One of the most common issues raised by employers when we are discussing their staffing with them is turnover. Employers are understandably frustrated when they invest time, money, resources and energy in hiring, training and engaging staff, only to have them leave within a short period of time. There are many ‘theories’ around about this – that staff aren’t as loyal as they used to be, that people don’t stick around in small businesses, that they didn’t have the skills for the job, etc, etc. But the reality is, in the majority of cases, staff don’t last for one key reason – they weren’t right for the role to begin with. What it comes down to is this – having an in depth understanding of the following is critical to successful long term staff selection:
Things you must know about the company and the role:
- What do you need the person to do day to day?
- What qualifications do they need to do this well?
- What skills and experience are essential and desirable?
- What are your company’s core values?
- What is your team culture like?
Things you must know about the successful candidate:
- What do they actually want to be doing in their next role?
- What are their core values when it comes to their work style and the type of company they join?
- What are they really planning on doing in the next 1-5 years?
- What are they motivated most by?
- What are the non negotiable things that will make them consider leaving?
If you don’t really understand all of the above, than you run a much greater risk of increasing your turnover issues. One of the common traps employers fall into not truly understanding what they are looking for and where to find it. Remember, your business is unique, so treat your staffing needs in the same way.
