Beating the Great Resignation: Top 5 Ways to Keep Your Team Happy

January 19, 2023 Sarah Dameron

manager reporting department performance to happy employees

If you’re like most managers, you’ve probably scoured the internet, searching for answers to how to keep your team happy. And thanks to the pandemic, retaining talent is more important than ever. But how do you keep your employees engaged, productive and key contributors to company growth? The truth is, common tactics to boost team morale are not reflected by the current times and do more harm than good. Your employees spend hours on the clock – whether that’s remote or in-person – and their day-to-day experience is the leading driver of happiness.

Read on to discover how to put to practice the best employee engagement strategies and how to keep your team happy – even during unprecedented times.

Follow the top 5 ways to keep your team happy and beat the great resignation:
  1. Make Work Meaningful

  2. Map-Out Growth Opportunities

  3. Foster a Results-Driven Culture

  4. Offer Benefits That Matter

  5. Cultivate a Culture of Feedback

#1 Make Work Meaningful to Keep Your Team Happy

new manager reading new data on the great resignation to think about new ways to make work more meaningful

If your employees don’t find their work fulfilling, they probably don’t fully understand the company’s mission and values. Too often managers zero-in on business goals and how their team members can contribute to those goals, but do they truly comprehend or believe in the purpose of the organization? Furthermore, a McKinsey survey reported that 63 percent of those polled said they want their employer to provide more opportunities for purpose in their day-to-day work. The most effective leaders show their workers how their jobs have an impact on the company’s bottom line.

#2 Map-Out Growth Opportunities

head of department asking leaders about growth opportunities

One of the best ways to keep your team invested in the organization is by investing in them. A 2021 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report found that the new world of work is “all about rapid skill building at scale.” While there’s definitely a correlation between high retention rates and subpar (or lack of) career development opportunities, it falls on the manager to afford their workers those opportunities. Here’s how to take action:

  • Remove obstacles that hinder career progression. What’s preventing your team member from being promoted? Do you have to adhere to strict company policies? Is nepotism at play? A CareerAddict.com survey showed that 82 percent of respondents would quit their job because of a “lack of career advancement opportunities.”

  • Provide new tasks and responsibilities. Climbing the vertical career ladder is something that most people aspire towards. But if you’re a small business or startup, moving into a new role every year is just not a sound expense. The workaround? Offer your employees an assortment of tasks that help them develop professionally, even if their job title stays the same.

  • Create a timeline for career advancement. Ask your employee these questions:

    • What type of career do you want?

    • What are your interests?

    • How and where do you want to work?

From there, map out multiple paths to their goals including a set timeline to get them there. Remember, goals should always be S.M.A.R.T. (Specific-Measurable-Attainable-Relevant-Timely).

Read More: 5 Strategies to Develop a Habit of Lifelong Learning

#3 Foster a Results-Driven Culture

two happy employees looking at quarter results

No one likes to be micromanaged at work. Having a manager repeatedly looking over your shoulder is frustrating, if not demeaning. It also severs trust in the workplace. As Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do.” Embracing a results-driven culture is often a matter of:

  • Setting clear expectations. As Garry Ridge, president and CEO of WD-40 once said, “All good performance starts with clear goals. If employees don’t have clear expectations, they sit and quit, meaning they show up for work but do not give their best because they are unsure of what to do.”

  • Assigning the right skills to the right tasks. Don’t just assign a task based on someone’s position within the company. Play to your workers’ strengths.

  • Getting rid of the 9-5 mindset. If a team member prefers working early, let them. If they prefer working at night, let them. Don’t box them in to set hours. Since the onset of the pandemic, more and more businesses are coming to terms with flexible work arrangements.

Read More: Motivating Your Team by Creating a Culture of Ownership

#4 Offer Benefits That Matter

leadership team celebrating having hit performance goals in break room after discussing feedback with their departments

If you assume that paying people more is the key to low turnover rates, think again. Sure, having a cushy salary is nice, but people are looking for more. Not sure what benefits to provide? Consult your staff. There’s no need to chase every benefit or perk.

Some workers might prefer tuition reimbursement while others prefer a remote work stipend to cover expenses while working virtually. And in a candidate-driven market, employers who don’t spotlight retention efforts risk seeing top talent say “sayonara”. What you offer beyond salary and the standard medical, dental and vision can go a long way in supporting recruitment and retention initiatives.

#5 Cultivate a Culture of Feedback & Keep Your Team Happy as a Result

Who better than your own team to let you know what they need and what can be improved upon? In fact, a Gallup workplace survey found that employees who receive daily feedback from their managers are three times more likely to be engaged than those who receive feedback once a year or less. Here are a few tips that can help you promote a healthy feedback culture in your workplace:

  • Encourage an open-door policy. Your employees should feel comfortable coming to you for feedback and vice versa.

  • Utilize multiple feedback channels. Not everyone feels at ease with a one-on-one feedback session. Consider having multiple ways to give feedback such as through a chat group on Microsoft Teams or Slack, or through small groups.

  • Focus on continuous feedback. Annual performance reviews are great, but there are better ways to gauge employee performance than once a year. Instead, try monthly catch-ups or project performance debriefs.

When you dedicate your time, resources and money into boosting employee engagement, you’re contributing to the success of your organization. And just remember, employee satisfaction is the ultimate way to get top-notch work out of your existing talent and one of the chief ways to build an adept and productive workforce.

Looking for more information on how to keep your team happy? Get in touch with one of our virtual accounting experts and explore how Personiv can help you enhance employee engagement for your business.

Get More Retention Tips: Lowering Attrition: Effective Employee Retention Strategies to Implement Today

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