When the economy’s tough and the job market suffers, it’s easy to assume it’ll be easier to keep current employees from switching companies. But as a new survey shows, that’s not the reality anymore.
Retention still tops the list of companies’ toughest staffing challenges, according to a new survey by Robert Half International.
When asked what they were most concerned about now, companies listed:
- retaining current employees (39%)
- recruiting new employees (22%)
- keeping productivity high (17%), and
- improving morale (17%).
In another poll, CareerBuilder found that 19% of employees hope to find a new job this year.
The bottom line: You can’t just rely on a sluggish job market to convince employees to stay put. Companies will need to stay active in giving employees the benefits they want — which, in this economy, likely means getting creative and finding new low-cost perks.
One strategy companies are using today: increased flexibility. Many employers are giving workers more freedom to set hours, compress their weeks or telecommute.
What do you do to keep employees satisfied without spending more on salaries and bonuses?
