Best Practices in Reducing Employee Turnover: What are your 3 tips for reducing employee turnover?

I'm going to go beyond the normal things, such as an excellent benefits program or good pay, etc. I think these things are standard and are well known to increase employee satisfaction. They are definitely important, but I think there are other things beyond benefits and money that affect satisfaction and retention in a company.

1.) An excellent training program that utilizes mentoring. We set up training programs for all new hires (complete with timelines). When they complete their training, they are assigned a mentor who will guide them and watch them, answer questions, etc. When the mentor feels they are good to work on their own (meaning they can complete the job correctly and in a timely manner), they send our department a "Mentoring completion form" which allows us to mark them as complete in our database. It has led to higher customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction.

2.) Long term incentives. These aren't necessarily monetary either. We do have some monetary incentives, but being able to show a person how they can be promoted from within is an excellent way to retain employees. Who wants to work at a company for more than a year if they know they aren't going to be able to eventually be promoted? Other incentives could include training at the company (we have a local technical college come in and do different training series such as 'Communicating effectively' or 'How to write technical reports') and employees can apply through their department to use part of the budget to take the classes. Other incentives could be a company pizza party if they hit goals, etc.

3.) Company involvement. One way to reach this goal is to have excellent communication. Town hall meetings or a Intranet where people can connect, find out about the business and learn what they (the employee) can do to help improve the company are all positives. Another way to do this is to have company wide charity goals - for instance, the first group to complete their "Employer of Choice" surveys can donate X amount of dollars to the charity of their choice. Or do company matching if a group fund raises. Things like that all create a sense of community and involvement within a business that people don't necessarily want to leave.

I hope that helps. Feel free to ask me questions if you're not clear on what I'm trying to say.

Speaking from a Call Center perspective:

1. Stop asking for Resumes up-front, and instead start conducting ‘Voice Auditions’ with your Job Candidates. Regardless of what’s written in someone’s Resume – you need to ensure that a Candidate has the right ‘Telephone Personality’ for your Contact Center jobs. It’s very important that you hire Agents with a pleasant, clear speaking voice (power, pitch, pace and pause). Your customers want to speak with Agents who communicate professionally –who are easily understood - and who don’t sound like a ‘script reader’. It’s only after a Job Candidate passes their ‘Voice Audition’ that you should invite them to submit a Resume.

2. Administer Skills Testing to your Job Candidates. You need to ensure that a Candidate can demonstrate a minimum acceptable level of proficiency in specific areas such as: Names, Spelling, Comprehension, Typing Speed & Accuracy, Grammar, Audio Transcription, and Data Entry Skills. Please keep in mind that while it is a Best Practice Step to screen Candidates using Typing Tests, Audio Transcription Tests, Windows Literacy Tests, etc. – a Skills Test Pass Rate only increases the likelihood of predicting the long-term effectiveness of a Job Candidate for a Call Center Agent position to 53% - and that’s just a bit better than flipping a coin!

3. Administer a Personality/Job-Fit Assessment to your Job Candidates. Personality/Job-Fit Assessments are best at forecasting the future success of a Job Candidate for a Call Center Agent position. Candidates for Call Center Agent job need to have a unique constellation of Traits - and specific amounts of those Traits - in order to successfully complete the Job Requirements. A Call Center Agent’s long-term success depends much more upon Temperament/Personality/Job-Fit Factors than on Product Knowledge, Past Experience or Skill Set. Personality/Job-Fit Assessments allow you to select new Call Center Agents who will fit your employment needs better - and stay on the job longer - leading to a Call Center Agent Workgroup that has more experience and is more productive.

