Employee turnover is a major challenge for many businesses, especially those that rely on hourly workers. According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management, the average annual turnover rate for hourly employees in 2020 was 57%, compared to 31% for salaried employees. High turnover rates can have negative impacts on productivity, customer satisfaction, employee morale, and profitability.
However, technology can offer some solutions to help employers retain their hourly workers and reduce turnover rates. Here are some ways that technology can help improve employee engagement, performance, and loyalty in hourly jobs.
AI-Powered Onboarding And Training
One of the key factors that influence employee retention is the quality of onboarding and training. A good onboarding process can help new hires feel welcome, valued, and prepared for their roles. A good training program can help employees develop their skills, knowledge, and confidence.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can help automate and personalize the onboarding and training process for hourly workers. AI can provide customized and interactive learning experiences that match the needs and preferences of each employee. AI can also monitor the progress and performance of employees and provide feedback and coaching. For example, Constellation Research has custom-built an AI solution to coach call center employees in their now-virtual world. It utilizes natural language processing, coaching systems, intelligent decision making and conversational AIs.
AI-powered onboarding and training can help reduce employee turnover by increasing employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. According to an article on Workable, by supporting training and performance, managers can avoid the high turnover rate of 20% of new hires leaving within the first 45 days.
Employee Engagement And Feedback Tools
Another factor that affects employee retention is the level of employee engagement and feedback. Employee engagement refers to the degree of emotional commitment and involvement that employees have with their work and organization. Employee feedback refers to the communication between employees and managers about their performance, expectations, and goals.
Technology can help enhance employee engagement and feedback by providing various tools and platforms that facilitate communication, collaboration, and recognition. For example, employee engagement and feedback tools such as TINYpulse and Polly can help managers collect real-time data on employee sentiment, satisfaction, and motivation. These tools can also help managers identify issues and opportunities for improvement, as well as reward and celebrate achievements.
Employee engagement and feedback tools can help reduce employee turnover by improving employee morale, trust, and loyalty. A business with high employee engagement experiences 23% more profitability and 43% less turnover, reports the global analytics and advice firm Gallup.
Flexible And Remote Working Options
A third factor that influences employee retention is the availability of flexible and remote working options. Flexible working refers to the ability of employees to adjust their work hours, location, or schedule according to their needs and preferences. Remote working refers to the ability of employees to work from anywhere outside the office.
Technology can enable flexible and remote working options by providing various devices, software, and applications that allow employees to access their work resources and communicate with their colleagues from anywhere. For example, cloud computing, video conferencing, instant messaging, project management tools, etc.
Flexible and remote working options can help reduce employee turnover by supporting employees’ work-life balance, autonomy, and well-being. With almost three in five employers saying flexible working reduces their high turnover rates, it’s clear that giving employees opportunities to work from home and at times that work best for their schedules will improve morale and productivity, creating a thriving company as a result.
