Before you can develop your high performing teams, you first have to put the right teams together and building your dream team does not happen overnight. Finding and attracting the right people, for the right roles takes time, energy and effort.
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In certain industries, the top talent is always highly sought after making it even harder for businesses, not only to attract the best talent, but also retain it. What’s more, with up to 70% of employees saying they are not engaged at work, keeping them motivated, loyal and productive can seem like an uphill battle.
So what’s the answer? Not every company in the world can be a Google, an Amazon or an Apple. These behemoths of the tech world can cherry-pick the best talent. While your business might not carry the clout of a big-name, it is still easier than you might think to create a compelling proposition for your potential and current employees. Here are five tips to get you started:
1. Define your purpose
Do your employees know what they are working for and do they understand your company’s purpose? It does not have to be elaborate or complicated, in fact, simple statements of purpose are often the most powerful. Take a couple of examples; clothing company Life is Good to make it their mission to ‘spread the power of optimism’ while popular meditation app Headspace says their one mission is to ‘improve the health and happiness of the world.’
By having this clear purpose, and transparency to go with it, it makes it much easier for your employees to buy-in to what you are doing, where you are going and their role in helping you get there.
2. Build a positive environment and strong culture
To attract and retain the best people, you have to create an environment where people can enjoy work. This culture has to underpin all the work you do. Enjoying work should not just be an aim, it should be something every employee does every day. It is from here where cultures grow to nourish the best performing teams.
Take the Swedish SaaS company Quinyx as an example, their mission is to create a smiling workforce, and they do this themselves by running things like table tennis tournaments, Sweet Fridays, weekly breakfasts and even company-wide weekend breaks if they hit their targets.
You need to find what works for your company and your employees. Go the extra mile to make your employees feel valued, respected and wanted. While regular away days or kick off days are great, remember that creating a positive environment is not just about what you do but also how you act while at work.
Listen to people if they have good ideas and don’t be afraid to act upon them. Treat people well, empower them and give them everything they need to grow and develop. Start here, and you will soon be the envy of your competition.
3. Build a strong reputation
Turn your company into a place where people want to work. The best reputations are developed by having successful teams, a great product and strong leadership. Build your reputation by delivering a 5-star experience to your customers but also your employees. Strong reputations are built by what you do and by what people say about you. Do great things and make it easy for people to want to talk about you.
4. Give your employees opportunity
Talented employees crave opportunity. They want to be able to grow, develop and learn as well as performing to high standards. Give them this opportunity and help them understand where they can develop. Good salaries and a competitive benefits package are a given; all the top companies will offer this. Show employees the unique opportunities you can provide them to develop and thrive at your company.
5. Have inspiring leaders
A good leader inspires people. Whether it is in business, sports or politics, great leaders instil a desire in others to be better, to perform better and to exceed their expectations. Have a leadership team who can do this and allow them to inspire others through their leadership.
As well as doing all of the above, it is also important to make sure you find the right people whose values, mindset and goals match your company’s. The best talent chooses to work for a company where the values are aligned with their values. Ultimately, it is quite simple; do great things, and great people will want to do them with you.
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