Top performing Contact Centers drive their Revenue & Performance through superior hiring tactics. We help employers gain better insight & more accurate predictions as to which applicants from a pool of Candidates would perform up to, or beyond their established standards. You can find out about a Free Trial of SPAS Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Screening Software at http://www.telesoftsystems.ca/64201.html

I think you have some excellent answers so far.
The keys to retention are my mind;
1) Know your culture and hire people whose values and commitment are congruent with those of your organization. Define it up front and as others have said use assessments and other tools not just a "gut check" to ensure fit.
2) Ensure that what you say and what you do are consistent throughout the organization. Most people join companies and leave managers. Make sure your management team at all levels has the right skill set and is representing your "brand" the way you want it expressed internally and externally.
3) Manage for commitment not compliance. Some of the keys to this are an environment where respect, responsibility, information, rewards, and mutual loyalty are built into the "fabric of the organization not "bolted on". Be flexible about process and ruthless about principles....

1. Ensure a clear line of sight between the role someone is playing and the organization's success, so they know and understand the importance of their contribution.
2. Support a positive, interesting and engaging workplace by leading with emotional intelligence, humor and outstanding communication throughout the organization.
3. Build an exciting long term picture, and define each individual's developmental steps to be part of the picture, incenting along the way.

I've had many jobs, mostly crappy sales jobs. Often you know going in whether it's a job worth keeping or not. (Google = good, McDonalds = bad.) Here's my advice regarding retention to those on the other side of the hiring table.

1) Look to your employee's future with a growth plan. Let the employee know how and on what basis he will receive promotions, bonuses, commissions, pay raises, etc. This allows the employee to set realistic goals, plans and expectations.

It's not enough that you share your vision of your wonderful company. Maybe you love your work, but for most employees the motivator is moolah, not how much fun this job is. I'm not talking about the old "look how much you can make on commission" speech. When I hear that, I'm already packing my bags!

The same goes for praise. Yes it's important, but it doesn't pay the bills. Talk is cheap. To retain good employees, you have to offer something more than just next month's paycheck.

2) Take a good look in the mirror. I recall a job ad I saw on Craigslist that went something like this: "Are you an idiot? Because all my employees are idiots who can't follow simple instructions. If you're not an idiot, call XXX-XXXX."

Ditto employers who are petty, incompetent, lazy or ineffective. If you're experiencing high turnover, especially in this economy, you're doing something wrong.

While on the subject of hiring, let me add that people can learn job skills more easily than they can re-invent their personality. Do you want someone long-term? Then hire an employee who is a good fit personally for the position, and not just a skilled laborer.

3) Sorry but I have to go with an old standard here: treat people the way you want to be treated. On the job there are roles to be filled, but on the street or in a bar, you and your employee are on exactly the same ground. Remain polite and respectful at all times.

Most people understand intuitively that employment is a two-way street. If you're not a nice guy, at some point your employee's thoughts will change from "how can I please my boss?" to "there must be a better job out there."

1. Hire correctly in the first place by using behavioral assessments and other selection tools.
2. Do a good company/position orientation.
3. Develop and environment where people want to come to work.

1. Have a career discussion with them.
2. Find out what their career goals and aspirations are and discuss how their goals fit in with company needs/objectives.
3. Work on a career development plan with them that focuses on development that is meaningful to them and the organization.

A lot hinges on absolutely clear messages to candidates during the selection process and testing how they respond to those messages.

Be 100% sure that they "buy" the ethos of your organisation. Make sure that all of your hiring, documentation, orientation and management approaches/utterances reflect that ethos. If not 100% sure - do not hire.

Once the person is in your organisation, take the time for regular update sessions and performance monitoring.

Be upfront about how you work with employees. If you're a micro manger, or want someone who can work indpendently -- say so.

Make sure that you get to know the person "personally" by asking behavioral questions during the employement process.

Have them "buy-into" your vision for the company by letting them know what it is.

Treat them as you would want to be treated. Difficult sometimes when your employees are teens or young adults -- but worth it. :)

There are positions to hire mostly "for talent" -- lets say a consultant for "x". I don't want to teach them how to do their job. I want results and a weekly progress report. And there are positions where I want to hire for personality and learning style -- where I expect to teaching skills except computer skills-- let's say a personal assistant. It's important to know which you're hiring for.

Maria
http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com

1 Proper trainig and development program should be discussed while you hire a candidate and you shoud make sure that he should feel company is spending lot time and mony for him to grow as trained profession

2 systematic Reward system

3.Retention start form when the candidate step in to your organisation for the interview, the way you interview him and also you communication process. make sure that he should feel to work in your organisation .

