Getting and keeping the best staff is critical for business success. That sounds nice coming from the c-suite occupants, and it’s something that HR professionals know well — since it’s a challenge they face every day. And can be a daily grind in a tight labor market or industry sector where there’s little wiggle room when competing to get and keep the best people.
But how to hire, onboard and retain with 100 percent accuracy without being able to see into the future? Start by using the tools available, which can be a mix of internal pre-hire data points based on the company’s current workforce and projected growth needs alongside savvy outside talent-acquisition support, which can bring even more techniques to the table.
Cost management.
This is a big reason for getting that expertise. The cost of replacing an employee can run anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent of that person’s annual salary. Utilizing skilled professionals whose main goal is your hiring issue is cost-effective and a huge time saver.
Together you can assess the trouble spots, especially in areas where there’s high turnover, and focus on some techniques to ensure that quality hires stick around, such as:
Screening.
Do you have a process that starts evaluating potential hires from the moment their applications and resume arrive? It’s vital to build a framework around not just the job requirements, but one that also includes the aspects of company culture you want to find a fit for, as well as one that looks at strategy and growth in order to mine the applicant pool for talents needed today — and tomorrow.
Technology.
The evaluation process just discussed can, and should, involve some tech. You have lots of employee data available, use it to identify the highest turnover areas, and why those people have left. Patterns are likely to emerge, and that data can be used to enhance and improve the screening process.
Training.
Are you onboarding in a thoughtful, deliberate manner with steps, check-ins and other way stations? Or does the new person get an employee manual, a stack of forms to sign and vague promise of lunch together in two weeks? Training in critical areas pays off with higher retention, and an outside partner can be adept at identifying potential and pitfalls in the programs you’ve got in place.
This is a lot to tackle for even the most robust HR team. Why not utilize the skills of a staffing placement professional group to build, and maintain, a hiring structure that is built to go the distance when it comes to retention?