retention strategy: how to create a positive working environment

Providing competitive benefits packages and financial incentives are great ways to attract employees, but financial compensation can only go so far. 

To retain your employees, you must create a positive working environment. So what makes a positive work environment?

Here are six tips to help you retain employees by creating a positive work environment and being your best boss.

1. don’t be an absentee boss.

As important as it is to give your team members space, it is equally important to make sure that they are feeling challenged and productive. 

Follow up with them at least once daily to see how they are doing. 

This is a good way to ensure they have enough on their plate and to see if they have any questions.

If they feel like you are never around, they will start feeling neglected, which can lead them to look for new growth opportunities outside of your company.

2. give team members meaningful work.

As obvious as it sounds, make sure you give your employees work to do. If you feel like your employees can take on more, chances are they can! 

Don’t overwhelm them with projects, just make sure they have enough to keep them busy. 

All jobs will have their expected lulls, but ensuring that your employees have a few projects on the go will keep them from losing interest in their job and boost productivity. 

The only thing worse than being too busy at work is not being busy at all.

Learn more on how to build meaningful work for your team members. 

3.  ​​lead by encouraging feedback.

Comments, suggestions, or complaints should not be left to the HR department. 

Encouraging your employees to give you feedback is another way that can help create a positive working environment and encourages a better workplace culture. 

It is important that your team members feel like they can talk with you about any issue that affects the workplace. 

Keeping an open dialogue with your employees will help earn their trust, making employees feel more secure and happy in their job.

4. have open communication minding your P’s and Q’s.

Your mom was right; manners do go a long way! How you present yourself to your employees will affect how they feel about you, the company, and the workplace culture.

Use please and thank you with every encounter you make to foster a positive work environment. 

Team members will respond to good manners and work harder and faster for you if asked courteously to do something. This is also true for bad manners. 

If you bark orders at your employees or send them blunt, rude emails, they will feel less valued and unappreciated.

Making sure there is value put on a person and their position will not only help retain your employees, but it will ensure that they are giving them all when it comes to their work.

5. create a company culture of flexibility.

Studies have shown workplace flexibility leas to employees overall well-being inside and outside of work. 

It is also important to realize that your employees may have needs requiring their hours to be more lenient. 

Allowing flexible hours outside of the rigid 9 to 5 can help with a work-life balance. Say you have an expectant mother or a single father. 

Allowing them to work alternative hours or from home is a way to reduce their workplace stress and lighten their loads a bit. 

Creating such arrangements will make your employees grateful for such an accommodating boss and encourage a positive working environment.

Discover our guide: why and how to offer flexibility to your employees

6. be your employee's biggest fan.

Encourage your employees to take ownership of tasks or take on projects outside their roles. 

This will help them further develop their skills, increase productivity, and expand their resumes. It is also important for employees' experience to give them credit where it is due. 

Even if it is just a shout-out to them in a meeting, they will see that their efforts are appreciated, motivating them to take on more responsibilities. 

Forgetting to praise an employee or not calling them out on their hard work can cause employees to feel resentment, leading to a disgruntled employee. 

a positive work environment leads to success. 

Foster a positive working environment important for retaining employees and ensuring job satisfaction. As seen above, it goes beyond competitive benefits and financial incentives.

A positive working environment encourages job satisfaction and productivity while reducing employee turnover. 

It is an ongoing process that requires dedication from upper management and a commitment to fostering a culture of respect, support, and growth. 

By prioritizing the well-being and development of team members, companies can boost productivity, retain talent, and build a thriving and successful organization.