Retaining talented staff is a key objective for any business, and employers who take on apprentices and trainees are no different. If you’ve spent time and resources training an employee to your specific work environment, you’ll no doubt want them to go the distance.
However, recent Australian Institute of Management figures showed 46 per cent of people in the country are looking to change jobs in 2015. Respondents who have been with their organisation between three and five years had the itchiest feet, with 60 per cent planning to move on soon.
Tips and advice on how to retain your apprentice or trainee are available at Apprenticeship Central. This should help you get off on the right foot when offering a placement, particularly if you register online to gain full access to all of the site’s resources.
If an apprentice or trainee has left your employment before or you’re worried it could happen in the future, perhaps new research from Robert Half may illustrate some of the warning signs. The firm highlighted the biggest contributing factors that would lead to a worker’s resignation.
Limited career development
One-fifth of employees said a lack of opportunities to move up in an organisation would be a key motivation for quitting their job. Staff aren’t necessarily looking to get promoted immediately, but they may begin to search for new work if they see no room for progression at your firm.
Bored with the job
Employers hoping to keep hold of their best talent should try to make the job interesting for their apprentice or trainee. Entrusting them with additional responsibilities or providing more autonomy in their role could be a good way of alleviating boredom.
Unhappy with management
Sixteen per cent of employees cited problems with management as a potential factor for switching jobs. Tackling a toxic managerial environment could therefore have a significant impact on staff retention.
Too much work
Nearly one in 10 people say being overworked is a problem that would encourage them to begin a new job search. Are your staff doing extra hours, working through lunch or appearing irritable or stressed? These could be signs they have too much on their plate.
Lack of recognition
Bosses failing to recognise the hard work of their workers is a common complaint among disengaged employees. Public acknowledgement, positive appraisals or even just a quick word to say a job has been done well could all make a huge difference.
