Great effort is given to marketing our companies to clients. Companies are hoping that prospective clients will see their ads and hear about their products or services and want to buy. Tremendous amounts of resources are put into campaigns and slogans to ensure that they attract buyers.
However, when it comes to employees, little time or resource is generally given to attracting and retaining strong talent. Companies post ads and hope that is enough for someone to apply. Likewise, once someone is hired, companies tend to assume that the team member will stay.
When unemployment is high, many employers mistakenly think they can take team members for granted and not pay them well. After all they reason, we can just hire someone else to replace them. But that strategy is flawed as leaders will observe over time. The brand or reputation you gain as an employer during those times will not represent you well when the labor market gets tight.
Consider instead how to create a “brand” as an Employer of Choice. What would make someone want to work for you? How can you stand out in the midst of a crowded labor market? Today as never before companies are competing for talent. It is not enough just to be nice when people come in your door, but rather it is imperative that you create a strategy to show people why they should use their talents to further your business or non-profit.
That strategy must incorporate everything from providing strong feedback and recognition on their performance, creating growth opportunities, being inclusive, creating strong development opportunities, listening to their feedback, creating policies that support work/life balance, equip your supervisors, provide diversity and inclusion training, and communicating purpose for the company and their role. All of these are critical if you wish to be an Employer of Choice.
Regardless of the size of your company, you can incorporate these into the fabric of your organization. Strong team members are seeking an employer who takes a wholistic approach to their needs and reflects the value they see in their team members. These strategies must be intentional, consistent, and valued as an essential part of the infrastructure of your company.
Overwhelmed? The first step you should take is to do an audit of your organization. The best way to achieve this is to have a neutral third party audit your policies and procedures to determine which areas need to be prioritized. Doing this will provide a great road map on how to become an “Employer of Choice”.
