The Link Between Leadership and Employee Retention

When it comes to retaining employees, leaders play a pivotal role. A leader nurtures the team and makes it grow beyond measures. The onus lies on their shoulder to define a culture that talks about respect and harmony. People feel happy taking ownership and contributing to the best of their ability. That’s how an organization grows.

However, employee retention needs detailed thought. Have you ever seen a leader confined to a space and doing things without gaining perspective? It’s rare. On the contrary, managers would like to do things as they please, which may not be in the best interest of the organization. They may think it fit to work through an HRMS and define protocols. As they say, people leave managers, not companies. Moreover, we need the human touch, and leaders know a great deal about it.

Here, it’s relevant to learn the difference between a manager and a leader. A manager puts thought into making processes efficient, while a leader thinks about making the workforce efficient. There’s a vast gap in the thought process that can influence perspective to a great extent.

One can rely on the efficiency of an employee self-service portal. It’s easy to get things done through an HRMS. But is it right to depend on technology for everything? An in-person meeting can solve things better than talking through emails. It’s apt.

How does a leader help in employee retention?

Promotes equality

If you want to build a loyal team, you need to bring equality to the system. You can refer to any instance of your team where you were given equal opportunity as your colleagues. You may have felt delighted. Your contributions to the task would have increased. It also shows the effort of a leader to maintain transparency and see things from a larger perspective. How does it relate to the employee retention process?

In a biased team setup, you may have your favorites. You spend your time nurturing that one person. What message does it give to the other team members? One may feel confused and left out. It can lead to job dissatisfaction, and parting ways can be the only solution. However, a leader knows how to make a situation better.

Bring your leadership skills to the front. Have a balanced view of the situation. It’s not only about showing empathy but making a fair decision. It’s your responsibility to make your team members feel valued. When you do so, you’re likely to produce a productive and loyal team.

Appreciates hard work

A leader never delays appreciating the team for its hard work. It makes sense how great leaders have shaped the culture in different organizations around the world. Google, for one, takes employee welfare seriously. Employees want to feel valued. They like to receive appreciation for their contribution to accomplishing a specific goal or target.

If you’ve attended HR meetings in the past, you may know that employees often complain about not getting the due credit for their performances. It leads to distraction and job dissatisfaction. For HR, it can become difficult to retain an employee. Now, let us consider a scenario where a leader intervenes.

Since a leader is easily approachable, they’re likely to share a friendly rapport with their colleagues. As an employee, you can vent out things that bother you and seek clarification on the same. You may feel light-headed post the conversation and decide to continue your tenure. How does it happen? You use your leadership skills to handle the situation. We can take a lesson from this scenario: Listening is an art, and every leader must master it.

Delegates wisely

A leader not only involves the team in crucial discussions but also delegates the tasks wisely. Leaders count on their experience to make decisions. When it’s about delegating authority, they measure the potential of the team members in advance. That’s why they are called visionaries.

If you don’t delegate tasks properly, employees tend to become confused. Besides, there’s no clarity on the tasks assigned. It can lead to chaos and delays. Moreover, a few team members may conclude things then and there. Employee retention is a tricky process to understand.

You must try different scenarios to know what works and what does not. Assuming things won’t take you anywhere. However, you can count on a leader’s experience to change the game.

Addresses grievances timely

Another major reason why employees quit is when their concerns are not addressed timely. They may have grievances concerning various things. We are humans, and we like our voices to be heard. Employees may use HR software to communicate with the HR team and other departments, but is it the only efficient solution out there. Again, the point comes down to having a human element attached to things.

You can lay your concerns with your manager over emails and expect a prompt response. You may hear from them late. It can build up tension, and you think it suitable to contribute less. You need a face-to-face meeting to resolve your concerns. A leader knows the importance of addressing grievances on time. They can assess a situation and work on improving it promptly. That’s how you help in retaining employees.

Mentors the team

If an employee feels stuck in a problem or thinks there’s no scope to grow further, he/she can explore options. Mentoring your team is the best way to ensure employee retention. But how does it work?

A new joiner would want to learn different things. It’s always exciting to know how different systems function in an organization. If you have delegated tasks to your team, make sure you give them enough downloads and guide them through the way, so they feel they are heading in the right direction. It instills confidence in employees.

Leaders cascade information and knowledge that they have so their team can grow equally. They know the importance of sharing knowledge and how it helps in maintaining transparency and unity within the team. Mentoring is beyond making your employees learn how HR and payroll software works. It’s about planting a nurturing seed that grows with time.

The final word

Losing your best talent hurts. One has to walk beside the team and ensure that people are happy and satisfied. That’s how they will surpass themselves in terms of performance. One cannot rely on people that are not committed to your goals and vision as you are.

They may start in good faith but find it convenient to walk different paths for various reasons, including bad work culture, rigid human resource policies, strict managers, low pay, etc. However, organizations can take charge of things by embracing thought leadership. HR policies can be more employee-centric, the pay scale can be redefined, and managers can become mentors. Yes, it’s possible.