Sakib Khan

Employees in most places may be hard-pressed to barely keep their jobs intact, but still there are some organizations out there that are suffering from high turnover. I came into contact with one such company couple of weeks ago and they were looking for answers to keep turnover rate down in their place.

So what could possibly an organization do to tackle the problem? More importantly, where to look for the source of the nuisance?

Before we begin our exploration, let’s remember that when employees leave an organization in large numbers, more often than not the reason is a combination of many factors. No one wants to leave a job. It’s not fun.  But sometimes people feel so uncomfortable in the workplace, they can’t take it anymore.

Are you hiring the right people?

Make sure you are hiring the ‘best-fit talent’, not necessarily the ‘best talent’. If you fail to identify the right match considering your organization’s culture, values and expectations, you will never be successful in creating a sustainable workforce. When you hire new employees, try to explore what culture/background they are coming from. Is it completely different from what your organization offers? Is he/she capable enough to adjust with the change? What about the employee’s expectations about the organization and position?

More importantly, before you hire, always be honest and realistic about what you offer and what you expect. Don’t go overboard to lure someone for the position; today or tomorrow the employee will find it out and will feel cheated.

What is the overall work environment like?

Organization’s work rules and practices are critical determinants of turnover. If they are too strict, overwhelming or cause for workplace stress, employees will most likely withdraw themselves sooner than later.

In addition, if the overall work culture in the organization is not supportive enough and traditionally management performs poorly in appreciating and recognizing individual talents and efforts, employees might feel betrayed and look for better options.

Are your employees committed?

How motivated are your employees? Do they take pride in working for your organization? If your employees can relate to your organization and they feel valued, they will more likely be loyal and stay longer. Try to gauge the level of commitment and motivation in your workforce.

Career or ‘job’?

Do you offer your employees ‘jobs’ or careers? Can they advance vertically? If employees don’t see any scope for personal growth within your organization, they are likely to leave you, especially those who are at the early stage of their career. Adding value can take various forms. It could be career advancement through promotion, helping employees discover their hidden qualities by giving them the opportunity to work in diverse functions within the organization, or it could be through arrangement of formal learning and development programs.

Rewarding properly?

Recognizing employee performance and rewarding them appropriately is the last thing you can ignore. It’s always a good idea to pay your employees better than what the competitors are currently offering. But in case you can’t afford to pay more, at least try to maintain parity.

Is there a bad apple?

Sometimes few particular departments or particular persons contribute to the lion’s share of the turnover rate. Identify those actors and discuss the problem with them. Try to delve deep and pin point the reasons behind the issue.

Do you ‘hear’ your employees?

Do you have formal/informal communication channels installed in the workplace? Getting regular feedbacks from employees help to get the pulse of the workforce and thus tackle employee concerns/dissatisfactions at the right time and before it’s too late. Lack of communication creates doubt, mistrust and distance between management and employees.

Are your employees insecure about jobs?

Never let your employees feel insecure about their jobs. Insecurity is contagious. It can encourage employees to take preemptive measures and leave you prematurely in search of ‘more stable’ positions.

The above are some generic ideas to give you a head start in your quest to find the answer to high turnover. But there could be other organization specific reasons behind the problem. The key is to recognize the issue and sincerely find solutions.

Are you ready to dig?

Photo credit: kevinzhengli