No matter the type of small business you own or run, you
want to attract top talent that upholds your standards of service. But top
talent doesn’t just refer to people with the appropriate skills and knowledge;
it also means they will be the right fit for your company culture.
So, how do you attract the right talent to your company?
The following advice will help you attract talent that fits your needs, both in terms of skills and getting along well with the rest of your team.
Craft Your Employee Value Proposition
A crucial part of attracting talent is having an employee value proposition (EVP). This outlines the value you provide to employees and why they want to work for you.
If you don’t have an EVP, creating one should be your first step when it comes to attracting talent. If you already have one, examining it should be your first step. You will want to ensure that you are offering enough value to employees.
Some of the important elements to include in the EVP include:
Your company culture
The benefits you offer
The training and development you offer
The flexibility you offer
What employees like about working for you
Understand the Importance of Your Brand
When it comes to attracting the right talent, your brand is one of the primary draws. Your company culture and values should be clear to potential employees. This will help them decide if they are a good fit before applying. People who aren’t as likely to fit into your company culture will naturally be less likely to apply. Presenting yourself as having high standards of service will attract talent with a similar mindset and potentially dissuade those who do not.
Create Your Company Culture
Your company culture plays a key role in your ability to attract the right talent. The right culture will feel welcoming to new team members.
Any company’s workforce includes a diverse group of people. People should be celebrated for their differences, not have them swept under the rug. It should also allow for flexibility when working, at least as much as possible, in your industry.
You can also add small perks to your company culture to enhance the employee benefits you provide. Examples include weekly team lunches or giving employees their birthday off. As a bonus, those small changes will do more than help you attract top talent. These perks will also help you retain the talent that you already have.
Employee recognition plays a big part in defining your company culture. When employees feel appreciated, they are Nearly 70% of employees would be willing to work harder if they felt more appreciation. And employees who expect recognition are 2.7 times as likely to be highly engaged. Turning your employees into brand ambassadors will encourage them to refer or invite high quality prospects into the fold.
Ask for Recommendations
When it comes to finding talent that is a good fit for your
company, asking your current employees is an excellent idea. They are familiar
with your company culture and values. As such, any recommendation they make
will likely be a good fit. And if they are happy working for you, they will
also promote you to the candidate.
Define Your Mission, Purpose, and Values
Your mission, purpose, and vision are all significant factors influencing your employer branding, so ensure they are all clearly defined. Between the purpose, values, and mission, you will have plenty of opportunities to highlight the rich history of your company as well as your company culture.
These elements let you highlight how you make a difference in the lives of your customers. This is increasingly important, as many people want jobs where they feel they add value to the world.
Define Your Value Proposition
Supplement your mission, purpose, and values with your value proposition, meaning what you have to offer customers. This will show the talent that you understand your customers. That, in turn, reflects favorably on your company, showing potential employees that it is here to stay. It helps potential employees see a future with your company.
Share Your Goals and Journey
Part of attracting the right talent is giving them insight into the future of your company, as that will become part of their future. A good way to do this is by sharing your goals as well as the journey you have already taken. By including your company’s journey, you show that you have met your goals in the past.
This will also help show potential employees that you overcome challenges, making your company a good place to work.
Highlight What Makes You Different
Set yourself apart by showcasing awards and recognition you receive. When sharing your mission, values, purpose, goals, and journey, you should focus on what sets you apart. Highlighting benefits, company culture, and other unique parts of your small business will encourage talent to choose you over the competition
Develop a Strong Company Reputation
Your company’s reputation will also play a major role in your ability to attract talent. Part of this will include your reputation in terms of how you treat employees and how satisfied they are at work, and your dedication to quality and service.
If your company is known for delivering high-quality products or outstanding customer service, people who have similar goals are more likely to want to work for you. Encourage this by crafting a job description that shows your company favorably.
Make Use of Your Website, Social Media, and More
Before talent applies to work at your company, they are almost certain to check your website and possibly your social media profiles. They will use these to learn more about your company and confirm that you are a
good fit. Publicizing your accomplishments not only attracts new business, but it also attracts motivated talent.
So, take the time to strengthen communication on various platforms where customers will find you. Your website and social media pages are excellent places to feature your mission, values, and other information that makes your business stand out.
Use the Same Tone (and Culture) Internally and Externally
The tone is one of the many things potential employees will consider when deciding if your company is a good fit. You want to give accurate information with the tone, so ensure that the overall culture you convey in candidate materials matches the tone you use in internal communications with employees. The best way to ensure this is the case is to check employee feedback. Talk to your employees to confirm that the culture you are advertising to potential candidates matches the internal culture.
Develop Connections and Relationships During Interviews
Getting the right talent to apply for roles with your company is only the first step. You also need to encourage them to continue through the application process and accept any job offer you make. The
interviews are a crucial opportunity for this.
Your interviewers should be ready to start building professional relationships with candidates during interviews. The relationship formed at this stage has a surprisingly large impact on whether the candidate
accepts your job offer. Ideally, you will want to ensure that anyone conducting interviews has the training to help them build these relationships.
Be Proactive When Searching for Talent
Savvy companies don’t wait to look for talent until they need to hire someone. They will always have a talent pool to source new recruits.
You can do this by building relationships with passive candidates before they decide to look for a new job. Stay in touch with them and listen to their goals and motivations. Knowing those motivations will help you craft your proposal, making your company more appealing to them.
Conclusion
Attracting the right talent to your company doesn’t have to
be overwhelming. Start with a solid employee value proposition and a thorough
understanding of your brand. Then, make sure your mission, values, and other
content on your website are up-to-date and attractive. Make your company a
great place to work in to build a strong reputation, and you should have no
problem attracting top talent.
