The term “Great Resignation” has become part of the business lexicon in recent months, as businesses around the globe reemerge from a time of great upheaval after COVID.
New Zealand businesses are not immune to the trend and now, more than ever, business leaders have to figure out new ways not only to find, but also retain staff.
Tristan Bailey, Vision Systems’ Business Director, says what we are seeing is not so much a great resignation, but rather a ‘great relocation’ as more people look further afield for other opportunities.
The challenge for businesses is how to maintain staff when geographical constraints no longer play as big a part in the new recruitment landscape. For him, there are essentially five main levers to pull in order to avoid high staff turnover. In this blog, we explore how companies can ensure they keep staff happy.
- Create and foster a culture of reward and personal development
People need to feel part of the team and feel like their hard work is being rewarded. For Vision Systems, a great team culture is an essential part of the business. Fostering connections among people is an ongoing commitment with activities like axe throwing (with your colleagues, not at them!), annual ping pong tournaments and spring bending competitions among many others featuring in the work calendar.
In addition to this, the company is focused on rewarding long service with a long list of perks, including a $10,000 bonus at 5 years, and $20,000 bonus at 10 years. “It’s just one of many things that helps our people stay with us for years and become loyal to the team,” Tristan explains.
Additionally, companies should focus on some level of personal development for staff – or they’ll get bored. Make sure you’re constantly focusing on upskilling your people and offering new opportunities – there’s no reason for them to leave if they’re fulfilled in their job.
Vision Systems’ benefits to staff which include brand new vehicles, tool allowances, health insurance and team events, have returned huge benefits to the wider business.
- Make sure you pay people adequately
This one should go without saying really, but rewarding staff fairly is key to making them feel valued. With inflation on the rise and wages rising across the country, there’s definitely a balance of paying fair and reasonable wages while being competitive compared to other companies in the market.
- Adopt a flexible work policy
Work/life balance has changed drastically in the last couple of years.
As a result of COVID, Vision Systems has changed its policies to become a lot more flexible. We allow people to work flexible hours, or compressed weeks, and we allow them to do a mix of working from home and from the office, so they can choose which days they go into the office and which days they work from home.
Different staff have different arrangements, depending both on the nature of their job but also on what works for them and their family life. Someone on the tools obviously can’t work from home but can do, for example, a compressed week, when they work their hours over four days.
“Although we have the management tools to allow flexible working, we’re not monitoring them and we don’t worry about what the staff are doing. You have got to trust your staff,” Tristan adds.
- People want to be involved in a business that has a direction
Ensuring that the business direction is clear to all staff helps them understand their bigger purpose and that they are part of a team. It is fundamental to have clear messaging around the company’s purpose. In other words, whatever you say you will do, you have to do.
- Live your “why”
Our business’ why is ‘simply making lives better’. You have to bring people into the journey. Living by key values will also ensure you attract and retain the right staff for your business – and that is something that Vision Systems can attest to.
“If you have the right people you will never have a problem,” Tristan says.
At the core of it, Vision Systems is a team of good people who want to work with other good people and do good things. It’s not about being out there ticking a box but rather thinking outside of it and coming up with solutions that enhance people’s lives.
Keeping these fundamental values top of mind, combined with a focus on a good company culture that focuses on individual happiness as part of the overall company success, is why Vision System has a great track record when it comes to staff retention.
“We had people leave this year and, so far, two are back,” Tristan says.
At the end of the day, it’s all about relationships. Fostering good relationships with staff is essential to business success, now more than ever. “Don’t live in your inbox. Go out and see people, see your people face to face, do the hard graft. Go have a coffee with the team, find their pain points, listen to them,” he says.
We can use all the corporate jargon in the world but it all comes down to this: just don’t be a shit person.
Want to be a part of the Vision Systems team? Find out more about what life is like here, or get in touch today.
