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The secret to graduate employee retention

Employee retention is a global problem. Employers go through all the hoops to find and secure the best graduate talent, but then stumble at the last hurdle when they fail to keep them in the organisation. It not only costs vast amounts to replace staff, but it can also tarnish an organisation’s reputation and have negative effect on productivity and engagement.

Often, it requires a lot of self-reflection and dedication to change, but luckily, there are many ways that you can counteract this culture. We spotted a recent article on the For Construction Pros website that highlighted some positive changes you can make to improve your business (and not to mention, make your staff much happier and more fulfilled in the process).

Help them to grow

Nothing kills creativity and motivation quicker than stagnancy. Disillusion comes when the ambitious individual you were so excited to hire now feels that there is no forward progression or path towards improvement for them to make. Regular feedback can quickly antidote this. It seems straight forward enough – if you want the best from your staff you need to tell them what they’re doing well and where they could improve. Moreover, be a mentor. Offer guidance, advice and invest your time in the staff member. Engagement is sure to improve when employees feel like they are part of the company’s journey and perhaps, more importantly, that the company cares about their journey as well.

Be positive

Gaining the right balance between praise and constructive criticism can be tricky. Fortunately, a study by Harvard Business Review has established the perfect combination needed for constructive criticism – frame one negative criticism with five positive points.

Continue to teach them

Following on nicely from the previous two points, this extra step is one you can take to really get the best from your team. Whether this means sending them on a course, changing their routine or getting them to shadow a superior, continuing to educate your employees means that they are constantly improving while remaining engaged and loyal to the company.  

As Richard Branson once said, ‘happy employees are productive employees’. A fair, transparent and kind approach will quickly stop the revolving door of talent. If you’d like to tap into a wealth of exceptional international graduates, register with Gradlink for free today.