Retention going the extra mile

Small but practical things that make a big difference to your team.

When you comes to running your business no one told you that you needed to be an expert in HR, health and safety, business management, finance, sales, marketing and then people management.

Managing your team can be one of the biggest challenges, with a recent survey showing that ‘retaining’ staff was the biggest worry for many employers.

Recruiting staff is costly and time consuming, and can be disruptive for you and your employees. Finding the right people who work well together is essential.

Alongside providing a safe, supportive environment, offering legally compliant employment, making people feel valued and appreciated is key to keeping a team happy and performing at their best.

“Look after your people and they will look after your business” shared Liz Somerville, a Director at Loch Leven Equine Practice, “Investing in your team will ultimately benefit you and your business.”

UPSKILLING

People have lots of different and unique qualities so take the time to find out and observe what each team member excels at / is passionate about.

For example if they have a particular interest in veterinary work then invest in some CPD / online learning and give them more responsibility in that area. This might be something like managing the vaccination and worming programmes.

Giving staff more responsibility makes them feel cherished and trusted, and it also takes another job off you.

Find out more about the BGA e-learning.

AN UNEXPECTED THANK YOU

A small gesture goes a long way; “I always find it’s the little things that count, like bringing bacon sandwiches occasionally for breakfast or going to the chip shop at lunch without any prompting” said International Event Rider, Matthew Wright.

Making a cup of tea on a cold morning, or getting involved in Give Your Staff a Pizza Day are other ways of letting your team know they are appreciated.

TEAM TREATS

“We always do a few things for the team each year to thank them for the hard work they put in and to reassure them that they're doing a great job. Especially when it's in the height of the competition season for us and the pressure is on, it can be a stressful and busy time for the whole team, so acknowledgements of hard work however small should always be made” said Matthew. 

“In the Summer and Winter, we always try to go for a yard meal as a team together and sometimes all go to the pub for a drink after work, which is a great way for everybody to digest the week.

Celebrations

“At Christmas we either have a party or dinner. This year we are going on a yard trip to Olympia. The owners and sponsors will also be there and I think it’s important that the team at home are made to feel as equally important as them. Without them the job would not be possible, so it’s nice for them to be acknowledged.

"Secret Santa at Christmas is always a good one too, laughter is a great way to get everyone together” added Matthew.

Liz agrees, “We always have a fun Christmas night out which is a wonderful way for people to bond and be together outside of work. In addition we make sure that birthdays are celebrated with a joint card from the team, small gift and a cake. It’s nice to feel special and valued on your birthday – no one likes to be forgotten."

AFFORDABLE REWARD SCHEMES

At Loch Leven Equine Practice Liz runs an ‘Employee of the Month’ scheme. “It’s a great way to reward team members who go the extra mile. Everyone can nominate anonymously throughout the month by writing a brief nomination on a slip of paper which they post into a sealed box explaining why that person has been awesome.

By doing it throughout the month it allows all the small wins to be celebrated, and for the quieter people to get noticed. The person with the most nominations at the end of the month wins.

We send out an email announcing the winner, with all of the nominations on, so everyone can read them. The winner gets an Amazon gift voucher and a printed certificate, and we post about their win on social media.”

OPEN HONESTY POLICY

“Any team who works closely together will have times when everything is running smoothly and then times when you feel a change.

A few years ago we implemented the 24 hour rule between our team members. This means that if someone does something to annoy somebody then they have 24 hours to raise it constructively with that person. If they don’t raise it then they have to let it go.

Obviously it isn’t there to be used for anything serious; it might be something like the feed room has been left untidy, or equipment put away dirty. It has been a brilliant addition to our team as initially people used the rule as an excuse to speak up and say how they felt, but it stopped little issues escalating into larger issues and everyone is much happier for it” added Liz.

For help and support you can trust discover more at the Equestrian Employers Association.

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