We blinked and 2018 arrived! This week, deflated employees drag themselves back into the office with the #backtowork blues, focusing on their New Year’s Resolutions. For some employees, this may be the commitment to look for a new job. A bad start to the year for employers would be to lose their top talent and face the high costs associated with recruitment and training new starters. So how can we avoid this from happening? We have outlined below our top tips for beating the workplace slump and making sure your top talent doesn’t disappear.
1. Create a positive working environment
Many of us spend more time in the office than we do in our own homes. It is therefore important for employers to make the working environment as comfortable as possible for their staff. Before everyone returns to the office and projects get well underway, use the quiet spell to make improvements. For example, add a fresh coat of paint to the office walls, install new kitchen appliances or provide a selection of healthy snacks to everyone.
2. Conduct an employee survey
Starting off the year with an employee survey is a quick and easy way of gaining valuable feedback from your staff as to the changes they would like to see in 2018. This not only gives the opportunity for staff to voice their opinions but also demonstrates your desire to meet their needs where possible. Pulse surveys are becoming increasingly popular amongst organisations as they are so easy to conduct and can be carried out on any device using a performance management system.
3. Set SMART objectives for the year ahead
Of critical importance is for managers to work with their staff to set SMART objectives for the year ahead. This is fundamental to any high performing organisation as they not only give employees clarity, they also enhance engagement and help to underpin your performance management process.
4. Regularly use Performance Management Software
A new year is often the best opportunity to introduce new practices. If you have a performance management system but it isn’t being used effectively or you are yet to invest in one, then 2018 presents the perfect opportunity to get buy-in from managers and employees and further present the business case for allocating budget to a new system and embedding year-round performance. Getting staff onboard by explaining the benefits of using performance management software can bring a new-found energy to the workplace as employees see the foundations being put in place for a successful year ahead.
5. Demonstrate your commitment
By using online performance management software, you can encourage conversations between managers and employees around the topics of career aspirations, training and development. By doing so, employees will feel positive about how they can reach their goals with your support, without feeling the need to turn to an alternative workplace.
6. Invest in your Managers
In May 2017 it was reported that one in five UK employees have resigned over a terrible boss. Whilst it is not being inferred that you have terrible bosses within your organisation, there are certain key management skills that can be nurtured through training to help support managers deliver the best support and to encourage their teams to flourish.
7. Recognise your employees
It may sound like an odd time of year to provide recognition for your staff (who may not have been in work for several weeks), but reflecting on the previous year and highlighting any positives they achieved in 2017 is a really positive way to encourage your employees to work to their best abilities in 2018 and feel appreciated at the same time.
For information about how Actus Performance Management Software can kick start your 2018, click here.
