What exactly is engaging and retaining employees?
Every employee has their own preferences and wishes. Therefore there are several options available to employers to bind employees to the organization. When binding talent it is important to take into account how employees feel connected to the company. The Model of Organizational Commitment by Meyer and Allen (Meyer and Allen, 1997) distinguishes three types of connection:
Affective Commitment
It concerns the emotional bond that an employee has with an organization. Because of this bond he or she would like to continue working for the company.
Normative Commitment
This is the feeling of obligation that the employee has to work at the organization. This feeling can arise because the organization promotes a learning culture and provides room for training opportunities.
Continuance Commitment
The bond with the company that arises when the employee reflects on the consequences of leaving the organization.
To bind talent to the organization, employers should focus on the emotional bond between the employee and the organization. Employees then have their own reasons for working for an organization, without it being an ‘obligation’.
Once you've secured the talent, it's important that you keep him or her engaged. If you do not, the employee will look elsewhere for a challenge. The most obvious option to engage your employees is a good financial reward.
But people don't work for an organization just for the money. Other important reasons are a pleasant working atmosphere, personal development, challenging assignments or prestige. Attracting and retaining employees is a smart long-term investment. By increasing your employees' satisfaction and engagement, they will continue to commit themselves to your organization.
Action plan for retaining and engaging employees
Engaging and retaining employees requires a tailored approach. Every employee has different needs. That's why we give you four practical tips you can get started with right away:
1. Research the needs
There are several reasons why a current employee decides to leave. They may be looking for a new challenge. Therefore, keep a finger on the pulse and take the time to monitor how satisfied they are with their current work and where possible needs lie. This can be done through an employee satisfaction survey or progress review meetings. But exit interviews can also help you better retain and engage current employees.
2. Stimulate growth and development
A challenge at work gives employees the chance to wrap themselves. It is a smart way for organizations to retain talented employees. It is important to take into account the nature of the tasks and employees' motivations. Research shows that more than 70 percent of CEOs see the added value of continuous learning. Development is not only about making courses available so that employees can grow within their own field. It can also be about personal development or brushing up their soft skills.
3. Value and recognize employees
Every person loves appreciation and you can express that in different ways. It can be in the form of a financial bonus or through a sincere compliment. Give compliments more often to individual employees or teams; that way your people feel appreciated. It's about employees being seen. It's important to take into account the personal goals of employees and align tasks with them. Challenging work gives them the chance to show their skills to others – for example a manager or other colleagues – which leads to positive evaluations and recognition.
4. Offer flexible work options
Being able to organise work according to one's own insight contributes to job satisfaction for many people. According to the SER, employees who have the option to work from home for several days are even more productive. Of course it remains important to meet deadlines, but the hours and the location in which the work is carried out are not important in every sector. Think, for example, of flexible working hours, so that an employee can maintain the balance between work and private life. But also room to schedule client visits and work meetings yourself. Have the conversation with your employees. What does the employee want? And how does this fit within the company's framework?
To ensure that your approach works, it is important to evaluate your plan regularly. Check whether employee satisfaction has increased and where improvements are possible. Also involve the feedback of the (new) employees. This way you retain and engage employees in your organization.
