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Employee engagement is achieved through creating a workplace environment that motivates employees. A company should focus on increasing satisfaction and commitment for workers while also meeting the firm’s objectives and key results.

For 2018, several new ideas are emerging that remind companies that engagement is a two-way street. Just as companies seek to inspire employees to perform, employees look for companies that care about their needs as well.

Employee Retention Comes Under Focus

Acquiring and training new employees can be an expensive prospect for a company. The cost of hiring new staff alone can approach a third of the position’s annual salary. When factoring in lost productivity, other staff’s attention being diverted to training, and maintaining morale, the hidden costs can be substantial. Here are four ideas for your company to consider for lower turnover and increased engagement rates:

Employees Want to Know the Future

Studies show that lack of advancement – not salary – is the number one reason employees leave. Without a clear direction for their career path, workers often seek advancement elsewhere.

Career development can be a key factor in retaining quality employees. Mentoring and training programs send the message that the company is willing to invest in it’s employees, producing a sense of loyalty on both sides.

Work-Life Balance Strategies Work

Work-life programs have become a routine part of company culture for several years now. That expectation, however, does not mean everyone’s needs are being met. Flex-time, for instance, used to mean allowing workers to arrive and leave early, or vice-versa, to accommodate things like childcare scheduling, travel complications, or routine personal matters. With the rise of remote workers, the work-life balance is changing.

Remote work already demands a higher level of motivation from employees. Without face time in the office, remote workers inherently over-perform to justify their specialized situations. Allowing employees to completely set their schedules (with company approval, of course) helps keep that high quality performer while instilling a strong commitment within them.

Get the Right Tools That Staff Need

In line with work-life balance and career development, employees need the right tools to get the job done. Once you understand an employee, ask them directly what would help them achieve their needs and goals. Utilizing the best approaches to a given situation can improve success rates for both employee and company.

For example, everyone has a preferred method of learning. People know what works best for them, whether its one-on-one mentoring, formal educational environments, or self-directed continuing ed. Other needs could be new software or hardware tools that can help everyone be more efficient.

Of particular note, remote workers, while enjoying the convenience of the out of office experience, also struggle to keep apprised of in-house developments. Regular check-ins through audiovisual conferencing can alleviate those concerns.

Unlimited Paid Time Off Pays Off

A surprising development has been the move to unlimited paid time off. This is another great work-life balance strategy, as putting time in the hands of employees generates enormous goodwill with little downside for productivity. While a very few companies are experimenting with the idea, results are showing that when given the opportunity, employees take relatively the same amount of vacation time as they do under more structured time-off programs.

Unlimited paid time off does not mean unmonitored time off. Conceptually, the employee is trusted to manage their time, with company input, in a manner that complements their personal and professional lives. Instead of focusing on hours of work performed, the emphasis shifts to quality and timeliness, regardless of hours.

Since evidence is mounting that workers do not abuse the paid time off, an interesting side-effect is identifying unmotivated workers. Excessive time off can be an indicator that the employee is not fully engaged and needs attention to identify the issue.