How Businesses Can Work to Attract New Employees

There are many variables involved in the success and longevity of a business, all of which serve in some form of load-bearing capacity. Short-term cashflow and liquidity, product quality, investor confidence and internal structure are common considerations for newer businesses hoping to carve out a long-term path for themselves. But there is one under-represented factor that can often be the final nail in the coffin for businesses just about treading water: staff turnover.

Staff turnover describes the rate at which employees arrive and leave; a high staff turnover means employees are not staying altogether long, and that you are spending precious time and resources, finding, onboarding and training staff. High turnover can be a sign of poor management and direction, but it is also a sign of the times – as demonstrated by the recent report that a third of UK workers are considering a career change. But what can be done to reverse the tide, and to attract top-talent employees for the long haul?

How Businesses Can Work to Attract New Employees

Clear Company Values

Workers are more commonly seeking roles in businesses that directly align with their personal values. The high profile of large-scale issues such as racism, religious intolerance and even ecological issues like the climate change make these central issues to many members of the workforce – and makes a large proportion of the employment pool less likely to place their time and efforts with a business antithetical to their own position.

Competitive Pay and Benefits

It is impossible to talk about attracting talent without acknowledging the elephant in the room: recompense. Employees should always be paid well for their work, but today’s employees are more recognisant of their own worth than ever. As such, truly competitive salary offers are required to attract the best talent.

But pay alone is not enough. It is also vital to offer benefits and perks alongside a competitive salary, to create a more compelling reason to join and to alleviate employee issues adjacent to pay. These could be major business benefits such as private health insurance and mental health support, or smaller perks as with the McDonalds NHS discount for health workers. There are no set rules to follow here, but a mixture of benefits can appeal across demographics.

Internal Development Opportunities

Job-seekers, by and large, do not want ‘just a job’. These are professional candidates, looking for opportunities to grow and progress within their specialism. If a business is unable to offer clear development pathways within their business, many will see that business as a dead end and make plans to move on. With this in mind, there should be well-advertised opportunities for growth within the company, as well as a clear and committed approach to training and development.

Recognition and Reward

Finally, employees feel valued when they are recognised for their work. All too often hard work goes unnoticed in larger businesses, which can lead to disillusionment and itchy feet; in demonstrating a robust and transparent system of recognition and reward, you can demonstrate to prospective workers that their energy is well-spent with you.