3 Practical Tips to Build a Workplace Where Staff Stay

 — For Hawaii Retail & Restaurant Owner

I often hear this concern: “People quit too quickly.”
You post a job and get no applications. Finally hire someone, and they are gone in just a few weeks. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. In Hawaii’s retail and restaurant scene, it happens all the time.

I understand because I have been there. I started with just one store in Japan and eventually grew to 47. By the start of the new year, we are on track for 50. I could not have done it without the amazing people I have worked with along the way.

Here is what I have learned. No matter how great your business idea or strategy is, if your team is not happy, your business cannot thrive. Building a stable and supportive work environment is not just nice to have. It is the key to creating lasting value beyond sales and profits.

Today, I’d like to share three key insights from my own experience on how to create a workplace where people don’t want to quit. First, let’s take a look at some common traits of workplaces that make people want to leave.

Common Traits of Workplaces That Make People Want to Quit

There are several common patterns found in workplaces where employees often feel like quitting.
For example:

• Appreciation and recognition are never expressed
• Opinions are ignored and voices don’t reach management
• The store’s direction is unclear, making employees feel like they’re “just working” without purpose

So, how can we transform a “workplace that makes people want to quit” into one where people don’t want to leave?
From here, I’d like to share three key insights—based on my own on-site experience—for creating a workplace where people choose to stay.

3 Tips for Keeping Employees Happy and Loyal

Tip 1: Weekly Regular Meetings: A Place to Notice Changes

At our Japanese stores, we hold weekly meetings with managers and potential future managers. We discuss daily changes and the future of our staff, including questions like, "Are there any employees who deserve a raise or promotion?", "Are there any staff members who have been feeling down lately?", and "Are there any part-time employees who could be considered for full-time positions?" By providing these gathering, we can notice signs before someone decides to leave and avoid missing the right timing to offer opportunities.

Tip 2: The Referral System: Security in Relationships Makes It Hard to Quit

Rather than relying on job advertisements, we have adopted a system that utilizes referrals between staff members. Incentives are provided to those who make referrals (in Japan, this is ¥10,000, subject to three months of continued employment). Since referrals are based on a "relationship of trust," turnover rates are significantly lower. This may also be a good fit with cultures like Hawaii, which value "connections."

Tip 3: Create a workplace that supports a fresh start

My stores have many young staff members. Some of them have had their struggles along the way. They've lost confidence at some point and convinced themselves they can't do it. I've encouraged them, saying, "Let's give it another go from here." And that's not just encouragement. I've taken on the responsibility of opening more stores, creating new positions, and creating a place where they can grow, so that they can truly take on the challenge. Providing an environment where people can grow leads to growing the business. This belief has informed everything I’ve done up until now.

What’s Especially Important in Hawaii

These strategies were developed within the Japanese work environment and values, but I feel there are many commonalities in Hawaii, where we have a culture that values ​​human connections and strong ties to the community.

For example, a referral system is well-suited to Hawaii's "face-to-face connections," and I believe it has every potential to work well. Furthermore, I believe that regular conversations that allow us to notice even small changes in our staff are also essential for team building.

Key Takeaways

There's no magic formula for creating a workplace where employees don't want to leave. The key is to pay close attention to each and every staff member, engage in dialogue, and provide opportunities. We believe it's most important to carefully and reliably create a workplace where employees truly want to continue working, while valuing the human connections unique to Hawaii. Based on our experience, we will propose optimal methods tailored to Hawaii's culture and workplace and provide practical support.

Mahalo for reading! If you would like to talk about your business, whether it is strengthening staff relationships or creating a workplace where employees enjoy working, we would be happy to offer a free 30-minute consultation.

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