When you walk to a ‘kibandaski’ during lunch hour you are most likely to come across employees from different companies sat together and complaining about how much they hate their jobs and how much they ‘try’ to persevere but given an option they would resign right away. It is the new normal since it is clear many people are actively seeking for ‘ greener pastures’ and research shows that employee turnover is very high nowadays compared to years back where people settled in one organization for a long time. This means that there is a gap that needs to be bridged so that people can feel contented with their jobs or rather, working environment.

To make your organization distinct and grant that sense of belonging to employees, you have to consider a number of things which include:

• Come up with a retention strategy– A Company with a good retention strategy is more likely to encourage employees to feel that they are in a safe haven and give them the job security they need. This gives them a sense of belonging as they don’t have to constantly fear that they might lose their jobs. Human beings are creatures who operate well and incline to satisfaction and most often than not, a happy employee barely complains.
• Leaders should be understanding- By understanding your employees’ needs and predicaments, you are able to know where they are coming from and also make them feel heard and seen. Sometimes employees just need an approachable boss who they can talk to about their grievances anticipating that they will help to resolve them. If you give them a listening ear they will feel relieved and are bound to gravitate towards being comfortable.
• Involve them in decision making- At times the management makes decisions without involving employees and implement change without upfront communication. This can really frustrate employees as they feel that their opinions don’t matter or they are irrational because they don’t get involved in idea generation and mind mapping. Learn to involve them so that they feel that they really matter and also air out their honest views on how things can be streamlined to their needs and preferences to enable things to flow smoothly.
• Be open to mistakes– Sometimes leaders create an environment of fear because they lash out at employees for making mistakes instead of accepting mistakes so that people can learn through them. Lashing out at employees can affect their mental health and this might even affect their efficiency and performance. You should create a positive work environment of respect instead of fear and empower your employees to learn through their day to day activities and grow in their areas of expertise.
• Plan for out of office events– This is the best way to help leaders bond with their employees as they get to talk in a casual manner and understand each other’s personalities. This helps reduce tension between them and enhance interpersonal relationships to enable employees feel comfortable and satisfied with their jobs.