It is never easy for an employer when one of their “talents” resigns. I’ve experienced this myself. My first instinct was to try and understand. What motivated them to leave to company? To leave their “work family” behind? Naturally, by the time I started asking these questions, it was already too late. However, as an employer, I decided to take stock.
When a company begins a recruiting process, it uses both financial and time-based means to find the right person for the job. Hiring the number one specialist is often crucial to the success of a company. Knowing how to retain them is equally important!
Once a work contract has been signed, the employee and the employer go through a mutual adjustment period. After the employee has learned the ropes, the key is to define what will make them want to envision a long-term commitment.
The various measures available to retain talents are often known and mastered by companies. They can be summed up as follows: recognition system, enhancement programs, alignment of interests, training and support within the framework of employee development, as well as a pleasant work environment. Concretely, these elements can be broken down into four components:
1) Develop a sense of belonging
Guarantee management that shows transparency, integrity, exemplarity and courage when making important decisions. These mutually applied shared values will strengthen the talents’ commitment and feeling of belonging, as well as their desire to play a key role in the company’s success.
2) Nurture each individual’s employability
Offering training and the setting up of cross-functional skill development programs is akin to developing a talent’s employability. It thus improves their ability to collaborate and their cultural agility, while bolstering their inspiration and their understanding of global challenges.
3) Rely on flexibility
The third element is probably the fastest-growing component in recent years. It won’t necessarily be defining, but it is appreciated. It includes a combination of the following: flexible working hours, a company canteen, a creativity or napping area, a ping-pong table, employer-sponsored sport activities. The ability to work from home is also included in this list.
4) Recognition is always essential
Offering wages below the market average or an unfair profit-sharing system is like telling your talents they would be better off working for the competition. And let’s not forget recognition, which is a factor of enhancement. If you like someone’s work, say it and show it!
Retaining a talent is relatively easy. It requires common sense, fairness, humanity and trust. Add a good dose of interpersonal chemistry to these easily achievable components. If despite all this, the employee still decides to embark on a new adventure, I’ve also learned to view it in a positive light: thanks to their involvement and their successful work, this individual will enable us to attract new talents, which can, in turn, be nurtured.
