From Hire to Retire: Creating an Environment Where

Securing the appropriate talent for a position is challenging enough, but retaining those employees is an entirely different ball game. When an employee's passion begins to fade, their engagement decreases and complacency sets in, it's a big warning sign: you should be concerned about their notice period heading your way!

What steps do we take when faced with such a situation? Can it be prevented?

A depleted employee retention rate exerts a significant strain on a company and can affect the momentum of a business. Just like you can’t outrun a bad diet, you cannot avoid a high turnover without a strong retention strategy.

Our team at Discovered recently collected data from approximately 6000 Digital and Tech professionals spanning diverse backgrounds around the Middle East region.

It's clear that the workplace has undergone a makeover in recent years.

Companies have begun evolving their culture compensation & benefits.

Companies could be at risk of losing top talent if the culture, flexibility and package is more competitive elsewhere!

Let’s look at the recent stats:

Approx 76% of employees in the UAE have either changed jobs in the last year or plan to do so over the next 12 months.
41% are motivated to move for a higher salary.
59% prefer a better culture alongside remote work options.
61% a better work/life balance.

To find out more statistics send an email with the headline Get My Employee Insights to this link for your copy.

Here are some vital factors influencing employee longevity:

A Healthy Work Environment

And we don’t mean offer fruit baskets. Build a workplace where everyone feels appreciated and recognized for their unique contributions. Be an advocate of teamwork, collaborations and clear communications. Offer ways for employees to connect socially, participate in team-building events and become more engaged. Let your employees have a voice.

You can:

Create an open-door policy to encourage communication. Start a recognition program to celebrate each other's work and involve employees in decision-making to increase their engagement.

At Discovered we celebrate each person’s success weekly in our team meetings and there are prizes to be won! We also offer daily slots for employees to ask us for help should anyone require assistance. We are also on WhatsApp 24/7 checking in when our team needs us.

Competitive Compensation

If 41% of employees are motivated by a higher paid salary, it would make sense to ensure your employees are paid according to industry standards. Stay current with salary trends and offer competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain the very best talent. Employees that feel they are being paid fairly are more likely to stay and go the extra mile to ensure the company is winning!

At Discovered, we believe that a company is only as extraordinary as the people behind it. That’s why we are fiercely committed to ensuring our employees thrive not just professionally, but personally as well. Our host of benefits were designed to encompass the diverse needs of our team. Our most recent benefit - if you need extra help before payday we offer a salary advance. Take a look here for more ideas.

Opportunities to Grow

Ever heard the expression if you aren’t growing or evolving, you are standing still? A lot of people the UAE (and globally) want to progress in their career. Implementing career growth opportunities could be key for retaining top talent.

Offer training and clear routes for career growth.

Boost employee skills with education, mentorship and professional development tools. Let your employees witness others being promoted and thriving in their role.

Flexibility

The topic on everyone’s lips – flexibility! This is no longer just a benefit but instead more of an expectation. With so many companies offering remote work options and flexible hours it’s a good idea to start implementing this into your strategy (if you haven’t already).

This is how we do it:

Remote work options for up to 3 months of the year, most recently our team have travelled to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan and UK to work from a different vibe than Dubai.

We also offer up to 2 days’ work from home and early starts/late finishes for early birds and night owls.

Other company ideas:

Amazon – offer free, 24/7 access to counselling sessions to help with mindfulness and stress.
Nike – offer educational programs, insurance plans, fitness regimes and days off to promote rest and recovery.
Apple - the company offers employees the flexibility to work from home or remotely, allowing them to balance their work and personal lives, while also setting their own schedules. The company also offers a job-sharing role, allowing two employees to co-work together.
Spotify - Spotify’s Work From Anywhere Program, launched in 2021, allows employees to choose where they work from, with several options: working from the office, working from home, or a combination of these two.

Rewards & Recognition

Recognize and value your team's efforts. Establish a system to honour exceptional work and celebrate notable accomplishments. Highlight successes internally as well as external, through company announcements or at events/via company communication platforms (we like to use LinkedIn).

Be proactive in recognizing effort.
Be fair when it comes to recognition.
Launch a recognition program.
Something small like a shout out, can mean a lot to an employee.
Give positive, spontaneous feedback.
Celebrate success as a team

Job Security

Have you got your employees back?

In this currently unpredictable world, offering job stability could be a huge factor in retaining employees. It goes beyond ‘just having a job’; it’s about providing assurances that the company is stable and the employees' roles are secure for the foreseeable future.

So, there we have it! Keeping talent within your organization is about more than just competitive salaries. An environment where employees feel valued, heard and motivated to grow is paramount.

Trust, invest, work alongside them to drive your business forward and become a company that everyone wants to work for! ‘Have you heard of ‘Discovered’ (implement your business name here), they are the best. They know exactly how to treat their employees well’.

Remember: your people are your power!