1. Flexibility
The best and most talented candidates know they have bargaining power and they want job flexibility. Many are demanding four-day weeks, reduced hours or remote working. Others just want to be able to stay home with their sick kids and not feel guilty.
They also don’t want to be tied to a desk. Employers looking to attract talent are focusing more on what gets done by staff, and developing key performance indicators, rather than how long they’re at work.
Rather than being clocked in and out at the end of the day, it’s having flexibility, providing they’re delivering on their targets
2. Mentoring and personal development
Staff also wants to know they’re going somewhere and developing. “Personal and professional development is one of the most sought-after things people are looking for.
But training and developing staff doesn’t have to mean sending them to expensive Harvard management courses. There are also informal, cost-effective ways to develop people and make them feel valued. That could include internal mentoring and internal development, or simply management taking an interest in their careers.
3. Salary Packaging
Staff don’t only want work flexibility, but pay flexibility. Salary packaging provides that. The benefit of salary packaging is it allows you to take certain benefits, instead of salary benefits, paid for from pre-tax income, which reduces income tax you pay.
Common benefits employees get include cars, laptops and superannuation.
4. Positive reputation
If you find your staff turnover high, you might want to figure out why. Do you have a bully in the office? Because of one person, you lose 5 members of staff? Always be on the lookout for those types of individuals who can cost your business money and stuff.
Make it clear what your values are. Be sure not to treat your staff as slaves. You wouldn’t work for free without appreciation and reward. So don’t expect your staff to do that. Always treat your staff with kindness and respect, and you will be rewarded with a hard working dedicated employee.
The most popular companies to work for have strong brand recognition and a reputation for excellence in the market. The most discerning professionals also use their networks to gain insight into the internal reputation of the workplace, or the ‘real picture’ of what it’s like to work there. Are your employees brand ambassadors or critics? Working to engage and motivate your existing employees is critical in the attraction of quality talent, as they are your most powerful source of advertising and testimonials.
5. Development opportunities
For high achieving professionals, the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally is crucial for job satisfaction. They want to invest their talent in a company that can help progress their career and expand their existing skill sets. Do you offer ongoing training and development? Clear pathways for growth and promotion? Challenging and rewarding projects? Cultivating an environment of continual learning and progression will help to engage existing employees and enhance your reputation as an attractive employer.
To attract top performers it’s critical first to establish what defines your organisation.