Business

5 Tactical Employee Retention Strategies for SBOs

Published

12 months ago

May 13, 2023

In today’s competitive job market, employee retention has become a top priority for organizations of all sizes. But what are the most tactical and practical ways to increase employee retention? Let’s dig a little deeper.

Try These Employee Retention Strategies

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), it typically costs a company six to nine months of an employee’s salary to replace that employee. For perspective, that means it costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 to $45,000 in recruiting, training, and hiring costs to find and onboard an employee making $60,000 per year.

“Some employees find better paying jobs while others go back to school. Sometimes it’s their choice and other times they follow a spouse who’s been transferred to another state,” Enrich explains. “Whatever the reason, it has been well documented that employee turnover is costly and disruptive.”

Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and strategies at an employer’s disposal for increasing employee retention. Here are a few:

Offer Better Salary and Benefits

Why do most employees leave? Robert Half’s data says 38 percent of employees move on to another job due to “inadequate salary and benefits.”

Thus, one of the most effective (and obvious) employee retention strategies is to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package. This includes not only a fair salary, but also perks like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

By providing these benefits, you can show your employees that you value their work and are committed to their well-being.

Give Employees a Clear Path Forward

Make sure you’re providing clear opportunities for career growth and development. This can take many forms, including training programs, mentorship opportunities, and career advancement paths. When you invest in your employees’ professional development, you help them feel valued and motivated to continue growing within your organization.

Lead By Example

Offering benefits and development opportunities is only part of the equation. The role that managers and leaders play in employee retention cannot be overstated. In fact, a recent study found that 75% of employees who voluntarily left their place of employment did so because of their direct superiors.

To create a positive and nurturing work environment, it’s important for managers to communicate openly and frequently with their team members. This includes offering regular and consistent feedback for a job well done. It’s also key for those in management and leadership positions to lead by example and communicate a strong commitment to the company’s mission and values.

Invest in Culture

As a business owner, you can support employee retention by fostering a sense of community and belonging within the workplace. This can be accomplished through various team-building activities, volunteer opportunities, and fun, inviting social events.

By creating a strong sense of camaraderie and shared purpose, employees are more likely to feel connected to their colleagues and invested in the success of the organization.

Tailor Your Approach

Of course, not all employee retention strategies will work for every organization. It’s important to tailor your approach based on the unique needs and preferences of your team members. This may include conducting regular employee surveys to gather feedback on what is working and what could be improved.

You should also be proactive in addressing potential retention issues before they become major problems. This can include identifying employees who may be at risk of leaving and taking steps to address their concerns or provide additional support.

For Best Results, Know Your Employees

If you’re a small business owner, you know how difficult it can be to retain top talent. With larger organizations offering more resources and benefits, it can feel like an uphill battle to keep employees engaged and committed for the long term. But as you can see, there are a number of employee retention strategies that you can implement to help keep your team members happy and motivated.

Ultimately, the key to successful employee retention is creating a workplace culture that values and supports its team members. By offering more competitive compensation and benefits packages, providing opportunities for career growth and development, and fostering a positive and supportive work environment, you can improve retention rates, bolster the bottom line, and build a strong and committed team.

Business

Opportunities for Black Banx in Emerging Markets

Published

2 days ago

May 5, 2024

Matthew Wiles

A significant digital transformation is underway in the world of finance, marked by the emergence of non-bank innovators offering a diverse array of financial technology products and services. This transformation is not confined to established markets; rather, it extends its reach into emerging economies, offering a compelling digital alternative to traditional banking institutions. These alternatives are particularly vital in addressing the issue of financial exclusion, which has left substantial populations underserved by traditional banking systems.

Among these innovative digital banking entities stands Black Banx, a fintech brand dedicated to fostering financial inclusion in emerging markets by seamlessly integrating banking services into digital ecosystems. Founded in 2014 as a visionary concept by German billionaire Michael Gastauer, Black Banx swiftly evolved into a global force in the global financial market Officially launched in 2015, the institution rapidly garnered international recognition, extending its services to 180 countries and territories from its inception. Within a mere 12 months of operation, Black Banx amassed over 1 million customers, marking its initial expansions in key regions such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. At present, with a customer base exceeding 40 million as of February 2024, Black Banx stands as one of the fastest-growing digital banks not only in developed countries but also in emerging markets.

What Are Emerging Markets?

