There are plenty of choices in a candidate-driven market, and your people can go anywhere they like, at any time. And a big salary isn’t enough. They have to really love it.
[clickToTweet tweet=”your people can go anywhere they like & a big salary isn’t enough. They have to really love it.” quote=”your people can go anywhere they like & a big salary isn’t enough. They have to really love it.”]
And often, it doesn’t have to be as hard as you think; it’s merely a lesson in human behavior, and in an industry that is focused on people, this shouldn’t be too hard to learn.
We’re in this together
Involve your people in what you’re doing. That doesn’t mean briefing them at the weekly meeting every Monday morning about what the senior management team has decided to do. It means bringing them into the conversation. Include them in the vision, the bigger picture, the goals, the dreams, and even the struggles. Involved people are engaged people.
On-boarding matters
It’s no longer enough to shove them in the corner for the day while the office secretary shows them around the fire escapes and where the coffee machine is. Create an on-boarding process that makes your people feel like they’re wanted and you’re excited to have them there. Create social opportunities so their first days are full of getting to know each other and engaging with employees across the organization.
You’re not that important
Managers and leaders often fall into the trap of thinking that as senior members of staff, they’re incredibly important, but get over yourself. Whatever glass box or separate office you’re sitting in, come out of it and sit with your employees on the floor. Give them a chance to see you, learn about you, and interact with you. Nobody wants to work hard for someone they don’t even know, and what’s more, a new generation of workers won’t engage with businesses that operate on strict hierarchies.
Break bread
A team that eats together, stays together. It sounds like something that should belong on a fridge magnet, but it’s honestly the truth. Making time to have team meals makes a world of difference to your team dynamics. That’s not to say that everyone has to sit down together for every meal, but once a week, or month, take the time to bring everyone together. When you’re sitting down consistently and breaking bread together, it’s incredibly hard to hold onto petty squabbles and office tensions. Or even if they do exist, over some good food and conversation, they can more easily be worked out.
[clickToTweet tweet=”A team that eats together, stays together.” quote=”A team that eats together, stays together.”]
Their future matters
Your team’s personal development matters a whole lot. Make sure you take the time to understand what it is they want, out of life and their careers. Sit down with them to plan a strategy of how the can achieve those career goals and make sure they know that their development matters. If they feel like you care and that they’re upskilling themselves and constantly moving forward, they’ll always be more engaged in the business and its mission. We all want to feel like someone is rooting for us, just as hard as we root for them.
[clickToTweet tweet=”We all want to feel like someone is rooting for us, just as hard as we root for them.” quote=”We all want to feel like someone is rooting for us, just as hard as we root for them.”]