Engaging and retaining employees
How to stop haemorrhaging money in recruitment
Without putting in tangible action to make your organisation one that is stimulating, engaging and rewarding to work within, all of your recruitment efforts will be in vain.
A trend for ‘love bombing’ in recruitment has emerged, whereby recruiters will promise the earth in order to stand out from the crowd and attract better talent. If the employer can't follow through on this though, they're going to significantly lose out in the long run.
Similarly, if you're looking to revamp your practices in the name of retention, it's important to ensure this is backed up with a robust strategy, so that it actually delivers for employees and the business instead of being just a tick-box exercise to satisfy the demand.
Hybrid working
Hybrid working is embraced by many businesses due to its impact on productivity, demand from employees and its ability to widen the talent pool. However, without a proper strategy in place, it can bring unwanted consequences.
Ensure a blend of ages and experiences. If different employees are attending the office on different days, you should ensure that people will be working with a mix of colleagues with varying levels of experience, so that younger workers don't miss out on picking up their invaluable skills and knowledge.
DEI considerations: People from marginalised backgrounds are more likely to opt to work from home if given the choice. McKinsey & Co. found that black employees were 14% more likely to leave than white colleagues if given no remote working option, while LGBT were 24% more likely than their heterosexual counterparts. It's important to make sure nobody is deprived of valuable knowledge transfer and social interaction from being in the office.
Promote culture. Many organisations are putting a significant amount of work into having a clearly-defined and engaging culture that both existing and future employees can buy in to. Disillusionment with an organisation and its culture is far more likely to fester in a remote setting, so employers will need to put more effort into engaging with employees and promoting its culture.
Increase feedback. Lines of communication have naturally become more stretched as more employees work remotely. Touch points around employee performance, whether that be 1-2-1s, personal development plans or performance reviews, need to be a regular occurrence. Conversely, increasing opportunities for employees to give feedback, such as through pule surveys or employee net promoter score (eNPS), enables you to identify concerns before they develop into something more serious.
Investing in L&D not only benefits the employee, but also the company as staff become better equipped to tackle challenges.
The development opportunities a company provides significantly increases the chances of an employee staying in their current job.
While you should maximise development opportunities, it's also important to manage career expectations. Where promotions are not feasible, look for sideways moves that allow employees to gain different development experiences. This process will also help you with succession planning.
With hybrid/remote working on the rise, it can be difficult to implement successful training and onboarding. Investing in a learning management system dedicated to training and development will aid employee engagement and boost growth.
Attract and retain more diverse talent.
A better work/life balance is often more appealing to employees than salary.
Reduce recruitment and turnover costs.
Employees who benefit from flexible working arrangements are more likely to work harder and increase their output.
Happier staff lead to a more engaged and productive workforce.
Better ability to balance home commitments means more concentration during working hours.
Proven to improve employees' mental health — reducing stress and fatigue that leads to underperformance.
Allow employees to play to their strengths.
Flexible working means employees can work when they're at their most productive in the day.
It can also reduce absence and lateness costs.
Health screening
Dental screening
Critical illness
Cancer plan
Cycle to work
Gym discounts
Debt
Savings
Budgeting
Retirement
Family planning
Buying a home
Confidential support
Personal / work related
Mental support
Emotional support
Health support
Financial support
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