Today’s low unemployment rate is spurring lots of comment about how hard it is to find employees. It is difficult to find employees, of course, but in my experience, great employees have always been hard to find.
Great employees are those who truly make a difference to your business. The ones who can raise the bar and clearly separate you from the competition. These people are already employed. And they always have been. They kept their jobs during the great recession, and they will keep their jobs during the next recession.
There is good news, though. Your competitors are in the same boat. The better news is that you can do something about it and get a leg up on the competition.
You can attract, hire and win the best talent by keeping these things in mind:
- Change your mindset. Great talent is available. The question is: Are you an organization where great talent wants to work?
- Make sure your Core Values are clear, communicated and acted upon. Everyone should know what your Core Values are – and live them every day.
- Define the success outcomes of the role(s). If you know what success looks like for each employee, you can better find people who deliver that success.
- Challenge directly. Hold staff accountable. Great employees want to know how they are doing. They like to excel. Let them know regularly.
- Seldom is it just about the Benjamins. If it is, the candidate or employee is probably not a match for your culture.
- Getting great talent is a process, not an event. Make sure you and your leadership team are constantly challenged and held accountable for finding, hiring, and developing great team members.
- Rinse and Repeat. Never stop recruiting. It is a continuous cycle.
Becoming an employer of choice is no accident. It is an intentional act and a deliberate mindset. It takes time, effort and resources to become an organization that attracts top talent.
Great companies are built with great employees. Set yourself apart from the competition by excelling in attracting and retaining great employees.
