by Jill Thompson | January 26, 2022
In a recent members-only article from the winter issue of Higher Ed HR Magazine, Britni Elder, associate vice president for human resources and risk management at the University of Central Arkansas, shared tips and resources higher ed HR practitioners can tap into to get ahead of the resignation curve and not only hold onto employees, but keep them engaged and moving up within the institution.
- Address employee discontentment at the manager level — Managers with poor people skills can lead to unhappy employees, and ultimately, more turnover within the institution. HR must ensure managers are equipped to manage their teams well and to help each team member reach their potential. This is a great opportunity for HR to partner with upper-level management to teach new managers the skills that will help them be the best leaders for their teams, not just managers.
- Educate employees about total compensation — Oftentimes, employees leave for a bigger paycheck only to find that the base pay is better, but the benefits at the new job don’t compete with those of their previous job. When HR informs employees about total compensation (the tangible and intangible benefits offered by the employer), it enriches the employee decision-making process. They have the tools to really see when better pay is better pay, not just better base pay.
- Prioritize well-being check-ins — Sometimes, employees are unhappy, and one way they think they can fix it is to change jobs. Unfortunately, the urge to change jobs may be only a deflection of deeper issues. HR can help in this area by keeping mental health resources and access to counseling opportunities in front of employees. Encourage managers to make time for intentional check-ins with direct reports.
- Build a path for employees to reach their full potential — Focusing on what’s next for employees can open their eyes to the opportunities right in front of them rather than searching for something else outside the institution. HR should initiate conversations and ask employees about their career goals and construct a path to help them get there. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation to get things moving.
Read the full members-only article: Four Areas HR Can Address to Boost Engagement and Retention.
Resources for employee engagement and retention:
Compensation Programs/Plans Toolkit
