Seven Ways to Prevent Employee Turnover in 2017

Written by: Chris Rhatigan

It's a fact: Some valuable employees will leave your organization this year. However, you can take steps that will make employees think twice about quitting.


The dynamics of the workplace are changing quickly and it's critical to make sure your company culture is in step. Here’s a quick rundown of fundamental ways to improve satisfaction and reduce costly employee turnover.

1. Building Respectful Relationships with Employees


Managers and executives don’t need to be best friends with their employees. In fact, surveys have shown employees want to maintain a level of professional distance with superiors. But employees do place a high value on mutually respectful relationships. This means having clear expectations for every position. It means including all employees on decision-making processes. And it means ensuring that the workplace environment is positive and professional. Our 2017 Employee Engagement Report found that workplace culture is the primary factor when it comes to happiness.

2. Challenging Employees


The same report found that employees believe their time is often being wasted “putting out fires.” Employers too often fail to provide new opportunities for employees to improve their skills and become better at their jobs. Offering regular professional development and opportunities for advancement is valuable no matter what field you’re in.

3. Incentivizing Effectively


Employers typically offer individual bonuses to incentivize the behavior they want to see. But this is part of an old system that isn’t responsive to what employees want. Think about offering rewards that encourage the whole team to work together. For example, a happy hour paid for by the company is a good start.

4. Creating Open Communication


Seemingly every company lists effective communication as one of its core values. But how many actually follow through on this? Providing multiple ways for employees to offer feedback is just the start. Through regular pulsing surveys , you can pinpoint problems as employees see them and respond immediately.

5. Hiring Right


Our research demonstrates that maintaining solid relationships with colleagues is crucial to a positive work environment. Therefore, organizations need to consider more than skills and experience when filling positions. They need to consider how well new employees will fit in with their organizational culture.

6. Getting Serious About Work-Life Balance


With technology allowing incredible connectivity, too often companies expect that employees are available 24-7. However, this system is simply not sustainable or ethical. Encouraging employees to disconnect from work regularly is the way forward. This is especially true for younger generations of workers, who have seen their parents suffer from the effects of work-related stress.

7. Doing Exit Interviews


Talented employees are going to leave. Finding out exactly why and what competitors are offering is key to improving employee retention. Employees who are leaving are likely to be honest about what problems exist and what the company can do to change things.

These are just a few things you can do to make sure 2017 is a successful year for your organization and your employees!