The right people can really make your business – and poor staffing choices can drain it and, eventually, break it, whether that’s as a result of escalating recruitment costs or the impact on business culture of toxic attitudes. Attracting a wealth of new candidates to your company will give you plenty of choice when it comes to selecting your employees of the future. However, many employers don’t appreciate just how important nurturing your own internal talent is going to be in that process. If you want to attract new candidates – and retain the best home grown talent – then it’s important to ensure your business is set up to nurture the bright sparks.
The importance of employee engagement
Engaged employees are more productive, more committed and much more likely to make progress. They will not only positively impact on your financial results but also show your business off in the best light. Plus, they can become brand advocates, attracting others simply because of what they say and do. There are many ways to improve employee engagement, from creating pay and benefits packages that are attractive, to ensuring you provide feedback and challenges across the board, as well as the opportunity to progress.
Your company culture will define your future
A positive business culture with clearly defined brand values makes an enormous contribution to progress. It can create an environment in which employees thrive and make it easier to spot next generation talent – as well as giving them an incentive to stick around. Culture is also a big factor in the decision making progress for top candidates when considering applications. The better the firm culture, the easier it will be to attract the best new candidates to your company.
Offering flexible benefits is an attractive incentive
If employees are able to pick their own benefits packages from a selection of options – and to adjust these as they progress through their career – then this can be a huge incentive to stay with a current employer. You’ll also find that ambitious candidates who want that flexibility in their future will be keen to apply to work for you too.
Top talent values training and development
If you want to attract new talent then make the opportunities for growth and development within the business absolutely clear. This is also a crucial step in nurturing your own people, in finding out what steps they want to take next and in giving them the tools and training to develop so that they can give more back to the business.
Give employees a clear structure
This could be an unambiguous feedback structure that ensures employees always know where they are and what they need to do to progress. It could be a career planning structure or a clear set of opportunities to enhance a range of skills, from networking to public speaking. When you’re thinking about structures, dedicate time for regular conversations with your employees – what they tell you about the business, and what they say they need from it, will determine both what you can do to retain talent and how you can attract it in the future.
We regularly help employers to define opportunities to attract the best new talent to a business – contact 2i Recruit today to find out how we could support you.
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