Attracting and retaining the right employee can be one of the biggest sources of stress for a business. With the UK having an average turnover rate of 15%, businesses can often be concerned with reaching an ideal figure.
However, every business and industry are different, so context is highly important. For example, higher levels of turnover are consistently seen in jobs such as hospitality, and long-term employee retention might not always indicate a good thing for you or your employee.
Arguably what matters is finding the right people to help your business operate successfully. So, how do you go about it?
Reasons You Might Be Struggling
Cost of hiring – Hiring is often a time-consuming and expensive process. It’s not just the employee’s standard pay you will have to think about, but also their bonuses, training, taxes, pension and office equipment.
Role unclear/job ad not appealing – The way you market your job roles and your company is highly important.
If the job description is vague and does not clearly list day-to-day responsibilities and duties, potential employees will be put off from applying. They may be confused over what you as the company want and whether they would be the right fit.
Additionally, prospective employees want a short, punchy ad which quickly grabs their attention. Make it known that your company is a positive working environment and use friendly language to interact with the candidate on a more personal level.
Retaining underperforming employees – Sometimes, staff retention isn’t always what you’re looking for. If you have long-term underperforming staff, it may be a good opportunity to give them a pep talk or ask them to undergo refresher training to get up to standard.
You may also be doing too much internal recruitment. Sometimes you may need a fresh face to bring life to your company.
Tips to Find the Right Employee
So, what will ensure that you find the best employee for the job?
The first thing you may want to look to improve is your job advertisements. Ensure the work from your side is polished so you can attract the right people.
Once you have narrowed down your candidates, you should check the person’s CV against the job specification to ensure they are a good fit for the job.
Ideally when looking for employees, you will be looking for talented and motivated individuals who have a strong work ethic and sense of integrity. You may ask them questions which are designed to investigate what personality type they have. When conducting interviews, keep in mind the type of culture you want to foster at your company – this will also help you to make a prediction on how well they will perform in that role.
Finally, you should always double check references and conduct a background check on potential employees. They may talk the talk but not walk the walk.
Happy head-hunting!
Authors
Recruit Smarter
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