by Sharon Jones
Your staff are the foundation of your business. More important than your marketing strategy, more important than your logo, more important even than your website. Without your staff you simply cannot operate at the level you currently do. They are your troops on the ground; they represent your business to your customers and clients. Happy staff means an easier hiring process, saving you time and money With you staff being a crucial cog in the machinery of your business, you’ll want to take care of them, and let them know they are cared for. But how? Below are three ways that you can keep your staff happy with you for many years to come.
Pension
One of the biggest selling factors for many job seekers, beyond the actual salary, is the pension scheme. Setting up a good pension scheme where you match their contributions up to a certain amount is a fantastic way of showing that you are willing to invest in them. Good pension schemes can help you to retain employees for a long time too, meaning that you don’t need to worry about being left in the lurch. Granted, matching your staff’s contributions may impact your profit margin a little bit, but the savings in the long term will be astronomical when you work out how much having a staff vacancy can end up costing your business.
EAP
An EAP or Employee Assistance Program is a great way of showing your staff that you care about their wellbeing. If an employee is being affected by any issues, either at home or at work, that may affect their ability to work, they can ring the EAP number to speak to someone for assistance. If necessary, the EAP provider will refer them on to a specialist, like a councillor or advisor. The issues could be anything from stress or mental health worries to financial or relationship troubles. Not only does this promote awareness in the workplace around issues such as stress, depression, or anxiety, but it also means that you know your staff are being spoken to by someone who can advise them how to deal with any issues they might have, allowing them to make a change and return to work. The number and its uses should be clearly displayed around the work environment, and every effort should be made to impress upon your staff the importance of seeking help when it is needed.
Outplacement
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you will have staff that leave. Maybe they had a better opportunity working elsewhere, they’ve decided to change careers, or maybe they are simply retiring early. Either way, it is important to maintain good relationships and to do all you can to make the transition as easy as possible. Outplacement Services help you to ensure that the transition is smooth and helps to set up your employee for their continued journey. This may seem like a needless expense, but it will do wonders for your brand reputation. By showing that you are willing to spend money on looking after your staff, even when they are leaving, you are proving that you are an employer with a strong moral compass and caring nature. This means that your current staff are less likely to want to leave, and any staff that do leave will have nothing but praise for their time with you, meaning that filling vacancies will be easier.
Hopefully, these three tips have given you a good idea of not just how to look after your staff, but why it will benefit your business to do so.