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Is staff turnover an issue for your business? The key to stemming the tide is to get to the bottom of why people are leaving.
There may be a whole multitude of reasons, some of which may not be easy to identify. It can certainly take more than a simple exit interview before they walk out of the building to really understand the issues afoot.
1. Set a baseline
Start with an evidence-based assessment of the size of the issue. A flurry of leavers within a short period might feel like a bigger issue than it actually is when looked at over a longer period. Begin by using your HR software to gather data on leavers over 3-5 years and see if you can see any trends in age, job role, reporting lines, reason for leaving etc. As well as this quantitative data, collate any qualitative data from exit interviews too to add wider context and background on individual cases.
2. Build a career progression strategy
One of the most commonly cited reasons for leaving across multiple sectors is a perceived lack of career progression opportunities. The company (and specifically HR) may have a positive view of the options available or coming up, but if employees are not aware or can’t see what might be open to them, they can easily become disillusioned. A good solution is to use proven tools to map employee skills and work with them to understand their potential. A clear skill development pathway encourages a longer term focus – even if the next job isn’t available yet.
3. Be proactive about internal mobility
A sideways step can be an effective way to offer new challenges, give employees more variety and the chance to discover new skills. Keeping people interested in their work sometimes means offering something else to get involved in – and bear in mind this doesn’t have to be a job change. Involvement in a project, a secondment, or the opportunity to mentor a colleague are all ways to add interest to the day-to-day.
4. Introduce flexible working
Sometimes excellent members of staff will feel forced to leave if they are unable to fit a static hours job around their other commitments. That can be responsibility for other family members (young and old) or other things that are important to them such as competitive sport, hobbies or fitness. This trend is even more pronounced amongst the millennial generation who don’t see the necessity of the typical 9-5 when so many jobs can be done remotely for example. Take time to assess (or even reassess if this has come up before) the practicalities of managing flexible working for some or all of your staff and then conduct a short-term trial to test the effectiveness. Even small changes could make a big difference to churn rates in the longer term.
5. Communicate company success and goals
All of us enjoy the feeling of being part of something bigger with a sense of purpose. It adds context to the day-to-day and fosters a spirit of teamwork. Feeling isolated and uninspired on the other hand does the opposite, and it could be something as simple as that which prompts someone to leave. HR can help by pushing for clear and regular communication to the whole business – because everyone plays a part in the successes achieved.
If you’d like to see how Access HR technology can help your business address staff turnover, then get in touch with us today and discover how our software can help your business.
