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January 2016

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You found the perfect employee. She’s always on time, gets her work done quickly and efficiently, and regularly comes up with innovative ideas. But do you know where she’ll be a year from now? How can you make sure she’ll still be employed at your company?

It’s all about improving employee retention. Here, we’ll discuss the importance of high retention, as well as ways to improve the employee retention in your business.

Why Should You Care About Employee Retention?

For starters, too much turnover leads to chaos within an organization. The most successful businesses have at least a small group of workers who are all invested in the success of their company. They work together well and strive to meet common goals.

Aside from forming a steady and invested group of employees, employee retention is important for the following reasons:

  1. It saves you money. Every business owner realizes the high cost of finding, recruiting, and training a replacement when a valued employee leaves. Focusing on retention helps you avoid those unwanted expenses.
  2. It increases staff morale. According to a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, undesirable employee turnover has a negative impact on morale. But when retention is high, employees feel more secure in their positions and are more engaged in their work.
  3. It boosts productivity. As a result of the sense of security that develops in employees when retention is good, productivity increases.

How to Improve Employee Retention

So now you know why employee retention matters, but how can you improve it? Plenty of HR solutions are available to you for the purpose of increasing retention, but when it comes to small business HR, these four actions make a significant difference in retention rates:

  1. Show gratitude. The best HR management solutions include ways to show appreciation to your employees for all they do. From gift cards to team lunches, there are numerous fun ideas for expressing gratitude.
  2. Be available. Having a boss who’s open to all forms of communication when needed is a sure-fire way to help employees feel valued and important. And when they feel valued and important, they stick around.
  3. Introduce team activities. To increase retention, build up your team. Have them participate in team-building activities on a regular basis. This creates a sense of family within your company and reduces the desire for employees to seek job satisfaction elsewhere.
  4. Reward regularly. Similar to showing gratitude, rewarding employees individually for a job well done leads to better retention. Rewarding differs from showing gratitude, however, in that gratitude can be expressed to all employees on a regular basis, regardless of where they are in meeting goals; rewards are designed to recognize specific employees for completing specific tasks.

When it comes to implementing HR solutions for the betterment of your business, keep employee retention at the top of your priority list. Doing so saves you money, increases staff morale, and boosts productivity.

Implement the four steps we’ve mentioned in this article, and you’ll be well on your way to success through high employee retention. Remember: Gratitude, Availability, Team activities, and Rewards. When you’re ready to learn more, reach out to MJ Management Solutions, Inc.

This article first appeared at M.J. Management Solutions, Inc.


MJ Management Solutions, Inc., is a human resources consulting firm that provides small businesses with a wide range of virtual and onsite HR solutions to meet their immediate and long-term needs. From ensuring legal compliance to writing customized employee handbooks to conducting sexual harassment training, businesses depend on our expertise and cost-effective human resources services to help them thrive.

With the end of a year often comes an evaluation of successes and failures, as well as goal setting and predictions for the following year. For a small business owner, this time of introspection can significantly boost motivation. It’s a way to refocus, to remember all the reasons you do what you do.

We recently spoke with some intelligent, innovative small business owners and asked them two specific questions to see what the end of the year means for them. We think you’ll find what they had to say interesting, relatable, and most importantly, helpful.

As a Small Business Owner, What is the One Biggest Lesson You Learned in 2015?

No matter your age or experience level, there’s always something new to be learned. This is especially true in today’s constantly evolving, fast-paced society. With changes in technology and consumer behavior, it benefits every small business owner to remain adaptable.

There is value in learning from ourselves as well as from others. From ourselves, we evaluate our own failures and correct our actions accordingly. From others, we observe mistakes and learn what to avoid in our own businesses.

It’s been asked, “Do you have one year of experience repeated 10 times or do you have 10 years of experience?” If we never learn from past experiences, we repeatedly make the same poor choices.

These five entrepreneurs certainly don’t plan on repeating 2015’s mistakes. Here’s what they learned.

  • Honesty really is the best policy. Hilary Beck of InPlay Showroom told us, “Eventually the truth always seems to come out and only hurts the business…”
  • Immediate gratification runs rampant. We agree with Scott Donnelly of PDM, LLP, in that people are becoming increasingly impatient. In 2015, he learned that “technology has created an environment of immediate gratification and it is spilling over into business.”
  • Support is invaluable. New consultant Linda Tieman learned first-hand the importance of a helping hand. She was surprised at “how much people are willing to help me get started with my consulting business.”
  • Being prepared ensures success. Ginny Kenyon of Kenyon HomeCare Consulting learned last year to “not start two major initiatives in the same year unless you have sufficient staff and money to do them.”
  • Business growth increases with focus. Among other things, entrepreneur Erik Kieser found that a “clean, clear brand focus” is vital to success.

Based on the learnings mentioned by the above professionals, can you determine the lessons learned last year in your own business?

What are Your Small Business Predictions for 2016?

Once you understand the lessons learned in 2015, you’re more equipped to make some predictions for what lies ahead. Setting goals is an important part of making these predictions, as your goals should always align with the direction in which your business is headed.

