Anna Maria Richards
When you’re running a business, no matter how big or small it is, one thing you have to worry about is actually attracting new hires. Not only that, but you actually have to make them want to keep working for you as well. But what, exactly, can accomplish that? Here, we are going to talk about the best way to do that, and do it well.
Offer competitive wages
This is something that businesses sometimes struggle with, some because they cannot afford to pay a competitive wage compared to their competition. However, others have no actual struggle to speak of – rather, they simply want to find ways to cut down on costs (in all the worst areas to boot). Alas, this kind of cost-cutting mindset is simply not good for the company’s bottom end in the long run, as the benefit of the money saved in the short term cannot compare to how much you spend in the long term due to lower productivity, morale, and employee retention.
When you determine your employees’ starting wages, you need to consider a multitude of factors. For one, some areas have higher costs of living than others. As a result, your employees need to be able to trust that they can live off of what you pay them. However, other areas may have significantly lower living expenses, meaning that a higher pay rate is not a necessity (but is still nice to have, of course). You also need to be mindful that you pay a rate that is competitive with other companies in your industry and area.
Offer them adequate time off from work — both sick leave and paid time off
Time off is important for your employees, as working for too long with too few breaks in between is a good way to cause your employees to experience burnout. Thus, the best way to keep this problem from being a problem is ensuring that your employees have enough time off from work. Thus, make sure they have a certain amount of vacation time. This depends on your competitors, but hey, there is something to be said about beating out your competitors and giving prospective employees cause to join your business instead.
Vacation is nice, but especially now, sick leave is important, and should not be treated as an alternative to vacation time. Additionally, make sure that you do not leave your pregnant employees up a creek without a paddle. This is a problem in many workplaces, that they do not give adequate paid time off for maternity leave, or worse, are actively retaliatory against pregnant people.
Don’t make them not want to work for you
This may seem like an incredibly strange thing to suggest to an employer, and honestly, it is a strange suggestion. The problem is, however, that too many employers don’t realize just how off-putting they can be in the interview process (or even in the job description). We have seen all too many jobs actively market themselves as only good for people who are ready to work grueling hours or something to that effect, but honestly, especially in this day and age, employees know that the pendulum has swung in their favor, at least for now. They are not going to join a job that makes them feel miserable, unless it is their absolute last resort.
Recognize your employees’ accomplishments
One of the biggest issues a lot of employees face is that they feel that their labor provides no actual benefit for themselves. While it is not the easiest thing in the world to engender a sense of recognition in your employees, there are ways that you can do that. One of those ways is to give bonuses to employees to offer recognition when they accomplish things. Having employee recognition programs also does a world of good to help the whole crew recognize each other’s accomplishments.
Ensure that the work environment is comfortable
One of the biggest issues a lot of people have with many workplaces is that the environment is not the most accommodating for certain employees. Either due to inattentiveness by the boss, or explicitly because of a work culture they developed themselves, the work environment may be unaccommodating, especially for newer employees. It is important to remember that, while it is important that there be some camaraderie and friendly interactions between co-workers, there is a fine line between that and employees being treated inappropriately and unfairly.
Offer remote work whenever possible
Not all businesses are capable of doing remote work (simply because the nature of their business does not allow for it), but for the jobs that do allow for it, there is no good reason why you should be rushing to get them back to work. Simply put, employees are not interested in going back to the office if they can help it. So long as they get their job done and well, that is all that should matter, honestly.
