10 Ways to Attract and Retain the Best Employees

How to attract and retain the best employees

Although your recruitment and retention strategy will be unique to your business, here are 10 ways you can attract and retain skilled workers.

1. Write good job descriptions.

The first step in attracting skilled workers who match your needs is to write a good job description. 

• Content: A job description is much more than a simple list of employee responsibilities; it is often one of the first impressions a job seeker has of your organization. As such, an effective job description should include not only skills, tasks, expectations and role requirements but also give the reader a feel for your company culture. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 4 out of 5 job seekers said salary is the most important aspect of a job posting, followed by the benefits package. As such, it can be beneficial to include this information as well.
• Tone: The way you write your job descriptions should match your company and brand. For example, if you have a lighthearted, goofy company culture, consider using words that convey the silly nature of your workplace. However, steer clear of words such as “guru,” “ninja” and “wizard”; a Skynova study found that many job seekers respond negatively to these terms.
• Format: Your job descriptions should be easy to read. Use headers and bullet points for details such as requirements and responsibilities because they will make the job description easier to scan. In addition, include a clear call to action so applicants know how to apply.

2. Be intentional with your hiring process.

According to a survey by BambooHR, 31 percent of workers leave a job within the first six months, and 68 percent of those depart within the first three months. A strategic recruitment and onboarding process can reduce these high turnover rates by helping new employees feel connected to their roles.

Employee recruitment

Find out which websites and job boards align best with your organization and the types of employees you are seeking. Asking employees for referrals is also a great strategy for finding reliable talent. You can use recruitment software or applicant tracking systems to manage your talent pipeline from start to finish.

Employee interviews

It helps to have a uniform and consistent recruitment process. Train your HR and hiring managers on how to conduct effective employee interviews. For example, outline which types of questions they can and can’t ask. This will make your hiring process more productive and equitable.

Employee onboarding

Your hiring responsibilities don’t stop when you offer an applicant the job and they accept. You also need a comprehensive onboarding process that reviews all required paperwork, welcomes and trains the new employee, and quickly integrates them into your team.

3. Offer competitive compensation.

Although it’s not the only thing that matters to employees, a competitive salary is still top of mind for job seekers. If you want to hire skilled workers, you must be prepared to pay them what they are worth. Start by reviewing the industry average for employee salaries. You can also use salary benchmarks based on location, role and experience.

Pay isn’t the only way to compensate employees for a job well done. Consider other forms of compensation, such as employee retirement plans, bonuses, paid time off and stock options. Offering a diverse combination of compensation can make a job offer more attractive.

4. Build a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Although you are legally obligated to offer only a few employee benefits (e.g., family and medical leave, health insurance, unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation, as well as FICA contributions that fund public benefits such as Social Security and Medicare), creating a comprehensive benefits package is essential for attracting the best employees. Employee benefits are a great way to improve your employees’ health, well-being, job satisfaction and productivity.

The most popular employee benefits fall into five categories: health and wellness; financial well-being; work-life balance; professional development; and diversity, equity and inclusion. Create a benefits package that offers some combination of these elements.

5. Provide employee development opportunities.

A Work Institute survey found that a lack of career development opportunities is the biggest reason why employees quit their jobs. If you want to retain your most valued employees, you must provide them with a clear path to future development. Each employee should have their own career development plan that is unique to their strengths and interests.

Here are a few ways you can foster career development:

• Identify clear goals. Have your employees clearly identify their career goals and then come up with a development plan to achieve them. Measure employee success periodically to see if they are progressing toward their goals or if they need assistance.
• Offer training courses. Offer in-person or online training opportunities for employees to learn and build their career knowledge.
• Create a mentorship program. Identify less-experienced employees who show potential, and pair them with mentors who can help guide their careers with the company.
• Offer stretch assignments. Provide internal staff with challenging projects just beyond their comfort zone. It will expand their skill sets and build their confidence.
• Promote internally. Although you won’t always find the right candidate for a senior role from your current pool of employees, consider hiring from within when a position becomes available. If you know you will need to fill a position in the future and it aligns with an employee’s development goals, create a cross-training program that will enable them to earn that spot.

6. Recognize your employees.

Make your employees feel appreciated and valued. You can do this by creating an employee recognition program. Although your recognition program should be fair and equitable to all employees, not all employees want to be recognized in the same way. Therefore, you should be strategic about how you create your program.

One way you can create an employee recognition plan that is unique and meaningful to each employee is to use a points system. For example, employees can earn points for their achievements and then spend them on the rewards they value most (e.g., gift cards, company swag, experiences). You can also survey your employees to learn which incentives are most enticing to them.

7. Prioritize company culture.

Company culture can affect employee job satisfaction in a big way. Many people want to work for an inclusive workplace that values and celebrates staff diversity. This all starts during the hiring process. Be intentional about whom you hire. Your company leadership also plays a huge role, as company culture usually flows from the top of the organization. For example, if your team leaders constantly show up late to meetings and talk negatively about staff members, other employees will also think it is OK to treat people that way in the workplace.

8. Monitor employee engagement and burnout.

One key to retention is employee engagement. High employee engagement can reduce employee turnover and absenteeism, as well as boost productivity and morale. You can improve employee engagement by encouraging open communication and feedback and employing many other tips in this article.

In addition to keeping employees engaged, you should ensure they are not experiencing workplace burnout. Your best employees are often saddled with the most work, which can quickly result in fatigue, negativity and reduced productivity. Bring in skilled temporary professionals to relieve overburdened staff and support resource-intensive projects.

9. Communicate your company mission and vision.

Another way you can attract and retain employees is to clearly communicate your company mission and vision statement. These are the goals and values of your organization. People want to work for an organization they identify with. Not everyone will click with your mission and values, and that’s OK. That’s why you want to clearly communicate your mission and vision from the start, so you can build an organization filled with people who truly support your purpose.

10. Train your management staff.

It is important for your company leaders to be properly trained on how to successfully manage their teams, as good managers can have a big impact on employee retention. In fact, Gallup found that 52 percent of departing employees claim their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from resigning.

Perhaps these managers were thrown into the fire without the proper tools. In a study by Udemy, 60 percent of respondents said managers need more training, and 56 percent said people are promoted too quickly. Effective leadership training programs can help your team build their leadership skills and manage employees better, resulting in a higher employee retention rate.

Recruitment and retention are keys to success

When you’re building your business, it’s important to establish an effective team. Doing so involves hiring for the right skills and coachability, as well as creating an environment where your best employees stay for the long haul. As team members build institutional knowledge and share their experience with others, your employees will be better off for it. That’s why it’s important to keep the 10 tips above in mind when you’re recruiting employees and doing your best to keep them on board. 

Tejas Vemparala contributed to this article.