How can rural employers encourage worker retention and advancement?
Employers can promote retention and advancement through incentives, training, loan repayment programs, and supportive services including helping spouses find work, providing continuing educational training opportunities, reducing stress, and providing adequate pay and benefits. Incentive programs can reward work-related milestones like sustaining employment over a specified period of time, or work-related achievements regarding productivity or new ideas that can be implemented. These incentives do not have to be financial but could include flexible work hours, time off from work to attend work-related training, special privileges such as VIP parking, or tuition assistance. Employers may also consider providing customized on-the-job training during working hours to help employees upgrade their skills. Other support systems that encourage a positive workforce would be providing on-site child care and transportation services to and from work.
