“Great vision without great people is irrelevant.”
Jim Collins, American Author, and Lecturer
A company will only go as far as the team they have to support it. Excellent employees can bring fresh ideas, new clients, and innovative expertise to a company. The challenge that faces HR professionals is not only finding the right people to fill these roles, but cultivating their skills and talent to enable them to grow and add more value to the company.
It is no easy feat, but with a sound strategy and genuine commitment to the employee, companies can effectively use talent management to recruit and retain the best talent.
Create Strong Job Descriptions
Job descriptions should be focused and concise. It should include the high-level duties of the job, qualifications needed, expectations, and salaries and benefits. Some companies can get so caught up in the job description and requirements that they forget to talk about what their company can offer to candidates.
A great example of a company who has figured this out is ConveyIQ. Not only do they include the above components, but they also include a paragraph about who the company is, what they stand for, and an outlook for what candidates can expect from the company if they move to the interview process.
Publicize Your Company’s Culture
To ensure you are attracting people who share the same values and motivation as current staff, HR professional should ensure the company’s culture is on display. They should include the company’s mission, vision, and core principles on websites, literature, and social media pages. Videos of a day in the office and dialogue from employees can also give potential candidates a clearer picture of who the company is.
Zappos has a considerable commitment to company culture. They not only interview for skills, but they conduct a second interview where they ask questions based on Zappos’ core values. The HR professionals are also directed to ask questions that are unique to the company’s commitment to creativity.
Develop the Talent You Already Have
HR professionals should keep track of the skills and talent of each hire, and look for ways to further develop these skills or help them learn new ones. Distributing surveys that ask employees how they feel about their current position, if they feel they are learning anything new, or if they have the opportunity to enhance their skills can give HR professionals insight into identifying options for on and off-site training.
SAS, a leader in business analytics, offers their workers the chance to participate in the company’s Emerging Leadership Program for professional development training, and career mentoring. The company also has an academic training program that targets recent graduates to set them up for full-time roles in the company.
Continuously Measure Success
Creating a robust training and development strategy along with offering other employee perks —such as remote work, higher salaries, and premium benefits—only happen when senior management can see the benefits and ROI. This is why it is important for HR professionals to measure productivity, and various performance metrics to ensure workers are meeting goals. If productivity and the quality of performance increases based on perks and training offered, then HR professionals have a good case for keeping these programs going.
Always Say “Thank You”
While employees are getting paid, everyone likes to know the work they do is appreciated and valued. According to Socialcast, 69 percent of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized. Many are just looking for a “thank you” or some recognition from employers. HR Professionals would do well to set up some appreciation incentives to retain employees. Offering breakfast or lunch on specific days, highlighting good work on an employee newsletter, or providing a drawing for gift cards are all good ways to say thank you. An excellent example of a company who has become creative in recognizing their employees is Dallas Website Design. CEO Brad M. Shaw, now allows exemplary employees the opportunity to work from home.
Use A Talent Management System
Technology is not a cure-all, but it can compliment a well-thought-out talent management strategy. HR Professionals can digitally manage compensation, learning and development, onboarding, goal-setting, and performance management.
Instead of depending on spreadsheets, a solid talent management system keeps all important employee details in one place. TrustRadius provides user reviews of popular talent management systems available to HR professionals, so this is a great place to look for excellent choices. One of the options, Cornerstone, is a cloud-based talent management system that is a flexible and intuitive platform to consider.
Final Thoughts
It is important to remember that professionals are seeking a work environment that allows them to be innovative, creative, and autonomous. If HR professionals understand this and offer opportunities for recognition, professional development, and vertical or horizontal movement, then recruiting and retaining workers can happen a lot more smoothly.
Chanell Alexander currently resides in Atlanta, GA. When she’s not traveling and trying new restaurants in the Metro Atlanta area, she writes about the latest technology and tools for TrustRadius.
