A huge problem in the moving and relocation industry at the moment is the level of staff turnover. It takes time and money to recruit the right person for the role and then to train them up. When they leave, it can create a problem causing disruption to the services offered to customers, and providing them with a poorer service. It can also have a huge impact on the existing staff as well, left to pick up the pieces of someone who has moved on.
A positive working environment for your employees is more important than their salary. Companies that offer further training and development opportunities and who have good management will keep their employees for a longer time.
Understand Why Employees Leave
First of all we need to try and understand why employees are leaving the business. There are many reasons for this but within the moving and relocation industry there are a number of particular challenges that the industry faces with regards to staff turnover.
When it comes to industry specific issues that contribute to employee turnover in the moving and relocation sector, there are many physical demands to employees’ health that play a large role. Many employees suffer from back problems, exhaustion, and many other work related ailments caused by lifting heavy objects and completing long hours of removals.
Due to the nature of removal work, many companies are also seasonal, leading to periods where employees have very little work to do, followed by periods of extreme peak to meet customers’ demands. The moving and relocation sector is highly competitive with many companies looking for work in other sectors such as logistics, warehouse and delivery, which can often provide a change of environment for employees or offer them more attractive terms of employment.
Set Clear Expectations During Recruitment
Offer a realistic job description for employee recruitment. Give new employees a comprehensive and structured onboarding process during the induction period, in which they can get familiar with the organisation’s culture and rules. New employees should also be assigned an experienced staff member who can show them the safe working practices in the organisation.
This initial first contact with your potential new employee must provide them with a realistic first impression of what working for your company is like, and in particular of the demands of the job, typical working hours, the peaks and troughs of work, and what other roles similar work would offer.
Provide Competitive and Reliable Pay
Guaranteeing minimum hours of work wherever possible, along with being transparent as to when overtime is required, can also help to make employees’ finances more predictable. Using performance-related incentives, such as bonuses, to reward employees for their good work, as well as offering long-service bonuses and attendance rewards, can also show employees that they are valued by the business and help to motivate them.
Invest in Training and Professional Development
Training is more than just an induction programme. It is an ongoing investment in your employees to help improve their confidence and efficiency in their role and to reduce the risk of injury. For example, teaching staff how to lift safely, using the best packing techniques for various items, how to deal with customers, how to load vehicles in the most efficient way and how to handle various items of value or that are fragile.
Create Clear Career Progression Opportunities
Most people look for a career when they are looking for a job. This means that as well as offering them a job as a frontline removal worker, you have to sell them the fact that there are many more careers within the company. Giving your employees the opportunity of a career is a key factor to them staying with the company. So clearly advertise all the different career paths that are available within your company and support them with any training and development that they need to help them reach their full potential. Promoting from within is key to showing your employees that you believe in them.
Provide employees with information about potential for career development. Try to fill any vacancies within the company, and provide training and act as a mentor to help the employee progress within the business.
Prioritise Employee Health and Wellbeing
Many removal workers suffer from injuries due to lifting heavy loads. Providing appropriate equipment for lifting, ensuring that workers are wearing the correct protective clothing, and using modern vehicles to complete removals can all help to support the health and wellbeing of workers in this sector.
Health and safety training on an ongoing basis, ensuring employees have adequate rest breaks and a fair and realistic schedule, are also key factors to the health and well-being of employees in the removals industry. Reporting of any injury or sign of fatigue in its earliest stages is also crucial to prevent the matter from becoming more serious.
The Bottom Line
It will take some time and effort to try and reduce the staff turnover within the moving and relocation industry but it will be worth it in the end. When you have a stable workforce of experienced and motivated staff who will provide high standards of service to customers, work efficiently to complete any job to the highest standard and give a good impression of your company. In the long run it will save you money by avoiding unnecessary recruitment expenses and will be good for your company’s reputation.
