Retention – Why it should be a business focus
Employee retention is a critical issue as companies compete for talent in a tight economy. The costs of employee turnover are increasing, and other ‘soft costs’ like lowered productivity, decreased engagement, training costs and cultural impact. The bottom line is that by focusing on employee retention, organisations will retain talented and motivated employees who genuinely want to be a part of the company and who are focused on contributing to the organisation’s overall success. Follow these three easy to apply strategies to increase your companies retention. Retention starts with recruiting Retention starts right from the beginning, from the application process to screening applicants to choosing who to interview. It begins with identifying what aspects of culture and strategy you want to emphasise, and then seeking those out in your candidates.” Identify candidates who will stay the course Have they worked at a company for many years through ups and downs? That speaks to loyalty, perseverance, engagement,” he says. “You should also look for someone who plays team sports, who has committed to volunteer or other activities outside of work — that can help tell you that they are invested in a cause, a team, a sport, yes, but also that they have the mindset to stick with something they really care about Provide ongoing education and clear paths to advancement Promoting from within not only provides a clear path to greater compensation and responsibility, it also helps employees feel that they’re valued and a crucial part of the company’s success. Of course, promotions go hand-in-hand with employee development and education, which should be another tool in your retention arsenal. Whether by corporate training to help foster the acquisition of new skills, new technologies or new processes or through tuition reimbursement from outside courses, furthering your employees’ education can help them feel valued and invested in the company If you are struggling with the recruitment process or managing employees, please contact me. Anthony Kettle is the co-owner of West Coast Personnel, a successful recruitment agency that has been around for going on 21 years in the Table View, Western Cape area. Anthony specialises predominantly in the engineering and manufacturing space; however, he has a wealth of knowledge to impart all aspects of recruitment. He has recently published his books, The Job Seeker’s Handbook and The Recruiter’s Handbook, available on Amazon as eBooks. You can connect with Anthony via email, web, or social platforms – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – LinkedIn
6 Tips to Happy Recruiting of the perfect candidate
Knowing how to attract the correct candidate is a tough task. Follow these six steps to happy recruiting, and you will be on the right track! It’s a worthwhile read, you won’t be sorry! Ask better questions! Get to know your candidate. Don’t make assumptions; this is a fundamental mistake often made by someone conducting an interview. There is no better way to get to know someone than when they are sitting in front of you. Probe the candidate, be sure to get all the information first hand! Asking for and accepting Employee Referrals The staff you currently have employed are the staff you hired so if they are referring someone to you, it could be worth your while considering their referral. They would understand first hand the job intricacies, demands as well as the skill set needed. Seek and Embrace Diversity Be open to welcoming new cultures into your team. Often diversity brings with it an opportunity for people to learn and embrace something new. It could be exhilarating and bring a whole new dimension to your workplace. Communicate A Strong Employee Value Proposition Being upfront with your candidate about its core values and ethics as early as the interview stage is critical. If a potential candidate doesn’t feel they fit or vice versa, why continue? Streamline the Hiring Process Don’t make this process unnecessarily long and drawn out. Ensure your company knows what you are looking for and don’t settle for less. If you have your exact candidate specification, and someone you have interviewed meets the criteria and feel they would be an excellent cultural fit, hire them! Why delay. Write Catchy Job Descriptions When advertising the job, be 100% sure that you are not overselling the position, neither underselling it. Use the correct terminology, specific words to attract the correctly qualified person, and brag a little about the benefits. If you are struggling with the recruitment process or managing employees, please contact me. Anthony Kettle is the co-owner of West Coast Personnel, a successful recruitment agency that has been around for going on 21 years in the Table View, Western Cape area. Anthony specialises predominantly in the engineering and manufacturing space; however, he has a wealth of knowledge to impart all aspects of recruitment. He has recently published his books, The Job Seeker’s Handbook and The Recruiter’s Handbook, available on Amazon as eBooks. You can connect with Anthony via email, web, or social platforms – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – LinkedIn
The main reason you may be losing out on business (clue: your salespeople)
If you find that your sales numbers are dropping and while your salespeople are sending out proposals left, right, and centre, they are simply not being taken up, you need to look internally. Your product or service is great! You know it is. Your existing customers rave about it and refer you often. The price point is good, too, and you know that you are offering a competitive solution. What could be the problem? However, since you’ve taken yourself out of the sales process, which is quite normal when your business starts to grow, you find that the numbers are just not the same. Even though you may have put very clear processes in place which take your salespeople from research and resourcing to contact to selling, their proposals are being turned down. It’s time to focus on the Sales People If it’s clear that the problem lies in closing sales, you need first to ensure your salespeople understand how to close. What is closing? In principle and theory, it’s about: Being prepared Giving the pitch Answer and solve objections Ask for the sale Simple, really? But, out there in the real world, it can be quite tough. Research shows that over 80% of people will say no to a salesperson 4 times before saying yes. So, given that piece of information, it appears that persistence should form part of the process. There are, of course, various closing techniques, but this is not about that. Let’s take a step back and assess your salespeople closely. What are your salespeople made up of? A typical salesperson has a few traits that make up their whole. Sure, not all salespeople are the same, but they definitely need to have a set of skills to see them through the sales process smoothly. Empathy – essential for the salesperson to see the customer’s side; Confidence – closely linked to cockiness, but there is a fine line between having confidence and arrogance – know the difference when you recruit; Competitiveness – vital for them to push through those nos’; Resilience – hand in hand with competitiveness; Social – they need to be able to connect and communicate well with others; Passion – and belief in what they are selling. If you feel that any one of them may not fit the bill, you need to analyse their sales records and then chat to them. It may be they are not in a good place, and their normally active sales skills are simply on freeze-mode. They may need a pep talk. They may need a little hand-holding. Take time to find out what the problem is. If, after assessment, you find that the salesperson certainly should not be in sales, then you may need to find another seat for them. So, essentially, your salespeople are an integral part of your sales process – that much is obvious. But, instead of re-teaching them sales closing techniques, get closer to them. You chose them for a reason when you recruited them, but circumstance and life can alter a sales person’s performance. Closing line? Dig deeper. Get close to your salespeople. Understand them better. This may help the closing of proposals. If you are struggling with the recruitment process, please reach out and chat with me. Anthony Kettle is the co-owner of West Coast Personnel, a successful recruitment agency that has been around for going on 21 years in the Table View, Western Cape area. Anthony specialises predominantly in the engineering and manufacturing space; however, he has a wealth of knowledge to impart all aspects of recruitment. He has recently published his books, The Job Seeker’s Handbook and The Recruiter’s Handbook, available on Amazon as eBooks. You can connect with Anthony via email, web, or social platforms – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – LinkedIn