When it comes to employee satisfaction, multiple studies have proven one thing: Employees don’t quit companies. They quit bosses.
Employees quit dead-end jobs, unmotivated coworkers and low morale. And when employees start leaving, customers aren’t too far behind.
In businesses of all kinds, employee retention and customer loyalty are irrevocably tied. Companies with a longstanding employee base are considered dependable, trustworthy and productive. Employee retention fosters stronger company morale and speaks volumes about employee relations.
In HVAC businesses using The EverRest Group methods, employee retention and customer loyalty are also connected to success. Employees who are happy in their jobs are more likely to study and execute the EverRest method, leaving customers satisfied.
“It makes logical sense to focus on an employee retention strategy. Employees who love their companies will work harder, stay longer and be more engaged with their customers,” Shep Hyken, customer service and experience expert, said in Forbes.
These days, the standard methods for keeping workers happy – such as fair compensation and a decent benefits package – aren’t enough. To keep your best employees from jumping ship, consider adding the following to your business practices:
- Recognize that retention begins with recruitment
Long before potential employees are interviewed, bosses and managers should determine the aspects of company culture and strategy that need to be emphasized. From that, seek out candidates who meet the standards. By matching job candidates with specific requirements, the candidate has a better chance at success and long-term job satisfaction.
For EverRest Group clients, it’s not enough to hire any decent HVAC technician. Since the EverRest methods include specialized duties, including following through with Lead Generation Tasks and Mandatory and Secondary Lead Conditions, the HVAC technician must be confident, skilled and professional. Properly executing the EverRest Method is crucial to accomplishing the company goal of 20% net profits. - Foster respect in the workplace
Respect, or consideration for others’ feelings, opinions, rights and wishes, is foundational to a professional and productive workplace. One of the fastest ways to get good employees to leave is to make them feel undervalued, unappreciated or useless.
To build a culture of respect, HVAC company owners and managers should create a workplace that encourages courteous interactions, even in a disagreement. Other ways to promote a respectful workplace include:- Creating a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment
- Encouraging collaboration between employees
- Supporting and respecting differences
- Working with honesty and integrity
- Allow for anonymous communication
While most companies have an open-door communication policy, that door usually opens only one way. Owners and managers are quick to provide employees with (critical) feedback but are often not open to a response. Workers are either discouraged from speaking up or worry about retribution.
As employers begin to understand the value of employee feedback (both positive and negative), companies are creating ways to provide it anonymously. Some of the methods include:- Anonymous email boxes
- Drop boxes for hand-written notes
- Surveys
- Specialized software and apps
- Stop the performance punishment cycle
Let’s face it, employees who do their jobs well are usually the most overworked. Since they are good at their jobs, these workers get an increasing amount of responsibility and stress without a commensurate raise or recognition. The cycle of so-called “performance punishment” eventually leads to the star employee becoming overworked and resentful.
Managers often spend much of their time on employees who are struggling, leaving the talented ones neglected. Over time, this can lead to resentment from star employees who feel unnoticed and unsupported. Managers must make an effort to let top performers know their hard work isn’t going unnoticed.
Overall, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) said employees are more likely to stay with a company if they feel engaged, included and valued.
“At the end of the day, building a culture of appreciation comes down mostly to a lot of small commonsense practices: Not taking your people for granted. Remembering to say thank you in a personal and sincere way. Making it clear that you’re interested in your employees’ growth and in them as individuals,” authors said in HBR. “Start by expressing more gratitude to those around you and see what happens. You might be surprised at what a big difference the little things can make.”
