Protecting Your Greatest Asset: 5 Ways To Retain High-Security Employees
by Patrick Moran, Ph.D., Director of Sales, Government and Public Safety at Pearson
With the end of the Great Resignation, it may seem that employee retention is no longer a top problem for HR leaders. But in high-security industries — those involving security clearances, running critical infrastructure, managing private security personnel and more — retention remains a costly challenge.
This specialized labor pool is small; for example, just over a million people have a Top Secret security clearance, and while that number seems large out of context, when considering the number of roles to be filled, it’s actually not very big. On top of the constrained candidate pool, hiring in these high-security industries is a laborious process complete with extensive background checks, identity verification and a specific set of skills required.
The time and effort it takes to hire high-security employees and ensure they obtain the training and clearances they need for their jobs mean that losing an employee carries prohibitive costs and can leave critical roles unfilled.
What can HR leaders do to prevent turnover in these industries? Competitive compensation packages are table stakes, particularly as inflation hits all sectors of the economy. But there is more to staying at a job than just the salary. HR leaders can utilize these five strategies to reduce turnover in this unique employee population.
1. Offer various forms of flexibility
Working from home and flexible scheduling have become standard in many industries since the pandemic. In fact, nine out of 10 employees prefer some degree of remote flexibility. Yet, for those in high-security positions, this may not be feasible — for example, staff running a nuclear plant or security personnel.
Employers have other options besides hybrid or work-from-home policies. Consider offering rotation schedules or extra PTO days so employees can balance their work and personal lives. Offering sabbaticals can also reduce employee burnout, particularly in high-stress, high-security positions.
Sabbaticals require planning to ensure roles have coverage in place before an employee is out for weeks at a time, but the rewards can be substantial. Recent research from Harvard Business Review found that “if you facilitate sabbaticals before employees are pushed to the brink, most will return with renewed energy and greater clarity about how they want to contribute.”
2. Ensure outstanding management is in place
There is a reason the saying “people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad managers” has been around so long — it’s accurate. Managers need to provide support and feedback regularly, but often this is easier said than done.
To avoid the appearance of micromanaging, leaders should implement weekly check-ins or one-on-ones. These provide employees with ample opportunities for coaching, asking questions, or just having time and space to share their thoughts — without feeling like their manager is constantly quizzing them.
Another key tactic is to use 360-degree reviews and provide employee assessments so that all managers and their employees get well-rounded feedback. Assessments can also share insights into potential burnout risks or mental well-being challenges that employees may be facing.
For example, the Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI) from Pearson helps determine if an employee is experiencing life circumstances that create vulnerabilities or could affect job performance. Security-sensitive government agencies, such as the FBI, have also implemented the QOLI to assess for compromising vulnerabilities. With transparency and data, managers can more effectively guide their employees or address concerns before they affect their capabilities on the job.
3. Provide learning & development opportunities
A recent Gallagher survey found that sound career development pathways rank as the top driver of employee retention. Learning and development (L&D) opportunities are particularly valuable for high-security employees because of the fast-paced environments they work in, and the constant technological and regulatory changes these employees are required to master.
It’s important that employees don’t feel they have to take time from their evenings or weekends for L&D — instead, consider offering self-driven online training tools and in-person sessions when appropriate. Provide time and, if needed, funds for employees to participate in various trainings or conferences. As your employees build their skills, make career growth a regular topic at check-ins and provide them with planning tools so they can map out their goals.
4. Explore volunteerism as a wellness benefit
Employee well-being is extremely important, especially for those in high-risk or security-sensitive positions. Yet, recent research showed no appreciable difference in employee well-being despite the implementation of wellness initiatives. There was one exception: volunteering.
Providing opportunities for employees to give back to their communities can enhance their connections to their fellow employees and the organization as a whole. As McKinsey noted, “Employees who feel more connected with people in their network are one and half times more likely than their peers to report being engaged at work.”
What’s important for HR leaders to know is that volunteering shouldn’t be required, nor should it be yet another task added to everyone’s plate. Encourage volunteering as a cultural value, provide time for employees to participate and see it as a long-term investment in their well-being.
5. Recognize and reward great work
Employees in every industry want to know their hard work isn’t going unnoticed. In fact, the same study that highlighted the importance of career growth also found that feeling recognized and respected for work contributions was one of the top five drivers of retention.
Recognition can take the form of digital “high-fives” or internal postings that let employees thank and acknowledge their colleagues. Commendations and awards (including financial bonuses) are also important methods of letting employees know their contributions are valued. In high-security roles, when specific achievements or activities can’t be broadly shared, make sure managers have ways to thank and reward employees — even simple steps can go a long way.
High-value employees call for high-value solutions
HR leaders working with high-security personnel in government and the private sector are skilled in creative problem-solving, and employee retention is another area that calls for this approach. Recognizing the specialized skills and organizational investments made in high-security employees is the first step, from which employers can build tailored benefits packages, cultural values and more to encourage their employees to stay.
Particular retention strategies must be designed for each organization and industry, but by emphasizing the value of their most important resource — their people — employers in high-security industries can build long-term workforce success.
Contact Pearson to learn more about assessment solutions for your high-security employees.