Attracting and retaining qualified employees are some of the biggest challenges that businesses in all industries face. To stay ahead of the competition, companies must maintain a team of skilled and experienced workers. Unfortunately, top talent can be hard to come by, especially if your organization is lacking the necessary incentives that encourage employees to stick around such as employee benefits.
Today’s high-performing employees are looking for more than just a 9-to-5. From the ability to climb the career ladder to access an impressive employee benefits package, modern workers expect more from their time and energy. While there are many ways to attract and retain qualified employees, some are proven more effective than others.
Recruiting for the Company Culture and Mission
Effective communication is critical when it comes to attracting and retaining qualified employees. It is important to share your business’s mission and overall culture with your staff and to ensure that your employees are aware of their responsibilities as these job roles are crucial to the success of your company.
Communicating the company culture and mission is important even before you hire an employee. In fact, you should share this information during the hiring process and interviews. When hosting meetings with your existing staff, you will want to again bring up and discuss the company culture and mission to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Be open to any questions or concerns your staff may have.
Most companies have a mission statement. This can be described as a broadly defined statement of purpose that is designed to distinguish one organization from similar companies. It should also identify the scope of its products, services, and operations, as well as its market terms.
Creating a strong mission statement is only the first challenge. An amazing mission statement does not provide much value if the people within your company do not know or understand it. Not only is it important for you to develop a mission that people can align themselves with, but also reinforce this mission on a continual basis.
The overall company culture within your workplace can also greatly influence recruitment. You want to create a place where you would want to work. This means creating a space that feels safe, encouraging coworkers to get along and appreciate one another, and introducing some fun aspects that make your employees excited about coming into work.
Training and Emphasize on Continued Growth
Where many companies lack is in the training department. Adequate training is not only helpful but necessary if you want to retain qualified employees. Even experienced and skilled employees require some level of training so that they better understand how to do their jobs efficiently.
Training should begin as soon as a new staff member is hired. An employee orientation program should last approximately three hours and include paramount information that will help the employee better transition into their new position. On-the-job training may last several weeks up to six months, depending on the complexity of the position.
During the training process, it is important for you to check-in with new employees on a regular basis to see how they are transitioning. It can be helpful to designate a senior staff member to assist with training or involve peers in some way. Regular training sessions should also be required for long-term employees whenever you introduce a new product, responsibility, or procedure.
While training is an important concept when trying to attract and retain qualified employees, your staff also wants to know that they have the chance to grow career-wise. It is important to continually emphasize that growth is possible based on their performance over time. You may also want to set timeframes that signify when job roles may change. This can encourage employees to continue working at peak efficiency.
Expanding Your Employee Benefits Package
When searching for a job, many job-seekers look for positions that come with an employee benefits package. This is becoming more and more evident in businesses across all industries. In fact, retention (72 percent) and recruiting (58 percent) were the top reasons that companies chose to increase benefits, according to a 2018 Employee Benefits Survey published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
While you may already have an employee benefits package in place, it is important to consider revamping or expanding it to meet the unique needs of your employees. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to employee benefits. Therefore, it is wise to offer a range of benefits and perks to satisfy all types of people.
First, identify what benefits will meet the needs of your employees. This may include benefits required at different life stages. For example, everyone needs health insurance but certain groups may require disability benefits, dental insurance, or vision coverage. The ability to customize employee benefits can also be a valuable addition.
When reviewing your existing benefits package, look for areas that could be improved or modified. For example, your package may not offer adequate health and wellness benefits. You may want to consider adding to your wellness plan by offering health screenings, gym memberships, counseling, or health discounts. Other areas where your employee benefits package may be improved includes life insurance or retirement.
Once you have created a strong employee benefits package that meets the needs and wants of the majority of your staff, you will want to promote it. Provide details about these benefits when creating job ads and thoroughly explain these perks when conducting job interviews. Take the time to make sure that your existing employees fully understand what benefits are available and offer information on how to use them.
Reach Out to an Experienced Employee Benefits Consultant
Every business wants to attract and retain qualified employees. However, this is not always easy. It is important for companies to understand what makes employees stick around, such as fair pay, recognition for good work, honest feedback, a positive work culture, and the occasional reward. For more information about building an effective employee benefits package, contact the experienced benefits consultants at Business Benefits Group.