Employee Engagement Tools

If you thought the Great Resignation was a 2021 phenomenon, you’re wrong. Employee retention is still a problem for employers. In a recent article published by the Human Resources Professionals Association, they indicate that Canadian companies are collectively attempting to fill 915,000 job vacancies, 80% more than in 2019 according to Statistics Canada, and well above pre-pandemic levels. 

“What’s unfolding then is not just the Great Resignation (the symptom), but the Great Prioritization (the cause). Simply put, people are putting a greater focus on well-being, health (physical, social and mental), family (childcare and/or aging parents) and other hobbies and interests - and by extension, taking the time to consider who they work for, how they work, and why they work.” 

Recruiting employees in this environment is a challenge, but an equally important discussion is how to keep the great staff that you already have. It’s time to rethink how work gets done in your organization and how you can help your employees find fulfillment and satisfaction in their role. As mentioned above, it’s not always about offering more money. Employees are wanting opportunities, growth, flexibility, and the feeling of being part of something great and important. To be sure, they want to be paid fairly, but in order to keep employees - and keep them happy - we need to consider more than just wages.  

Career Ladder

One of the best ways we’ve found to ensure employee engagement and satisfaction is to provide a clear career path for each employee or each position. By offering your staff a plan for their growth and development, along with a clear picture of where their role can take them within your organization, you make it easier for them to take their role more seriously, to be more invested in the results of their work, and to find more fulfillment and purpose in their work. Our industry has often been seen as a good place to start, but not a career. Yet there are many great career paths within the industry. It’s our job to show people how great a career in this industry can be. And if you’re not thinking that way, you can be sure your staff aren’t either. So take some time to consider what a career in this industry can look like from the perspective of someone just starting out. 

What Does a Career Ladder Look Like

Merriam-Webster defines career ladder as “the series of progressively higher positions that can be attained in one's working career conceived of as a ladder to be climbed toward greater responsibility and financial success” It is basically a road map that indicates at what point staff will be promoted to a higher position with higher wages. 

A good career ladder is clear, specific and attainable. For example, do you require specific certifications in order to advance an employee? Include that in the career ladder. Do you want them to have worked a certain number of hours in order to transition to the next level? Include that in the career ladder. In addition to the requirements for promotion, your career ladder should indicate what can be expected regarding pay increases and other benefits. 

Your staff should also know when evaluations for advancement will take place. Do you evaluate your staff annually and determine at that time if a promotion will happen, or are the evaluations triggered by a specific event or target reached? Perhaps it’s a combination of both - regardless, include it on the career ladder. 

Training Passport

Another option we’ve seen recently (and are big fans of) is to implement a training passport to complement the career ladder. This is usually a booklet that outlines the different levels of training and career advancement and the requirements for each level. It allows the staff to see exactly what is expected of them in order to reach the next level within your organization. 

Most potions could benefit from a training passport but, specific to our industry, a training passport could be created for: 

• Part-time & full-time crew member
• Part-time & full-time crew leader 
• Part-time & full-time equipment operator (skid steer, loader, truck
• Full-time area manager 
• Division manager 

Business Finance Education

Employees often don’t have a clear picture of the cost of doing business. They generally think a company is more profitable than it is in reality simply because they don’t see where all the money goes. While providing your staff with a career ladder so they can have something to work towards is important, if you don’t compensate your staff well, you’re still likely to lose them. And if your staff don’t have a clear understanding of the cost of doing business, they may think you have more money to offer them than is reasonable. At the same time, it’s important to provide fair and regular pay raises that line up with their advancement on the career ladder and inflation. 

Providing even a basic education on business finance will help your employees understand where the money goes. In addition, offering incentives when targets are met or exceeded, giving everyone a stake in the company’s success, is a great way to build culture and a sense of unity and common purpose. 

To be sure, the way we hire and advance people within our companies has changed and is continuing to change. What hasn’t changed is that when we treat people with respect, fairness, honesty and generosity, they will respond by giving the best of themselves to see your company (which, in turn, they consider “their” company) succeed. And that’s a win-win.