The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a wave of changes and challenges for businesses of all sizes to contend with. One of the more significant challenges has been the difficulty in hiring and retaining quality staff. Staff turnover can have a deeply detrimental effect on a business, especially a small one. The process of reviewing applications, interviewing, processing paperwork, and training new employees is time-consuming, and your customer service and productivity will suffer while you’re short-staffed. Need some help weathering the Great Resignation? Read on for our tips to boost retention and make your investment in your employees pay off.
Build Pride in Your Workplace
People weigh many factors when deciding to stay at or leave a job. Many are practical, like pay, benefits, and commute. However, others are less tangible but equally important: a sense of pride in their work, a good company culture, and a vested interest in the business. By taking a few simple actions, you can significantly boost your employees’ experience of working at your business. Everyone likes to feel that they are appreciated and their work is valued. Make sure you are cultivating a culture of respect and recognition. Celebrate wins and give praise freely. Work to build pride in your brand, too. When you think about all the ways you market your business, don’t limit those only to your customers. You should essentially be marketing to your employees, too! By building a positive brand perception among your staff, you’ll earn their loyalty.
Make New Employees Feel Welcome
This process of earning loyalty should start from the very beginning. Make new employees feel valued from the start and show that you are excited to have them on the team. A great way to welcome a staff member is with a new hire agBox. These completely customizable boxes can be designed with your branding and packed with unique branded promotional products and printed materials of your choice. You can include anything they might need for their job — like a uniform or a mousepad — along with fun things like a mug, tumbler, or even a tech item with your company logo. Whatever you include in the box, creating some fanfare and making your new employee feel special on their first day is sure to have a lasting positive effect. If your workforce is remote, it’s even more important to make them feel part of the team. Mailing a new-hire welcome agBox is an unexpected gesture that sends the message that your employees are valued and your business cares about maintaining a positive company culture. Thoughtful actions like this can help take the place of things like team-building exercises and group dinners or happy hours that are not as feasible for remote teams. Remember, first impressions matter. By sending the message right away that your employee is valued and you’re happy to have them on board, you’ll be setting yourself up for a great, lasting relationship.
Reward Great Service with Branded Gifts
Another way to build a strong company culture and make your employees happy is by being clear with your expectations. Setting realistic goals — and rewarding those who achieve them — can create a sense of friendly competition and inspire everyone to work harder. Again, an agBox or a premium branded promotional item on its own is a great choice for expressing your appreciation for a job well done. A reward for hitting a work milestone should be something extra special. Invest in a high-value premium promotional item to really show your gratitude for your employees’ hard work. Not only will it inspire them to give the job their all, but the gratification of knowing that their efforts are appreciated will go a long way. Plus, the higher quality the gift, the more likely your employees are to use it regularly and show it off — spreading awareness for your brand and potentially earning you new employee referrals.
Create a Positive Work Environment
A more subtle, but equally important, way to build employee loyalty and boost retention is simply to make the workplace an enjoyable place to be. We spend a lot of our time at work, and if the environment doesn’t make us happy, it’ll take a toll on our mental health — and ultimately prompt us to look elsewhere. Take a critical look around your space and determine how you might improve the aesthetics. This might mean decorating with some canvas prints or installing window, wall, and floor graphics that reinforce your branding and company values. You could invest in more comfortable chairs and desks, or wrap the walls to brighten your space with splashes of color. If your workforce is currently remote but planning to return to the office, make use of this time to invest in an office makeover that will actually get your employees excited about going back to working in person.
Partner with AlphaGraphics to Show Appreciation
From welcome gifts to achievement rewards to office makeovers, AlphaGraphics designs and prints a wide range of solutions that will help make your employees love working for your business. If your business could use some help with employee retention, get in touch with your local AlphaGraphics center today!