We’re in the midst of a time of upheaval. Not only are we nearing the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re also dealing with economic fluctuations and The Great Resignation.
Retaining employees within a franchise, particularly in the retail sector, is never particularly easy. There are always challenges to face. But right now, those challenges are magnified a bit.
To keep employees these days, it isn’t enough to ensure they’re satisfied—they have to be delighted. That requires a strong company culture.
Not sure whether your franchise culture is one that will keep employees around? Keep reading.
What Employees Need From Businesses
Whether you’re looking to bring in new hires or retain your current employees, you probably wonder what qualities attract employees. These three are biggies:
Transparency
In today’s world, with all sorts of uncertainties, employees are looking for raw honesty from employers. They don’t want to be lied to, or to have the truth covered up for their “benefit.”
Instead, they want a transparent look at the realities the business is facing in everything from the company’s financial situation to whether changes are being made to the products or services offered by the business. You don’t have to share everything about your business with all your employees, but don’t cover up the details if the ship is sinking.
Respect
Strong pay packages and competitive benefits will bring in new hires, but people are more likely to stick around when they feel respected. At the root, we all want to feel valued—as people, as professionals, and as employees.
Find small and big ways to demonstrate to your employees that you appreciate them. Think outside the box of “freebies” and instead offer your employees meaningful and useful perks, like better food in the breakroom or compensation to cover drive time.
Growth Opportunities
Very few employees in today’s workforce want to stay in a role where they’re expected to do the same thing, day in and day out, with no potential for personal growth.
While not all people want to grow into managerial or even more advanced roles, we all want to grow. It’s important for franchises to offer those opportunities for growth, both growth “up the ladder” in helping employees attain other positions and growth that helps employees build and develop skills that help in work and life.
Leave the 9-to-5 job behind and come join the ranks as a franchisee! We can help you parse through hundreds of opportunities to find the one that’s right for you. Get in touch today to get started.