Cara Mempertahankan dan Melibatkan Karyawan Anda yang Sudah Lama Bekerja

In every organization, there are those who’ve stayed through the highs and lows—individuals who’ve built deep institutional knowledge, mentored peers, and helped shape the company culture. These are your tenured employees, and their presence is a sign of trust, loyalty, and stability. But while they may be long-standing, keeping tenured employees engaged remains a unique challenge.

Surprisingly, studies show that long-tenured employees are often at a greater risk of disengagement than their newer counterparts. Over time, their contributions may become expected, their voices less heard, and their motivation harder to sustain. That’s why organizations must take proactive steps to celebrate, develop, and retain them—not just through compensation, but through meaningful recognition, growth opportunities, and a renewed sense of purpose.

In this blog, we’ll explore why tenured employees are vital to your business success and share actionable strategies for ensuring they remain enthusiastic, valued, and committed for years to come.

Who are long tenured employees?

Karyawan tetap adalah karyawan yang telah bekerja di sebuah perusahaan atau organisasi dalam jangka waktu yang cukup lama. Dari jumlah tersebut, karyawan dengan masa kerja lama adalah mereka yang telah bekerja di perusahaan selama lebih dari lima tahun, sedangkan karyawan dengan masa kerja singkat adalah mereka yang telah bekerja di perusahaan kurang dari lima tahun.

The need to retaining your long tenured employees

Retensi karyawan penting bagi organisasi karena membutuhkan biaya dan waktu untuk mengganti karyawan, terutama karyawan yang paling produktif. Kebutuhan akan modal intelektual dan kebijaksanaan dari karyawan yang sudah lama bekerja menjadi jelas selama masa perubahan perusahaan, seperti akuisisi dan merger.

Karyawan lama yang mengetahui setiap detail organisasi bertindak sebagai penyangga terhadap goncangan perubahan agar lebih mulus. Mereka dapat mempertahankan alur kerja dan konsistensi total dari hasil organisasi yang akan sulit dihadapi oleh karyawan baru. Sebagai aset penting bagi organisasi mana pun, karyawan yang sudah lama bekerja menawarkan manfaat berikut ini:

• Mereka menyediakan basis pengetahuan yang kuat tentang budaya, produk, dan layanan organisasi.
• Mereka adalah sistem pendukung yang sangat diperlukan bagi karyawan baru.
• Kehadiran mereka menunjukkan stabilitas dalam organisasi, yang meningkatkan proposisi nilai karyawannya.
• Mempertahankan karyawan yang berharga lebih hemat biaya daripada merekrut karyawan baru.

What does it mean to engage tenured employees?

Keterlibatan karyawan adalah antusiasme dan komitmen karyawan terhadap pekerjaan dan tempat kerja mereka. Oleh karena itu, menurut definisi, karyawan yang memiliki masa kerja yang panjang dan dihargai tinggi seharusnya juga memiliki keterlibatan yang tinggi untuk mencapai hal tersebut. Namun, kenyataannya cukup berlawanan dengan intuisi.

Menurut sebuah survei yang dilakukan oleh Gallup, karyawan dengan masa kerja terlama cenderung paling tidak terlibat. Penelitian ini juga menemukan bahwa semakin lama masa kerja, semakin besar kemungkinan karyawan tersebut tidak terlibat secara aktif. Sisi positifnya, data Gallup juga menunjukkan bahwa karyawan yang berkinerja tinggi memiliki tiga kesamaan:

• Masa kerja mereka lebih dari satu dekade.
• Mereka sangat terlibat dalam peran mereka.
• Peran dan bakat alami mereka selaras.

Role of appreciation in tenured employee engagement and retention

Over time, even the most loyal and high-performing employees can start to feel overlooked. Their consistent output, reliability, and depth of experience may begin to fade into the background, especially as newer team members demand more visible onboarding attention. That’s why appreciation is not just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic necessity for retaining tenured talent.

Appreciation goes beyond annual performance reviews and compensation hikes. For long-tenured employees, it’s about being recognized for the legacy they’ve built, the mentorship they’ve offered, and the resilience they've shown through the organization's ups and downs.

