Stop the Turnover By Doing These 3 Things to Nurture An Amazing Team That Will Not Want to Leave
Welcome back to our 6 Weeks in 6 Days Back to School Challenge. Here on the Early Childhood Business Made Easy podcast we are spending this last 6 weeks of summer together reviewing many of the key strategies and systems that will help you be successful. We are focused on this Back to School Challenge to get you prepped, prepared and ready for a fabulous fall.
Last week we covered Your Proven Plan for a Fabulous Open House That Enrolls Families On the Spot and we talked about 3 things to help you strategize your own Open House plan:
The Benefits of Hosting an Open House
Tips for a Successful Open House
Maximizing Your Marketing Potential with Your Open House
We are counting down to Back to School and this is WEEK 2 of the Back to School Challenge. We are talking all about strategies for stopping the turnover and building a team that will help you enroll more families to your early childhood business this fall.
Now, be sure to download and follow along each week with the resource packed workbook we created for you to use. It is loaded with weekly checklists for marketing and operations, fill-in worksheets, and to-do lists to keep you taking action as you move forward. All to get you in the CEO mindset of preparing your early childhood business today to be ready to fill with enrollments this fall.
It's no secret that turnover can be one of the biggest challenges we Early Childhood businesses face. Not only is it disruptive for the children, parents, and our team, but it can also be costly in terms of money and, even more importantly, our time.
So how do we stop the constant turnover in an industry that does not traditionally compensate well because, for many of our families, the monthly tuition can be more than their mortgage payment?
If you're looking for ways to reduce turnover in your early childhood business, look no further! I am going to give you some great tips on how to nurture your team so that they won't want to leave. You'll learn how to create a supportive and cohesive work environment and save time and money in the long run.
We will go into more detail about the three key steps you should take to nurture an amazing team that will not want to leave you.
Create a positive and supportive culture.
Invest in your team.
Communicate openly and frequently.
Taking steps to reduce turnover in your early childhood business will help create a more stable and cohesive work environment. It will also save you time and money in the long run. You can stop the turnover in your business by doing things to nurture your team, invest in them and create an amazing work environment.
The first step to reducing turnover is to define the issue. What are the specific reasons why team members are leaving? Is it because they're unhappy with their work? Or is it because they're not being paid enough? Are they not getting enough support? Once you know the reasons why they are unhappy, you can take steps to address those issues.
The next step is to create a plan to address turnover. This may involve creating new policies or changing the way you do things. For example, you may need to provide more training or development opportunities. Or you may need to offer more competitive wages. Whatever the solution is, it's important that you put a plan in place so that you can reduce the turnover.
If you're looking to reduce turnover in your early childhood business, it's important to take steps to nurture an amazing team that will not want to leave. By making sure your team feels valued and appreciated, offering competitive compensation and benefits, and providing opportunities for professional development and growth, you can create a positive work environment that will retain its employees. Promoting a positive work-life balance is also key to keeping your team happy and engaged. By taking these steps, you can create a business that is stable, cohesive, and successful.
Create a Positive and Supportive Culture
When you create a positive and nurturing work environment, your team feels valued and supported, they will be less likely to want to leave.
And creating a team environment is so important. When everyone feels like they are part of the team, they feel even more valued and appreciated. They also create a sense of community and family that encourages them to want to stay.
Creating a positive work environment and promoting open communication, collaboration, and respect among employees goes farther than a big paycheck.
Make sure your early childhood business is a place where team members feel valued and appreciated. This starts with leaders setting the tone and ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and with respect. By making your team feel valued and appreciated, they will be more likely to stay with you.
Invest in Your Team
Another way to reduce turnover is to offer competitive compensation and benefits. This will help attract and retain the best employees. By offering a competitive salary and benefits package, you can keep your team happy and reduce turnover.
For almost 20 years we have asked our team over and over what they would like to see. Increased wages or benefits? This is going to be different for each of us. Every business is different and has different team members.
Remember what I said about innovation? Innovation is just finding a better way to do things. And in this case, a better way to support your team while growing your business.
Investing in your employees' professional development shows that you are committed to their growth and development. This can be done through formal training programs, mentorship opportunities, and other professional learning experiences.
Communicate Openly and Frequently
Communicate regularly with your team members and address any concerns they may have.
Make sure they feel like they are in the loop on what's happening and keep them updated when something might change. Hold meetings and check-ins, and encourage your team to share their ideas and offer feedback.
Reward and recognize employees for their hard work. Show them that their contributions are valued and appreciated. This can be as easy as a way to go, stop in their class and share something positive, or maybe buy them a coffee. It is often these little things that mean the most and are the most appreciated.
Encouraging input and feedback from your team will help you in so many ways. Make sure they feel like they have a voice in the decision-making process. Building a culture of open communication and feedback will create a work environment that people will love.
Reducing turnover in your preschool will take time and effort, but it's worth it. By taking steps to address the issue, you'll create a more stable and cohesive work environment. It will also save you time and money in the long run. By taking steps to nurture your team and create an amazing work environment, you can stop the turnover in your early childhood business. By investing in your employees and providing them with the tools they need to be successful, you can create a team that will not want to leave.
By taking these steps, you can create a positive work environment that will reduce turnover in your business. By investing in your team and providing them with the tools they need to be successful, you can create a team that will not want to leave. Following these 3 key steps to reduce turnover will save you money and more of your time in the long run.
I discuss all of this in more depth in the episode above, so make sure to give it a listen!
Talking Points
Innovation is just finding a better way to do things. It is just finding a better way to meet the needs of the families you serve that will grow your business. (04:11)
My team is the reason we are successful. They are an investment in my business, not an expense. (07:44)
Tips in reducing turnover in your early childhood business (08:36)
Creating a team environment is so important (10:25)
Hiring the right team members from the very start is important. (11:47)
Tips in investing in your team (12:19)
Resources
Take a look at the Early Childhood Business Made Easy Podcast Episode #9 for some great ideas on team building and team meetings. And be sure to sign up for the Back to School Challenge this week is all about preparing for your back to school team meeting. To help you brainstorm your very own team meeting there is a checklist to help you. You can find it at kelleypeake.com where this podcast episode info is located.
Be sure to check out our free resource on our kelleypeake.com website, Hiring Amazing Teachers the 10 Best Secrets to Growing Your Best Team Ever. There you will find more amazing tips on nurturing a team that stays and grows with you.