HR expert's top tips for retaining staff

A Sutton Coldfield HR expert has told firms to think beyond salaries and look at other job benefits in a bid to retain staff.

It comes after a jon board found that 77 per cent of professionals are planning to look for a new role in 2022.

The top reasons for leaving were wanting or needing a career change, obtaining a higher salary, seeking more flexible workout opportunities and feeling burnout.

Sara Abbott (pictured) from The HR Dept North Birmingham, has shared some tips to help businesses retain their staff.

While salaries are attractive, she believes other benefits such as flexible working, training and company culture are also a significant factor.

Sara said: “Knowing these employee motivations is a great starting point for addressing issues of recruitment and retention.

“For many of these points, introspection regarding your company culture could be invaluable. Quite simply - is your company a nice place to work? You may need to conduct some research to get an accurate answer, surveying staff or commissioning an independent review.

“If there is room for improvement it may well be a forewarning that some of your team may want a career change

“Equally, if your company culture is strong, you can use it as a major selling point for attracting new staff. The survey also confirmed what many of us already know - that flexible working is becoming a must-have for many professionals. Have you fully explored if or how you can make it work for your business?

“When looking at remuneration packages, employee benefits are a smart way for an SME to stand out. It 's not just expensive, big-ticket items, like a company car or private medical insurance, that employees find attractive.

“Training and development are hugely prized and cost-effective solutions like health cash plans, cycle-to-work schemes and employee assistance programmes are all ways to give value to employees and show them that you care.

“To do it well, the whole hiring process needs a lot of thought and energy put into it. For a busy SME, it can be tempting to think of it as a nuisance which has to fit around your day-to-day operations, but this would be a mistake.

“Good candidates will be able to read the signals, and it will put them off. So do give this important process the attention it deserves.

“This goes beyond the advert, screening and interview process. Even after your ideal candidate has accepted the job offer, getting the induction right is essential. It should reinforce all the positive messages you communicated earlier in the recruitment process, as well as set expectations for how they will fit into your business.

“At this time, use your probation period to fully assess your new hire 's suitability. There 's a mantra: 'hire slow, fire fast ', and if I have made the point about hiring slow by giving due consideration to all the stages of the recruitment process, now 's the time to fire fast if they turn out not to be a good fit.

“It may grate but it will save you time, money and stress in the long-run. However do ensure you do comply with your contractual obligations. ”

For enquiries on this topic, please contact Sara Abbott from The HR Dept, at [email protected].