How to Keep Your Top Talent from Jumping Ship

engaged employees

 

In today’s job market, many companies’ sales figures may be booming, but they have deeper problems brewing within. Their best employees are at high risk of being poached.

 

Now that everyone’s on social media for their job search, like LinkedIn, recruiters can easily target the “passive talent market”—people who weren’t even thinking about a job change.

 

So, what can you do to avoid losing your “A” players?

 

In a perfect world, you’d give them more money! But we’re not focusing on that today, because creative managers are using different tactics to keep their top talent around.

 

Put yourself in your employees’ shoes and ask, “what would I miss if I left this company?” The more you can give your employees meaningful (sometimes intangible) benefits, the more willing they’ll be to stay at your company—because they’re happy!

 

Some ideas to consider:

 

  • Do they feel “at home” in their workspace? Giving your employees the chance to make their workspace their own, to decorate it, (ideally) give them an office, etc. will work in your favor. They’ll feel more invested in their own space in the company, feeling more familiar & comfortable—less likely to leave.

 

  • Is it encouraged to share/bring family life into the workplace? Ask yourself, would their families be a little upset if they decided to leave? Here’s an example: A local company puts on a “family day” event every year, where employees can bring their spouses & kids to work for a BBQ lunch. This year, they had live music, drinks, and let everyone take their pictures with the Stanley Cup! Another example is hosting a “bring your kid to work day”. Not all companies are willing to have events like these, but it’s invaluable for employees to work for a company that understands the importance of work/life balance.

 

  • Are you a “career coach” to your staff? Most employees won’t want to leave a boss they believe is “in their corner”! If they are lacking experience in a certain area, work with them to find projects that will help them fill holes in their resume. It sounds counterproductive, but if you’re truly helping them develop & grow their skills, they’ll be more inclined to look for career opportunities within your organization.

 

  • Are your employees close-knit? For most people, leaving their friends at work can be the hardest part of leaving a company. The more you can encourage your staff to develop relationships with each other, such as letting them decide who to tackle their next project with, the more likely they’ll form meaningful friendships—one more reason they enjoy coming to work each day.

 

Retaining your best people—as I’m sure you well know—is a #1 priority, especially today. Even if you can’t budget any more money into keeping your “A” players happy, there are plenty of creative strategies you can try to keep them engaged, satisfied, and most importantly—from taking a competing job offer.

 

Want help finding engaged, top-talent to benefit your organization? Call us!

 

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