A perception of unfair treatment is the main reason companies lose workers, according to a Norfolk recruitment firm which interviewed almost 2,000 job-hunters last year.
Directors at automotive specialists Perfect Placement in Norwich said their data revealed a fair distribution of training, pay and prospects was a major factor in staff retention.
And with talent at a premium in many industries, the company also advises its clients that involving staff in the day-to-day running of a business is one of the most effective ways to win their loyalty – and it is leading by example.
The company's 50 employees are involved in decision-making in the office, such as the recent choice of provider for its new cloud-based data system. Attention is paid to play as well as work, with the office on St Andrew's Business Park kitted out with games consoles, pool and table tennis tables and a putting green.
The company has been named Car Dealer Power recruitment agency of the year for five consecutive years.
Business development manager Jimi Matthews said many motor traders make the mistake of thinking poor staff retention rates are related to pay – which is more often not the case.
'We did 1,840 interviews last year with people who wanted to change company or who had already left. They gave a number of reasons why they wanted to switch, but the main one we boiled it down to was the perception of inequitable treatment. That could be related to training, pay, or being passed over for promotion,' he said.
'It is odd for a recruitment company to talk about retaining staff when it makes money out of replacing staff, but when we talk to our candidates we want to be enthusiastic about the place we are selling them to. If the employer has a bad retention record that is harder for us.'
To help swell its own ranks, Perfect Placement established its own training academy two years ago, which takes up to 10 young people fresh out of college or university for a one-month course.
It plans to take on up to 15 more staff through the academy over the next 12 to 18 months.
The firm – which places more than 3,000 candidates and works with 2,500 motor traders a year – began using video marketing at the end of last year and now creates up to 12 videos a day. Mr Matthews said since this practice was implemented alongside email marketing, engagement from candidates had risen by 50-60%.
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