By Liv Sampair
In this uncertain market, companies are seeing employees of all seniority levels resign. I help SRG Stillwater’s partners fill the gaps with the right talent and support them after the hire. Here are some approaches you can borrow to improve retention and maintain a happy, driven workforce.
1. Optimizing the recruitment process
Optimizing the recruitment process to zero in on highly qualified candidates is one of the best investments you can make. The up-front cost of finding strong matches will be minimal compared to finding replacement hires when candidates don’t work out.
How wide are you casting your net? If you only seek out applications from candidates actively searching for jobs, you may miss some of your best options. Investing time in candidate outreach will elevate the quality of your search. A professional recruiting team like ours can refine your search even more by tapping into our connections in your industry and finding strong matches for your open position.
2. Re-examining who you’re looking for
When hiring, start by identifying your ideal candidate, factoring in their personality and aspirations in addition to their formal background. Are you struggling to find qualified applicants? Your requirements may be too rigid, keeping you from connecting with people who strongly align with your mission. If someone checks almost every box, can they be trained on the job to gain the skills they need? Doing so could be worth it.
Loosening the minimum qualifications doesn’t work for every position. In many cases, however, there may be as few as one or two discrepancies between your job description and the resume of your next great hire. If someone is excited about what you’re working toward, allow that to carry some weight in your hiring decision.
3. Solidifying your company’s mission
Start by determining what it means to work for your company, genuinely. What do you aim to achieve through your work? Crafting a strong mission statement helps ensure your employees feel a sense of purpose and pride in everything they do. Ensure candidates align with this mission early in the hiring process.
For example, at SRG Stillwater, our mission is to help companies find the right people by helping exceptional candidates advance their careers. Every recruiter on our team is personable, competitive, and driven to accomplish this mutual goal. We learn this during the hiring process, before bringing anyone on board.
4. Bolstering employee support at work and home
Most companies offer benefits, but they aren’t always comprehensive. What should you offer in addition to health and wellness support? We polled our LinkedIn followers to see which common job perks their workplaces offer. Time off for birthdays, gym memberships, and flexible work hours/location were all popular choices.
These perks may seem less significant than medical and dental insurance, but they can have a big impact on morale. They help employees feel appreciated and supported by your company, making them more likely to stick around for the long haul.
5. Fostering growth through mentorship
Partnering new hires with experienced employees can help them build their skillsets and fuel their confidence. Working alongside someone who was once in their shoes and has advanced through the ranks is an invaluable motivator.
Anticipating the needs of new and current employees can give you the blueprints to build a successful mentorship program. Well-curated partnerships have the potential to boost both motivation and morale, improving retention.
The process is ongoing
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving employee retention and motivation, and your work will be continuous. You may find that one of the above methods works better than the others for your company. No matter how you tackle the problem, your solution should revolve around clear and transparent communication. A strong retention and motivation strategy is constantly improving based on employee feedback.
We are here to help if you are looking for candidates who will excel at your company. We use an APEX Search Model to level up your hiring search and continue to support you after we find the right candidates. Please let us know how we can help through our contact form or by calling us at 651-383-2020.