This is where Empuls becomes a game-changer.

Empuls offers a dedicated rewards & recognition platform that ensures your long-standing employees feel seen, celebrated, and valued—consistently.

7 Effective tips for keeping tenured employees engaged and retained

Meskipun karyawan baru senang dengan penghargaan dan pengakuan yang mereka terima, pertanyaannya adalah bagaimana cara memberikan penghargaan kepada karyawan yang telah mengabdi selama bertahun-tahun. Pengakuan dan penghargaan tidak bisa diterapkan dengan model satu ukuran untuk semua. Karyawan yang sudah lama bekerja membutuhkan pengakuan atas masa kerja yang panjang untuk membedakan kontribusi mereka. Berikut adalah beberapa saran:

1. Menawarkan gaji yang sangat kompetitif

Offering above-average pay with great benefits is one of the most obvious ways to retain a long-standing valued employee. The pay and benefits alone can help lock your best employees in and incentivize them to stick around.

Additional benefits such as retention bonuses are extra incentives to keep them happy and performing well. Benefits such as health insurance, vision, and dental coverage, paid time off, and even a retirement plan can be essential.

2. Berbagi kesuksesan finansial

While competitive pay is a strong motivator by itself, sharing financial success with your top performers could be all the motivation they need to stay put and do their best.

Since their contribution matters significantly to the organization’s success, it is only a fair deal to allow them to reap some of the financial rewards. You can offer them stock options along with annual raises with similar rewards.

3. Menawarkan fleksibilitas dan fasilitas yang tak tertahankan

Hybrid work and flexibility are no longer just nice-to-haves—they're a baseline expectation for most employees, especially those who have invested years into your organization. Long-tenured employees often value autonomy, work-life balance, and the ability to tailor their work environment to suit their evolving needs.

To keep top performers engaged, it’s crucial to pair flexibility with meaningful perks that demonstrate appreciation beyond just salary. Think beyond the basics: offer wellness programs, learning allowances, lifestyle benefits, and personalized rewards that align with what your employees actually value.

This is where Empuls plays a vital role.

With its perks & benefits module, Empuls enables organizations to provide long-standing employees with access to:

• 6,000+ brand discounts across categories like travel, wellness, fitness, and lifestyle
• Early access to earned wages, helping employees navigate financial stress with ease
• Tax-saving benefits tied to meals, fuel, books, and more through Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs)
• Flexible fringe benefits for remote work support, upskilling, family care, and wellness initiatives

Empuls makes it easy for HR teams to customize these offerings based on tenure, location, or team, ensuring that long-tenured employees feel seen, supported, and valued. Even during lean times, offering such high-impact, low-cost perks can go a long way in boosting morale and loyalty.

In short, combining flexibility with perks through a platform like Empuls not only strengthens your employer brand but also creates a workplace experience that tenured employees are proud to be part of.

4. Berinvestasi dalam pengembangan dan pertumbuhan keterampilan

Staying with the same organization for years can also mean some degree of stagnation for the long haulers. Employees often jump when they feel their skills start growing blunt.

To overcome this issue, you can promote your valued employees for higher compensation and responsibility. Investing in your employees' education and career development is the other way to ensure they stay sharp and stick around for the continued benefits. Since the need for new skills, especially in the IT industry, is a must, investment in their up-skilling benefits both.

5. Mencocokkan peran dengan bakat alami

Seperti yang terlihat dari studi Gallup di atas, karyawan yang berkinerja terbaik selalu cocok dengan peran mereka. Bakat alami mereka memungkinkan mereka untuk menghadapi tantangan yang berarti dan memberikan nilai secara konsisten. Seiring berjalannya waktu, mereka akan tumbuh untuk menghadapi tantangan dan tanggung jawab yang lebih besar yang membuat mereka tetap terlibat.

6. Berikan penghargaan dan kenali sesering mungkin

Rewards and recognition are tangible expressions of employee appreciation—and for long-tenured employees, they carry even more significance. Over time, it’s easy for seasoned team members to blend into the background, with their consistent contributions being taken for granted. That’s why it’s important to celebrate not just their tenure milestones but also their ongoing impact.

