Frequent employee turnover isn’t just costly. It has a very real effect on morale, and it can quickly drain your team’s motivation and work ethic. As the summer months approach, you’ll want to be sure you’re making your best effort to improve your employee retention. Here’s how:

Pay competitively.

It’s one of the simplest yet most effective ways to keep your best employees around: pay them what they’re worth. Stay on top of what market rates are for your positions, and make sure your organization matches that. Top talent won’t stick around for long if they discover they can make more elsewhere. And remember that it’s not just about money – offering competitive benefits and perks is also an important retention tool.

Make vacation days mandatory.

U.S. workers are allocated 10 vacation days a year on average, according to data from Zippia. But more than half of employees don’t use all of their vacation days. In order to increase retention and attract new talent, consider making it mandatory that your employees use their vacation days, or implement an unlimited PTO policy if you can.

Implement flexible scheduling.

Depending on your industry, you may be able to introduce flexible scheduling into your workflow. This can take on a few different forms. There are hybrid work models, in which employees work some days in-office and some days remote, as well as flexible start and end times that let employees make their own hours. However you do it, introducing some kind of flexibility into your employees’ work lives is a great way to keep them around.

Avoid drastic changes when you can.

One of the leading contributors to high turnover is sweeping, drastic change in the workplace. When this happens, employees start to worry about job security, and one solution might be for them to look for something they see as more stable. Rather than implementing sudden changes that affect the entire organization, try to make changes in smaller increments. Roll out changes slowly, making sure to explain what’s happening clearly and transparently. This fosters a sense of trust between employer and employee, ultimately improving retention.

Foster workplace communication.

The final tip for improving employee retention this summer: talk to your people. Ask them how they’re feeling, what they would like to see improved upon, and what suggestions they have to make your organization a better place to work. Often, the best ideas come from within, so create an environment of collaboration and communication.

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