The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 15: Spring 2020 | Page 35

BUSINESS ADVICE HOW DO I STOP MY BEST PEOPLE FROM LEAVING? By Jo Kangurs, Keystone HR Employee turnover is part of business. Whilst it’s healthy to have a degree of ‘churn’ within your business to bring in new talent, losing your best people is something every business owner or manager dreads. Losing your best people isn’t just about losing the input of those individuals it also has wider implications for the business and overall productivity. Hiring and onboarding costs time and money, both of which could be better invested in other areas of the business. Additionally, a stable team is a productive team. No matter how good the people in your team are, replacing a team member means it takes time for them to get up to speed and become fully operational. So, what steps can you take to stop your best people from wanting to leave? 1. Look at your numbers Regularly review your staff turnover figures to see if there is a pattern. Your business might be small enough for you to see if some teams or departments are losing employees more than others. If your SME is larger, review the data by team and by time period to see if there’s an underlying trend. 2. Understand why people leave Numbers alone won’t help you. You need to know why your people are leaving. Conducting exit interviews provide valuable insights into why employees have made the decision to leave and can help you identify what changes you need to make to stop people leaving in the future. 4. Help them develop Give your employees the chance of a career, not a job. Developing your employees means better retention. People joining small organisations want challenge, impact, vision, and culture - not necessarily pay. Ask your employees what they want out of their careers and discuss how you might be able to help them. 5. Recognise & reward Under-appreciated employees don’t stick around for long. Reward and recognition don’t need to be all about cash gifts and extravagant gestures. Giving regular feedback as well as a simple thank you goes a long way. 7. Get flexible If you’re serious about improving retention, introducing flexible working is a really positive step. A study by the Trades Union Congress found that 28% of employees would consider a new job if it gave them more convenient working hours. If you would like any advice or support to create a retention strategy for your business, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 3. Engagement Studies repeatedly show that employees are more likely to stay if they find meaning and are engaged in the work they do. Consider conducting an employee engagement survey to identify how engaged your people are. [email protected] 07866 487 673 For more info: www.keystonehr.co.uk EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN 2020? FOCUS ON CPD By Chris Dawes, Open Dawes Training Training and keeping abreast of industry changes or new ways of working is important in any field. But in some sectors, training isn’t only desirable it’s a requirement, not just to show that mark of quality but in order to remain part of a professional body or association. We’re talking about CPD, or Continual Professional Development, and many professions expect those working in their field to participate in CPD accredited training to maintain and develop their knowledge and skills. At Open Dawes Training, we believe we are the only organisation in the region to offer CPD accredited public speaking and presentation training. So, as we move into a new financial year, when budgets are being set, now is a great time to put plans in place for: • Your own personal development, particularly if CPD is a requirement for your profession • Your staff development, if CPD is part of your employees’ personal development plans or can act as a benchmark for ongoing investments in staff or management training. And that training could be in public speaking, communication and presentation skills. Why choose a CPD accredited course? If you’re an employee, CPD keeps you up- to-date, helping you maintain a professional standard and affiliation to your professional body. It also helps you determine the course of your career, as well as giving you credibility and confidence. Moreover, CPD accreditation may advance your career and help you to achieve a higher salary. If you are an employer, CPD accredited training enhances the skills of your workforce, and demonstrates to you their individual levels of ability. Staff taking CPD training will be able to share best practice and maximise their potential. CPD is a useful benchmarking tool for annual appraisals and salary review. Why choose CPD in public speaking and presentation? CPD training credits may not have to be limited to sector-specific training. Where there is flexibility, employers and employees can choose more general training, such as our public speaking and presentation training. This is a chance for people at any level – from director to new recruit - to develop an important skill, which will help them in every area of their working and, indeed, personal life, whether they are required to give presentations, to speak in public, or to get their point of view across during meetings. For example, we’ve worked with an insurance company, training staff who attend trade shows. Our input has given them the skills and confidence they need to be able to present in seminars at the shows, to speak confidently to delegates and to ensure they make the most of the investment they have made in the exhibition. And, of course, all the course participants have been able to gain CPD credits. Why did we decide to have our training CPD accredited? We know it gives our candidates and employers who send their staff on our courses the confidence that the training, coaching and mentoring services we provide have a recognised mark of quality, having been through the CPD Standards Office’s assessment process. We offer training in groups or one-to- one at our clients’ work setting, or at our Wiltshire training centre. CPD offers an opportunity for personal as well as professional development. At Open Dawes Training, we can help you or your organisation develop new or improved skills and confidence – it may even lead to new doors opening that you didn’t know existed! Something to consider when you are making plans for the next calendar and financial year… For more information about Open Dawes Training CPD accredited training, email [email protected], call 01793 238259 or visit: www.opendawestraining.co.uk THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2020 35