As times change, the importance of a positive work environment is stronger than ever. If employees aren’t feeling satisfied in their current position, they will move on to find an environment more comfortable for them. Working in a positive environment is oftentimes more important than compensation even. Loyalty to a company isn’t as important as happiness and mental health in this generation, and that is a challenge we should all be getting on board with. We unfortunately have all seen the struggle of employee retention, and it’s time to address it.
If you have seen fluctuations in employee turnover, it might be time to evaluate the environment in which they are subject to working in. Is there something more you can be doing to create a positive workplace culture? These tips can help set you up for success and create a more positive environment for your employees.
Prioritize Work-Life Balance
Taking care of our mental health has been more focused on in the past few years, and the first step to making sure we are in good shape is to have dedicated time away from work. Not only does this mean utilizing vacation time and actually being able to unplug from work, but having a healthy work-life balance throughout the week as well. One way to create a toxic work environment is to expect your employees to be “on call” or available to you around the clock. Not allowing them to step away and focus on their personal lives, family, and friends will quickly push them out the door.
In the logistics industry, freight doesn’t stop. Therefore, there is an absolute need to have someone working 24 hours a day to ensure operations are running smoothly and freight is on schedule. For small or medium sized businesses, this could prove to be challenging due to lack of staff and inability to keep a dedicated after-hours team. Does this mean you should make your employees be on call 24 hours a day? Not unless you want to lose those employees. Working with a company such as Night Dispatch will help keep you covered after-hours, allowing your team to clock out and not have to worry about work until the next morning.
Provide Ample Training
Another reason for leaving a company might be that the employee didn’t feel well prepared for their job, or were unsure of their tasks or specific goals they were expected to meet. This can all be fixed with adequate training. If employees know what to expect on the job and are prepared to handle situations as they arise, they are less likely to feel the burden of stress and want to look elsewhere for employment.
Set Expectations Up Front and Stick to Them
Similar to ensuring employees have all the training they need up front, you should also make them aware of workplace expectations first thing. Staying consistent with these expectations and your company values will provide a space where employees feel comfortable and aren’t worrying about being blindsided by new processes, a heavier workload, etc. If these expectations ever do change, it’s important to clearly communicate them to your team and allow enough time to process and implement the changes.
Communication is Key
Simply communicating with your team in a way that is well received by them will go a long way. Keeping them in the loop and encouraging their feedback and involvement will promote a sense of belonging and encourage teamwork. Both of those things will aid in retaining employees as they will feel valued as an important part of the team.
Retaining employees can be challenging, but if you implement these tips you will be on the road to a more positive workplace culture, and hopefully less employee turnover. If you’re ready to get help with your after-hours freight tracking and dispatching, contact Night Dispatch today!.
