As an employer, you have to attract new employees and the best talent. Without qualified employees, your company can’t pursue their long-term and short-term business goals. You can spend a lot of time and money attracting, optimizing, and retaining top talent, but if you have the reputation as a top employer, job seekers will do anything they can to work for your company. Here are seven ways your company can become an employer of choice.
Want People To Want to Work for You?
1. Be honest
It’s up to you to prioritize open communication between you and your employees. Meet with them regularly—both individually and in groups—to offer and receive feedback. Ask for their opinions, concerns, and viewpoints, all of which you should validate with action or acknowledgment. Offer feedback, both positive and negative. Help them learn from their mistakes and offer constructive criticism when appropriate.
2. Be accountable
As you hear feedback from your employees, act on them. You don’t have to respond to every little complaint, but if your team has valid concerns about something in your company, don’t ignore it. Get to the bottom of their issues, so your employees feel valued and respected.
3. Stay goal focused
When you and your team have a consistent mission, it helps to keep everyone focused and motivated. If you’re constantly changing your goals, your employees will grow frustrated and confused, not sure of where to direct their efforts. Instead, work with them to design their own individual goals and help them to see how their efforts contribute to the health and success of the whole company.
4. Develop skills and talents
It’s your job to find your employees’ top talents and skills and use them in a way that benefits your company and makes them feel like they’re making valuable contributions. Offer professional development and structure your team in a way such that everyone’s skills are optimized. Encourage them to collaborate and communicate to improve efficiency and productivity.
5. Show your appreciation
Everyone needs to feel valued and appreciated, so make sure you’re providing that for your employees. Acknowledge their hard work, celebrate their successes, and keep them motivated. This might mean public recognition, simple thank you notes, team parties, gift cards, or even bonuses—whatever makes sense for your company.
6. Aim for work-life balance
To be successful, your employees can’t be workaholics—they need some degree of work-life balance so they can keep up their energy and come in refreshed each morning. So encourage them to call it quits at the end of a long day and to make time for friends, family, and hobbies and interests.
7. Improve your company culture
Encourage employees to work hard but also have some fun. Schedule events like a happy hour, potluck lunch, team-building activities, or even off-campus field trips—anything to promote camaraderie and help employees smile and enjoy themselves.
Are you looking to build the best possible workforce?
For more information on how to become an employer of choice, contact our team at The Panther Group.
