It’s hard to believe we are already bringing you our March Blog. We are excited that the weather is feeling more like spring this week. For this month’s Blog, we asked our Partners at SEEK Careers/Staffing to share with us what they see as the best ideas on hiring and keeping top talent in today’s tight work force. In addition, OED is partnering with the local high schools to do a Career Fest on April 24th, if you would like to be a part of that, please reach out to us for more details. For more News about Business in Ozaukee County please visit www.ozaukeebusiness.org.
It’s a job seeker’s market! Finding top talent is hard enough, but now they have their pick of jobs. How do you attract and retain great employees in this market?
- Put Employees First
They way your treat your employees affects everything your business touches – your clients, your customers and your community. Treat them well and they will care for each other and your company. They are your greatest ambassadors. Create a company culture where people feel valued, respected and trusted as contributors. Word will spread that your company has a positive, supportive culture. You won’t have to go looking for talent; your employees will refer hard-working, talented people who share the same values. - Benefits are Big
Candidates in this market value benefits as much as, if not more than, pay. Find out what they value most. Offer a varied benefit package that goes above and beyond what’s expected. Examples of benefits that attract candidates with staying power include: wellness perks such as free gym memberships and on-site fitness rooms, generous vacation time, work-from-home options, flexible work schedules, free meals, tuition reimbursement for continued learning, casual dress codes and paid volunteer time. When employees are happy, they stay – and they tell their friends and family. - Candidate Experience
Those interviewing for your positions will judge your company culture based on how they were treated during the interview process. If they feel like they were mistreated in any way or left confused by the process, they have reason to believe they will be treated the same way in the workplace. Interviews are a test run for them as much as they are for you. Create good impressions by treating them as welcome guests during the interview process. Keep them informed and follow through on what you say you will do. Candidates will take note. Remember, they have choices and you have competition. - Provide Opportunities for Learning & Development
The best and brightest employees welcome learning opportunities as a way to expand their current knowledge base and expertise. Great employees want to grow and take on new challenges. Provide them with engaging opportunities for career exploration and they will see your company as place that supports their progress. - Build & Maintain Your Reputation
Image is everything. Whether online or in the public sphere, strive to build and maintain a positive perception of your company. Even if you already have one, look at ways to continuously improve it. Potential candidates visit sites such as Glassdoor to gain insight into how your company operates from the inside. After their experience with you, they may share on social media to Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, or Instagram. Be proactive by creating a positive candidate experience rather than reactive by trying to clear up damage done to your reputation. Once out there, it sticks. Treating candidates well throughout the recruiting process is not only best practice but significantly reduces the risk of negative perception by the general public. - Social Media is Your Friend
Build your reputation and online presence by using social media to display your corporate atmosphere, values, and community involvement. You are what you put out there. People only know what you tell them and social media’s purpose is to share, share, share! This is an image you can control, so choose wisely what content you want to use. Candidates will visit your social media and read online reviews to gain better understanding of who you are and how your company operates. Brand yourself as a company who cares about its employees and top talent will come looking for you. Be authentic and transparent and like-minded candidates will seek YOU out.
If you need any assistance in finding or placing candidates, please feel free to reach out to SEEK Careers/Staffing anytime at any one of our locations. Click here to read more about how SEEK is growing and attracting more talent during the labor shortage.
Sources: https://bit.ly/2HdFlXB, https://bit.ly/2JcIUtY, https://bit.ly/2JZtmLb