Finding and keeping the perfect employees is a challenge for most small businesses. Some experts have predicted the Great Resignation to last as long as eight years, while others claim those who quit are already in the Great Regret phase.
Whatever the reasons for so many workers leaving their jobs voluntarily, employee retention should be a top priority for brands that want to keep top performers and avoid paying extra for recruitment and training.
How Does Employee Retention Impact a Business?
Companies are taking steps to keep their best workers. Brands that invested in development programs saw a 58% increase in employee retention. Such programs can improve everything from Productivity to how your human resources (HR) department functions.
Why does employee retention have such a massive
1. Keep Positions Filled
E-commerce stores may have a tough time recruiting a talent pool. Some work can be done remotely with marketing efforts and customer service. However, much of the work of fulfilling orders must be done in person in the warehouse. Finding and training talented and dedicated people in your local area might be difficult, especially if you live in a rural area or small town.
2. Develop a Strong Work Culture
When you aren’t constantly churning employees, you can spend time building a strong company culture and focus on bringing people on board. For example, you can invest in welcome kits to explain the values and mission of the brand. Making an excellent first impression on new hires sets the tone for their employment with you and can create loyal workers who don’t want to leave.
3. Save Money on Recruitment
Finding people qualified for open positions, interviewing, and training them costs time and money. Experts have different estimates for the exact cost of recruitment, but any amount sets a company back. Focusing on employee retention and keeping the excellent workers you’ve already recruited and trained is far better.
When you reduce churn, you also free up your HR department to focus on training and development, giving current staff more valuable skills to benefit your company.
4. Improve Customer Relationships
Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Perhaps they’re working with a salesperson and like them. They feel confident their rep will handle any issues they encounter and ensure they have a positive experience. Until they suddenly have a new worker assigned to them, the old one is no longer at the company.
Customers like consistency when dealing with brands. When you keep the same staff, they know they can count on Mary or Robert always to be there when they phone to place an order or need additional help.
5. Know Your Employees Better
Whether dealing with remote workers that keep your online store running or handling a warehouse full of order pickers and shippers, knowing what makes each worker tick benefits your company.
You’ll quickly learn the strengths and weaknesses of each individual. You can also choose the rewards the person cares most about. If Sarah in accounting loves donuts, a gift card to a local donut shop will be a welcome gift. However, Melissa does keto and may not enjoy the same gift.
One study showed around 74% of workers feel recognition for similar performance isn’t handled fairly at their companies. However, you’ll ramp up satisfaction numbers when you figure out how to give people what they want for their contributions. you’ll create productivity.
When people work together for a while, they develop routines that make their day run more efficiently. Have you ever visited a local coffee shop where your order is ready in minutes, and it seems almost effortless? On the flip side of the coin are a place filled with new employees who don’t communicate well, and a simple coffee takes forever to get from the counter to your hands.
Most e-commerce models are pretty simple. An order comes through via the website, a picker pulls it and fills it, and someone boxes it up and ships it. Supporting roles don’t always deal with the day-to-day of the business. Making sure you keep the same workers for years helps improve operations.
One thing e-commerce brands can do to help with future employee changes is have ones who’ve been there a long time developing training manuals for new hires. Have them list everything they do that makes the day run more smoothly. You never know when someone might need to take a family leave, time off, or even leave for personal reasons. It’s best to know how they do their jobs well, not to replace them but to repeat their success with new hires.
The Top Way to Ensure Your E-Commerce Business Retains Employees
You can do everything perfectly, and some people still will find a better opportunity or want to leave for personal reasons. When separation happens, handle it gracefully and learn from any mistakes your company might have made that caused you to lose a valued employee.
One of the top ways of keeping staff is by listening to them and keeping the lines of communication open. If someone gets a job offer for higher pay, they should know they can come to you and talk to you about the situation before leaving. You may be able to match any new offers and save the company time and money.
Look for ways to make your employees feel part of something bigger and let them know you care about them and their struggles. When people feel valued and invested, they’re more likely to remain where they’re. Make your company feel like a family away from home, be fair with pay and rewards, and your workers will spend their entire careers with your business.
