There are a lot of types of investments you have to make in business. One of the most important things you can do is invest in your employees. Engaging and inspiring them will help them become a much stronger and worthy workforce.
Loyalty and retention
A lot of businesses lose employees on a frequent basis. They may not see much of a problem with this, especially if they’re a particularly big company. After all, employee turnover suggests that someone else will be able to replace them quite quickly. But it’s this sort of way of seeing things that actually contributes to the high turnover in the first place!
If you have high employee turnover, then your business performance simply isn’t going to be as good as it can be. Your employees aren’t engaged enough. If they’re not stimulated or inspired at work, then they’re not going to feel very loyal to the business. And if you expect 100% from an employee who doesn’t feel loyal to the brand? Then you’re kidding yourself.
Benefits that set you apart
One of the best ways of engaging employees is to make the job more unique. So many people out there simply see one job as interchangeable with any other. The job you’ve given them might, in their mind, be pretty much the same as their last job. When they feel like the job isn’t that special, then they’re hardly going to have a hard time letting go of it!
Your employees should see losing this job as a loss in many different ways. Would they be sad to go because they enjoy their work and its unique benefits? Or would they just be sad because of the inconvenience of a break in their paycheck? Make sure there are unique benefits to the job that they can’t get anywhere else.
Unique learning opportunities
There are many ways you can help you employees learn more. Strengthening employees beyond their current skillset is the best way to invest in them. A lot of employers are afraid to do this because it gives them more opportunity to apply for other jobs. But this sort of practice also helps with loyalty and retention.
Allowing them to expand their network with your own influential contacts is an underrated practice. Inviting them to business trips related to their area is also something you should be considering. (Even if their presence isn’t crucial!) Companies like Impel Dynamic provide learning opportunities in professional spheres. Giving them more responsibilities is also a surefire way to boost their knowledge and confidence.
Strengthen your company values
If there’s one thing employees love, it’s being able to take real pride in their work. And a key to doing that is to make sure the company they work for has strong, ethical values. You should be taking a good hard look at what your business contributes to society. If your business gives back, then an employee will know that their own work contributes to that.
You should research charitable causes that fit with your company values and work methods. Consider promoting and sharing charitable online content through your social media accounts. This sort of thing will help bring a new sense of social weight to what your employees do.
