Are you struggling with young talent engagement and retention? Many businesses face challenges with retaining young employees, often linked to demanding work schedules. This issue creates concerns about burnout and long-term career satisfaction for the future generation. This blog has shed light on how optimizing working hours can significantly boost engagement and retention for youth in the workforce.
Why is engagement and retention so difficult?
Engagement and retention are considerable problems for organizations due to various reasons. If there are no strong relationships between the employee and their manager, especially if the employee is in a position with constantly rotating shifts, ineffective communication and connection could come into play.
According to the Harvard Business report, employee disengagement leads to absenteeism, increased employee turnover rates, poor customer service, and ultimately leads to reduced profitability. The cost of replacing an employee can be very expensive; in some cases, it is up to 200% of the annual salary, thus emphasizing the importance of engaging and retaining employees for a stronger bottom line.
The relationship between engagement and retention with business ROI
Retaining employees for the long term not only reduces the hiring cost; however, their experiences also help in achieving business goals very quickly, which is a great source of increasing ROI. Here are some points mentioned.
Predictability – engagement and retention
Predictability in scheduling gives hourly employees the ability to achieve a degree of work-life balance, while also promoting more engagement and reducing turnover as people can plan to manage their personal obligations.
Flexibility – engagement and retention
Flexibility of the workplace increases employee satisfaction and morale, which helps reduce employee turnover. Offering flexible policies, such as flexible hours or remote work options, allows employees to improve their work-life balance and reduces the businesses’ hiring and training costs.
Equity – engagement and retention
Equitable compensation and equitable advancement contribute positively to higher engagement and retention. The best treatment is to be compensated and/or advanced equitably, leading to employees feeling more loyal, engaged, and committed to their organization.
Onboarding strategy to retain young employees
Hiring the right employees for the right position
Many organizations face difficulties in matching candidates with roles where they can truly thrive. Hiring individuals whose skills and aspirations align with the position’s demands is paramount. This strategic approach minimizes early disillusionment, fostering a foundation for higher engagement and retention.
When employees feel genuinely suited for their work, their motivation and commitment naturally increase, benefiting both individual productivity and overall business performance.
Write a proper job description by mentioning all responsibilities and business goals
Incomplete job descriptions frequently lead to misaligned expectations and swift disengagement. A well-crafted job description explicitly outlining all responsibilities, required skills, and how the role contributes to overarching business goals is critical.
This transparency ensures candidates fully comprehend the position’s scope, reducing surprises and increasing the likelihood of successful performance and sustained engagement. Clear expectations from the outset are fundamental for effective engagement and retention.
Modern strategies for employee engagement and retention
Trained frontline managers to support youth employment
Frontline managers play a critical role in influencing the experiences of young employees; however, they often do not have the distinct capabilities to develop this employee group in the right way.
Providing quality training to managers about developing skills in their employees, engaging in effective communications, and developing career-related skills can result in more engaged employees and higher retention.
For example, Walmart’s Manager Academy took the initiative to equip store managers with leadership education, focusing on empathy and the well-being of associates. Investing this way in managers ultimately creates a better environment, especially with a large hourly and typically younger workforce, which leads to potential turnover reduction.
Work towards inclusion
Exclusionary environments can lead to feelings of isolation and unhappiness, preventing employees from utilizing their skills elsewhere. To build sustainable employee engagement and retention, organizations must create an inclusive work environment.
Amazon, for example, has successfully implemented inclusive hiring practices and support structures for diverse employees, resulting in higher engagement levels.
Give them engaging work
Start good communication with employees
A common pain point for employees is a lack of clear and consistent communication from leadership. Establishing robust communication channels from day one is vital for building trust and fostering a sense of belonging.
Open dialogues, regular feedback, and clear articulation of company updates help employees feel valued and informed, directly impacting their engagement and ultimately, their retention. Effective communication forms the bedrock of a positive employee experience.
Give them engaging work
Monotonous work can lead to disengagement, especially for young employees. Designing roles with skill development opportunities and career advancement pathways is crucial. Companies like Starbucks invest in employee education, fostering engagement and retention.
Be flexible with the schedules
For many employees, unpredictable schedules are a major frustration and prevent them from managing their personal lives. “Flexible” scheduling plays an important role in enhancing work-life balance.
Starbucks facilitates a “flexible schedule” for its “internal stakeholders”. It also acknowledges the importance of autonomy and employee engagement, which is directly linked to higher retention and reduces talent turnover, which can be costly for managers.
Help them in career development- the key to engagement and retention
It is common for employees to leave organizations whenever they believe that there’s no growth opportunity available to them. By spending time and resources on career development, like upskilling and clearly defined paths for promotions, you’d be communicating to your employees that you invest in their success long term.
In the case of Walmart, their Live Better U program has demonstrated that enrolled associates demonstrate twice as many promotion rates as non-enrolled associates, which again further demonstrates the value of providing tangible development opportunities, fueling employees to be highly engaged, and retaining talent.
Involving employees in the decision-making process- strategy of engagement and retention
Employee involvement in decision-making fosters a more inclusive culture, enhancing commitment and retention. Google, for instance, uses employee feedback to shape HR policies.
Implement a reward strategy
A strong reward strategy – that utilizes monetary and non-monetary recognition- is critical to show recognition and appreciation. Employees who feel appreciated are much more engaged and less likely to leave for other opportunities.
For instance, Southwest Airlines has a 97% total engagement rate with its SWAG (Southwest Airline Gratitude) recognition platform and an amazing redemption rate for the awards. This shows that a recognized rewards system can strongly affect retention.
Creative application organization can try in this group to retain hourly employees
Employee engagement and employee retention continue to pose challenges, as, in January 2024, Gallup reported that only 31% of the U.S. workforce was engaged. This impacts productivity, customer experience, and profit. Organizations are looking for new and innovative ways to develop a committed workforce.
Offering unique benefits and parks
Companies that provide unique perks foster a greater sense of value and loyalty, which directly affects engagement and retention.
For example, Starbucks’ College Achievement Plan, which pays 100% tuition for qualifying workers, showed that those customers stay with the coffee company 50% longer than those who did not participate. In addition, Starbucks rewards workers with promotions at almost 3 times the rate for those who participated.
Implement a motivating gamification strategy in the workplace
Gamification enhances employee engagement and retention, as demonstrated by T-Mobile’s Netherlands implementation, resulting in a 100% increase in participation and a €2 million cost savings.
The final words- employee engagement and retention
Improving working hours for youth employment is crucial for addressing engagement and retention challenges. By focusing on predictability, flexibility, opportunities, and equity, alongside robust onboarding and ongoing development strategies, organizations can cultivate a highly engaged and loyal young workforce. Investing in these areas ultimately drives business success and a stronger ROI.
FAQs- Employee engagement and retention
1. Why is youth engagement and retention so difficult in the modern workforce?
It’s challenging due to factors like demanding work schedules, a lack of strong manager relationships, and limited opportunities for career development.
2. How does flexibility in working hours benefit both employees and businesses?
Flexibility improves employee work-life balance and morale, leading to higher retention for businesses and reduced hiring/training costs.
3. What role do frontline managers play in retaining young employees?
Trained frontline managers are crucial for developing young employees’ skills, fostering effective communication, and guiding career paths, which directly impact engagement and retention.
