That old adage, that change is the only constant, is true about everything, including your staffing. No matter how strong your team is or how happy your employees appear, eventually someone will leave and a new person will need to be found.
Turnover is just another part of business life. It’s something all managers need to be prepared for and ready to handle.
Here are a few tips on how to manage turnover and how to work with your team to prevent it from happening (in some cases).
Talk to your team
Communication is the cornerstone of any good relationship, personal or professional. Make a point to talk with your employees to get a sense of what they’re dealing with on a daily basis: What’s working, what isn’t, what problems might be bubbling under the surface. Little grievances can become big issues if they’re not tended to quickly, and those problems can translate into empty spots on the employee roster if they’re not handled well.
Provide opportunities to expand their skills base
Sometimes people start to look for a new job because they feel bored or like things are stalling. But if they have the chance to learn something new, or add to their existing skill base by expanding their training, they’ll be more inclined to stick around. Is it possible to cross-train some workers so they’re not just more adaptable, but more valuable?
Consider turnover as an opportunity for bigger changes
When an employee leaves, it hurts productivity. But is it a staffing gap that needs to be filled right away, if ever? An empty position could be an opportunity to try something new. Have there been too many people working on the same tasks? Are there efficiencies to be created? See if there are adjustments that can be made to keep your current levels of productivity with a slightly reduced staff.
Some turnover is good
New employees bring in new ideas, new thoughts, new experiences, and a new set of eyes to make suggestions on how improvements can be made. Losing a valued employee stings, but you don’t know how much your team can learn from someone unencumbered by institutional knowledge. It might even make the team better and more productive if the person who leaves wasn’t pulling their weight.
Change is inevitable but it isn’t always something to dread. And change is always an opportunity to learn.
Debbie’s Staffing is here to help!
When you’ve got an opening on your team, or if you’d like to learn other ways to try and mitigate turnover, contact Debbie’s Staffing. We’re ready to help you find exactly the kind of highly-skilled and eager employee who will make a great addition to your team and keep your productivity rates high. Contact us today and let’s get started.