Paul,
The culture which is created from the top has a serious impact on employee retention and morale. Doing things such as you enumerated send a message to the employees that you appreciate them and the part they play in the students' success as well as the success of the company. These things don't need to be costly to send this message and to positively affect employee morale. To fail to do these kinds of things, however, can result in significant employee turnover and cost the company through recruitment expenses, student dropout, etc.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Absolutely they work. We have regular meetings for the departments. I participate in more than one and get really good information from each. They keep everyone informed and identify problem areas and we always leave with a defined agenda or a plan. All participants benefit either directly or indirectly due to the solution aspect of the meetings. I check in with my employees regularly to make sure their needs are being met in a timely manner. They seem to appreciate this as much as I appreciate the same from my own manager.
Tenille,
It sounds like you are very organized and attentive to the needs of your employees. Those regular meetings make everyone feel like they are a part of the team and help to keep morale high. Giving employees a voice during those meetings or during one-on-ones will ensure employee satisfaction as long as they see action or are given feedback regarding inactivity. Employees will accept a "we cannot do that" if they are told why. Your meetings allow you to do that. Employees will stay in an organization which listens to them and treats them with respect and dignity.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
When a new massage therapist is hired we have a 30 and 90 day sit down meeting with them.
Our 30 day focuses on how it's going so far and any challenges. At the 30 day meeting we establish a coulpe SMART goals for the therapist. Goals like 25% retention of new clients/distributing 10 business cards per shift.
We also have annual reviews where raises based on performance are given.
Laura
Spheres of influence...On my team, I have identified those that have the most influence on others. I talk to them first about change, new ideas or just day-to-day activity. These interactions hold them in high regard but also help me refine my decisions. The spheres of influence like the fact that their opinion matters.
Thoughts?
MB
laura,
It is important in any organization that employees know exactly what is expected of them. Employees need to know what standards they are going to be measured against. Being fair and upfront with those reporting to us is the best way to achieve employee satisfaction. From your response, It sounds like
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Mark,
You are good! You manage smart. Working "with" people allows you to achieve so much more than when you expect people to work "for" you. It is the team that will accomplish so much more. As I have said before, treating people with dignity and respect through valuing them as people will result in high employ retention. Keep doing what you are doing. I am sure it must be successful and employee retention high.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Although our school is small, we have a full-time professional development employee. This sends a clear message that we believe our employee's professional development is important (we put our money where our mouth is!). We also have a company culture of "family". All communications are addressed to our "Staff Family" and we embrace and celebrate our employees as part of our family... red-headed step-children, crazy uncles, everyone! And lastly, although the Golden Rule is a good one (treat others like you would like to be treated), we treat others as THEY would like to be treated (knowing that one size does not fit all).
Melanie,
That sounds like a great place to work! So often, an employee's decision to continue employment with a particular employer is based on how they have been treated. Valuing our employees leads to higher employee satisfaction rates. Doing so doesn't have to cost the company anything--just treating people with dignity and respect has a zero cost impact. Employee retention strategies do work but they must be sincere.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I think that when employees feel valued and heard they want to stay with the organization. I always give employees immediate and honest feedback so that they are able to correct a situation or know when a situation was handled correctly. I let them know daily how much they are appreciated. Lead by example and let the staff know that you won't have them do anything you wouldn't do.
Vanessa,
You are spot on with your approach. You may have read in previous posts that I am a true believer in treating our employees with dignity and respect. Being a manager who is not afraid to communicate with their employees has a multitude of advantages. For one, you know what is going on in terms of employee unrest. Also, Employees will support changes that you want to make if they know what and why and if they are given an opportunity to provide comment. A great exercise is to create a list of management behaviors which will enhance employee retention.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
1)Involve staff in important decisions: Employees want to know that their thoughts and opinions matter. They want to know that they are more than just a number. Involving staff in important decisions demonstrates that you value their opinion.
2)Schedule time with employees: Set aside time regularly to meet with staff in order to discuss what motivates them.
3)Invest in them: Most employees want to continue to develop their skills while learning new ones. Offering training sessions and having employees attend webinars and conferences will feed their desire to learn while augmenting their skill sets. At the same time, push employees to achieve their potential. Trusting them with new and challenging tasks demonstrates confidence in their abilities and the new skills they have acquired.
Dj,
You are right on target with all of your suggestions. Another idea (and another MaxKnowledge course offering) is to effectively and selectively delegate tasks to employees in allow them to develop new skills. Regarding your first suggestion, I agree completely with involving staff in the decision-making process. Where we so often have difficulty is that we fail to communicate decisions and the reason or reasons why a particular decision was made.
I also agree with your second point. I would take it a step further and make certain that once we know what motivates them, we need to take action to show we heard them and did something about it. Your point on staff development is important as well since this is the area which so often gets cut when budgets get tight. This can be such a win-win if handled appropriately. It definitely impacts retention.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
What employee retention strategies does your school have in place? If you were to identify the top three most successful employee retention strategies, what would they be?
Retention here is high and I believe that is because of the culture within the company and some strategies that are used. A few of the strategies are:
1. Regular meetings to discuss issues.
2. Performance evaluations.
3. Term awards for faculty who are outstanding for the term.
4. Annual Christmas Party with gift card.
5. Annual Baseball Game tickets in private booth with food and beverages.
6. Jeans on Friday.
7. Summer event for students, faculty, and staff.
Our campus has a diverse culture but seem to all work well together among departments. Issues are delt with in a timely manner.
I do agree with you Dr. Kapper. Recognition is so important. By recognizing employees it lets them be aware that they are appreciated. I feel it also increases productivity. I also feel that communication with your supervisor on a regular basis is important.
Cynthia,
Thank you for your post ti this Forum. You have some great programs at your school and I commend you on the diversity of approaches. One of the most important practices, which you started with, is holding regular informational meetings that give employees a chance to hear what's going on and to participate in a Q&A session. During performance evaluations I hope you provide opportunities for individual employee feedback as well as managerial input. You might consider doing a series of 360 feedbacks to gain additional perspectives from peers and direct reports. Another way to enhance teamwork and collaboration is to conduct a series of assessments, e.g. Meyers-Briggs, FIRO-B, etc. Off campus events are also winners and tend to draw in families and create a stronger sense of community. Great job!
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Cynthia,
Unfortunately, Dr. Kapper is no longer facilitating the course, but as the current facilitator, I appreciate your comment. How would you value recognition vs. communications?
Who should receive regular communications and how should it be delivered?
Dr. Robert Roehrich
