How to Improve Employee Retention 3 Things All Employees Want

87% percent of employers list employee retention as a critical priority. You’ve likely spent a lot of time selectively hiring the brightest minds in your field. Now, it’s essential to figure out how to keep them. At a time when employees are focused more on meaningful contribution and growth than job title or stability, companies are struggling to figure out how to keep their employees engaged and happy.

Let’s face it, a company is only as successful as its employees. So, you need to encourage your employees to stick around, but you also need to encourage them to perform to their full potential.

But how do you do that? Here are three things all employees really want from their employers.

1. Opportunities to Learn and Grow

Keep your employees updated with professional development opportunities. Today’s employees are viewing jobs as development opportunities. They want to improve their skill set and learn to do their jobs better. It’s a win-win for the employee and the company. When employees feel like they are being invested in, they want to work hard and give their best efforts.

Conversely, 46% of employees cite limited opportunities to learn new skills as a top reason they were bored in their current roles and looking for a change.

2. Flexible Environment

Employees aren’t keen on sitting at a desk from 9 am to 5 pm anymore. They want flexibility, so they can better balance the demands of work with their home life. Improvements in mental and physical health are also associated with workplace flexibility. A happy employee will be more engaged and less likely to leave their job.

Globally, flexibility has surpassed healthcare coverage as the most-preferred benefit.

3. Recognize Good Work

Employees want to know the impact they are having. They want their work to have meaning. Consistent, one-on-one meetings are a great way to provide your talent with feedback.

Organizations with effective employee recognition programs have 31% lower voluntary turnover.

Employees want to be challenged, they want to be creative and they want to be passionate, but they want to do it on their own terms. Companies need to promote their workplace as an ideal location for talented people to do great work. Leaders who encourage and recognize contributions ignite passion in employees that drives them to become engaged and give their best.

Bonus Tip: Use these three tips to boost your employee retention. A few may still slip away, but at least they’ll leave ready to recommend your company as a great place to work.