According to LinkedIn, the tech sector has the highest rate of employee turnover. Which means if you’re struggling to hold onto your talented tech employees, you’re not the only one. For the most part, people leave for a new opportunity, so what can you do to retain your best employees? We spoke with Luke Clarke, Senior Business Manager at Computer Futures, to find out more.
Give your employees ownership
“The day someone does something for their manager and not themselves is the day they become disengaged,” says Luke. And he makes a fair point. If people don’t take ownership of what they’re doing, if they’re not engaged and invested, they may start to look elsewhere. Having a sense of responsibility gives people a purpose and encourages them to stay.
One way Luke helps to keep people engaged is by getting them to set weekly objectives. That way they have goals to work towards and are in control of their own career.
Celebrate their successes
Nowadays, it’s more common for people to want to see results or changes quickly. And they want to see their successes recognised – even if it’s a simple ‘well done’. Luke says, “If people are recognised for their hard work, they’re more likely to keep chasing goals. It’s simple to do as a manager, but it really does help to stop people looking elsewhere.”
Highlight when people have done a good job, help them readdress their goals so they can keep achieving, and let them see their value and worth.
Help your employees develop
Over time, programs become more advanced, new languages are developed, and more skills are required. Whilst some employees will go out of their way to continually improve their skills, not all of them will. That’s why it’s important you have programmes or training sessions available that enable everyone to develop.
It will help them feel valued, supported, and loyal.
Ask for feedback
It’s important to ask your employees for feedback. Ask them to share what aspects of their job they’re happy with, what parts they’re not, whether they’d recommend you to friends, and why they gave that answer. This can be done anonymously, so your employees feel comfortable, ensuring honesty.
Asking for feedback means you’ll be able to clearly identify which areas you need to improve on in order to help people feel happier in their role/department. And, in doing so, you’re helping to ensure you retain your best employees.
Offer incentives and benefits
When we speak to candidates looking for new opportunities, incentives and benefits are often the key factors between them going for a job (along with salary). And a lack of them often results in people looking elsewhere. So it’s worth revisiting your benefits package and seeing whether it’s in need of a refresh.
It might also be worthwhile reiterating what’s available to your employees. They might have forgotten over time or simply never realised.
Encourage open communication
If employees are in a position to discuss any potential issues when they arise, it’ll help to avoid certain issues becoming bigger problems. And it doesn’t have to just be communication around issues – it could be around your product/service, the work they’re doing, suggestions for the future changes, sharing ideas. If people feel like you value their input, they’re more likely to stick around.
Have clear career progression
If people can’t see where they’re going within the company, or when their next promotion opportunity will be, they’re more likely to leave. Have discussions with your employees about what they can expect in the future. Set goals that will help them move forwards and achieve all they need in order to get that promotion.
All of the things we’ve mentioned in this article are very simple to put in place and they do make a difference. If you’re looking to grow your team, or need to replace leavers, we can help. Just click here to find your nearest office.
