Employee retention is crucial for any business. There are many reasons why employees choose to leave their job for a different one. Some might say they find it difficult to advance in the company, or their supervisor/leaders might be difficult to connect to. They might also be looking elsewhere if they’re looking for a higher salary. Take stock of these different reasons and get proactive. You’re not alone; we’re here to help.

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Meeting with your employees regularly

When was the last time you sat down with your employees and chatted with them about their working experience? Even if its just asking basic questions, investing some of your time in this way will greatly increase employee retention.

The important thing to remember is that these meetings should be one on one. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a company-wide meeting with all of your employees will solve the problem. Even if it will save time, the payoff of individual meetings will be well worth it.

Asking the right questions

Even if you’re not in a meeting with your employees, you can still ask them questions from time to time. They don’t need to be complicated questions; you can simply ask them how they are doing, what their goals are for the year, and what you can do to help along with that.

If you do plan a meeting with your employees, consider including some more thought-provoking questions in your discussions. Here are a few examples:

• On a scale of one to ten, how satisfied are you in your current role?
• How could your position change in order to help it align with your goals more easily?
• What do you think you are doing well?
• What do you think you could improve?
• How do you think your team is doing?

Following up frequently

Following up with your employees later on in the year, perhaps at the end of each quarter, will give your relationship with them more longevity and concreteness. This will help increase retention, as your employees will feel as though you are invested in their growth at the company.

The best way to ensure that you follow up with your employees in a meaningful way is to set periodic goals. Allow your employees to discuss their personal and professional goals, and set up a plan on how they might be able to achieve those goals while working at your company.

Follow up with your employees frequently and ask them how their goals are working out. Set up additional meetings throughout the year as necessary, and catch up with them on predetermined schedules.

Even if you do end up losing some employees in spite of this process, don’t worry. The main focus with retention is maintaining your best employees so that they will stay with your company for years to come. Average employees come and go, but great employees are worth working for.