Elizabeth Millard, The Daily Record Newswire
When associates and support staff are happy, they tend to stick around. According to a 2012 study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), job satisfaction and employee turnover move in opposite directions, so when one increases, the other decreases.
Job gains have been steady in the past few years, as employers opt to either increase or maintain staff levels, SHRM noted. But in the last three years, job satisfaction has begun to trend downward, slowly dropping toward pre-recession levels. If the trend continues, turnover rates are likely to increase, the report stated, since employees will perceive a more hospitable employment market.
An earlier study, done in 2010 by the National Association for Legal Professionals Foundation, found that firms with 100 and fewer lawyers and those with 251-500 attorneys lost nearly one-fifth of their associates every year, an attrition rate of 20 percent. Last January, Fortune magazine noted that even with the recession behind us, law firms still have a significantly higher rate of turnover than non-legal firms.
Fortunately, there are numerous strategies for increasing employee retention and job satisfaction, and every firm is likely taking a multi-level approach to the issue. As part of that plan, it’s helpful to take a look at your technology mix to be sure that it’s helping associates and staff members stay put. Here are some tech-based approaches that tend to increase job satisfaction and make for a more effective workplace:
Technology allowances
Not everyone wants a MacBook Air laptop, but for those who do, being at a company with a cookie-cutter policy about technology upgrades can be frustrating. “There are some employees who want the latest and greatest tech, and they’ll go where they can get it,” says Karen Bros, HR Manager at Wayzata-based technology consulting firm RBA.
The company set up a Technology Allowance Program (TAP) that allows employees to choose their own technology, with reimbursement up to $1,500. That money can go toward anything from a laptop to an iPhone, and is paid back over a 30-month period. If an employee leaves during that reimbursement window, the payments cease. Such a lengthy payback calendar helps toward employee retention, Bros believes. Also, even though RBA has paid for the technology, employees own the devices, so if they leave the company, they can take those laptops or smartphones with them.
“This is a very popular program, because employees have freedom of choice, and they really appreciate that they can have the technology they want, and then own whatever they choose,” Bros says.
Online health and wellness tools
Similar to choosing their own technology devices, employees appreciate the ability to tailor their wellness options, adds Kurt Cegielski, Founder and Senior Vice President of Employer Solutions at Minneapolis-based RedBrick Health. The company uses behavior-based models, online programs, and one-on-one coaching to deliver personalized employee wellness plans.
“Digital options are an important part of an employee’s choice for exploring their health options,” says Cegielski. “Some people respond well to mobile tools, while others prefer online interactions, for example. You have to meet the employees where they are.”
Wellness tools can also gather a large amount of information on chronic conditions, nutrition, habits, and other topics, so employees have a one-stop resource. That helps them to see an employer as invested in their health and wellness.
Internal social media
Although some companies wrangle with employees over social media usage, others understand that people love online connections, and they harness that inclination by using internal social media platforms. That can create stronger workplace relationships that improve job satisfaction, says Bros.
RBA uses Yammer, an internal tool accessible only to employees and consultants. “Many times, the conversations on Yammer help our consultants to leverage knowledge and expertise,” she says. “They share ideas, and constantly communicate. There’s a lot of traffic and activity on it.”
Even Facebook can be used strategically, according to Michael Lomonaco, Marketing Director at Open Systems Technologies (OST), a Minneapolis-based provider of managed services, application development, business processes, and data center solutions.
The company set up an internal Facebook page that can only be accessed by employees, as a way to share links to interesting stories, vacation photos, discussions about what to do over the weekend, and other water cooler topics. “It’s been a huge hit with a majority of our employees,” Lomonaco says.
OST also uses Cisco WebEx Connect, a tool that allows employees to chat electronically, so they can “ping” someone with a quick message that needs to be answered immediately. These chats usually involve work questions, but not always. “Many employees use funny or creative photos for their WebEx profiles, so as not to be so ‘corporate’ about its use,” says Lomonaco.
Providing platforms and tools that allow associates and staff members to connect with one another is an important part of employee retention, in addition to giving them technology choices that are tailored to their needs. As the job market continues to get more robust, strategies like these can go a long way toward keeping a firm’s employees happily working — instead of polishing up their resumes.
—————
Elizabeth Millard writes about technology. Formerly senior editor at ComputerUser, her work has appeared in Business 2.0, eWeek, Linux Magazine and TechNewsWorld.