While recognition can take many forms—team celebrations, monetary bonuses, wellness gifts, or shout-outs—what truly matters is consistency, personalization, and visibility. This is where a platform like Empuls becomes invaluable.

Empuls offers a comprehensive Rewards & Recognition (R&R) suite that helps companies move beyond the occasional “thank you.” With automated long-service awards, peer-to-peer recognition, and AI-powered nudges that prompt managers to recognize achievements in real time, Empuls helps create a culture where appreciation becomes part of the daily workflow.

Additionally, Empuls lets you:

• Customize awards for tenure milestones (5, 10, 15+ years)
• Offer employees a global rewards catalog featuring gift cards, experiences, merchandise, wellness kits, and more
• Set up recognition campaigns tied to core values, projects, or performance goals
• Display recognition on a public wall of fame, increasing visibility and team morale

For long-tenured employees especially, personalized recognition validates their journey, honors their loyalty, and strengthens their emotional connection to the company. When recognition is done right—and done often—it becomes one of the most powerful tools for retention and engagement.

7. Menghargai keahlian mereka melalui program bimbingan

Salah satu cara terbaik untuk menunjukkan kepada karyawan Anda yang sudah lama bekerja bahwa keahlian mereka dihargai adalah dengan mendaftarkan mereka dalam program mentorship. Program ini memasangkan karyawan yang berpengalaman dengan junior untuk mentransfer pengetahuan saat junior masih belajar. Program mentorship meningkatkan keterlibatan karyawan karena program ini memvalidasi keterampilan mereka dan meningkatkan kepuasan kerja.

Below is a full communication plan that leverages Empuls features—like surveys, social recognition, rewards, and intranet—to drive awareness and engagement across your organization.

🎯 Reignite engagement among long-tenured employees

Use Empuls to celebrate, listen to, and reward employees who have been with the organization 5+ years—improving retention, morale, and loyalty.

🗓️ Campaign Duration: 4 weeks (ideal for an internal theme like "Celebrating Loyalty Month" or "Legacy Leaders Appreciation Drive")

📢 It's time your run long service award campaigns using Empuls.

1. Kickoff Announcement (Week 1)

Where: Social intranet feed + email
Content:

• Celebrate all long-tenured employees (5+ years)
• Share why they matter: stability, knowledge, mentorship
• Set the tone: “We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re investing in your continued journey”

2. Automated Milestone Celebrations (Week 2)

Where: Social feed + recognition dashboard
Action:

• Use Empuls to trigger automated service awards (5, 10, 15, 20+ years)
• Include peer shout-outs and manager notes
• Include links to redeem rewards (gift cards, experiences, etc.)

3. Pulse Survey: "How Are We Supporting You?" (Week 2)

Where: Surveys module
Action:

• Run a short, focused pulse survey for tenured employees:
  • Do you feel recognized?
  • Do you have growth opportunities?
  • What support would help you thrive?

4. Perks & Benefits Activation (Week 3)

Where: Internal comms + Empuls Perks Store
Action:

• Showcase perks long-tenured employees can access:
  • Tax-saving benefits
  • Wellness & remote work allowances
  • Discounts from 6,000+ brands
• Spotlight testimonials from current employees using perks

🛠 Empuls Feature: Perks & Benefits module + Perks email template

5. Mentor Moments Recognition Wall (Week 4)

Where: Social feed
Action:

• Invite junior employees to post appreciation messages for long-tenured mentors
• Use custom core value badges for "Mentorship", "Consistency", "Legacy Builder"

Pikiran penutup

Karyawan yang sudah lama bekerja adalah beberapa orang yang paling berpengaruh dalam sebuah organisasi karena mereka membawa banyak pengetahuan, keterampilan, pengalaman, dan kebijaksanaan dalam peran mereka. Karyawan yang sudah lama bekerja pun bisa saja kehilangan motivasi dan keterlibatannya seiring berjalannya waktu. Oleh karena itu, penting untuk menghargai karyawan yang berharga melalui penghargaan dan pengakuan secara teratur dan meningkatkan keterlibatan mereka.