It would be fair to say that the employment landscape has turned on its head over the last few years. If we were to roll back the years, employers tended to have few cares for their staff. And, if they did, financial incentives were the way to keep them.
Well, times have changed. Sure, everyone is going to smile at a pay rise, but there have been several studies which have shown that employees aren’t necessarily motivated by this alone. Instead, there are a whole host of other incentives to tap into and as a small business, using these to your advantage is crucial if you want to retain the best talent.
Make your benefits loud and clear
Sure, you might not be able to compete with the big corporations on everything, but sometimes it’s just about making your perks a little more well-known.
If you were to question a lot of employees, they are unlikely to have any sort of idea of the perks that their company can offer.
This is where you can stand out from the crowd. Advertise them whenever possible, using a platform like zestbenefits.com in some cases.
Provide autonomy
It sounds utterly simple, but a bit of recognition is all that some employees want. One of the easiest, and most beneficial ways, to do this is to provide them with a bit more autonomy.
In other words, hand them the reigns to a project. Immediately, it will provide them with a sense of ownership and rather than following instructions in their day-to-day role, they can experience calling the shots and ultimately taking responsibility.
It should go without saying that this is going to benefit both parties as well. It’s going to provide them with much more satisfaction, but you also gain a more senior member who can contribute more to projects.
The power of flexible working
In today’s day and age, this next tactic should hopefully be par for the course. After all, there has been a lot in the media about flexible working, and the government have even published initiatives to make it easier for employees to request it.
As such, if your business allows, promote this whenever possible. Try and be as flexible as possible as well. In other words, rather than confining flexible working to one day, allow employees to carry time over. It’s this sort of benefit that can really make a difference in the lives of those who work for you.
Take time with your employees
Granted, everyone is busy, but it’s amazing what an hour per week of one-on-one time does to people’s feelings. Suddenly, there is a greater degree of value around their work, and they feel as though they are being recognized.
1-2-1s are becoming more common in a lot of industries, and as well as giving employees the recognition that they sometimes don’t get, it allows you to stay on top of everyone’s work. It’s an immediate feedback channel, and will make everyone involved feel a lot better about their working environment.
