Are you suffering as an employer during the Great Resignation, also known as the Big Quit? Then you might find comfort knowing there are ways to improve employee retention by recognizing the importance of the employee experience. The employee experience represents the constellation of an employee’s emotions about their work and relationship with their employer. How your employees feel about their work and their connection to what they do and why they do it greatly influences whether they stay or go. Think of it as customer service. If you foster satisfaction, connection, and confidence that their best interest is being served, you have a loyal customer, right? Ditto your employees.
Why provide a superior employee experience?
A fulfilled employee is a happy employee. The question is, how do you create that fulfillment? By creating a positive work environment where employees feel they belong and believe they influence the success of your business. Fulfilled employees not only tend to stay, but they also bring more passion and energy to their work environment while performing at a higher level.
How can I improve my employees’ experience?
First, get to know each employee. Learn what motivates them and how working at your company fits into their lives and meets their goals.
Second, involve your employees in one of your business challenges. Give them ownership of something that helps to solve the challenge, and then give feedback. Encourage their professional growth.
Third, establish a routine of positive touchpoints. There’s nothing like the personal touch to make a person feel valued. A daily connection with their manager or even a colleague can be reinforced with a weekly huddle for discussing current projects and any needs or questions. Be sure there’s a broader monthly 1:1 meeting where the employee can share the significant challenges, victories, and learnings they chronicled for the month.
Follow these tips to make your 1:1 meetings impactful:
1. Schedule the meetings—and show up!
2. Suggest the employee bring a list of their current challenges, victories, and learnings
3. Connect personally over non-work topics before moving on to business matters
4. Close the meeting with the employee describing the specific action items they’re committing to working on between the next 1:1 meeting
How can I measure employee experience?
You can measure the employee experience by asking questions about fulfillment through several forums including your 1:1 meetings, stay interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Again, think of how you measure customer service.
Remember, your most loyal customers probably feel proud to do business with you and are confident you have their best interest in mind—ditto your employees. Research by Gallup discovered great managers reduce turnover more effectively than any other role in the organization.
Try these techniques to create a superior employee experience and let me know what you discover.
Bruce
