Keeping your employees satisfied is part and parcel if you want to grow strong business relationships, maintain trust and build brand engagement. Whether it’s showing your appreciation through freebies or communicating more transparently, make sure your employees feel the love with these handy tips:
Perks, perks perks
Staff away days, Pizza Fridays and free coffee can work wonders. Though small, these gestures all go towards making staff feel valued, creating a positive work environment and culture which your staff will be in no hurry to leave.
Communicate transparantly
Emphasise your company’s mission. For IAG Cargo, our motto is Always moving, which we believe shows we’re a forward-thinking, innovative business with reliable logistics at our heart. Consider your business values and disseminate these through your culture with transparent communications and projects that show your investment in the mission. Positive reinforcement of these values will keep interest piqued – staff will know where the company is heading and want to be on board for the ride.
Encourage honest feedback
Straight-talking can have an incredibly positive impact on your team. Talk to departing staff about their reasons for leaving and try to use this knowledge to improve the prospects of long-serving staff who might have negative feelings about the company. Ask questions such as: what was your motivation to join the company? What’s kept you here? Why might you leave? Any non-negotiable issues? What about your managers? What would you change or improve?
Promote worthy employees
Promote staff from within the company before looking to hire externally. Your staff will understand that their efforts don’t go unnoticed, and that there is a clear path for growth at your company.
Invest in development
Offer training in a new job skill and offer opportunities for night courses or further education in subjects that will increase their career chances. You’ll likely be rewarded for the investment.
Office pet
In 2012, a study at Virginia Commonwealth University showed that employees of a manufacturing company who brought their dogs to work reported feeling significantly less stressed during the day than those that did not. If you’ve got an office environment that would suit animals, encourage employees with domesticated pets to bring them in if you’re after a bit more office cohesion.
Financial rewards
Consider financial rewards for employees that meet performance goals and remain for a fixed period, say, three or five years. Also, provide meaningful annual raises. Nothing is more frustrating than a token salary increase. If this is impossible, create a bonus structure where employees can work for their reward for meeting performance goals. If neither is viable for your business, loyalty programmes with providers such as our FWD. Rewards scheme for SMEs give employees perks that give them freedom and fun at their fingertips.
For more information on FWD.Rewards, speak to your IAG Cargo Account Manager or sign your team up here.