As a business owner or hiring manager, you know how hard it is to not only find top talent but maintain them at the company.
In the past, it was easier to find the talent. Employees valued job security and were generally less demanding when it came to job requirements.
However, times have changed, for the better, but with that comes greater difficulty in recruiting top talent. Employers have to work harder than ever. Following the tips below you should be able to help find and retain talent.
Invest in training
Ultimately, employees want to work for a company that sees a future with them. It is very easy as an employer to cut the additional costs of training, however you will soon find that, although you are still recruiting, they will be sticking around for less time and will ultimately feel less needed reducing productivity.
Knowing that your competitors are very likely to be offering training, you also need to provide this to stay competitive. You company can only be as good as the staff, if you are not training them properly to undertake the job to a high standard, you will fall behind the competition.
Recent reports highlight that where there were gaps between training provided and support employees expected to receive, the bigger this was, the more likely they were to look for work elsewhere. It is important then that both the training provided is of a good standard and that you do not oversell the training to prospective employees.
Incorporate better flexibility
If the job being carried out by the employee can be done remotely, as an employer, you should allow the employee this flexibility.
Companies that offer flexible work are proven to attract better talent. Recent findings suggest that over three quarters of respondents would choose an employer that allowed them to work from home a few days a week. Some respondents even claimed it would be the biggest draw to the company. Companies such as FJP Investment claim to have introduced full flexibility to staff that want it.
This doesn’t have to apply to everyone across the company. Different departments or even senior level employees could be given the opportunity to work remotely. Generally speaking, though, you do not want to create a divide and should entrust your employees to work remotely.
Focusing on employee contribution and output over hours worked should be all that matters. If an employee works better in the evening and the project is not time sensitive, let them work on it later in the day, past five, and start later.
Trusting employees to work effectively remotely usually gives employees a sense of self-worth, and they will want to return the favour with high work output. If it is not working, professionally explain why remote is not working for them and encourage them to start working from the office again.
Provide extra benefits
To keep top talent, you also need to give them additional reasons to want to work for you. A frequent one is offering them discounted or free food.
Consult with HR where necessary and look to gauge a response from employees for something like this. People prefer to eat healthier foods, and not necessarily at traditional points during the day.
Suitable food options and food and drink available to staff should help to improve happiness in the workplace. They may even encourage others to apply for future positions!
Focus on
effort over results
Feedback is something that all employees want. This is particularly true when you have younger employees that you can shape with your feedback.
Regular feedback sessions will greatly improve the mindset of people coming into the company and being able to keep them too. Showing that you care, nurturing them and forgiving for mistakes will show loyalty that will very likely be returned.
You also cannot expect an employee coming in to have the same level of knowledge and productivity of a worker that has been there for an extended period. Exercise patience and nurture improvements and your company’s productivity will thrive.
Do not overlook managers
Good managers make or break a company and are often overlooked when critically looking at the workforce.
You need to make sure management know what they are doing to follow the above. Training management to deal with employees in an encouraging way is essential, otherwise your best employees will still walk due to bad management!
Every time someone is promoted, and employees should be promoted to encourage them, they should receive bespoke training to allow them to perform their job to a high standard. Do not just assume they will be able to walk into the role on the premise of having a vague idea of what is required based on the previous managers role. Handle their expectations and teach them how to nurture subordinates and the company will be able to thrive.
When it comes to attracting and retaining talent, you need to give employees a reason to want to work for you, besides the money. Offer perks, promotion opportunities and training to really stand out from the competition and get the best talent to make your business flourish.