Convincing Employees to Grow with the Company

Selecting, hiring and developing a core group of employees for the long term is essential for company growth – find out how to do so here!

Many young professionals on the job market today view a job change as a move on to greener pastures, and more often than not, a new job does indeed net them higher salaries. They argue that switching jobs allows them to climb the corporate ladder faster, whereas staying with the same company could have them waiting longer for a raise or promotion.

Furthermore, an article published on Forbes in June claimed that employees who stay in companies longer than two years wind up earning 50 per cent less because wage increases are failing to keep up with inflation.

With arguments like these, it's no wonder that companies are finding it difficult to get employees to consider a long-term career with them. In order to do this, companies need to find new ways to build employee loyalty – particularly among younger workers – and show them that they are valued. More importantly, employees need to feel that they have a stake in the company's future and must be able to see that they have real prospects for advancement and growth within the organisation.

Proper Selection Processes

The road to building a body of staff that will stick around begins at the very moment you hire someone. Selection and assessment processes need to be well-designed and hirers need to have a clear idea of what they are looking for. There are a variety of tests available to aid hiring managers in finding the right people, such as behavioural assessments, structural behavioural interviewing techniques or even psychometric tests.

As an employer, you should look beyond simply hiring someone to fill a specific role, and consider if the prospective employee has what it takes to progress with the company. Ideally, new hires should have the potential to take on new roles and greater responsibilities with proper training and support from the company.

Succession Planning

You should also address the main reason that causes employees to move on – the perception of better prospects at a new company. Employees should be able to chart their own progress within the company and be encouraged to articulate their own developmental goals and be supported in achieving them. To this end, you should focus on grooming your employees to move up the ranks where possible.

In addition, focus on identifying roles for which employees may be suitable for in the future and work with them to design a succession plan within the company. Employees can be groomed to advance through a variety of methods, such as job shadowing, rotations, mentoring or training programmes.

Invest in Employee Training and Development

Training opportunities add value to any job and show employees that the company is willing to help them develop professionally and personally. Employees should be entitled to a specific number of training hours or days every year and be allowed to pursue relevant upgrading or training courses.

These upgrading courses can also provide a welcome break from the routine they are used to and help employees get more out of their jobs. When employees see that you are willing to invest in them, they are more likely to invest in your company by staying on and grow their prospects with you.

Cultivate Good Relationships with Employees

To cap it all off, management should maintain an open-door policy that encourages employees to speak openly with them, ask questions and voice any grievances. Bad managers are also largely responsible for driving employees away from their companies, and a good working relationship with their manager can go a long way in boosting employee satisfaction.

When you, the employer, treat your employees with respect, you in turn will be respected. This can go a long way towards bolstering employee morale and motivation and ultimately, the chances that they will want to stay on.

At the end of the day, good companies recognise that their employees are their most valuable asset, and do everything in their power to train and retain them.