Evansville couple launches workplace retention coaching program
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Evansville-based relationship experts Chuck and Ashley Elliott are adding to their collection of training and consulting programs with Why People Leave. The program is designed to improve the relationship between employee and employer with the goal of helping businesses avoid costly turnover. The Elliotts say Why People Leave offers a curriculum for managers and supervisors interested in retaining employees and improving the culture of their workplace.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, the Elliotts shared their psychological approach and explore why their program may be more relevant than ever.
The Elliotts, who have been working to improve family relationships for more than a decade, say the same skills used to improve family dynamics are important to understanding and enhancing workplace relationships.
“Ashley and I see everything as relational,” says Chuck. “Whether that be a marriage, a family or in the workplace, the breakdown of relationships is very expensive. Whether its family systems breaking apart or a high turnover rate.”
Ashley points to research from the Work Institute’s 2022 Retention Report that found $700 billion is lost annually due to turnover costs.
“From the research that we’ve gotten into and our personal experiences, a lot of the reasons people leave are preventable,” says Chuck. “If you train managers to have better conversations, if you stay connected to your employees and they feel seen through the things in their life. If they know there is an opportunity for them to advance and grow where they currently are, they will not be as likely to leave, because they leave for career opportunities.”
Through their program, the Elliotts work with managers and supervisors to help them identify warning signs of dissatisfaction and then have productive conversations to promote “stay” interviews to reduce turnover.
“We work with organizations to help build a strategic plan of engagement,” said Chuck. “We’ll do something called stay interviews – a lot of people know about exit interviews – but if we can ask the questions that someone would typically ask in an exit interview before that, can we help to retain them? We work to find out what’s going on in the different departments, with their employees, with their staff, what is it they’re looking for and how do we build a plan to create an environment that they want to stay in.”
The Elliotts offer a variety of coaching and training options, including individual coaching, executive coaching, virtual or in-person, as well as manager training. Chuck says a large portion of their business is focused on manager training.
“The middle manager, the person that the staff really connects with, they have so much power, and they’re cited as one of the main reasons somebody loves their job or leaves their job.”
The Elliotts say one of their goals is to hire additional coaches so they can continue to grow their business. They are currently developing curriculum for their program and hope to establish scalable processes for continued growth.
You can connect to more information about the Elliotts and their coaching programs by clicking here.
Ashley Elliott discusses the psychological strategy behind their workplace coaching program, Why People Leave.
Chuck Elliott discusses ways in which employers can retain their employees.