Creative Ways to Improve Employee Retention

In response to the Great Resignation, many companies have become motivated to discourage resignations and retain top talent. Employee retention, a company’s capacity to keep its workers, can reduce turnover costs and higher employee engagement rates. As The New York Times explains, taking proactive employee retention steps has become crucial for companies since the number of individuals who quit their job rose to 3.4% in 2022. 
 
Understanding the importance of employee retention, let’s explore the various factors that can increase employee retention. One of the most important ones is a healthy workplace and company culture. As our post "What Is Workplace Culture and How Do We Get It?" mentions, workplace culture is made up of traditions that enable employees to build relationships. To create a better company culture, businesses can create employee engagement programs, offer competitive compensation with great benefits, and prioritize work-life balance for employees. These examples, whether seen in the likes of corporate picnics or volunteer opportunities, help improve employee morale, promote job satisfaction, and enhance overall job performance, leading to higher employee retention.

Ideas to Improve Employee Retention

All that considered, fostering an engaging workplace culture is only one of the many ways to combat high employee turnover. Below, are a few creative employee retention strategies your company can explore!

1) Include Wellness Programs as a Company Benefit

A strong predictor that an employee is about to leave is excessive absenteeism. This is often caused by low job satisfaction, which is fundamental in decreasing employee turnover. To combat this, A survey from The University of Central Florida determined that offering wellness programs increased satisfaction and reduced absences. 
 
A wellness program is a holistic endeavor that aims to promote overall health. A popular option is to offer free yoga classes. As enumerated in a Daydreaming in Paradise article, yoga has many benefits that can improve employee outlook while increasing productivity. It improves sleep quality, which boosts work performance, and relieves the body of the pain accumulated from long work hours. In line with this, providers like Office Meet Yoga (OMY) even offer tailored yoga classes based on employee needs. Some of their in-person and virtual classes even include office-friendly styles like desk yoga. 
 
If a company can’t outsource classes, they can opt for gym reimbursements instead. This motivates employees to get their bodies moving. Regular exercise is proven to help in maintaining positivity and dealing with stress. Thus, giving employees these services for free increases their job satisfaction and reduces the likelihood of quitting.

2) Provide Free Meals and Snacks

Providing free workplace meals and snacks can help increase your employee retention rate. Whether it be a minor afternoon pick-me-up, or a complete lunchtime meal, employees will feel valued and cared for if their meals are provided by their employer. 
 
ezCater, a corporate catering company that connects businesses to restaurants, revealed that 64% of new employees are more inclined to consider a new job if free meals are offered. As such, you can employ the services of professional office caterers to provide a great menu that can appeal to potential recruits and current employees alike. 
 
But, make sure you aren’t using meals as a replacement for bonuses or other compensation. For example, suppose an employer offers a pizza party after a large project that nets the company millions in revenue. In that case, it can hurt morale and make employees feel undervalued. So, be careful to only use free food as a perk of the job and not a reward or bonus.

3) Improve the Physical Workplace Environment

Designing an improved work environment can foster a sense of belonging and collaboration, which Harvard Business Review mentions can attract talent, encourage attendance, and increase retention of your best employees. This is exemplified by Gravity, a mix-used building that enlists an amenities curator to develop programs, like canned food drives or pop-up food trucks, that can help build community within the workplace. 
 
Apart from that, Harvard Business Review states how businesses can also offer flexible seating for when people need a break. As such, utilize ergonomic equipment for employees to help support the correct position and posture while working. Ultimately, designing a workplace that can bolster employee satisfaction can also positively impact retention rates. 
 
Talking with your employees about ways to improve the environment can make them feel a greater sense of ownership of their workplace and more invested in the company. So seek out employee feedback and looks for ways to implement their suggestions.

4) Introduce Personal Development Opportunities

According to a 2023 Gallup survey, 18% of the country's full- and part-time employees are actively disengaged, underscoring the struggle to retain talent. Luckily, as The New York Times pointed out, companies can drive greater job satisfaction by offering skill-building initiatives that can contribute to a worker’s personal and professional development. 
 
These opportunities can help the employees build their professional skillset and advance their careers. By prioritizing employee development, you are improving your team and helping the employees. You can consider sending your team to industry conferences, and skill workshops, offer individual continuing education programs, or have a free Udemy subscription for employees to learn online. Of course, nowadays, there are many unique learning opportunities that can keep your new hires and current staff engaged and motivated! 
 
Other unique professional development programs may encourage workers to explore new interests alongside their peers. For example, LinkedIn’s "InDay" is celebrated monthly and enables employees to attend wellness-themed activities like meditation classes and participate in culture-building activities. You can effectively counteract disengagement by supporting your employees as they develop meaningful skills.

5) Offer Automated Payroll Solutions

The way employees get paid is an essential factor that often gets ignored when considering employee compensation. By deploying automated payroll solutions, you can ensure that employees are paid on time and help enhance employee retention. As shared by a 2023 Ramco article on payroll automation, modern software can minimize chances of human error within payroll processing—helping maintain workers’ satisfaction levels and strengthening employee retention.

Horizon is a Trusted Payroll Partner for Businesses

Now, if you want to implement automated payroll software for your business, our Payroll Management Solution is customizable to meet your specific needs. We also offer the Rapid PayCard, which reduces bank fees, eliminates the need for paper checks, and quickens statement reconciliation times so your workers can access their pay efficiently. 
 
Hopefully, this article has given you some ideas on which strategies to implement to bolster your organization's retention rates. Contact Horizon today for more information on building a great workplace culture through our professional solutions.

Content Author: Amelia Harvey