How to improve employee retention: Strategies for today’s workforce

Today, employers are navigating tighter deadlines, unpredictable demand, and increased competition for skilled workers. With all this complexity and a rapidly evolving labor market, understanding turnover and preventing it requires a strategic approach and innovative mindset.

At Adecco, we’ve spent over 60 years partnering with organizations of all sizes to tackle employee retention, so we’ve seen what works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to employee engagement and retention.

So, if you’re wondering how to improve employee retention, below are some proven strategies and how Adecco can help you implement them.

1. Recognize and reward workers

Recognition might seem simple, but it has a real impact at every level of your organization. Workers want to feel seen, whether it’s for meeting quotas, being on time every h2day, referring a new hire, or going above and beyond.

Fortunately, recognition doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. Think company swag, a half-day off, a heartfelt shout-out in a team meeting, or a small bonus. At Adecco, we’ve seen firsthand how important it is for workers to feel like their efforts aren’t going unnoticed, which is why we often offer attendance and referral bonuses and promote upskilling opportunities.

2. Prioritize workplace safety

At Adecco, we help clients create programs that address unsafe behaviors and sites. Way too often, we see that safety protocols get filed under compliance and liability concerns, but don’t be surprised if prioritizing safety can also give you an edge over your competitors.

See it from a worker’s perspective: A safe worker environment shows that an employer values their people – not just their output. When employees know that their well-being is being factored into of day-to-day operations, they’re more likely to stay loyal to your organization.

3. Offer career pathways, even for temporary roles

Of course, there are plenty of workers content with just having a job, but that in no way represents the majority. Today’s employees – whether they’re temporary or permanent – want the opportunity to advance in position, pay, and responsibility.

How you approach this all depends on your organization. Some ways we’ve done this in the past, often in partnership the Adecco Group US Foundation (the Foundation), include:

• Providing access to Aspire Academy’s free online coursework to develop in-demand skillsets
• Offering a high school equivalency program to help temporary workers earn the equivalent of a high school diploma
• Initiating team captain opportunities, a customized leadership program intended to level-up proven associates into entry-level management roles
• Training exemplary workers for higher-paying skilled positions, like forklift operators
• Redeploying top seasonal and temporary workers to new assignments or transitioning them to a permanent position within your organization

4. Promote mental health and well-being

Don’t write off burnout as a pandemic-era phase just yet. Workers still believe in the importance of mental health – and many are expecting their employers to be aware and taking action on it, too.

Strategies to promote well-being at work don’t need to be disruptive to business operations either. They can be as simple as offering access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), encouraging PTO use, allowing flexibility to handle emergencies or caregiver demands, and building policies that respect a work-life balance.

5. Increase worker engagement

Employers can often fall into the trap of treating their temporary workers differently than their permanent employees. However, high turnover within your contingent workforce can still have a disastrous effect on your operations and cost you in the long run.

There are small but meaningful ways to create a workplace culture where people feel like they belong, from celebrating birthdays to holding appreciation days to little perks like hot chocolate and coffee on cold days. Worker engagement doesn’t happen by accident though, and one of the best ways to do it is by conducting regular surveys of your temporary workers to hear their feedback.

6. Review pay rates regularly

Let’s not overlook the obvious – and arguably most impactful – factor in retention: Compensation. Pay rates still top the list of reasons why employees leave and why they stay.

But determining the “right” rate can be tricky. It varies by region, skill level, and industry. That’s where Adecco can help. We work with employers to benchmark wages, understand local trends, and set competitive pay structures that attract and retain the best talent.

How Adecco can help you improve employee retention

Reducing turnover and keeping great workers is a critical part of any staffing solution. For our clients, we’ve implemented various combinations of the strategies above.

However, don’t forget that reducing turnover also starts the moment you post a job opening. Whether it’s writing more transparent and honest job descriptions or designing an onboarding process to set new workers up for success, we can help guide you every step of the way.

Improving employee retention isn’t about a single fix, so having the right partner is key. Contact Adecco today to learn how our customized workforce strategies can help you retain the talent you need, when you need it most.