Finding the best talent for your company can undoubtedly be a struggle. Not only are you looking for the best and the brightest, but the right employees should also share your company’s values. Retaining the best talent can also be a challenge, but it is critical for business success. Even if your company is located in an area with a large and skilled world-class workforce, like San Bernardino County, you still need to find a way to stand out among the crowd. Here are 6 strategies for attracting and retaining the best talent for your company.
Build a strong brand.
Having a clear mission and strong brand is not only important for attracting your ideal clients, but also for attracting the best talent. Skilled employees want to be a part of a company they can be proud of. Employees with a purpose-oriented job are happier and tend to remain loyal to their employers. Make sure your brand’s mission is impactful and communicated in a clear and concise way. To get candidates excited to work for your company and to keep employees inspired to do their work, they need to feel as if their work at the company is serving a greater purpose.
Create a positive and enjoyable working environment.
It’s no secret that a positive working environment is crucial for employee happiness and retention. A positive working environment leads to more creativity, increased productivity, and less stress among employees. While there are plenty of benefits to a positive working environment, creating one is easier said than done. Start by regularly showing appreciation, asking for feedback, prioritizing health and safety, encouraging teamwork, recognizing success, and celebrating when milestones or goals are reached. Not only will skilled employees stick around, but you’ll attract the best talent your company could hope for.
Reduce employee turnover.
A healthy retention rate is crucial for overall success, but many companies struggle with employee retention. Unfortunately, a high turnover rate is not only bad for business, but it also makes it more difficult to attract and hire the best talent. To prevent turnover, you need to do more than just provide a positive working environment. Start by making a conscious effort to hire only the right people for your company, those that share your company’s values will mesh well with the culture and can do the job well. You’ll also need to offer competitive wages and benefits and provide opportunities for advancement and growth.
Challenge your employees.
To prevent turnover and increase retention, employees need to be motivated and engaged. An important strategy for keeping employees motivated and engaged is to challenge them. Push your employees to their highest potential and foster growth by assigning new and challenging tasks, creating a mentor program, and providing ongoing training and development opportunities. Giving your employees new challenges or goals to work towards can provide them with a sense of purpose and lead to a feeling of accomplishment.
Be active online.
The best place to engage with new talent is online. Create an active and strong online presence that positions your brand as a thought leader. Utilize social media to engage with not only clients and customers, but with future employees, too. Show behind-the-scenes photos and videos that showcase what it’s like to work for your company. Use LinkedIn to network with the top talent in your industry. Maintain a company blog that provides insights into the company’s inner workings and further communicates the company’s mission and vision. By giving potential candidates a better idea of what working for your company actually looks like, the more you’ll attract the right talent for the job.
Recruit from the right places.
To find the best talent, you need to recruit from the right places. Network with educational institutions and local government agencies to find educated and skilled employees who may be just entering the workforce. In San Bernardino County, that workforce is nearly a million strong, fueled by over 20 area technical schools and colleges, including nationally recognized universities. The county is deeply invested in strengthening the skills of the local workforce. The San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board implements comprehensive strategies to meet the needs of local businesses for a skilled workforce while creating opportunities for workers to prepare for and enter into well-paid careers.
Your business is only as good as your employees. Finding and keeping the best talent isn’t easy, but it is worth the effort. With a skilled and loyal team, your company can grow and thrive. Many companies choose to locate in San Bernardino County due to the enviable talent of our young, educated, and skilled workforce. Contact us to find out how the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency can offer your company workforce assistance and much more.