If you’re not sure what the future holds for you as a small business owner—or for small business in general—take into consideration these predictions made by our entrepreneurial friends. It’s always encouraging to get a peek inside the minds of those who’ve stood where you stand.

As the saying goes, “Who better than those in the trenches to provide insight into what is on the horizon?” Here are the predictions our friends gave for 2016.

  • Small businesses will need to be proactive and efficient, working smart in order to stay ahead of the competition. (Hilary)
  • Small business will grow as consumers trend toward a sense of community and focus on local businesses. (Scott)
  • There will be more competition as Baby Boomers reach retirement age and start their own businesses. (Linda)
  • Businesses with passive streams of income will need ongoing focus and support. (Ginny)
  • Growth will be seen in client base and income. (Erik)

We hope you’ve found this information helpful and inspiring. 2016 promises to be an exciting year, one full of prosperity. Success is yours for the taking, if you’ll only reach out your hands. What do you predict for your business in the new year?


Want some help looking into the crystal ball to see what 2016 holds for you? You’re free strategic coaching conversation about your business goals is only a click away.

It was the end of a long day dealing with tax forms and numbers, and, frankly, I was looking for a little mindless entertainment. I needed to emancipate the abacus from my brain. And, like any brain-drained small business owner, I turned to Facebook. That’s when this happened…

Bam! There it was. Two minutes of solid motivation. It was mesmerizing and captivating to watch how a young man, and his Dad, spent their morning drive to school. It was beyond impressive—it was inspiring. 

After watching the video, I read some of the comments. The general consensus was that every child needed to recite an equally powerful pledge on their drive to school.

Every child? How about every small business owner?  

Small Business Owners Are People, Too

In all the years I’ve had the pleasure of coaching small business owners, it’s crystal clear who will succeed at achieving their goals…and who will struggle. Sadly, much of the success/struggle tug of war is stoked by belief and attitude. 

It’s not the wavering belief or attitude towards clients—it’s the business owner’s lack of belief in their own ability, and the know-how to achieve their goals, that keeps them stuck. (For more info, read Stuck? 7 Reasons Why Your Small Business is Not Growing.)

How do you spend the first two minutes of your day? Overwhelmed? Exhausted before your feet hit the floor?  

Rather than start the day in that condition, why not follow this young man’s example in your business. It’s sure to create a better state of mind to achieve your dreams and goals. 

Have I convinced you to spend the next two minutes watching the video? Frankly, I could tell you what it was about but then I would rob you of the experience of hearing this young man’s pledge to himself, his goals, his family, and his community.

 

Powerful Way To Wake Up In The Morning! Get Your Mind Rightt.

2 minutes of solid gold from this little one. What if every kid started their day like this?

Posted by Drew Canole on Saturday, December 19, 2015

 

Okay, so maybe Facebook isn’t the slacker I previously thought.

 

Human resources is one of the most important aspects of small business. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most overlooked. Most small business owners don’t have the funds necessary to employ full-time HR staff, and they don’t have the knowledge to properly handle HR challenges alone.

Good news! The technology available today fully supports your human resources needs, without an in-office HR manager. Help is only a phone call or email away with HR Solutions. With us on your side, your small business can soar to new heights.

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HR Solutions® helps you avoid costly employee challenges that distract from the productivity of your business.
Contact us right now and learn how easy it is to have expert HR advice.

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Not convinced yet?  Take a look at these four ways HR Solutions helps your company grow.

Streamline the Hiring Process

The effort involved in the hiring process is worth every second when you find the perfect-for-the-job candidate. But what if you don’t find that person? It’s completely possible to waste valuable resources on a hiring and interviewing system that’s inefficient.

HR Solutions coaches you on the right way to streamline your hiring process and find top-notch employees, saving you time and money in the long-run.

Increase Employee Retention

Once you’ve found the right job candidates, you need to know how to retain them. Employee turnover costs businesses thousands of dollars each year. To combat this, it’s crucial to provide effective training for each new hire, as well as an environment that fosters employee engagement.

Don’t know where to start? HR Solutions provides you with practical advice customized to your business, so that you can better engage and retain staff members.

Remain in Compliance

No matter which industry you’re in, chances are, policies and procedures are constantly changing. Keeping up with this change can be overwhelming when you “go it alone.”  The professionals at HR Solutions are on top of changing industry regulations. Got a question about policy? Answers are quickly and easily available to you.

Boost Productivity

Taking the pressure of solving human resources issues off your staff gives them a chance to get back to the jobs they were hired for. The time that was previously spent on HR challenges can be devoted to growing your business. Working with HR Solutions is like having your own human resources guru on-demand.

Next Steps

Get the HR assistance you need with HR Solutions. Today’s technology allows us to provide you with a virtual HR expert on-call to help you navigate regulations, coach and manage employees, and to answer employment-related questions—all without breaking the bank.

This article first appeared at M.J. Management Solutions, Inc.


MJ Management Solutions, Inc., is a human resources consulting firm that provides small businesses with a wide range of virtual and onsite HR solutions to meet their immediate and long-term needs. From ensuring legal compliance to writing customized employee handbooks to conducting sexual harassment training, businesses depend on our expertise and cost-effective human resources services to help them thrive.

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