One of the main priorities for companies all over the world is how to attract and retain the right talent. The main reason so many businesses are on the lookout for talented employees is that they’re more likely to be engaged, productive and quite efficient at their jobs.
It’s no secret that the employees are the main force that drives a company forward, which is very important in today’s competitive landscape. However, attracting and even retaining the right talent at your company might be more challenging than it seems.
The main reason is that talented employees are looking for unique opportunities and they won’t settle to work for just anyone. That’s why it’s up to the business leaders to step up their game and give the right talent a good reason to work for them, as well as give them a good reason to stay. With that in mind, here are a few ways leaders can attract and retain the right talent for their companies.
Define your needs
Before you start looking for the right talent, you have to define your needs so that you can also see what the right talent means for your company. As an example, why do you need talented workers and how can they benefit your organization? Once you define your needs, you can determine where to look for the right talent.
As you may already know, the right talent is usually scarce and every other company out there will try to snatch them from you. That’s why recruiting talent usually comes down to letting them find you rather than the other way around. However, you still need to know where to place your job ads, in order to make that happen and you can’t know that unless you know what you need.
Develop your company culture
A company’s culture is a vital factor in both recruiting the right talent, as well as in developing an effective brand strategy. It is based on a company’s mission, core values, promise and personality just like a brand is.
This is what attracts customers to buy from you or relate to your brand the same way it attracts the right talent to work for you. As mentioned before, talent looks for unique opportunities, which means that aside from good salaries and employee benefits, they also want to work at a place where their accomplishments and contributions will mean something more.
As an example, millennial workers are more interested in making an impact through their work. They are more willing to work for companies that will allow them to do so than companies that will pay them better but stick them at a desk job somewhere. That’s why you need to develop and promote a culture that will be appealing to talent in a way that promises growth and opportunities for them to shine
Be creative when recruiting
As mentioned before, in most cases, recruiting the right talent comes down to allowing them to find you. That means that you have to be creative when posting job ads. First of all, you must post clear and detailed job descriptions which will cover any factor ranging from salaries to growth opportunities in your company. Make sure to hire the employees with proper training and certification of the relevant job. For example, if you are looking to hire an iPhone developer, post the job for the candidates with iPhone training and certification.
What’s more, you can leverage recruitment marketing. This is the part where you promote your company culture and values that will be appealing to talent. Recruitment marketing works similarly to the regular digital market only you’re not promoting your products or services but your job opening, as well as your company to potential recruits.
This is particularly appealing to the younger generation as they prefer companies that are innovative. As an example, you can leverage social media as part of your recruitment marketing. That said, 79% of millennials claim they found employment over social media platforms. When you explore different channels and different approaches, it becomes easier to get attention from the right talent.
In the USA, hiring foreign workers is also a good option for many employers who are willing to sponsor. For hiring foreign workers, recruiters or employers can refer the OPT Resume Database provided by OPTnation including quality resumes of US citizens as well as international candidates.
Improve your onboarding process
Attracting the right talent is only half of the job. Retaining them is equally, if not more important. They look for ways to show their potential, as well as grow within a company. However, just like any other employee that freshly arrived at your workspace, even top talent needs time to properly adjust.
The fact of the matter is that 20% of employee turnovers happen within the first 45 days. That’s why you need to improve your onboarding process, especially if you want to retain your talent. As an example, companies oftentimes have an onboarding process that lasts only a month. That said, it takes a regular employee at least 8 months to become fully productive, on average.
Although it might not be the same with top talent. They still require an exceptional onboarding experience to not only adjust but also consider staying with your company. With that in mind, 69% of new recruits are more likely to remain with your company for 3 or more years after a great onboarding experience.
You may also consider offering additional perks for your employees to improve retention: 54% of US employees recently said that they would change their current job for a job that allows flexible hours or remote work so that might be your competitive advantage.
It may be challenging to attract and retain the right talent for your company, but it’s not impossible. You have to understand your needs, as well as understand the needs of top talent, in order to not just recruit them but also retain them. If you make an effort to promote your job openings and your company the right way, you’ll surely capture the attention of talent who can relate to your company and its goals.
