According to experience management company Qualtrics XM, engaged employees are 87 per cent less likely to leave their organisation. That means reduced turnover costs in recruiting and training new staff and less lag time between training and full productivity, explains customer service and leadership expert Monique Richardson, author of They Serve Like We Lead.

It also results in improved outcomes and performance, lower attrition, increased revenue and improved customer experience.

Employee retention is closely linked to employee experience, and there are strategies an organisation can employ to help people want to stay.

1. Conduct ‘stay’ interviews

I love the concept of ‘stay’ interviews. So many organisations focus on exit interviews rather than proactively reaching out to team members to ask if they are happy, spend time exploring their career goals and ensure they are satisfied and happy at work.

In her book, The 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty, Heather R. Younger writes, “There is a growing trend toward conducting employee-stay interviews in place of, or in addition to, exit interviews. This is primarily due to unsuccessful attempts to gather trustworthy feedback from people on their way out the door. It turns out that current employees are much more likely to give human resources the time of day and even sit to talk about the work environment. Also, they are more likely to provide balanced feedback.”

Whether at the start or end of the year, check in regularly with the team.

2. Listen to and act on feedback

Listening to and acting on feedback is so significant that I’ve dedicated Chapter Thirteen to the voice of the team. Creating formal and informal opportunities to listen and act on feedback is one of the most important roles of a service leader and has a massive impact on retention.

Management thinker Roger Martin explains it well. “Never dismiss their ideas, never allow their progress to be blocked, and never miss the chance to shower them with praise when they succeed.” 

3. Offer flexible work

If the pandemic taught us anything, it is the need to offer flexible working conditions for team members, with far more creativity around hours and roles that suit them. And that includes remote and hybrid roles.

Some parts of customer service have particular requirements to enable customer coverage, which means specific working hours and conditions. These are important considerations in initial recruitment and selection discussions. A PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) survey found that 45 per cent of respondents who are unable to work from home reported less job satisfaction than their colleagues who can. Fifty per cent of employees surveyed said being able to choose where to work was the most important factor when deciding whether to change jobs.

4. Engage the team in professional development

A lack of visible professional development or career progression can be a significant reason people leave to pursue other opportunities. This development conversation needs to be had with each team member to know their goals and expectations and keep them informed regarding their career progression.

I have heard too many examples of people leaving the organisation for a new role, only to be told (too late) they were being considered for a promotion or other opportunities. Don’t lose good people through lack of communication. 

5. Prevent burnout and promote wellbeing

Nothing should be more important for organisations than the care and wellbeing of employees. It’s not about the impact on customers or productivity; this is the human cost with implications for mental health.

Recent UK employee engagement statistics suggest that burned-out employees are 63 per cent more likely to take a sick day and 2.6 times more likely to look for another job.

Stress at work also affects relationships outside of work. Maslach, Jackson and Leiter have identified six leading causes of burnout: unsustainable workload, perceived lack of control, insufficient rewards for effort, lack of a supportive community, lack of fairness and mismatched values and skills.

An observant leader can have a significant role in preventing burnout and focusing on wellbeing. It’s not about promoting self-care as a band-aid solution; instead, it is a commitment from the organisation to workplace practices and support to avoid it becoming an issue in the first place.

The focus is on prevention, not cure. There are plenty of valuable wellbeing resources online, so go looking.

6. Create a sense of belonging

Belonging can be defined as ‘the experience of being seen and heard and welcome with all of who we are’. Ensuring people feel valued and belong to the team and organisation has a real impact on retention.

Social belonging is a fundamental human need. Have you ever attended a party or function where you did not feel welcome? Our bodies are wired to scan for threats or dangers, and our first instinct is often to remove ourselves from uncomfortable situations. The same applies to workplaces.

People are likely to leave if they feel they don’t belong. High belonging was linked to a whopping 56 per cent increase in job performance, a 50 per cent drop in turnover risk, and a 75 per cent reduction in sick days. Employees with higher workplace belonging also showed a 167 per cent increase in their employer promoter score (eNPS) which is their willingness to recommend their company to others. 

7. Prioritise diversity, equity and inclusion

Creating a workplace of belonging starts with creating psychologically safe workplaces, inclusive leadership and focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion. When employees feel included, involved and accepted (real inclusion), they feel they belong in the workplace.

There is a strong correlation between a sense of belonging and organisations that are committed in actions (not just words) to diversity, equity and inclusion. Being progressive in this space for both employees and customers will likely retain and attract talent.

This is an edited extract from ‘They Serve Like We Lead – How To Take Care Of Your People So They Take Care Of Your Customers’ by Monique Richardson. Find out more at www.moniquerichardson.com.au

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