I was having breakfast with a good friend and client that I have been working with for many years. She is an expert in what you call the Agile method and has made her organization aware of new norms that help retain employees.
We have to understand the millennial age group is now the largest group within our workforce and normal norms and practices are no longer sufficient enough to retain quality talent. Here are some tips for any organization that is willing to make a change in the name of retention.
1.Engage your employees constantly
I have been in the recruitment industry since 2012, and the number one complaint I usually get from candidates is they don’t feel appreciated or there is lack of communication between management and them (the employee), Annual reviews are no longer effective, nor efficient it takes to long and if communication or feedback is negative , employee may react in a negative way decreasing productivity or maximizing negative thought process. The millennial age group is used to experiencing instant gratification due to our technological advances, it is important and crucial that management consistently give feedback to their employees with constant engagement this will provide the following objectives:
o Employee progress
o Positive mindset
o feeling of self-worth, also feeling of being part of something bigger than the role that they are in.
2.Shift from customer centric to employee centric
For many decade’s companies have allocated their resources and focus on their customers through engagement and customer service. We must realize your employees are your customers and they should be valued just as much as you would value a customer. When you hire a professional you must ask yourself (what is the ROI or added value this person can bring to the organization?) My client made a presentation to her organization regarding the Agile Method and as she eloquently put it everybody strives to get that promotion, and seeks growth within the organization, it all starts with trust, engagement & face to face feedback (less documentation, more interactions). The Agile Method ensures that value & engagement is optimized throughout the development process individually allowing excess of communication and teamwork.
Many organizations that I work with are also investing in health and wellness programs going as far as even building onsite gyms, using corporate trainers or incorporating corporate yoga. Tech companies tend to have higher retention by using similar methods. You want a strong and healthy workforce, healthy workforce = higher ROI.
3. Hiring the right people that fit your culture and are adaptable to organizational changes & technology.
Organizations are now increasingly aware that hiring can’t be based on just technical skillets unless it is a very niche or specific role. Globalization has exposed organizations to rapid technological advances including automation , project management effectiveness and reporting, you need to hire individuals that are acceptable and adaptable to organizational change, this is why it truly is important to continually engage your employees with constant feedback and up to date with operational changes so they are prepared to create efficiency within their task, go as far as really getting them involved! The Agile method allows teams to communicate with management and complete task effectively.
Change can turn in to uncertainty, engagement and participation is needed.
Overall, the Agile method is a method that many organizations are using and implementing within their culture and it has created effectiveness and efficiency throughout many organizations. Millennials seem to be a lot more receptive because this method allows for
the following:
o Allows employee engagement & interaction
o Management can get instant feedback and cohesively work together on a project in a timely manner.
o Changes your culture and way of thinking, by more face to face communication less documentation.
Most importantly it motivates your workforce and in turn can create a positive environment. In conclusion, many of the organizations that have retention issues in my opinion are still using 20th century methods less employee engagement , annual reviews, this may work for some specific industries or smaller companies but if you look at tech companies such as google, Facebook , Uber they all seem to be utilizing this method or similar ones such as scrum method, waterfall methods etc..
The point is engage your employees, treat them like you would treat your customers and you will have a happy , vibrant workforce that in turn will far exceed your customers expectations and beyond.
Gonzalo A. Guillen
Executive Partner
HR Exchange
