Seven Ways to Reduce Your Light Industrial Employee Turnover

Turnover can be a problem for light industrial employers. It can dampen productivity, as the hiring process and initial training periods can impact productivity. Productivity can particularly be hit during times of record employment levels like the U.S. is currently experiencing, because finding people who are looking for a job or want to make a switch can be challenging.

Hiring and training new people can also cost upward of 1.5 times the employee’s salary. Finally, a high rate of turnover can be a sign that your employees aren’t engaged with your company or are actively looking elsewhere because they aren’t content.

So reducing turnover is a way to keep productivity at peak levels, keep hiring and training time costs to a minimum, and ensure employee engagement and satisfaction.

Here are seven of the best ways to cut down on employee turnover in light industry.

  1. Screen people appropriately

Don’t neglect the hiring process when aiming to reduce turnover. People who can’t do the job or don’t fit the culture tend to leave early. Even if you’re keen to hire more people, make sure the ones coming in the door can do the job. Test for the skills you need, for example, if that matches the job. If you’re hiring for trainee positions, screen to determine whether they fit the company culture.

  1. Pay top performers well

Although there are many reasons to work in light industry, the fact is, most people in every field work for money. You need to make sure the salaries of your company are at least competitive with other light industrial firms. If you have excellent performers, you need to pay to keep them.

  1. Recognize good performance

People find recognition of good performance encouraging. Not only that, but recognition of good performance gives clear signals to other employees of what they need to do to be considered top performers. Develop a specific recognition program, with rewards. Do the most productive teams get their birthdays off, for example, or get a steakhouse gift certificate? Methods like this work.

  1. Foster positive traditions

When employees are engaged with the company and with each other, they tend to stay. Fostering positive traditions is a time-honored method of maximizing engagement. It could be a monthly happy hour or a company softball league, or other method of choice. Find a tradition that builds communication among your employees and is remembered fondly.

  1. Develop promotional paths

Most employees like to be promoted. It’s a chance for more pay and increased recognition. If your company becomes known as a good place to be promoted, people will be likely to stay. Develop promotional paths for your best people, and work with them to progress.

  1. Staff the company adequately

Few circumstances are more stressful in light industrial life than not being staffed adequately. Employees may have to work longer hours. They may be called upon to meet objectives or quotas that are challenging given the staffing levels. Tempers may flare and anxiety levels increase. People may start to think of looking for work elsewhere. The solution? Make every effort to have sufficient staff for the work that needs to be done.

  1. Strive for good work-life balance

In addition to pay, promotion, and recognition, employees value a good work-life balance. If feasible, allow a certain degree of flexibility in start and end times. Set up policies for maternity and family leave if possible.

Contact a Staffing Firm Today

Do you need to recruit more engaged employees? We can recruit and develop a plan. Staffing agencies are pros. We’re happy to help. Contact us today.