Follow through afterwards. Explain what you can change, what needs further consideration and when you will revisit it. Asking for feedback creates an expectation that you will listen and respond.

2. Make career progression clear

Employees need to understand how they can develop within your business. If their next step is unclear, they may start looking elsewhere to find it.

Discuss career goals during individual meetings and agree specific development actions. These could include mentoring, professional qualifications, managing a project or gaining experience in another part of the business.

Smaller businesses may have fewer management positions available, but development can still include greater responsibility, specialist expertise and involvement in business decisions.

Be clear about what progression requires and review progress regularly. In addition, avoid making promises you cannot realistically deliver.

3. Review pay alongside responsibilities

An employee’s role can grow considerably while their salary and job title remain unchanged.

Review whether pay reflects the work people now undertake, their experience and the market for comparable roles. Consider existing employees when reviewing recruitment budgets, too. Recruiting someone on a higher salary while overlooking an experienced colleague’s contribution can create understandable frustration.

Where an immediate increase is not possible, explain how salary decisions are made and agree a realistic review date.

Recognition and benefits matter, but competitive pay deserves its own attention.

4. Offer benefits your team values

A long benefits list is only useful if employees value and can access what is offered. As a result, ask your team which benefits make the biggest difference to them. Depending on your workforce, priorities might include enhanced annual leave, private healthcare and discount schemes, professional development or greater flexibility over working hours.

Review which benefits people use and whether they understand how to access them. An existing benefit may need clearer communication, while an unpopular one may warrant reconsideration. It’s imperative to choose improvements that are affordable for the business and useful to your employees.

5. Make flexibility workable and clear

Where roles allow, flexibility over working hours or location can help employees manage their working and personal lives. Be specific about what is available, how arrangements are agreed and what the business needs in return. Clear expectations around availability, communication and client service help everyone understand how flexibility will work.

For roles requiring an on-site presence, consider whether different start and finish times or more predictable schedules could help.

Another important aspect of offering enhanced flexibility is to periodically review arrangements with employees to check they continue to work for both sides. People’s circumstances can change over time.

6. Make recognition part of everyday management

Employees should know when their contribution is valued. A personal thank-you, positive client feedback shared with the team or acknowledgement of someone’s support for a colleague can make recognition meaningful. Be specific about what the person did and why it mattered. In addition, recognise consistent work and teamwork alongside major achievements. Some of other options to recognise employee achievements include having an employee of the month scheme or end of year awards.

Furthermore, Managers also need time to support their people. Regular conversations about workloads, priorities and development help ensure concerns receive attention before they grow.

Choose one improvement to make this month. Start with a conversation with your team. Identify one recurring concern, agree an achievable improvement and set a date to review it. Whether that means clearer development plans, a salary review or more useful benefits, give someone responsibility for taking it forward.

Keeping good people requires continued attention to their experience at work. Small, consistent actions give employees clearer reasons to see their future within your business.

If you would like tailored advice on your recruitment or retention strategies contact the Eventus Recruitment Group on 01772 382 688 or at [email protected] for a confidential discussion. The Eventus Recruitment Group are an experienced team of recruitment specialists covering the legal, finance and financial services sectors in the UK.