5 Tips for Retaining Team Members As You Head Into the Most Chaotic Quarter

Have you ever been “ghosted” by an employee? 👻

Sometimes, it’s a brand new employee, and sometimes… not. One of your most seasoned employees just suddenly decides to bounce, leaving you scrambling to pick up the slack.

➡️ It causes you many headaches as you shuffle around to cover their shifts (and likely end up working lots of extra hours!) 

➡️ It leaves your other employees stressed because they have to absorb some of the burden of a team member suddenly leaving. 

➡️ And it might end up reflecting to your customers– because they might notice a team that’s frazzled!

There’s never a “good” time to get ghosted by a team member, but Q4 might be the worst time for it.

The holiday season, accommodating vacation time requests, increased customer demand, end-of-year inventory, executing promotions… the list goes on and on, and you need ALL hands on deck.

Not to fear, Pet Boss Nation® is here– to help you avoid getting ghosted and retain your all-star employees through Q4 and beyond!

Here are 5 tips for retaining valuable employees heading into the busiest time of the year:

1- Prepare! 

Don’t procrastinate your pet business’ Q4 plan… PLAN! Not only will it help you have the most profitable Q4 to date, but your team will be more supported knowing exactly what to expect and what their role is in executing your events and promotions. A supported team member who knows “the plan” is less likely to experience burnout and will be better equipped to help make you the most money AND have a stress-free holiday season.

At Pet Boss Nation, we’ve made it easier than ever for you to execute this tip! You can check out our Holiday Success Kit for Pet Businesses to build your strategy-backed money-making plan AND support your team by uncovering the secrets to managing schedule changes, time off (for you AND them,) and more!

2- Overcommunicate!

Team communication is everything, and it’s almost safe to say that NO amount of communication is “too much” (unless it’s crossing some kind of established boundary!)

Maybe team meetings don’t sound like something your employees are interested in, they are actually great tools for making sure everyone is on the same page and that your employees have a safe space to express any concerns. So schedule them! Check in with your team throughout Q4 and talk about what’s working, what’s not, and if any adjustments to the plan need to be made moving forward.

And don’t forget to check in on your team members’ wellbeing, too! Whether it’s a text, a private chat, a coffee date, or however,, communicate that you are there to hear them out always and want them to feel fulfilled in their role.

3- Be extra mindful to recognize efforts.

It’s so easy to recognize something that went “wrong” or something that can be improved, but it’s extra important to recognize someone for their efforts and their wins! Take a step back from the day-to-day and ask yourself when you last hyped up your team. What can you compliment them on? How can you make them feel seen and supported?

A team that feels seen will go the extra mile during Q4 and always! Keep building that strong work culture.

4- Inspect what you expect! 

Since you have a solid Q4 plan, you’re communicating it clearly, and you’re praising the efforts of your team members… it’s time to offer that constructive feedback too!

When you set clear expectations and continuously communicate them, giving feedback is important, but in a very tactful way. Plan for regular check-ins with your team members where you can look at how things are going and ask them– “Do you feel like you have everything you need to do your job effectively?”

Approaching feedback in this supportive way will only help your team grow stronger! And a team that knows where they stand is likelier to stick around and not “ghost” you. 

P.S. We offer templates for these regular check-ins inside the Pet Boss Club® under our “Team” section… which is just one of 30+ sections! Interested in joining? Click here.

5- Prioritize team building!

Another integral part of your Q4 plan should be making time for team building! This is dedicated time OUTSIDE of work hours to bond with your team members, build trust, and let them know how much you appreciate them.

Plan some holiday fun and allow your team to unwind, recharge, and feel the love of their work family! Check out this throwback blog post for some fun activities you can plan, including hosting an awards ceremony, taking your team on an outing, and creating a kudos board!

Want more tips for keeping your seasonal employees energized (and continuing to show up!) day after day? Here are some straight from Candace!

And hey, sometimes you do ALL the things, and a team member still “ghosts” for whatever reason… don’t take it personally! Luckily, you have a plan in place, and you can bounce back more easily when you’re prepared. 💪 You’ve got this, Pet Boss! You’re building a strong work culture in your pet business that anyone would be lucky to be a part of. We know you’re building your dream team to support you through Q4 and beyond!

Learn more with us!

• Need 1:1 support to make massive action now? Book a discovery call with us to see if working 1:1 with Candace is the right fit for you.
• Join the Pet Boss Club®! You’re passionate about pets. It’s time to have a business that supports the life you want, too! Learn the specific techniques to find new customers, to increase sales and to build a better team for ANY kind of pet business by joining the Pet Boss Club®! Get on the waitlist here.