My best 3 tips for reducing employee turnover:

1- Stay interview semi-annually to determine what will make them stay or go
2- Professional Development Plan and coaching to include goals for; tomorrow, 6 mos-1 year, 2-5 years, reviewed quarterly
3- Follow-up, training, cross-training and an appropriate reward system that motivates the individual privately and publicly

1 - Understand fully the job you are seeking to fill and ensure that the most qualified candidate is a cultural fit by conducting not only technical but cultural interviews.

2 - Ensure each employee understands their value in the organization and develop/communicate a career ladder so they can see potential employment opportunities available to them. Institute career development processes/programs that ensure each employee is engaged in their roles within your firm.

3- Recognize employees often and broadcast achievements throughout the organization.

1. "Catch" your employee doing something right and praise him/her openly.
2. Ask your star employees why they want to be part of your organization.
3. Ask the employees what they value most in an employer.

from an IT professional employees perspective: offer training (as much as possible), offer variety of duties that will fulfill employees desire and improve the success of the company and the employee, dont work your employees to death (give them the opportunity to work harder, the cream will rise to the top), a peer nurturing environment (creating friends both in the dept and in the company, having mixers, dinners) and lastly, pay your people.... if you dont someone else will!

Invest in your employees (seminars, training, association meetings, etc.), treat them right and give them proper rewards. I also had a psychologist on call (all employees went through a 3 day interactive skills training class) who would meet with employees having conflicts with other employees, their supervisors, etc. and attempt to work through the issues. Nobody outside the meetings ever knew what went on in the room, so it was a good and safe environment to work through conflicts.

I'll answer the question from the perspective of, why employees leave.
1. Rewards/Recognition/Respect
2. Autonomy
3.Crappy boss

Daniel Pink was pretty on target when he suggested that employees need the following three things:
1 Autonomy
2. Mastery of Skills
3. Understand how they add value in the organization

In my first list of three, I'd like to address point 3, it's the real deal breaker. We are probably all familiar with the axiom, employees don't quit the company, they quit the boss. That being said, why isn't more effort or energy focused on improving the boss.

1. Right staff at thh right time in the right place = right recruitment
2. Learning & Development / clear career path = applying Lifelong Learning supported by coachign & mentoring and an enabling working environment
3. Remuneration & Compensation programs supported by Work-Life program (e.g. flex-work, etc)

1. Get the hygiene factors right - pay, right skills, right tools for the job
2. Give them a clear understanding about their future - you don't have to promise, simply be clear about what it takes to do well and achieve their personal (and professional) goals
3. Help them understand where their role fits in the bigger picture - paint the bigger picture if that is not clear e.g. vision

Hire effectively using instruments that measure:
1. Intellectual capacity to do the job
2. Motivations and drive
3. Personality and culture fit
Pay people enough so that money is no longer and issue and then focus on providing:
1. Opportunities to develop and expertise
2. As much freedom to do the work as possible
3. A vision that highlights a greater purpose
Do not promote people with poor people skills into management positions
1. Technically skilled people will get frustrated with their new role and leave
2. People join a company but quit a boss, i.e. managers who were promoted into positions outside of their skill set.

The key is to take these principles to guide your approach but avoid all off the shelf products that fail to account for the unique aspects of a company.

As the question pertains to "reducing employee turnover", I'll assume the hiring process has been completed.
1. Ensure the scope of the position/role is clearly defined as well as position expectations along with any quantifiable/qualifiable measurable metrics - then communicated to and understood by the associate with an opportunity for the associate to actually input content into role definition - hence, acheiving buy-in.
2. Permormance management by direct manager with HR's input, as required. Measuring the pre-agreed associates' achieved metrics against goals...spending a majority of the time highlighting areas that the associate does well....then looking at any areas requiring improvement along with a plan to effect improvements - requesting any suggestions from the associate along the way as to 'how' the role could be better structured to suit company objectives. Again, obtaining associate buy-in
3. Connect employees to the company and the company's goals vs. performance at every opportunity. This can be done through small team meetings and/or via top management communicating clearly and regularly the corporate mission-vision with a clealry painted picture as to the 'how' mission-vision will be achieved. Combine this with regularly delivered updates by top executives/president/CEO/CFO/VP Sales explaining - clearly -the company's actual results (this could be quarterly, for example) vs. the original business plan - including what measures the company might need to take in order to meet or beat plan or what remedial measures might need to be taken in order to minimize risk to the plan....again, requesting buy-in from all associates. Give opportunities for employees to ask questions, as appropriate.

