Tips and information for HR teams and leaders on how to attract and retain team members.
The recruitment environment post pandemic is more complex for businesses to hire quality talent for their organisations. Companies must stand out from the rest as job seekers have more options in their search with there currently being more roles than candidates on the market. Coupled with a skills shortage in many sectors, and the “Great Resignation” across labour markets in the UK and the world, recruitment is currently a ‘pain point’ for many organisations. The upshot is that those employers and organisations will have to make special amends to attract and retain a workforce. Below are some useful tips for organisations on how to attract and retain employees.
Recruitment
- Be clear about the job role
The first rule for hiring a candidate is to be clear and concise with the prospective employee about the job description.
Preparing and drafting a clear job description, outlining the objectives and what the role will entail from the prospective employee will build the foundation for successful interviews and interested candidates.
This will enable an individual to identify if they are suitable for the role matching their preferences to what has been specified rather than wasting everyone’s time in the recruitment and selection process.
- Be upfront and proud about the benefits on offer
It is important to also shout about the offering that you can provide potential candidates, it is a candidate’s market currently, so your organisation needs to stand out from the crowd. Take the opportunity to discuss progression and wellbeing support; share the suite of benefits, and shout about the remuneration on offer.
- Be flexible
With the pandemic giving rise to employees working remotely, businesses have recruited staff virtually and continue to do so. This enables candidates a level of flexibility to attend interviews within their own schedule and offers a new level of flexibility of not working in a certain geographical area.
Remote interviews and job roles provide the perfect balance for candidates who are juggling other life commitments such as children or a current job role. It will also make interviews and the position more accessible for individuals who may have traditionally struggled with the interview process.
It also allows companies to fish in a larger recruitment skills pool. Candidates don’t have to be within travel distance of the office and can be sourced from a much larger area.
Offering a job that can be worked remotely or have an increased level of flexibility is invaluable in widening that pool of candidates. It opens you up to people who may have traditionally not applied for the role.
- Create an interview that sells the position
It is crucial for employers to create a structured interview process for candidates and one that not only understands their skill set and suitability for the role but one that is also the opportunity to see if they are a right for the organisation and vice versa.
Ensure that the interview is well organised and well-timed and that you are prepared for it, this will set out the organisation to a candidate and determine if they are a right fit for the role. It undertaking online interviews ensure the basics are right – no background disturbances and a good IT connection.
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Retention
- How to keep hold of current team members
As well as attracting new team members, it is important for organisations to understand how they can retain current employees.
The scale of the ‘Great Resignation’ has posed a huge threat for businesses, it is becoming increasingly apparent that competitors are actively seeking to poach staff due to the staffing crisis. Retaining employees is of the utmost importance and will minimise the costs and time required to hire new team members.
Below are top tips to help retain current team members:
- Review and update incentives for team members
- Pay attention to your company culture and make it a priority
- Adapt or adopt a wellbeing programme
- Review the team’s current flexibility
- Invest in upskilling and personal development
For additional support and information on how to attract and retain staff, seek an independent HR advisor for guidance.
