Savvy business owners understand the true value of hardworking employees. And yes, hiring “Rock Stars” are one of the most important things you can do to put together a great team, right? However, the second most important thing is to retain those great employees.
It is surprising that job hopping is prevalent in South Africa in spite of the country’s 29% unemployment rate. A few short years ago employees were grateful to have a job and to do whatever it takes to keep it. Turns out that the market is much different today.
Although competitive pay and good benefits factor into an employees’ decision to join and stay at a company, the reasons why South Africans are leaving their jobs, according to Marius Meyers, CEO of the South African Board for People Practices, has nothing to do with money, but rather with feeling undervalued and unseen.
It’s no secret that healthy, happy workers are infinitely more likely to go above and beyond. Throughout the years employees’ desires and demands have evolved and it is more important than ever for employers to take action and create effective health and wellbeing initiatives in the workplace.
We have a few tips on how to hang on to your “Rock Stars” while boosting company productivity at the same time:
- Encourage employees to drink at work. Water off course! Install water coolers. Even mild dehydration could cause fatigue and influence focus.
- Be flexible. While not all employees have families, a flexible approach to those who do, will gain employee loyalty.
- Take action to reduce stress. Offer counselling. Employees going through a tough time should feel supported.
- Have an office full of young professionals? Arrange happy hour once a week or arrange a food truck for an unexpected lunch. Hire a barista for a day to make all the drinks your employees want – great for a team that are hitting their goals!
- Encourage healthy eating. Stock the breakroom with healthy, delicious treats.
- Implement on site health screenings throughout the year.
- Schedule walking meetings. Lace up and take meetings on a stroll. Encourage employees to enjoy the sunshine, stretch their muscles and get those creative juices flowing!
- Invest in standing desks, weekly meditation programs, or even an onsite gym.
- Reward high performers with gift cards or afternoons off.
- Get their input … let them know that you value their point of view. Recognise their contributions.
- Training and tuition should be at the forefront.
- Use social media to recognise hard work. Tweet about employee successes or post video compilations about their efforts. Having friends and followers see that they are appreciated goes a long way.
- Provide impromptu time off. Early departure days are always a great motivator. Send an email that says, “It’s a beautiful afternoon, go enjoy it.”
- Allow work-from-home days. Remember significant days in your employees’ lives, such as a child starting school, give them a work-from-home day so they can participate without worrying about coming in to the office.
- Just say it. Sometimes all you need to do is say it. A sincere “thank you” can be powerful.
Have a happy, healthy day!
Source: www.insperity.com, www.businessnewsdaily.com, www.inc.com, blog.mavenlink.com, www.thebalance.com, www.forbes.com, www.americanexpress.com, www.themuse.com, come.com, www.cloudbeds.com, webcache.googleusercontent.com, www.urbanbound.com, getsling.com, decisely.com, cultureiq.com, breathehr.com, www.selectinternational.com, www.gethappy.com, www.inserity.com, www.investopedia.com, www.wikihow.com, thethrivingsmallbusiness.com, www.destinyconnect.com, businesscollective.com, www.entrepreneur.com, www.thebalance.com
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.