1. Autonomy
2. Mastery
3. Purpose

I am flagrantly stealing from Dan Pinks research in his book Drive, regarding the best and most recent behavioral research regarding building a meaningful workplace connection that creates lasting mutual value.

Autonomy and control over the details of how a end result is achieved.

Mastery is offered to those along multidimensional career paths. Mastery over tasks, roles, industries, etc.

Purpose is larger than the role, and the company. The lasting positive impact that a small activity can have connects the cog to the direction of the machine.

AID to Engage when the “In” Gauge in Low

Acknowledge and appreciate your employees.
Take the time to understand what, when and how each of your employees prefer recognition and appreciation of their performance and efforts. At the same time, evaluate your own appreciate style. Is it sincere or does it sound or appear “off the rack?” Is it systematized to support the daily progress of your staff, long term achievement of goals and extraordinary and discretionary efforts?

Inspire and involve through knowledge sharing, idea generation and communication.
Are your meetings a one-way conversation of information download and directives? Do you authentically request input on decisions? How do you support idea generation and creativity in your workplace or do all decisions come from on-high?
Today’s employees want to share, be heard, and be part of the solution. Use collaboration in your business processes as a tool to encourage feedback and creativity as much as possible.

Develop, develop, develop. Are your employees still learning? Employees want to experience progress in their goals and personal growth within. Design and initiate opportunities for stretch assignments, e-learning, job rotations, mentoring and coaching. Schedule time at meetings for individuals to share a learning moment, journal article and solution tip in meetings. A bored mind leads to a job-searching mind.

Research shows that employees, internationally, value the following in this order.
1 Feeling appreciated for what they do (Thank you/ Well done/ I'm proud of you, are the rarest phrases in Global business)
2 Having something interesting to do.
3 Being kept on the inside track by management (to avoid the water-cooler rumour mill)
4 Sympathy for personal problems
5 Money

Despite the above most managers still believe that Money is the most important followed by Job Security which is actually down at 8th position even in these tough times.

Motivation is free, so why try to buy it.
by Robert F. Gately, PE, MBA

Managers are seldom equipped psychologically to talk to their people on a personal level. One reason is that many people are managers because of their technical ability not because of their managerial or people skills. We should reward technical experts with higher salaries but not with promotions to management. We would be far better off if we promoted to management the people who have good managerial and people skills and poor technical skills -- which will solve two problems:

1 - Improve overall technical competence
2 - Improve managerial effectiveness

As long as executives do not know how to identify future effective managers, management will be stuck with The Peter Principle:

"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to
rise to his level of incompetence."

When managers are asked to list the Top Ten Motivators for their employees the list looks like:

1 - Salary
2 - Bonuses
3 - Vacation
4 - Retirement
5 - Other Benefits & Perks
--------- the money line ----------
6 - Interesting work
7 - Involved in decisions
8 - Feedback
9 - Training
10 - Respect

Note:

Managers rank money items as their employees' Top Five Motivators. When employees are asked to rank their own Top Ten Motivators the list looks like:

1 - Interesting work
2 - Involved in decisions
3 - Feedback
4 - Training
5 - Respect
--------- the money line ----------
6 - Salary
7 - Bonuses
8 - Vacation
9 - Retirement
10 - Other Benefits & Perks

Employees rank items that are equivalent to money as their bottom five motivators.

The managers' top five motivators are the employees' bottom five motivators. The managers' top five motivators are more related to the need of the managers to avoid personal contact with employees than the desires or motivational needs of their employees.

