How to Keep Good Staff

Losing your best employees can be tough. Not only can their resignations damage your ongoing projects and cost your business money, but the departure of great team members can also cause additional work and stress for your existing workforce. Here are a few tips on how to keep good employees from leaving and minimise disruptions to your projects due to staff turnover.

Improve Communication with Onsite Workers

Poor communication between head office and onsite workers is often a roadblock that stands in the way of great employee engagement. Most people want to be kept up-to-date on what’s going on within the company they work for. To remove this roadblock, managers should give everyone the opportunity to keep up with the latest company developments and news so that they’re more involved in their business’s future. One example would be to use email newsletters to keep people updated on notable events and achievements.

It’s important to note that great communication is a two-way street. So, managers need to ensure they’re having regular and open conversations with their employees. Toolbox talks are an excellent way to ensure your onsite workers understand how to keep the workplace safe, but these regular meetings can also be used to listen to employees’ concerns and feedback that go beyond just health and safety.

It’s not always easy for employees to give honest feedback directly to their manager, so be sure to also give the option to provide feedback anonymously through surveys.

Provide Safe and Comfortable Working Conditions

Providing a safe working environment is mandatory, but it also plays a key role in how comfortable employees feel on the job. Unsafe workplaces with sloppy procedures or poor safety cultures can quickly drive away skilled and experienced workers.

Comfortable workers are more likely to stay productive, so it’s worthwhile finding ways to make on-site areas more accommodating. For example, this could involve installing shade areas for the summer months and a heated area for the colder months.

For more advice on this topic, check out our blog on how to create a positive and supportive workplace for everyone.

Show Interest in Their Career Development

Even if you provide great working conditions, if you don’t support your employees’ career development, it won’t be long until your best people are back in the market for a new job.

To avoid this, sit down with your employees and find out where they want to take their careers. Then, put measures in place that enable your workforce to acquire the skills, qualifications and licences they need to move forward.

At the same time, make sure your employees are aware of any internal promotions that could help them achieve their career goals. If you show your workers that you’re as invested in their career development as they are, they’ll be far more likely to invest their futures in your business. It makes good business sense to promote your best performers anyway!

Offer Competitive Salaries and Pay Rates

If you are doing all the right things as an employer but your business is paying employees below market rates, you’re likely to undo most of that hard work.

Paying someone below their market value sends the message that employees’ work is undervalued – and is often the key factor in employee retention. If you’re noticing an increase in staff turnover, it’s always worthwhile conducting pay reviews to address these issues.

If you need help with discovering what the average market rate is for certain job roles, get in touch with one of our consultants. Speaking to a construction recruitment specialist gives you access to up-to-date information on rates and salaries from across the whole industry in New Zealand, helping you make informed decisions.

Don’t Forget About Your Temporary Workforce

If you have great workers, the best way to keep them is to keep them working – extend their assignment or consider a more permanent arrangement.

Great people don’t sit around waiting for their next role, they’re in high demand and your temporary staff are no exception. If they’ve finished one assignment within your business, think ahead – do you have anyone else going on leave, or any other projects coming up that may require temporary support?

Final Thoughts

Employers have a range of levers they can pull to retain their best employees. The key is to be observant and get feedback from employees to uncover issues before they become problems.

By understanding employees’ needs and concerns, you can address them quickly, demonstrating that you value your workforce and are committed to their well-being and satisfaction.

Get Help with Construction Recruitment

Need more advice on how to keep good staff, or need help with building your team? Contact the Construction recruitment experts at OneStaff today. With branches across New Zealand, we can connect you with skilled professionals for labour hire and permanent positions.