How to Reduce Employee Turnover at Hospitals

With the uptick in the American economy after years of recession, the priority for HR is now retaining the employees they have. Turnover enacts a major cost to organizations and with surveys indicating up to 70% of the American workforce is disengaged from their jobs, HR is turning to the improving employee engagement to stem the outflow.

Here are some of the tactics companies are using to hold onto the talent they have:

Engage Millennials

Millennials are dominating the workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2015 millennials will overtake the majority representation of the workforce and by 2030 this hyper-connected, tech savvy generation will make up 75% of the workforce. This means that millennials are going to start setting the tone for employee engagement. Organizations need to have strategies for attracting, retaining and engaging talent during this workforce shift.

The millennial generation looks to the future and want opportunities to contribute and make their mark on the world. Just because they don’t fit into the typical corporate ideologies from the 60’s doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of doing their job and then some. The typical 9 to 5 is becoming less and less relevant so stop trying to force your millennials into that box.

Work-Life Integration

Employees will be more willing to answer that email on the weekends if their employer lets them pick up their kids at 4:30 twice a week. Work-Life integration is finding the balance between the two so they aren’t constantly competing for your time. Employers will find that if they give their team more flexibility in their work that they will get that flexibility back when the organization is in a crunch and needs a little bit more of their time.

Today’s organizations need to focus on the ability to support employees working wherever, whenever. Technologies have made it possible for people to work effectively from home. Instead of fighting this, let employees integrate their work so it seamlessly fits into their life (and vice versa). This allows team members to work when they are most productive and give the most contributions. Employees best work doesn’t necessarily happen at work and technology is here to help facilitate this transition.

Transparency of Information

This isn't a high-stakes CIA investigation so you shouldn't be keeping all of your companies goals locked away in a secret vault. We're not talking about giving away client secrets or anything like that but your employees should know: your fundamental business values, where the company is going today, tomorrow and in the far future, and any major changes or overhauls in the works. When your company is in a bind, your employees should know and could even help with a relief strategy.

Connection to the Bottom Line

This point can go hand in hand with information transparency. Employees don't want to be just another cog in the machine that is a corporate giant. They want to see what the company's long-term goal is and find a way to contribute to it. Just like companies, people like to see the ROI of their work and that it makes an impact. If they can't see if their work has a purpose then they will become burnt out and disengaged.

Your employees are valuable-- the bread and butter of your company. You should trust and take into consideration their judgement and opinions. Involving them in the master plan could help lead you to the next big innovation.

What do you think we missed? Let us know on Twitter. While you're at it, take a look into the past and see last years workplace predictions-- many of them came true!