An emerging market mostly describes the economic landscape of a developing nation progressively engaging with global markets during its growth trajectory. These economies possess some but not all of the defining characteristics of developed markets, which typically exhibit robust economic growth, high per capita income, well-established equity and debt markets, foreign investor accessibility, and a reliable regulatory framework, according to Investopedia.

As emerging market economies evolve, they tend to integrate more deeply into the global economy. This integration fosters increased liquidity within local debt and equity markets, heightened trade volume, and augmented foreign direct investment. Moreover, these economies witness the emergence of modern financial and regulatory institutions as they transition from low-income, less developed, often pre-industrial states to modern industrial economies with elevated standards of living.

With improving standards of living, the demand for financial security and opportunities escalates, underscoring the pivotal role of banking services. However, traditional banks face challenges stemming from bureaucratic processes and sometimes limited services. Conversely, fintech firms are gaining prominence owing to their convenience, user-friendly interfaces, and expedited signup procedures. Furthermore, their accessibility anytime and anywhere with internet connectivity enhances their appeal to the public.

Strong Demand for Financial Technology

The surge in digital banking adoption, particularly conspicuous in emerging markets, owes much to innovations originating in these regions. For instance, nearly nine out of ten consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, encompassing both emerging and developed markets, actively utilize digital banking services, with a significant portion expressing openness to expanding their usage through digital channels.

Enthusiastic adoption of fintech tools and e-wallets among consumers in emerging markets has propelled the market penetration of these innovative solutions beyond levels observed in developed markets. In the emerging Asia-Pacific region, the penetration of fintech apps and e-wallets surged to 54 percent in 2021, compared to 43 percent in the developed segment. This is indicative of the accelerating shift towards fintech transactions and services, as per McKinsey & Company.

A portmanteau of finance and technology, fintech refers to the burgeoning industry of companies utilizing computer programs and other technologies to provide support or enable banking and other financial services. In developed nations, there’s been a rapid expansion and adoption of fintech technologies ever since businesses and even governments started accepting digital financial transactions as a standard mode of payment. But even in emerging markets, the demand for fintech has also skyrocketed as more people report a diminishing reliance on cash for weekly expenditures.

Identifying Opportunities in Emerging Markets

Launching a successful digital bank entails navigating a myriad of challenges, irrespective of the market’s maturity. However, digital banking in emerging markets presents its own unique set of hurdles, particularly in securing widespread adoption among mass-market consumers. To thrive in any market landscape, a digital bank must first establish meaningful access to its target customers. While the initial interaction may appear straightforward in the digital realm, the reality proves more nuanced.

The proliferation of digital advertising notwithstanding, capturing customer attention remains a formidable task, compounded by the intricacies of onboarding procedures, even for digitally savvy clients. Moreover, the reliance on app downloads as a precursor to engagement further heightens the barriers to entry as first-time users may find them intimidating.

Building a solid trust relationship with customers is important for digital banks to maximize their opportunities in emerging markets. Trust, arguably the linchpin of sustained usage, demands meticulous investment in creating positive onboarding experiences and fostering comprehension of banking channels and products. However, achieving this trust quotient is not easy, especially in emerging markets with lower access to financial services and digital literacy.

Black Banx’s Success in Emerging Markets

Black Banx is a digital bank focused on empowering financial inclusion in emerging markets by integrating banking into digital ecosystems. It was founded by German billionaire Michael Gastauer who always believed that well-designed financial services have the potential to uplift even the most marginalized segments of society, providing them with enhanced economic opportunities.

Consequently, Black Banx is steadfast in its mission to promote financial inclusion while harnessing the advancements within the fintech landscape. Today’s digital technologies offer unprecedented tools to reconstruct banking paradigms, especially for those underserved by traditional financial institutions, with smartphones and laptops serving as gateways to financial empowerment. But while Black Banx makes use of the most advanced fintech technologies, including blockchain and artificial intelligence, it delivers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate user experience through its website and mobile app so even the inexperienced or less tech-savvy consumers won’t have a hard time using its platform to carry out financial transactions.

With his expertise and decades of experience in the financial industry, Gastauer has a keen eye for trends and what works in different markets. So instead of delivering different experiences for developed and emerging markets, the renowned fintech mogul opted to roll out the same suite of services to both because of his motivation to realize financial inclusion and offer only the best banking experience to all. As such, Black Banx facilitates seamless transitions between physical and digital currencies and even cryptocurrencies. The digital bank also tailors its channels to accommodate customers at various stages of their digital journey, ensuring that they feel guided every step of the way until they achieve their financial goals. All of these contribute to Black Banx’s success in emerging markets.