5 tips to help you prevent employee turnover in your startup

Working at a startup can offer several challenges and opportunities for employees to grow. They get to undertake multiple responsibilities, and the prospect of this enriching experience is one of the reasons people choose to work at startups over larger organisations. On the other hand, working at a startup can get frustrating and boring owing to the small staff and short funds. Several startups fail right in their first year, and one of the primary reasons for this is high turnover.

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Employees are the biggest asset to any startup. As the head of a startup, it is very important for you to keep your workers motivated and challenged at all levels. Your employees should be able to dedicate time and energy to your project without feeling overburdened. Here are some things you can take care of that can ensure employee satisfaction and motivation in your workplace.

Reduce the number of meetings

Team meetings can take up a significant portion of the day, and very often, this time can be better spent in getting more work done. Having multiple meetings in a day can be frustrating and burdensome to employees particularly when they have the added pressure of meeting deadlines. Alternatively, if there is a lot of planning to be done, you can try dedicating an entire day for this while allowing your employees to work continuously throughout the rest of the week.

Relax your office environment

Most startups are built on the idea of creating change. Having a boring work environment seems to be at odds with this idea. So why not adopt a work culture that can actually encourage your employees to work? Employees spend a major chunk of their day at work and need to stay motivated if they need to perform. In fact, few employees wouldn’t mind working late if they find the ambience of the workplace warm and welcoming. It might not be a bad idea to invest a few thousands on funky furniture and wall art!

Make their schedules flexible

Letting your employees work from home once a week or thrice a month (depending on your needs) can allow them to recharge their batteries and become more productive. But before you do this, ensure that your employees are individuals who are committed to their work. Ensuring this at the employment level can save you from potential problems at a later stage.

Organise team outings

Team outings can help break the monotony of work and give everyone something to look forward to. It’s a relatively recent trend and a good one at that! You could organise a party after a major success, or even team lunches and after-work gatherings when you feel that your team needs a break, and of course, refrain from discussing work at these events. Such outings give you an excellent chance to get to know your team better. Maybe it can even give your employees a chance to see your fun side!

Get big monitors

Big monitors have been shown to improve employee productivity. They reduce pressure on the eyes. Make sure your office is equipped with technology that can make work easier for your employees. As we mentioned earlier, working at a startup involves a fair amount of multitasking. And if having good technology makes it easier for your employees, then investing in this is a good idea.

While we talk about making these investments, you also need to take a look at the different financial mistakes startups tend to make and not fall prey to them. Entrepreneurship is a double edged sword, better be careful while handling it.

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)