There are few, if any, enterprises that retain exactly the same workforce in place for any length of time. There are many factors which affect staff levels and many of them are not within the company’s control. First of all, order levels alter throughout the life of a business and people must be added or removed to keep it working efficiently. In addition to this, there are occasional skills shortages in certain jobs and anyone skilled in these roles becomes very sought-after in the job market and is able to boost their salary and benefits package by switching to a new employer. Without doubt workers’ personal circumstances also play a crucial role in any organisation’s staff turnover rate. Unavoidable changes in their private lives often oblige people to have to reduce their working hours or to cease work altogether. The most common of these used to be childbirth but maternity leave regulations and the launch of childcare measures have permitted many mothers to continue working. However, many people might need to care for elderly or disabled dependents or may suffer poor health themselves which requires them to reassess their working conditions. All of these factors will require a company reaction to a particular event but is there an opportunity for businesses to be positive and contemplate making some changes in their working practices which will mimimise their level of staff turnover? It is worth analysing the different steps involved during a person’s time with a company, namely joining, working and leaving.

Let’s look at the joining process first. To make certain that the correct person is selected for any vacancy a detailed job description should be prepared and given to all candidates. This should act as a filter to deter some obviously unsuitable applicants and will direct the interviewer’s attention on recognising the skills and experience which are crucial for the role. Modern technology now makes it possible for interviewees to be made familiar with certain roles in almost a ‘virtual’ capacity and carry out Online Jobs at the interview stage so that they and the business can test their suitability for the job. Once they have been chosen, the successful candidate should be given a thorough induction programme which is relevant to their role. Weak selection policies and the lack of robust induction programmes are two of the reasons why many people leave their jobs after a short time, usually within a year.

It is only while they are actually with the firm that an employee can be motivated to stay. However, it is a hard task to keep everyone happy all of the time. Some people leave because of issues within the workplace but others may be obliged to do so by matters outside of the company’s control. This may be as simple as an attractive role or a higher salary being available in another industry. The issues which occur within the firm can include an absence of personal development or promotion opportunities, a lack of management skills causing disputes among staff, a poor consultation or grievance procedure and a feeling among people that they are not being treated fairly by the company. All of these issuescan be avoided by the implementation of, and adherence to, policies which make it clear to people what is expected of them but, more importantly, what encouragement the employer is willing to provide in these areas. For example, flexible working could be introduced to allow those people with domestic obligations to work part time or to Work From Home. Most businesses have a certain amount of Internet Business these days and if some jobsare suitable to be carried out as Online Jobs then modern technology will allow people who Work From Home to carry out their private needs without having to leave the company. This might even be a means of increasing the level of Internet Business for the company.

These measures will help to reduce staff turnover but some people will still want to move on from the firm. It is crucial to find out the real reasons why they are doing so as it will help to assess the effectiveness of any new policies which have been implemented. It is advisable that a formal exit interview is held, preferably towards the end of any notice period and not with a manager from the leaver’s department. Where possible, an independent consultant from outside the firm should be engaged as more honest answers tend to be given to external contacts. A high proportion of leavers do not want to be over-critical of the firm even if job dissatisfaction has caused them to resign and they will tend to give vague or false reasons for their departure.