7 Effective Employee Retention Strategies to Counter the Great Resignation

Retention, the ability to keep employees satisfied and choose to stay with their organisation, took a devastating blow during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the U.S. alone, more than 4 million people quit their jobs in April of 2021. By November 2021, that number soared to a record 4.5 million.1 The phenomenon of so many employees leaving their jobs after a year of health crisis earned the mass exodus the distinctive title, “the great resignation.”
Which raises the question: In a climate increased turnover, how do you keep employees working and reduce turnover?
First, it’s helpful to understand why employees stay. A recent study by SHRM2 identified five leading factors that keep employees happy and satisfied with their jobs:
- Respectful treatment of all employees at all levels
- Compensation/pay
- Trust between employees and senior management
- Job security
- Opportunities to use their skills and abilities at work