Managers pick the top five motivators because these are the things that managers can "give" their employees without ever having to ask what the employees want or need, i.e., no involvement on a personal level is needed and all decisions can be made behind closed doors--all the while avoiding personal contact even to the detriment of the organization.

Note:

Managers give the same sequence as employees when asked to rank their own motivators which is very interesting and revealing.

Great question Lauren. I tend to think in terms of creating a work environment where people feel valued and have opportunities to grow and succeed. This includes leaders doing things such as:

1. Praise people often and genuinely and behave with kindness.
2. Have the employee identify what he or she enjoys doing and tailor their job to that. Remember to continuously provide opportunities for education, growth and advancement.
3. Show employees you value their ideas and trust them by giving them independence and decision-making ability.

When leaders do these three things they show that they genuinely care about their employees and encourage their development in the company.

3 tips on Reducing Employee Turnover:

1. Upon recruiting new personnel be sure to choose the right person. Besides of their qualification and does it meets the company standard, ask about their motivation to work and working as the opened position, history of their dedication. It's also important to identified personalty to maintain the positive office atmosphere. And if it is not for a position that needs a wide connection and financial support, go for the person with a week economy background because their are proven to be loyal.
2. Management as a role model. Company is just another one big family. Management needs to think of their sub ordinate as their family member. Make sure to bring it to live, Not just trying to act like it, even worst just talk about it. For instant, if you have a boy as the captain of the football team who wins state champion, what will you do? Do the same thing with your employee.
3. Make solution to resignation letter. For examples, If it's the money, make a challenge, if its other things.....make a solution since your are among family.

Similarly, my belief is that we must:

1. Consider applicant/employee needs, goals and values and THEN contemplate whether there is a good fit.

2. Have a solid corporate structure in line with its culture.

The analogy of a family always comes to mind. There can be many personalities, many talents, many weaknesses.

Therefore,

3. Cultivate those talents and find ways to work through the weaknesses.

It is the strong family that grows roots and remains strong through tough times by supporting each other - being a solid team.

1. Give the prospective candidate a small project to do along with a list of 3 people in the company they can call for information or insight. The problem should be relevant for the hiring manager as well as the candidate - e.g., an issue that is being considered in the department or division that might pertain to the role for which the candidate is being considered. Give them a limit of how much time they ought to spend on the project. The report should be shared with interviewers (typically second round). This approach weeds out the candidates who are not serious about the company or the position (they won't be bothered to invest the time and effort) and provides a means of comparing candidate quality independent of what is on the resume. It also allows the candidate to get a much deeper understanding of the role and company.
2. Be thoroughly candid in all discussions and ask all interviewers to do the same. There's nothing to be gained from hiding the things that might make a candidate think twice about the opportunity. When interviewers open up this way, candidates typically follow suit and the candid dialog that ensues ensures that there are no mis-perceptions on either side.
3. Invest in an on-boarding program that takes the candidate through at least 90 days in terms of direct contacts with people within and outside the department and special-purpose on-boarding programs. This allows the candidate to build roots across the organization. Avoid the one-day immersion where ten people come in and make presentations about the organization. It doesn't engage the new hire and it is all forgotten in a couple of days and thereby rendered a waste of everyone's time.

Rob, a comment worth laminating and posting above all supervisors' desks.

What's about "having a dream" and lead people to share it and then become proud of what they carried out. It also could be called the development of a strong feeling which is beyond just usual membership but more like a feeling to belong to a company. Then good company results are theirs. Then comes the usual topic of sharing the benefits but it's a good topic.
Conscious it's a bit idealistic but it works and makes gossip shut up !

What's about "having a dream" and lead people to share it and then become proud of what they carried out. It also could be called the development of a strong feeling which is beyond just usual membership but more like a feeling to belong to a company. Then good company results are theirs. Then comes the usual topic of sharing the benefits but it's a good topic.
Conscious it's a bit idealistic but it works and makes gossip shut up !

1. Define talent.

2. Measure talent.

3. Hire for talent.

Remember, for the most part, people join companies, but leave people.