Managing a team can be a challenge for business owners, but most entrepreneurs are heavily reliant on their employees to achieve results. If you run a company, one of your prime targets should be to retain talented employees. Employee retention doesn’t just make your business more consistent; it makes everything more sustainable for your business security. You need to think about how to encourage your employees to be happier and one of the best ways to do it is by working from home. From cultivating cloud solutions for remote working to encouraging your staff to control their working environment, you can ensure that your employees remain loyal to you. In this guide, we’ll explore some effective ways to encourage employee loyalty. 

Improve communication

One of the most significant aspects of building strong relationships between employers and employees is improving communication. Schedule regular catch-ups with individuals, groups and departments to check in with employees. Ask questions, enjoy open discussion and encourage people to speak up and share any ideas, thoughts or opinions. It’s beneficial to try to ensure that every member of the team feels able to voice suggestions or concerns. You can use technology, as well as face-to-face meetings if you have remote teams or hybrid workers. When you communicate with teams, make sure you listen and utilize feedback. If your employees feel like you’re doing all the talking, or they are raising the same issues time and time again, these are signs of communication breakdown. 

Encourage employee engagement

Improving communication is an integral aspect of employee engagement, but there are additional measures you can employ to encourage your team to get involved in team events, to feel like part of the business and to get more out of their job. Make time and space for individuals to talk and listen, and encourage your employees to air their views or provide feedback anonymously through eNPS software. Use the findings of polls, surveys, interviews and informal chats to shape the way you manage your team or tackle tasks in the future. If you have employees who have concerns about their workload, or they feel that the workplace isn’t particularly inclusive, for example, address these issues. Communicate with your team openly and honestly, take ideas on board and think of ways you can make improvements and overcome barriers and obstacles. From more regular meetings to staff training or team building activities, there are lots of solutions to consider. 

Show your appreciation. We all like to feel like we are valued and it’s particularly nice to get a shout out or a pat on the back when we’ve hit a milestone or done something spectacular. If your employees feel like they are working long hours or putting in a huge amount of effort and it is going unnoticed, their productivity may fall, morale will be low and some employees may consider looking for a new job. Show your appreciation, reward hard work and dedication and recognize loyalty and commitment. Make sure that every person feels like a valued, important member of the team. If you don’t reward achievements, there is a risk of losing talented individuals.

Offer an attractive employee benefits package

Salary and incentives are not the most important factors for many prospective employees looking for a job, but they can influence decision-making. If you are recruiting, or you’re trying to keep hold of your best employees, an attractive employee benefits package and a competitive salary could make the difference. If other firms are offering more in terms of pay or a more generous or comprehensive set of perks, there is a risk of losing out to competitors. Keep an eye on what other companies are offering and speak to your employees about what kinds of benefits they would value most. It’s useful to gather ideas and to monitor trends so that you have an insight into what employees are looking for. You might find that your employees are more interested in health and wellbeing benefits today than they were a decade ago, for example. 

Provide opportunities to progress

A lack of opportunities to progress is a common reason for employees to move on. Many employees accept jobs with ambitions to climb the ladder, earn more and take on more responsibility. If you don’t offer these opportunities, your employees may look elsewhere. There are several ways to promote development, including providing training, supporting team members who want to study or learn and considering internal candidates for vacancies or new roles. 

Understand the importance of work-life balance

Research suggests that work-life balance is more important for employees than ever before. Employees don’t want to spend all their time at work and they are drawn to offers that provide greater flexibility and the opportunity to enjoy a healthier balance. Flexible working had become more common before the pandemic, but 2020 became the year of remote working. Many employees enjoyed spending more time at home and cutting out their commute, and some are eager to continue working from home or adopting a hybrid system. As an employer, it is beneficial to discuss working patterns and hours with your team to get ideas and feedback and determine what kind of system will work best for your business and your team. 

For businesses that cannot operate remotely, there are ways to enable employees to benefit from a healthy work-life balance. These include managing schedules to avoid regular overtime, analyzing individual workloads and encouraging staff members to take advantage of paid leave and holidays. It’s also a great idea to adopt simple steps, such as setting core hours and putting a deadline on work-related communications. Employees shouldn’t receive work emails at 8 pm if they have left the office at 5 pm, for example. 

Brand values

It is increasingly important for employees to work for a business that aligns with their values. Surveys show that the proportion of employees who consider a brand’s values and culture before accepting a job offer has risen. Younger generations are particularly keen to work for companies that have shared values. Think carefully about what matters most to you, involve your employees and customers and showcase your values. Turn words into actions and try to make a positive difference. If your employees believe in the values and they support the steps that you are taking, they are more likely to be loyal to the company. Supporting initiatives and charitable causes to champion values can also enhance your brand image.

If you have a fantastic team, it’s natural to want to keep hold of your employees for as long as possible. Take these tips on board today to encourage employee loyalty and drive your business forward.