What Are the Best Employee Retention Strategies for 2022?

Posted on 13 January 2022

​3 minute read

A term that you might have already heard and if not, will no doubt hear it soon is: ‘The Great Resignation’. First coined at the start on 2021, where we saw a huge number of employees resigning, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second half of the year alone, the UK saw over 1 million people move jobs with 391,000 being resignations.

Most of the resigning workforce leave for want of a better work-life balance and compensation. However, some think hybrid working has led to weak communication and feel pushed to leave as a result.

It is now predicted that 3 out of 4 people in the UK will explore new avenues of work in 2022. So, what can you do to help retain your employees? We’ve put together a handful of strategies for you to consider.

Implementing Hybrid Working Well

As briefly mentioned, some employees have seen communication issues emerge due to hybrid working. So, it’s important to implement this well as in the current market, the ability to work remotely is necessary. By simply trusting your employees to work well at home and in the office, motivation will increase.

But how do you reinforce trust and good communication? Check-in with your employees! Whether that means instigating conversation in person to see how they are or sending out regular surveys to measure engagement within the team. They’ll feel heard and valued and any problems that arise can be solved swiftly.

Reconsider Your Office Space

You have always had the responsibility to create a safe and fun environment for your employees. However, with COVID-19 and hybrid working, the office plays a bigger part in enabling socialization, catch-ups and meetings. Also consider the practically of it. Perhaps more private rooms or areas for things like Zoom calls.

An enjoyable office space has been proven to increase team productivity and employees’ happiness level. So, make it a space that your employees are looking forward to being in.

Collaborate, Employee Learning

It’s crucial to continuously invest in your workforce to maintain and increase employee satisfaction. Your employees want to upskill where they can, so they can progress and excel in their work. So much so, that 57% of employees said they would leave their job if they felt there weren’t enough professional development opportunities.

The below image is taken from Nichols’ work on 360Learning and focuses on the ability to include peer-to-peer feedback within learning; proven to be an efficient method for the more senior teams to assess employees too.

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Look at soft and hard skills (individually and as a team), personalise their development and create a strategic development plan so employees feel aligned to the future and growth of the business.

Priortise Your Purpose

In an ever-evolving market, it’s important to motivate with your purpose to show constancy and continuity. The intention of having a purpose is so there is no ambiguity over why you do what you do. However, 65% of employees don’t think their managers are implementing the company’s purpose.

The current market is unpredictable. Whether it’s due to a labour shortage, supply chain disruption or an illness spike. So, if everyone believes in and implements the company’s purpose then there is a steady belief and goal throughout.

Rethink the Meaning of Inclusivity

HR professionals are traditionally reactive to issues in the workplace. However, with hybrid working and uncertain market, a more holistic model to promote inclusivity is necessary. Along with all the bits already mentioned, employees feel like there’s a lack of implementation of D&I and ESG policies/commitments. As a result, employees begin to lose their sense of purpose in the company and motivation plummets.

We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again: open communication, collaboration and transparency in decision making is paramount in amplifying the diverse voices.

 

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