Written by Chris West

1. Consistently Deliver Praise and Recognition

Did you know that feeling unappreciated is the #1 reason why people quit their jobs? How can you prevent this?

You could create a monthly or quarterly award for the team member who most embodies your core values. Brand it with something inspiring to communicate the intent behind the award. I also highly encourage impromptu praise. Send out an email to the company when you notice someone going above and beyond, the unexpectedness of the gesture will give it a greater impact.

2. Make Work Fulfilling

No one wants to feel like their work doesn’t matter. You can map how everyone’s contributions help drive the company closer to fulfilling that purpose. You can literally write down and illustrate how each team member's role is critical for the company to fulfill its purpose. This ensures that everyone sees the value of their work – “delivering happiness” to their customers.

3. Offer Meaningful Perks

If you automatically assume that paying people more is the key to workplace happiness, guess again. The world has changed and with millennials now making up a large amount of the labour market it’s important to understand other perks that might attract/retain staff. A few things to consider could be unlimited holiday allowance, remote working, flexible hours, and team socials.

4. Invest in Your Team’s Personal and Professional Growth

Personal development is a basic human need, and your employees need to constantly grow to feel fulfilled. When employees feel stagnant, that’s when many start scrolling through the job boards in search of something new. To prevent this, you could ask employees to present on topics they’re passionate about in the workplace, this allows everyone to share their knowledge and level up together. You could also consider upping the budget per head for external learning courses. This will expand people’s knowledge and increase employee’s loyalty to the business

5. Build Trust

Your team wants to be trusted. They want to be given responsibility because it shows that you’re confident in their abilities. Trust means micromanaging less, but also creating accountability to ensure things are getting done.

If you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to reach out to me at chris.west@pertemps.co.uk