How Do You Maintain High Productivity Levels During Periods of High Turnover?
Productivity Advice
How Do You Maintain High Productivity Levels During Periods of High Turnover?
In the face of high turnover, maintaining productivity is a challenge that requires strategic insight and adaptability. We've gathered insights from a Partner and a Team Leader, among others, to share their experiences and strategies. From maintaining flexibility with clients to strategic planning and open communication, discover five effective ways to keep your team's productivity levels high during turbulent times.
- Maintain Flexibility with Clients
- Preemptive Planning with Clear Roadmaps
- Implement Recognition and Incentives Program
- Strategic Planning and Open Communication
Maintain Flexibility with Clients
Often, the launch of a company is a high-turnover time. Keep in mind, you've just hired the bulk of your workers. This means an inordinate number of them might get cold feet or take a competing offer at the last minute, or worse, a few months into the job—all at what feels like the worst time possible, as you're working hard to land those first key contracts.
The key to minimizing stress and maintaining productivity is keeping it flexible with clients. If you assign a single worker or team to each project, you risk having to explain why you're shifting last minute—and these reassurances take time away from your other tasks, resulting in a cascading failure of deadlines.
Hedge your bets by priming clients to expect a variety of employees (and even framing it as a comprehensive approach), and you can stay out of the fray when team members decide to move on.
Travis Hann
Partner, Pender & Howe
https://penderhowe.com/toronto-executive-search/
Preemptive Planning with Clear Roadmaps
In facing high turnover, a key approach we took at Toggl was to double down on our planning processes using our tool, Toggl Plan. We ensured that every project had a clear, accessible roadmap that could be easily handed off to incoming team members. This preemptive planning meant that despite the churn, new team members could quickly pick up where others left off, significantly reducing ramp-up time and maintaining our productivity levels. It was proof of how strategic foresight and effective planning tools can provide stability during periods of transition.
Implement Recognition and Incentives Program
Recognizing and addressing employee concerns is essential for fostering a positive work environment and increasing employee engagement. One strategy is to implement a structured recognition and incentives program for achieving goals, bonuses, or promotions for exceptional performance, and public recognition in company-wide meetings. This program, combined with regular feedback and praise, creates a culture that values and appreciates employees' contributions.
Strategic Planning and Open Communication
During periods of high turnover, maintaining productivity requires strategic planning. Open communication can alleviate anxiety among remaining employees. Investing in training can equip employees to handle new responsibilities. Temporary workers can fill gaps during the hiring process. It's crucial to maintain motivation through rewards and recognition processes for team building. In the case of research projects, to increase productivity, logistics and think tanks, in collaboration, can achieve higher productivity.