3 Secrets Behind a High Turnover Rate

The secrets behind a high turnover may come as a surprise to some. But many employees would happily describe (in detail) the reasons they left their previous employers. Sure, it’s a common enough problem. But just because it is typical in the industry doesn’t mean your organization needs to waste money on high turnover.

The best way to tackle this business problem is by pinpointing the root causes and take immediate steps to correct them. These are the 3 biggest reasons workers quit their jobs. And actually, the reasons are not secrets from employees, but employers are frequently quite (amazingly) unaware. Let’s look at what you could do to keep those workers around for the long-term.

Soft Skills

The proper credentials and technical skill is critical, but just the beginning. For example, if your heavy-duty mechanic doesn’t work well with your crew or your carpenters aren’t communicating what they need, they won’t last long. Workers should be team players, problem solvers, have good communication skills, and see construction projects as a whole, not just as their part. Hiring for soft skills and a cultural fit is as important as technical skills and experience.

Overwork

Working overtime to finish a specific project is one thing. Still, it is quite another for workers to be chronically overworked. Overworked employees mean productivity suffers, and they are more prone to injuries. Add the emotional toll, and it doesn’t take long for your crew to start looking for employment somewhere else. Consider hiring additional workers for additional project work. If you can’t hire more permanent staff, use temp workers onsite as needed.

Expectations

When jobs were hard to find, you could hire workers for all types of jobs, and often they were overqualified. Now unemployment is at record lows. So, it’s more important to attract quality workers and be transparent about the job expectations.

Blue-collar work is sometimes monotonous and grueling but not disclosing those parts of the job leads to high turnover. Workers regularly leave jobs that didn’t meet expectations. If you ask workers to do tasks that weren’t in their original job description or don’t provide the benefits you promised, they likely leave. So, write a clear job description with an accurate job title. The job description should cover: 1) a comprehensive description of the job, 2) precise requirements, and 3) an overview of the company mission, history and values.

In this tight labour market, managers all experience these same recruiting issues. Schedule a consultation to discuss how Skilled Trades Agency can help your organization decrease your turnover rate today!