www.
nchra
.org
5
C
ompany culture also plays an increasingly integral role in talent
retention. Employees want to be recognized, celebrated, and
appreciated. They want to be heard. Gone (at least for now) are
the days where rigid dress codes, enormous employee manuals full of dry,
disconnected legal-speak and rigid expectations for being on-site are tolerated
in trade for a get-by salary and the promise of retirement in thirty years.
It’s not just about being appreciated either. Life/work balance is the call of
the Millennial generation: having flexibility in schedules, including work from
home options, are increasingly valuable to the top talent work force. While
previous generations of workers have been attracted to the security and
stability offered by large companies, even for a smaller but sufficient wage
in return for the promise of a comfortable retirement, Millennials live in a very
different world. The promise of predictability and steadiness may fall far lower
on employees’ lists of importance.
Tip:
Don’t assume that everyone is motivated by money. If you want to ensure
you’re hiring and retaining top talent, ask them what’s most important to them.
They may want more flexibility in hours or to telecommute for some portion
of the work week. With today’s communication tools this can actually reduce
stress for both employees and employers.
There are likely some differences to consider depending on the field in which
you are hiring as well. Engineers, sales managers, operations leaders and craft
producers may have different career and life/work balance priorities. Again, a bit
of good communication can go a long way toward knowing you can support the
needs that will attract (and keep) top talent.
Tip:
Consider working styles that differ considerably across fields, and establish
programs that support what appeals to the top talent you seek. For instance,
brilliant web developers may find that their own home set-up is more conducive
IS IT REALLY ALL ABOUT PAY?
SHOW
ME THE
MONEY!
Many employers are under the impression that paying employees high salaries will secure them long term.
In the highly connected post-Millennial age, this is no longer the case. Winning the war for talent requires
deep understanding of what employees really want. While pay is still an important factor, employees
(especially the Millennials) want it all: pay, work flexibility and benefits.
By Nicole Smartt
Money
