In most businesses, retention specialist jobs are often dedicated to retaining loyal customers. A newer trend is to support retention specialist positions to help retain employees. Their purpose is to ensure employee needs are met, any issues are addressed, and they are satisfied working at their jobs. Especially for staffing agencies, this can help keep both employees and their temporary employers satisfied. Excellent communication between the retention specialist and the employee is critical to meeting retention goals.
Why Employee Retention Matters Now More Than Ever
Most employers will agree that employee retention efforts can require a big focus when the overall unemployment rate is low and job positions are hard to fill. Many states experienced a loss in population since the pandemic as well. And while low unemployment rates may be related to the fact that people are moving out of state, an increase in deaths and a decrease in births are also contributing factors. A figure to always check is the number of jobs available compared to people looking for work. When there are many unfilled positions, each trained employee is a huge asset to a business. Employee retention strategies help show the person how valuable they are and provide solutions to ensure loyalty.
What an Employee Retention Specialist Can Do
When employees have many opportunities available to them, a retention specialist can make a difference to make sure an employee and employer find the right fit and keep it. Retention specialist responsibilities are all about interacting with the person to boost employee satisfaction. And it’s often the little things that help make a job more manageable and enjoyable for the long haul.
Getting Employees off to the Right Start
One of the best parts of a retention specialist job is the opportunity to meet new hires right after their interview. New situations come with some amount of pressure, and the retention specialist can ensure every new employee knows that they have someone to reach out to in case of any questions or concerns about the new job.
The first day of the new job can involve lots of changes: a new route to work, a new daily schedule, or changes in transportation and child care. A retention specialist helps smooth the way by calling or texting in advance to make sure all the details of the new position are understood. This may also include the exact start time and date, the work location, and any special work requirements like steel-toed shoes. A new employee might have last-minute questions about seemingly simple things like lunch breaks and job requirements. Here the retention specialist can step in and clarify what to expect.
Even after the first day is over, there may still be questions and issues, so the retention specialist will check in to find out how the day went. After the first week, the specialist will reach out again to make sure the job is a good fit, gather employee feedback, and offer any support that could help to make the transition easier.
Smoothing the Employer/Employee Relationship
The employee retention specialist role is meant to build positive working relationships by helping to address any issues that employees may have as they arise. Whether that means special equipment, assistance with figuring out alternative solutions to transportation, or something else entirely, the retention specialist can assist.
In some cases, being a retention specialist means being a coach and a mentor. If an employee struggles with tardiness or unexcused absences, the retention specialist can work to understand the root causes and provide coaching to address them. Retention specialists act as a go-between with the employer to address any concerns and keep the relationship running smoothly.
Ensuring Employee Satisfaction
One of the best ways to retain staff is to find out what it takes to satisfy them and then look for ways to make it happen. That starts with getting to know each existing employee and what makes them tick. Part of the employee retention specialist’s job description is to keep up with workers in various ways to make sure their needs are being met. Here are some of the ways we learn more about our employees:
- Text a form to ask for regular feedback on their job and fit for the company.
- Visit a worker on the job to check in face-to-face, address any issues, and answer questions.
- Periodically call or text employees to touch base and check on their well-being.
- Let them know when they have achieved milestones, such as time on the job, eligibility for benefits, and so on.
Other Ways That Employers Can Improve Employee Retention
Companies can employ a whole range of strategies to show their commitment to employee retention, as we described in 5 Employee Retention Strategies. Whether it’s through recognition or through soliciting feedback, even small actions that show loyalty to your current staff and forge connections with them can make a difference.
What are some of the retention efforts a company can implement to retain existing employees? Sometimes all it takes is for managers to show an interest in their personal lives. Ask workers where they want to be in a year or five years and work to help them achieve their goals. Give creative rewards in the form of their favorite candy, tickets to see their favorite band, a surprise celebration with their favorite food (did someone say ice cream?), or a gift card to their favorite restaurant.
What Employee Retention and Customer Retention Have in Common
Many companies have well-developed customer retention strategies, and some of these same customer retention solutions can be applied in similar ways to aid employee retention. Common customer retention solutions that work very well to retain business include:
- Respond promptly to customer complaints and customer inquiries.
- Solicit customer feedback from time to time.
- Provide excellent customer service to make existing customers feel valued.
- Treat customers as individuals to ensure customer satisfaction.
In short, many of the company policies that ensure customer retention can also help retain existing staff.
An employee retention specialist works to create positive working relationships and help increase the loyalty of existing employees over time. Some of the most rewarding parts of the role are not even in the retention specialist’s job description. It can be very rewarding when a retention specialist does everything they can to make sure each employee has a partner to help them become a successful and satisfied employee.
