You better read
this if you are an employer or a manager who wants to retain your staff, by now
all of you should know that 22% of employees part ways with their employer in
the first 45 days of employment, according to a study by Wynhurst group. Yes
that is absolutely true, it only takes 45 days for a new employer to make a
conclusion if she/he is going to work out well and achieve their dream in your
organization. First impressions my learned friend, first impressions always
matter.
Shocking statistics
According to
Right Management, a HR consulting firm, it costs nearly three times an
employee’s salary to replace someone making employee turnover extremely costly.
Here are a few other statistics by Life Work Solutions, a provider of staff
retention and consulting services.
- Over 50 % of people recruited in to an organization will leave within 2 years.
- One in four of new hires will leave within 6 months.
- Nearly 70% of organizations report that staff turnover has a negative financial impact due to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training a replacement employee and the overtime work of current employees that’s required until the organization can fill the vacant position.
- Nearly 70 % of organizations report having difficulties in replacing staff.
- Approximately 50% of organizations experience regular problems with employee retention.
What really happens?
When a new
employee joins an organization, they find themselves in unfamiliar territories,
a new culture and system with different people. How the organization receives
them, orients them and empowers them with new skills to fit in and blend with
the whole crew is a matter of high importance.
Blending training
It is also
important to blend employee development with their line of study. For example,
having studied Human Resources back in campus, I joined an insurance firm for
my first employment; and had to sell insurance and do many things I had
no knowledge about. Although I learned many new things, I didn’t really have
passion in insurance, and that’s why I was always busy browsing the web
for new job opportunities in my line of study; a matter that really affected my
performance hence my resignation. I don’t regret that move whatsoever.
In-house Training programmes
In-house training
is key in every organization. Updating the skills of your employees ensures
that you improve organizational performance. These programmes may include
Customer service, Change management, performance management, Leadership,
Coaching and mentoring among many others. Organizations have credited their HR
departments with the task of identifying training needs and recommending much
needed programmes to address deficiencies within the organization. For example,
a major training programme that has received attention in the Kenyan industry
is the Devolution and Governance programme to equip state officers with skills
on managing County governments. Labour law training has also been key following
the repeal of the old labour laws to pave way for the Kenya Labour laws
2007. These include indepth training on
- Employment Act 2007,
- Labour Institutions Act 2007,
- Labour Relations Act 2007,
- Work Injury and Benefits Act 2007, (WIBA)
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2007. (OSHA)
Such training
keep staffs abreast with new skills and happenings that affect their sector and
profession. Most of these trainings are short term and may take a few days
while some like coaching and mentoring programmes may take upto a year or even
longer to achieve desired results.
Employee satisfaction
Another aspect in
training employee satisfaction. When I started second job just after campus, my
employer was not keen on training me. I checked with my colleagues with who we
started working at the same time. Their employers were really good. One of them
working for a blue chip consulting firm had his post graduate degree paid for
by the firm, the other had her diploma in French paid for by her firm which was
in the airline sector. I felt left behind; my friends were having their dreams
come true while I had not even gone through a single in house development
programme that year. I quit.
Some of avenues
used by firms nowadays to retain staff include education support,
cross-training where employees learn several job functions, family support
programmes among other monetary and financial benefits.
Training as a team building strategy
Team building is
a sure way to keep your staff together and focused on achieving targets.
Training has always incorporated aspects like developing groups across
departments. Every employee wants to work in an environment where they
are wanted and feel appreciated. Abraham Maslow was never wrong in his
hierarchy of needs theory. You sure need friends to move to the next level.
Training involving staff from different departments creates a bond and a kind
of belonging that no employee wants to leave.
By: HRM Guide
Correspondent
