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10
Ways to Retain Quality Employees
Dec
19, 2005
Author: Tom Perkins - Business Solutions Coach and Certified
Personal Trainer
There is no question that
employee turnover has a significant impact on the financial
performance of an organization.
It is estimated that, on average, a company will spend
up to one-third of a new employee's salary to replace a
departing employee. There
are experts who believe the costs for membership-based
businesses such as health clubs could even be higher.
In the fitness industry, employee turnover has a
recognizable impact on a club member's decision to renew or
discontinue a membership.
Here are ten things fitness
professionals and health clubs can do to retain their quality
employees:
-
Provide
employees with a clear set of standards before the
employee sets foot on the floor.
Do not make and employee 'guess' or speculate
about what you expect them to do.
This wastes valuable time and increases their
frustration level.
-
Provide
a comprehensive on-the-job training program.
Take the time to train the employee on each aspect
of your business. It
may take time, but this investment will elevate the
employee's comfort level and provide you with a well
cross-trained employee.
-
Provide
employees with a genuine role model.
As a manager/business owner, you have a
responsibility to set the tone and expectation for your
organization. If
you want your employees to follow it, make sure you are
not just paying lip service.
-
Provide
opportunities for professional development.
Consider sending employees to training seminars or
providing them with other types of educational incentives.
This provides for individual growth and brings
added benefit to the organization.
-
Provide
ongoing feedback. Do
not wait until review time to praise an employee or to
point out potential areas of concern.
-
Provide
employees with appropriate forums to express their ideas
and to voice their concerns.
Consider setting aside a portion of your staff
meetings to brainstorm new ideas or to address concerns.
Make sure the forums are non-threatening and
conducive to constructive discussion.
-
Provide
recognition and reward.
If an employee is doing a great job, let them know
it! Reward
it. The
reward does not have to be monetary.
Consider providing small tokens of appreciation
such as cards, flowers, certificates of accomplishments,
gift certificates, tickets to movies, concerts, or
sporting events.
It's the little things that tell an employee you
recognize and appreciate their efforts.
-
Provide
employees with an organizational culture that is open,
trusting, and fun. Celebrate
your successes and milestones with the people who helped
make them happen.
Let them know they are an integral part of the
team.
-
Provide
open lines of communication.
Whether your organization is doing well or
experiencing growing pains, keep your staff in the loop.
By keeping your staff informed, you are
communicating to them that they are a valuable part of the
team. In
return, most employees will go the extra mile for you.
-
Provide
your employees with respect.
Show your employees that you care about them, not
only as workers, but as people.
Practice the golden rule:
do onto others as you would have others do onto
you.
If you follow these simple
ideas you will start to see an improvement in employee moral,
productivity, and retention.
Tom
Perkins is eFitnessTracker's Business Coach, a business solutions coach and a certified personal
trainer who leads fitness professionals to profitability.
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