Employees are essential for all companies, but they are especially important for small businesses. Small businesses do not have the luxury of hiring several people to do the same job, so every employee is valuable.  

As an employer, it is important to learn ways to retain your top employees and keep them working for your business for as long as possible.  

Here are four employee retention strategies to use today:  

Prioritize development  

Your top employees will want to continually progress in their careers. Making it possible for them to progress in your company will help retain them. 

 55% of employees consider career growth and opportunities to be more important than salary. It is crucial to provide ways for your employees to develop and grow their career, otherwise, you may lose some of your top performers to other companies that are willing to help them advance.  

Invest in employee engagement 

With a competitive job market, your employees may be job hunting while working for your company. To help find and retain those that may be looking for better opportunities, it is important to prioritize talking and engaging with your employees.  

Ask your employees what they need to feel more content at work. Ask them what they like about working for your company. Ask them what needs changing.  

Openly talking to your employees and showing them that you care about their feelings towards your company can help you find solutions to problems before they become bigger.  

Offer flexibility 

It is important to show your employees, especially top performers, that you trust them. One way to show your employees that you can count on them to get work done and reach goals on their own, is to offer them a flexible work schedule.  

A flexible work schedule can include hybrid work, fully remote work, or even just allowing them to come in late or leave early to pick up their kids from school. 

There are a lot of ways to create flexibility in your company, and your employees will appreciate the trust you put in them.  

Provide a competitive benefits package  

Benefits will always be important to employees, so it is important to offer a competitive benefit package to help stand out amongst competitors.  

Providing employee benefits shows your employees that you care about their overall health and future.  

Some benefits to consider including in your benefits package are:  

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance 
  • 401 (k) 
  • Supplemental benefits
  • Paid time off 
  • On-demand pay
  • Flexible work schedule
  • Education reimbursement
  • Wellness program  

Having a competitive benefits package will help attract and retain top talent.  

Employees are an essential part of all businesses. Retaining top employees is important for the progression and advancement of a company, so employers need to be well-informed on strategies to keep top talent.