Let’s be honest, employee retention has not always been an organizational priority. We have a long history of believing that mission focused work “isn’t for everyone” and that absorbing high turnover rates is just “the cost of doing business”. If you ever had staffing issues, you invested more heavily in recruiting and could invariably find more new hires so does it really matter?  

Many organizations are finding out the hard way that finding qualified employees is not as easy as it once was.  It is important to realize this is not termporary, but instead is a fundamental shift in the labor pool.  

Employee retention needs to be a strategic goal for every mission-driven team.

Why does it matter so much, you wonder?

1. The Talent Tango: Losing your best and brightest hurts more than stubbing your toe on the office furniture. Keeping top talent onboard ensures that your team stays strong, ready to tackle challenges head-on.
2. Happy Team, Happy Mission: Ever tried to save the world with a frown on your face? Nope, doesn’t work! Happy employees mean a happier mission. It’s like having your own squad of cheerleaders rooting for a cause.
3. Budget Boogeyman: Training new folks costs time and money. Retaining your seasoned pros saves you from that budget nightmare. Plus, it means less time explaining where the coffee filters are.
4. The Power of Team Spirit: Imagine a campfire sing-along without your regular gang. Awkward, right? A strong team culture creates an environment where everyone’s in sync and singing the same tune.

But how do you keep these wonderful humans happy?

1. Create a “high trust” environment: At the core of retention is trust between people. Employees must KNOW you value, care, and appreciate them, their work, and their lives. Trust is built upon ample amounts of face-to-face interactions, organizational transparency, and consistency between words and actions.
2. Mission, mission, mission: Employees are with you since your mission is important to them. Actively use your mission statement to guide decisions, frame conversations, and demonstrate organizational growth. Employees are happy when they feel connected to a group purpose, see that their contributions matter, and are able to chart progress and improvement.
3. Give all the feedback you can, plus some more: It is common to hear employees say “communication here stinks”. To operate successfully, we need lots of feedback from our environment. This is even more important when we are learning new skills or trying to collaborate with others. Ensure that you have “high feedback” environment where all employees know where they stand at all times individually and as a group.
4. Share power and control: All people want to have a sense of control. If employees feel like only “leaders” control things, they will disengage, turn sour, or quit. Examine your organization’s decision-making process and ensure that employees are able to participate, have their voices heard, and be a part of the future of the organization.

Remember: happy employees aren’t just good for morale; they’re the backbone of your mission. Keep them smiling, keep them growing, and watch the magic happen.

Here’s to making the world a better place, one happy team member at a time!

If you would like to continue this conversation or get some help creating an Employee Retention plan, reach out to Tim at timothy.vaughan@moosilaukevisions.org.