Recruiting can be a challenging and long process, however spending the time (and often some money) to find the perfect employee is worth it. Then, you need to know what you should be doing as a company to make sure that you can retain those employees. We have put together this guide as a way for companies to identify what they should be doing and why, to save money and fantastic staff in the long run!
Know Who You Are As A Company
In order to impress the best potential employees out there, it is absolutely essential that as a company you have a strong idea of who you are, what you represent, what your values are and what you are wanting to achieve moving forwards. In order for someone to be able to commit to the company, they will need to know that their own values and visions for the future align with the company.
On the job adverts, as well as a description of the job itself, make sure that you have a section dedicated to who you are as a company and where you are going. This message should also be strongly represented throughout your branding, from your website right the way through to your products. This is easier said than done, so working with a design agency Manchester-based may be the best way forwards!
Overall, in order for an employee to have faith in you as a company, you’ve got to trust yourself and your company. Your deepest values should be embedded in every element of your business, including in the recruitment process.
Offer A Competitive Salary
Another way to hire and retain great employees is to offer a competitive salary. On the most part, this means offering a salary that is equal to or above the average for that position in the industry. This requires some industry research to see what people are being paid and then going forwards from there. Although it isn’t always the case, increasing the salary above your competition is one way to capture the attention of potential employees.
Many businesses simply list that they are offering a competitive salary, without actually saying what the salary is. The best employees are likely to want to know this salary upfront so they are not wasting their time in the long run, or so that they can lay out their salary expectations from early on so they’re not wasting your time! It really is a win-win situation to just be honest about the salary bracket, which could be between two relatively close figures depending on experience, such as between £30,000 and £35,000. You should also be prepared to go slightly above the salary bracket for the right person!
Show Employees You Care
The next thing you can do is show employees that you care. This could be in the form of emotional support or additional benefits, or ideally a combination of many different things. Rather than just trying to tick a box, you should genuinely try to improve the quality of life for employees in and out of work, as that will make them happier people as well as better employees.
This could be paying for their monthly gym membership up to the value of £30 to make sure they can relieve stress and stay healthy. You could provide nutritious breakfasts in the morning for all staff who want it. Additional holiday days could be offered with long-serving employees.
On a more work related note, make sure that they feel supported in their role and that they know who to talk to directly if they feel they are becoming overwhelmed. You should also work alongside them rather than talking down on them. There is nothing worse than being spoken down to in a patronising way, so helping them overcome problems rather than simply disciplining them is the way forward.
If you work directly with clients or customers, you should also show that your employees are the most important thing to you. When clients consistently treat employees poorly, it can have a serious effect on people’s mental health, so showing that you have their backs and telling clients that it is out of order may encourage them to stay.
Think about your business model and consider how you could be offering more support to your employees to show them you really care.
Provide Clear Routes of Progression
Finally, it is important to provide clear routes of progression to your staff. The best employees are likely to want to know that they won’t be restricted in this role and that they have the ability to maximise their potential. So, offering a bit of a road map to indicate where you could see them going, as well as potential other routes, is a fantastic way to encourage a long and happy career for employees in your company.
Additionally, often having employees work their way through the company results in a strong and cohesive team who all have a good understanding of how the business functions in every sense. Some people are not always looking for progression, but highlighting that there is an opportunity at the very beginning is important. You should also have quarterly reviews with employees to check they are happy, to discuss their stress and workload and also to discuss progression opportunities at that time.
Final Thoughts
Overall, great employees that are well suited to your business can be difficult to find, so when you do, it is important that you keep them. When thinking about whether or not an employee deserves a raise, make sure that you take action before it is too late and give them the wage that they deserve. The cost of finding, hiring and training a new employee who may not be anywhere near as good is not usually worth the risk! Valuing your employees is the most important thing you can do.