A Burger King franchise in Nebraska has been getting much attention after nine members of staff announced their resignations by writing ‘We all quit. Sorry for the inconvenience’ on a sign outside the restaurant and it went viral on social media.
Reports of the mass resignation will have got many employers thinking about staff retention, particularly as some sectors are finding it difficult to recruit enough employees. With this in mind we look below at four take-aways employers may wish to consider.
Staff Retention Take-Aways
1. Back to basics
The workers at the Burger King franchise claimed the restaurant had been understaffed for months, they had been working very long hours and the conditions were poor / unsafe. This highlights the importance of getting the basics right to avoid employees becoming unhappy and looking for pastures new. Reviewing how your organisation operates can help to identify if there are any issues that may need to be addressed.
It’s important to bear in mind that employers should be alert to their duties and obligations, such as those regarding any limits on working time, not just from an employee retention perspective but also to ensure that there is compliance with the law. If an employee raises concerns regarding working practices in your organisation you should contact Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd for advice.
2. Think about your workplace culture
Having a positive workplace culture is important to many employees and for some, can make the difference between deciding whether to stay or go. If employees are treated with dignity and respect, feel valued, supported and have strong bonds with their colleagues they are less likely to wish to leave as they will feel comfortable and confident in the workplace.
3. Consider development and progression opportunities
Many employees have career aspirations and if they can see a long term future with an organisation it’s more likely to encourage them to stay. Providing opportunities to develop and progress such as internal or external training, mentoring or a chance to try a new project / task can help employees to feel fulfilled and motivated. Remember, when it comes to development and promotion opportunities it’s important to treat all employees fairly.
4. Reduce the risk of avoidable conflict
It’s important to ensure that those with people management responsibilities are appropriately trained to help them in dealing with employee related matters. It can be difficult to know how to handle employee relations issues and HR matters, particularly if a manager is inexperienced or is under time or other pressures. This can lead to mistakes being made, avoidable disputes or unnecessary friction with employees which can cause or contribute to staff retention issues.
Whether its matters such as managing working hours, addressing employee grievances or dealing with performance, if managers have appropriate training and support in tackling issues it can help to ensure that employees are dealt with fairly and appropriately which can contribute to positive workplace relations and reduce the risk of employment tribunal claims.
Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd can provide bespoke training on a variety of employment law topics such as general employment law training for managers, poor performance, disciplinaries and grievances and equal opportunities as an additional service. If you are interested in training for your organisation, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can discuss a tailor made option to suit your needs.
If you have an employment law matter you would like assistance with, please contact Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd as we are happy to help.