The once very popular TV show The Weakest Article was based on the assumption that teams cannot reach their full potential unless everyone is on board working towards a common goal. It is similar to employee loyalty.
Without the full participation of all team members, real cooperation is impossible. In addition, employees who do not feel a reason to be loyal are more likely to relax and eventually leave.
The problem is that recruitment is time-consuming, labor- and cost-intensive. According to the SHRM Human Capital Benchmarking Report 2016, the average cost of hiring and hiring a new employee is $4,129. The average time to fill a new position is 42 days.
The recruitment process also emphasizes current team members. Not only will they have to train / answer questions, but they will also begin to ask if the company is in trouble.
Most professionals want to do the right thing from the companies they work for. However, you have to give them a reason to really want to get involved and stay in it. It starts with a joint effort to turn regular employees into loyal team members.
Here’s how to grow employee loyalty in your company:
1) Know the difference between regular and loyal employees
Fixed employees remain because they do not know how to leave. The following staff shall:
- fear of change
- I can’t find/I couldn’t find a better option
- have family/financial worries that prevent them from leaving
- Soon to retire
Fixed employees do what they have to do to stay employed. For them, work is just work. In many cases, this is largely due to the fact that they do not feel valued as professionals.
Loyal employees, on the other hand, care a lot about the company and its co-workers. They feel part of a larger vision of the company and know how their role contributes to success. This makes them happy, dedicated and productive. In some cases, loyal employees even help attract new employees.
To turn regular employees into loyal team members, you need to show the former how their work directly benefits the company’s goals. Explain how they individually fit into the team culture and remind them that they have been accepted because their skills and experience matter. For most permanent employees, they just want to know that they make a difference and that they value their work.
2) Regularly monitor employee behavior
Solid employees are easy to recognize if you know what to look for. In some cases, these workers are really waiting for you to reach out to them and offer them ways to improve and better connect with the workplace and your co-workers.
Without this personal attention to detail, permanent employees will simply find another role. In fact, of the 5000 job seekers surveyed in The Career Candidate’s Experience in 2017, a whopping 76 percent said they were actively looking for additional opportunities. These employees probably feel excluded from what is happening in the company and do not consider themselves valuable team members, as they often did not receive any specific information about it.
Therefore, noticing the behavior of a permanent employee, you need to act quickly. Recognize team members who are or have suddenly become reclusive. These workers apologise again and again. They submit only the necessary minimum of work.
In addition, their quality of work may deteriorate and they do not show interest in career advancement. They never arrive early or stay late and refuse to participate in work-related social functions. For permanent employees, it’s not about whether they leave, but when.
Instead of accepting their inevitable departure, reach out to the employee and address the issue personally. Such an open discussion will reveal their real reservations (no stimulus/growth, boredom/stunted creativity, overwork). It will also alert you to the pitfalls in your organization (workplace conflicts, mismanagement, lack of development opportunities).
3) Give a little, take
Once you’ve got to the heart of the matter and received feedback from permanent staff, it’s time to act. Instead of one-way communication, focus on engaging team members in the next steps.
Of the 300 managers surveyed in the 2016 Quantum Workplace Employee Feedback Status In the survey, 57 percent said employees play a role in their own engagement. If employees are directly involved in the solutions, they are more likely to meet the objectives set out in the work execution agreements.
First, determine what is most important for workers. Based on this feedback, create a personal career plan. Get involved by creating an employee engagement strategy. This should include development opportunities and regular two-way feedback (monthly one-on-one meetings).
Employees must fully understand the company’s mission and vision and how they fit into the plan. They should be aware of their responsibilities and what is expected of them.
4) Make time for fun and games
To correct the cliché, all the work and no game makes boring employees. Improve workplace culture by implementing fun and innovative teambuilding and networking activities.
For example, a Nitro documents company provides employees with five days of paid time off (PTO) per year specifically for volunteer projects, in addition to their regular PTO. The corporate culture centers around “compassion,” and workplace executives say this is one particular way to show it.
Symphony’s workflow platform offers to “build your own benefit”, where professionals can choose the advantage that is most important to them. This comes in addition to their usual advantages.
And as part of their monthly magazine “Champagne and cheers”. employee recognition program, Goosehead employees gather to toast the best professionals. The winners will also receive a free bottle of champagne.
With focus and dedication, it is possible to turn permanent employees into loyal and dedicated team members. Through observation, flexibility, and team building and bonding, you can bring once-dedicated employees back into the group and turn them back into productive and engaged professionals.
