How to encourage employees to develop requisite skills for reducing staff turnover?

One of the challenges in any organisation is “Manpower Management”, which is one parameter which also decides its success and leadership in a competitive ecosystem. A lot has been said and done by management gurus to succeed on this parameter. Various HR practices, policies, and activities are done to manage manpower and one of the biggest challenges for HR function- attrition. Managing attrition is one of the “Key Result Areas”, and their performance is judged on it being on the “lower side”. Let’s explore to encourage and motivate employees, develop their skills to be utilized for the betterment or profitability of the organisation, which ultimately will bring down attrition also termed as- Staff Turnover.

Not to mention that people make organisation and they are the spine of the company. To reduce attrition you must first understand the essence of a satisfied, happy and motivated employee. Following are the benefits:

1. Motivated employees develop a friendly, enthusiastic and vibrant atmosphere.
2. Cordial working ecosystem increases the productivity.
3. Increased confidence and initiatives are taken by them, resulting in innovation and creativity.
4. Increased morale, job satisfaction and focused approach towards organizational enhances the profitability.
5. All the above reduces attrition.

HR must observe pre and post hiring steps to nullify employee attrition, which is as under:

Pre-Hiring: You must ensure that selections are based on competency, caliber and maturity levels relevant to the position and profile. Hiring wrong manpower can be unfavorable for the company. Must validate necessary documents, and experience as declared by the candidate.

Post-Hiring: The primary job of the HR starts the moment candidate is on-board and becomes the employee. The following steps should be followed:

1. Constructive and Efficacious Communication: You must make things clear with mutual agreement in terms of stating company policies, their adherence, and basic norms to be followed by employees. This should be regular practice even with hired staff. You should be open to receive query, doubts, and questions and must answer them back keeping in mind organizational benefits and objectives.
2. Lucidity on Organizational Goals: HR ought to clarify the organizational goals and should share periodic progress and in small functional groups review the performance towards profitability of the company.
3. Structured Learning and Development Programs for employees: It is critical to understand that employees sometimes tend to deliver only on parameters assigned to them. They should be nurtured and provided a platform to showcase their additional competencies. They must be appreciated and motivated to indulge in developmental courses or training. HR must analyse the qualities of the staff and accordingly structure a learning program, off-course with mutual consent, to highlight the prospects of elevated career growth with the development programs.
4. Workshops and Cross-functional assignments: Periodic workshop schedule to be arranged for top, middle and junior management members, where they come together, interact and deliver on assignments. You may even try this with cross-functional team members or even cross-level members. This will not only help them come closer, understand each other’s professional and personal positives and traits, but also will learn new things and sharpen their skills. HR can evaluate various members on their handling capacities beyond their functional responsibilities. They can decide, based on their evaluation, to empower them with additional profiles and responsibilities, thus motivating them and reduce the attrition.
5. Best Practice to be shared: There are various ways and means to motivate employees; one such way is to create a platform where they share their best practices and achievements themselves, with other employees and functions. This will encourage others, who hesitate to do so, and they will sharpen their skills and join the race.
6. Mentoring with examples: Managers play a critical role in attrition management. They must lead from the front, set examples and authorize team members. They must share responsibilities with them to both prepare them for next level and sharpen their skill sets. Doing so you actually make them participate and feel motivated. They feel valued and hence are proud to be associated with the organisation and its goals.
7. Professional Support: To sharpen their skills, to elevate their efficiencies, continuous professional support in terms of working along with them, allowing them to take productive decisions must happen.
8. Sharing Feedback: One very key factor to develop employee skill is share and dispense feedback of his work, assignment, skills, and management. Share both positive and negative things so that they can feel motivated and at the same time take timely corrective actions to deliver.
9. Celebrations: Celebrations or felicitations should be regular and periodic happening. It can be after every single achievement of goals, should be in the form of competitive celebrations or even as small as family get together where employee engage in celebrations and rejuvenate their energies for moving ahead with equal vigour thereafter.
10. Access to Advanced Technological Knowledge: Technological developments happen every day, every hour in every field. Your employee must have access to such developments, relevant to their functions, skills, and competencies. This way you load them with the latest ammunition to fight stiff competition and come up with flying colors first time and every time.

All the above are possible only when you know the in-and-out of each of your employee, basic functional trait of HR, and implement religiously.