Steve is the co-founder and CEO of Award coa fast-growing rewards and recognition company.
The work environment continues to be shaken by two influential trends: a record number of layoffs (50 million people quit in 2022) and record lows in employee engagement (only 32% of employees report being engaged at work).
The worst part is that these two things reinforce each other. As engagement decreases, employees are more likely to quit. And as friends and colleagues leave for better opportunities, the remaining employees are swamped with additional responsibilities, often leading to stress, burnout and withdrawal.
While there is no magic fix to fix everything, there is one strategy that I believe can help organizations increase retention and engagement: improving the employee journey.
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What is the employee journey?
The employee journey includes every interaction employees have with your organization during their tenure. From the first time they search for your business online to their last day.
Let’s break it down into five basic stages.
1. Recruitment.
2. Onboarding.
3. Retention.
4. Development.
5. Divorce.
These stages are broad and overarching, so it’s important to remember that each employee will have a different journey depending on their role, their personality and their needs. However, with a general framework you can better ensure that employees feel supported, valued and rewarded.
Here’s what you need to know about each stage’s role in engagement and retention.
1. Recruitment
The hiring stage spans from the first time a potential employee hears about a company to the day they are hired. Here are a few key points to keep in mind.
• Your organization’s online presence. Does your company post anything on social media? Do you talk about your core values ​​and show how you illustrate them? Do you have positive reviews on Google, Glassdoor and LinkedIn?
• The interview process. Does your company have a structured interview and hiring plan? Do you have well-written, explanatory job postings? Do you have a plan to contact interviewees in a timely manner?
Just as a book cover is the first impression you have before reading a story, the recruiting stage is the first impression potential employees have of your company. This impression determines how your employees feel about your company for the rest of their tenure.
Recruitment should be planned so that employees can start with an engaged foot. Without a recruiting strategy, companies may not have good talent to retain in the first place.
2. Onboarding
Onboarding, often viewed as the first day or week of an employee’s employment, should in fact include at least the first, according to most HR experts. three months.
Consider this: successful onboarding can increase retention up to 50% and productivity increased by 62%. But right now, only 12% of employees think onboarding is effective. I think this needs to improve.
Here are some tips for planning your onboarding phase to take advantage of the increased retention and engagement.
• Plan months ahead. Schedule onboarding processes for months after an employee’s start date. Add useful training, shadowing opportunities, follow-ups and frequent one-on-ones to ensure your new hires feel comfortable and confident.
• Make the first day count. While onboarding should take months, the first day is critical. Make sure every employee starts with the opportunity to meet their colleagues, has the equipment they need and a clear understanding of what is expected of them from day one. The sooner they can contribute, the faster they will build trust.
• Provide the right resources. Along with clear expectations, which can greatly affect engagement and productivity, managers make sure they know how to help new hires adapt. Also, create helpful resources, such as handbooks or FAQ pages, that can help new hires get used to your company and culture.
3. Retention
Retention is the broadest of these stages. Many strategies align with employee retention, such as employee recognition, value-driven work, compensation, benefits, and upward mobility.
In short, employees should appreciate the work they do, and they should be appreciated for the effort they put in. lower voluntary turnover with 31% and helping people stay happy. Ultimately value-driven work improves employee engagement. As part of this, I see competitive terms of employment and salary as a must. And upward mobility shows that employees can stay and are rewarded for their loyalty.
All these facets of retention must be present for the employee journey to be successful.
4. Development
Did you know more than 90% of employees think professional development is important to them? People want to know that their employers care about their growth. They want raises and promotions, yes, but they also just want the chance to take on more responsibility and learn new skills.
Professional development can include all kinds of programs, including:
• Soft skill training, such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking or leadership.
• Hard skills training, such as the technical skills required for specific tasks.
• Continuing education to help employees gain new knowledge and skills in areas of interest.
Most employees do not want to work in a hopeless job with no hope of improving themselves or their position. That’s why planning professional development opportunities for all employees is an important part of the journey.
5. Divorce
Whether it’s layoffs, layoffs, or retirements, every employee will eventually leave the company. While this stage has no direct impact on retention or engagement, it can have implications for future employees.
Exit interviews are a great way to find out what the organization is doing well and what it can improve on. Leaders should be open to feedback and objectively assess how they can provide better benefits, improve the culture or make other improvements to prevent future employees from complaining about the same things.
Improve retention and engagement with a planned trip
The recent trends are disturbing, but with a well-thought-out employee journey, I think you have the framework needed to guide employees through their work experience. This can improve the engagement, retention, happiness and satisfaction of every employee in every role at every level.
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Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.