Employee engagement and happiness matters as much as productivity for a company’s success.

Facing a global talent shortage, it has become even more important for employers to craft a workplace that both attracts and retains a qualified workforce. Here are ways to keep the focus on building morale, boosting employee satisfaction and creating a lasting environment for success.

Plan career conversations

We know from research that ongoing career conversations are key to career success. In one Right Management survey, 82 percent of respondents said they would be more engaged in their work if their managers would have regular career conversations with them. And 75 percent said they would be more likely to stay with their current employer. Here are ways to create a culture of career development and equip leaders to have career conversations that make a difference.

Train and develop

In today's Skills Revolution, organizations that empower their employees to seek out ongoing training and development will be better positioned to keep up with technology and changing business conditions. You don’t need a bottomless budget for training and development. Look outside for funding and get creative within. In Singapore, for example, SkillsFuture Credit grants $500 to all Singaporeans aged 25 and older to spend on any approved training course. You just need to give employees time off to pursue these courses. Here are more ways to attract and retain talent no matter the size of your organization.

Ensure people fit the right roles

Research has shown that up to 1 in 5 people is in the wrong role; jobs they are not engaged with or motivated by. Can you afford not to implement a career development strategy? By filling your talent pipelines with existing employees – providing opportunities for career development whilst also reducing turnover – you’ll improve engagement, morale and brand reputation.

Have fun!

It’s one of the most obvious factors of job satisfaction, but one of the hardest to get right. We spend more time with our work colleagues than with any of the other people in our lives, and while much of the working day may be focused on achieving results, it’s important to allow time for social activities. This could be in the shape of after work mixers, a business development day, or simply opening communications channels and encouraging staff to share their news on your intranet or group chat. When staff gets along, they are far more likely to be productive.

Ultimately, creating an employee-friendly environment takes as much or more work to maintain as any long-term relationship. The above steps aren’t just a one-time application, but rather require constantly revisiting and refining.