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You Want Top Talent? It's Time To Show Some Appreciation
Valentine’s Day. Love it or loathe it, there’s no escaping it. But why wait for one day in the year to show some love for those who matter. It’s a known fact that happy staff make for a successful business. But how do you show your greatest asset – your team – that you care?
The recruitment industry is currently going through what we call a “candidates’ market”: skilled workers are in demand, filling a vacancy with the best talent can take time and be an expensive exercise. By looking after your staff, you stand more chance of achieving a higher staff retention rate and increased productivity. So, what can you do to make your business the one that attracts the cream from the talent pool?
“My Door Is Always Open”
Encouraging effective communication and openness will help your staff to feel included. Your shopfloor workers probably have a greater awareness of what goes on in the workplace than you, so listen to their ideas and encourage innovation.
Ensure Careers Flourish
There’s nothing worse than losing a valued team member because they can’t see any progression within the company. Staff development, really investing in their future, will go a long way towards demonstrating your investment in your team. You may think it’s a gamble: “if we train them up, they’ll leave us for somewhere else,” but if you give your staff hope for the future, to develop their skills as the business grows, you’ll keep them onside for an awfully long time.
Recognise & Reward
Whether it’s a private conversation between you and a high-performing employee, or an annual awards evening with all the whistles and bells, recognising their hard work will keep your team engaged and invested in the company. Maybe you can feature an Employee Of The Month in your newsletter to customers or have an internal awards system. However you decide to acknowledge and reward hard work, it will have a positive effect on staff morale – making a happier workplace and higher productivity. Just be sure to spread the love to avoid accusations of favouritism!
Attractive Benefits
Getting the benefits packages right can play a significant role in staff retention. Think beyond the pension and annual leave allowance – these are considered as a given. Why not consider wellbeing benefits such as health insurance, dental plans, gym memberships, flexible working hours and the option to work from home, if practical.
Getting To Know You
As Brits, we’re very much in the “live to work” mindset, whilst the rest of Europe favours the “work to live” mantra. Schedule in social activities with your staff: company picnics, evening meals, company retreats and team building away from the office. Showing a genuine interest in your employees and their families will go a long way.
Show Support
If you notice that someone in your employ is struggling, offer to help where possible. If a high-performing member of staff suddenly appears to be having one too many “off days” ask what the problem is, and whether there’s anything you or the company can do to help them. Showing your support will help build trust, loyalty, and will strengthen your relationships with team members.
Obviously, every business will differ with what it can realistically offer but don’t let unknown costs deter you from exploring your options. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that some benefits packages work out more cost-effective in the long run than constantly needing to recruit new team members when staff leave.
Hopefully, that’s given you some food for thought that will leave you with a motivated, loyal team for years to come.
If we can help you in any way with finding the cream of the talent pool, take a look at our fixed fee packages or give us a call.
