Most of us are aware of the unfortunate and sometimes rapid turnover of staff in our industry. There are, of course, many motives that drive a team member to look for a new job, but if you want to keep employees you may need to focus instead on the reasons why people stay. Experienced recruiter Alison McGavin explains.
Day in, day out, I meet people who are leaving their current workplace and looking for something better. The motives may vary, but my experience has taught me that their reasons can be categorised into five areas. Today, instead of focusing on the driving factors behind the decision to leave, let’s focus on why people stay.
BENEFITS
People love perks. It shows that you care about them and value them as a part of your business. The beauty of this is that it can be from something as small as providing a fruit basket and some breakfast options in the office to perhaps paying for a gym membership.
My advice with this is to make it non-work related. This doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from it. Studies show that people who go to the gym and exercise regularly have an increased blood flow to the brain, which can help sharpen awareness and improve focus. Exercise also boosts the immune system and, with an improved immunity, the chances of catching the flu or a cold drop dramatically, meaning fewer sick days!
TEAM CULTURE
Let’s start by reminding ourselves of the true definition of culture. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as “the arts, customs and institutions of a nation, people or group”. Changing the culture within an office is hard; a good place to start is to have clear company values and make sure all the team know what they are.
Our values here at Real+ are displayed on the wall; they are quality relationships, health, passion and results.
Breed a culture where the team feels valued and are treated as equals, where ideas are not just heard but welcomed, and where quality relationships within the team are nurtured with team-building events.
LEADERSHIP STYLE
Don’t be a manager, be a leader. The difference? A manager manages, but a leader inspires. Don’t just tell people what to do; inspire them to be the best they can be. If they feel empowered by you, rather than scared of you, you will reap the benefits.
Breed a culture where the team feels valued and are treated as equals, where ideas are not just heard but welcomed, and where quality relationships within the team are nurtured with team-building events.
Tailor your approach individually. Some team members will require more guidance than others; some will require more positive re-enforcement whilst others will require clear direction and deadlines. It’s not a case of treating others how you would like to be treated, but rather treating others how they would like to be treated.
CAREER PROGRESSION
The receptionist may love their job, but he or she may not want to be the receptionist forever. If someone has the desire to do something different, to grow and progress within the industry, and they have the potential to be great, wouldn’t you prefer it to be with you than with the business across the road?
Speak with your team and understand their plans, dreams and desires. Tell your receptionist if there is an opportunity for them to move into a sales role, or whatever path it might be. If they don’t know, they could be researching sales roles on Seek right at this moment.
INNOVATION
Don’t be left behind. Too often I hear things like, ‘Oh, they still do their routine inspections on paper’. Be innovative, be modern, and be relevant in today’s market. Make it easier to do the job well. The last company I worked for as a senior property manager, I was hand-writing my condition reports. It used to take me sometimes up to two or three hours. Needless to say, I am not there any more!
I hope that after reading this you will give thought to what your business is great at, and perhaps what your business could improve on. Together, let’s make your agency one of the offices that people hear about on the grapevine and add to their wishlist of places to work.
