In this challenging job market, employers sometimes develop a false sense of security when it comes to staff motivation and retention. These misguided employers often believe they can reduce focus on compensation, benefits, flexibility, a positive workplace culture, and even basic safety, and suffer no consequences when it comes to expensive turnover. They’re often surprised when this turns out to be untrue.

Employers sometimes come to us on an urgent mission to win back or retain staff members who are starting to look elsewhere. And for employers in this position, we have some good news: this can be an easy problem to solve. Even if you don’t have the margins or budget resources to provide high annual raises, a few innovative steps can improve your offerings and keep talented employees on your team.

Consider the following strategies to increase retention without breaking your budget. Adapt these moves to suit your specific industry and culture.

Increase Motivation and Keep Talented Employees Onboard

1. Working on building trust. It’s hard to underestimate the boost in engagement that employees experience when they know you have confidence in them. Keep an eye on their progress, provide clear directions, and give feedback after each project. But in the interim, try to remove training wheels and let employees test their own ideas. And allow as much schedule flexibility as you can afford. Some companies have found success by letting employees research their own market value and suggest their own raises each year during the annual review cycle. Employees thrive when they’re trusted to work on their own schedules, solve problems, test theories, and negotiate their own compensation.

2. Offer non-traditional benefits. If you can’t afford competitive salaries, you’ll have to find other ways to keep your best performers away from the competition. Review your benefits packages. Then look into retirement savings plans. How do you currently support continuing education for your employees? Consider a tuition matching or reimbursement program. Relatively minor investments, like an onsite day care center, can yield high returns in employee motivation and enormous reductions in turnover costs.

3. Change your attitude. There’s no more inexpensive way to reduce turnover and raise motivation that a sustained and genuine attitude adjustment at the management level. Simple expressions of gratitude and praise can go a long way toward building employee loyalty. Successful managers are those who pay close attention to the personal lives and ambitions of their employees and tailor small rewards to the interests of each specific employee. Noticing when employees are having a rough time and offering flexibility and support can also have a powerful impact.

Need more ideas? Looking for motivation tactics that work well within your specific culture? Reach out to the Texas employment and HR specialists at Expert Staffing. We can help you find ways to keep your employees focused and your business goals on track.