Attracting and retaining talent
Post info
9 Nov 2022
Attracting and retaining talent making for a more stable, productive workforce especially in today’s competitive market can be hard.
Tom Penney, Managing Director at Applica has worked with companies across the globe and has recognised that the organisations which employ the following tactics are the most successful.
1. Recognise the importance of recruiting
Create a great first impression, through your website, employee review sites such as glass door, social media channels, the way someone answers the phone, interactions with staff, make sure that the recruitment process is followed not letting closing dates and interview dates slip.
Tom says: “There are so many times that the ideal candidate has stepped away from a role because something has gone wrong at the recruitment stage. They have the impression that if they treat me this way at the start of the process, how will I be treated in six months to a year?”
2. Provide professional development opportunities and opportunities for career progression
The people you are recruiting take their career very seriously and they need to know that you do too. “From my experience, maintaining professional standards and certifications such as chartered status is one of the easiest ways to keep employees engaged. It also shows the professionalism of your company.”
3. Be flexible and see the candidate as a whole person
Candidates are dedicated professionals but they’re people outside of their day job too; they do expect companies to provide flexibility which meets their individual needs. If an organisation is unable to provide flexibility, that could make it difficult to attract or retain the best talent.
4. Engage your workers
This is crucial to retaining good people. HR processes are vital to ensure progress and that shouldn’t slip but don’t make that the only interaction that the company has with your organisation. Make sure that there are regular updates delivered face to face whether in person or via video link, communicate regularly and make sure that your employees know what is expected of them and that you and the company cares about them and their development.
5. Be competitive with salary
It’s the last on the list but it is important. Being fairly paid for what you do is important. I love it when clients make an offer to a candidate, that is higher than they are expecting. It creates a great impression and excitement within the candidate, giving them a boost to start their new role fully focused and “all in”! It also saves time on back and forth negotiations over relatively small sums.
Tom Penney,
Managing Director – UK, EU & Norway