4 Ways to Keep Your Employees Happy
What does it take to build and retain a dream team? When I took over Sklar Technology Partners, I spent years asking myself this question. It took me a while to find a foolproof way of keeping great staff, and even longer to make the dream team happen. But I’m happy to say we’ve finally done it. Now, my struggle can be your gain.
Retaining fantastic staff comes down to the golden rule: “Treat your employees the way you would want to be treated.” I’ve been an office worker. I know how much it sucks to feel underappreciated, overworked, and underpaid. I didn’t want anyone on my team to feel that way, so I implemented these three strategies.
1. Align with your core values
It took me a long time to figure out the value of core values. Once I did, it made the biggest difference with how we hire. We value skill but hire on character. For instance, our “Wow Clients Every Opportunity” value aligns employees with great attitudes. They are optimistic, love serving and love more than anything feeling appreciated. Pro Tip: if you want a Sklar engineer to give you amazing service for life, write a note of praise to our help desk so everyone sees it. We love feeling appreciated when we go above and beyond to help a valuable client!
2. Overpay them
GoBankingRates.com says a household needs to make at least $53,400 per year to afford a home here in Virginia. It’s clear that the $9.50/hour state minimum wage (less than $20,000 per year) doesn’t cut it. If you want to keep good people, you have to pay a premium. You’ll save in the long term by keeping your high-performing workers happy and slashing voluntary turnover, which costs U.S. businesses a trillion dollars a year according to Gallup.com.
3. Offer extra vacation time
Two weeks of paid vacation is not enough! That’s hardly enough time to relax and enjoy a trip, especially if you have little kids at home. When I took the reins at Sklar, one of the first things I did was increase my team’s vacation time to five weeks. They’re happier and harder-working because of it.
4. Be the Boss You Wish You Had
I’ve never had a great boss. So, when I was an employee, I spent a lot of time thinking about what the ideal boss would be like. They wouldn’t mismanage or micromanage. They’d treat me well. They’d compliment my work. Now, I try to be that boss for my employees. I must be doing something right, because I have the most responsible, modest, hardworking team out there! I’m truly blessed.
If you implement these tips, you can build and keep your dream team, too.
-Randy Sklar
