You’ve invested time and effort into building a team of talented individuals. You’ve seen them develop, achieve goals, and contribute to your organization’s success. But despite your best efforts, you’re facing a common challenge: retaining your talent. You’re not alone. 

Employee retention is a critical aspect of organizational success. 

Many companies are now facing the struggle with retaining employees, and it is often a result of a lack of high employee engagement among their workforce. This may be a bigger problem than what you initially think, and result in costs you didn’t expect to incur, but there are ways to take a proactive approach to retain your employees. 

The Cost of Employee Turnover

According to Forbes, the cost of employee turnover can range from 50% to 200% of an employee’s base salary. The cost of employee turnover extends beyond monetary expenses. It includes the time and resources invested in recruiting, training, and onboarding new employees. 

Let’s not forget that turnover can also have a negative impact on employee morale and team dynamics, and also a reputational risk for your organization, leading to further disruptions and costs. Regardless of your role within your organization, you understand the impact and challenges of when employees leave.  This is why it’s so important for organizations to focus on retaining their top talent.

The Role of Managers in Employee Engagement

Managers serve a pivotal role in employee engagement and retention. Gallup tells us that 70% of an employee’s engagement level is determined by their manager. Their role includes creating a positive and productive work environment where employees feel safe and supported. 

Also, managers are often the first to see when an employee switches from an engaged to a disengaged employee. This is why it’s important that managers are equipped with the needed skills and tools to bring out the best in their teams so that they encourage a culture of engagement. Through this connection, employees feel valued and motivated to contribute their best work.

Indicators of Engaged and Disengaged Employees

It’s important to have a good understanding of your employees’ current level of engagement. Engaged employees are easy to spot. They demonstrate a positive attitude, they are committed organization, and display a willingness to go above and beyond in their work. On the other hand, disengaged employees may display a lack of motivation. They are also the ones who typically have higher absenteeism and show lower or decreased productivity. 

Identifying these indicators of engagement throughout your organization helps you create an action plan to go deeper into understanding what causes your employees to be engaged or disengaged. Organizational leaders, HR, and managers can all contribute to gathering these indicators. The keys are knowing how to gather this data, how to promote engagement and prevent disengagement, ultimately leading to higher retention rates.

Ways to Gathering Employee Engagement Data

Comprehensively gathering employee engagement can help you create meaningful change in your organization. Learning and understanding feedback from the information you collect will enable you to use this data to drive your decision making in your company. 

Here are 5 ways to help you gather employee engagement data effectively and leverage it to make these data-driven decisions:

1. Be visible – Through being accessible to employees, you’re not only observing employee behavior but creating interactions to gain insights into their engagement levels.
2. Stay interviews – Start conversations by conducting discussions with employees about why they like working for your organization, what changes they may like to see and learn what motivates them
3. 1:1 conversations – Conduct consistent one-on-one meetings with your employees to discuss their goals, challenges, and feedback. The key here is to listen more than you talk. 
4. Focus groups – Organize groups of employees to gather in-depth feedback from them on specific topics.
5. Employee engagement surveys – Administer employee engagement surveys to take a deeper dive into gathering feedback on engagement levels, overall satisfaction and alignment.

For ideas on starting these conversations, questions to ask and more suggestions on how to effectively gather employee engagement data, check out https://strivehr.net/getdata. Here you will get ideas on questions to ask and how to better utilize these methods to get the data to help support your direction.

Using Data to Strengthen Employee Retention Strategies

Gathering employee engagement data is just the first step. It’s what you do with that data that matters as the real value lies in using data-driven decisions to impact your retention strategies.  

Most importantly – be a good listener. Whether you are listening intently to what your employees share in their 1:1 meetings, or by understanding what you are hearing through your engagement surveys, commit to hearing what is being shared. Next, by analyzing trends and patterns in your employee engagement data, you can identify areas for improvement and develop targeted strategies to address them. 

Benefits of a Strong Retention Strategy

By using employee engagement data to format your retention strategies, you can create a strong and effective plan that addresses the specific needs and concerns of your employees. This proactive approach not only reduces turnover but also boosts employee morale and productivity. 

Employee engagement data is so much more than just metrics and numbers. It’s also about what could happen if a proactive approach is not put into place. Employees want to feel valued and supported. When they do, your organization experiences stronger morale, collaboration and success, leading to a more positive work environment for everyone. 

Additionally, a strong retention strategy can help you attract top talent. Job seekers are more likely to choose a company with a reputation for being a great place to work, and your retention plan has a direct link to creating that workplace reputation great candidates are seeking. 

Conclusion

Gathering and understanding your employee engagement data is essential for strengthening your employee retention strategies. By understanding the factors that contribute to your employee’s engagement, you hold the information you need to create a more positive and productive work environment. And, by taking a data-driven approach to employee retention, you are putting decisions into place that mirror what not only keeps your great employees but sets the stage for welcoming new talent that are also looking for those same attributes. 

By using these methods to gather data and create a strong retention strategy, you can become a retention champion for your organization. You are on your way to increasing employee engagement, improving your retention rates, and ultimately, achieving the goals your organization is striving for. 

Employee engagement data is a powerful tool, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. To truly unlock its potential, you need to build a culture of engagement where your people feel heard, valued, and empowered. To explore more ideas and strategies for supporting a corporate culture that leads to becoming and maintaining an award-winning workplace, check my book, CULTURE IMPACT. This comprehensive resource will empower you to take steps to create an extraordinary workplace culture and unlock your organization’s full potential.