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THREE STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL STAFFING - STEP 3: RETENTION

Posted On April 8, 2021 

There are currently more jobs than skilled staff to fill roles. Retaining your employees is critical for business success in keeping not only their skills and abilities, but their experience and knowledge of your business systems, history and needs. 


In my recent visits to a range of local businesses I had some enlightening chats regarding retention of staff. The good news is for many of our local businesses, employee loyalty and retention remain high. However, I was surprised to learn many businesses lacked retention strategies. 


Once you have attracted and recruited new staff, you want to keep them motivated and engaged. Your business should have a detailed strategy for onboarding and integration. Be pro-active in establishing these retention strategies, which I guarantee will save your business time, money and boost morale.

Sara Towers, Talent and Skills Manager at CEDA agrees businesses should be pro-active, with processes in place to integrate new recruits to their business “Businesses need to consider how they receive and integrate their new employees, along with the long-term retention of their staff.”


The onboarding of new employees can be hugely beneficial especially to newcomers to the region. “If you can support not only the employee, but also their family, providing direction on the tools and support available to assist them to settle within the Manawatu, you are highly likely to retain your employee.” Manawatunz.co.nz is one such resource with a range of stories and links for newcomers.


I recommend developing your own retention strategy to keep your employees engaged including:


Training, Development and Mentoring

  • Ongoing learning is valuable to career development and progression. A wide number of courses and workshops are available to you, your team and staff. These range from paid to free or discounted workshops via CEDA, the Manawatu Chamber of Commerce, and industry specific bodies.
  • Consider your own talent within your organisation, there are many ways to share the knowledge and skills from your experienced team, from one-on-one training to group workshops and discussions.


Foster the talents and objectives for individual employees

  • Provide the opportunity for each employee to develop their individual skill sets, showcasing their talents. Offer continued education tailored to their own goals aligned with your business needs, and you are highly likely to maintain employee interest, motivation and enthusiasm.


Why do they want to work for you and stay with you?

  • Learn why people enjoy working for you. Ask both current and departing employees the question to understand what they value within your business. Tailor your retention strategies around these reasons.
  • Knowing what you do well in your business can be valuable in attracting new staff to your team, we covered this in Step 1: Attraction.
  • Openly sharing the goals and mission of the business allows your employees to join you in your business journey.


How do you value the work your employees do?

  • Recognition is hugely valuable to an individual, a team, and staff morale. There are no set rules in how you show your appreciation, a little thank you goes a long way.
  • Celebrate your successes as a team! We’re a big believer of this one at PN Personnel!


What do you do to show your respect? 

  • Clear and strong communication streams are essential to business success based on transparent and open discussions.
  • Trust your employees, back their decisions and give them the opportunity to lead with a task or idea.
  • Trust your staff with their time, allowing flexibility for a work/life balance.
  • In sporting terms, you’re the coach and your employees are your team. Be active in your communications, set the play and guide them through it. You all need to be on the same team.


Career progression and succession.

  • What does your business offer for career progression? Share career pathways and opportunities with your staff, give them personal goals to work towards.
  • A succession strategy is another reason for your employee to stay. If a more experienced team member moves on, do you promote this opportunity internally to other team members?


Sara believes encouraging regional retention of talent will improve the quality of our workforce. “We want to keep our skilled workers employed and engaged so we retain their talent in the Manawatu.”


Our PN Personnel mission is to positively impact of people’s lives and make the regions a better place. We believe by retaining staff, your business can thrive, the team and I are here to support both our regional talent and your organisational success.



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