7 Ways To Attract And Retain Employees

Attracting the right staff – and retaining them – can be a challenge, regardless of whether you’re in hospitality, manufacturing, IT or retail.

In fact, according to research from our Feel Good Index Report, over 75 percent of employers have found it somewhat difficult or difficult to attract the right staff for specific roles in the past 12 months. (Thanks, Covid!)

That said, 57 percent of employers we talked to for the Report said they’re rebuilding and growing their teams over the next year. And if that’s true for you, what can you do to a) attract great people and b) ensure they stick around for the long haul?

Here are our tips.

From a toxic workplace culture to a lack of career progression, there are many reasons why your employees might be jumping ship. Of course, finding out there are deep-seated issues at play is never something a business owner wants to hear – but not dealing with the problems head on can cost you big time. After all, it’s expensive to go through the hiring process and train up new staff members – in one study, replacing an employee can cost up to two times that person’s salary.

Consider doing regular polls or surveys to find out how your staff are doing – and what’s important to them. You might actually be surprised at the answers, but the insights can help you create a better, happier workplace all-round. According to our research, one of the most common reasons employees wanted to go to work was when they were given the ability to act autonomously and make decisions. After all, no one likes a micromanager, right?

While some industries just can’t offer work-from-home options, there are other ways to create a flexible workplace that takes into account your employees’ lives beyond work. It might mean being flexible about shift times, or enabling employees to come in early and leave early. Or creating a culture that’s driven by performance and results rather than the time someone works. Doing this can result in increased productivity and better employee engagement, and make employees feel like you care.

Ask any job-seeker: a job advertisement that uses the phrase ‘commensurate with experience’ doesn’t inspire confidence. Rather, it is a huge red flag to applicants who worry the salary is so low you think it’s better not to mention it. But you should: studies show that a whopping 90 percent of job-seekers value companies that are transparent about pay. And when it comes to retaining employees, making sure salaries are competitive is of course important too, especially for higher-earning staff. Our research found that employees earning over $101k per annum were more likely to sniff around for new opportunities in the next year than those earning less.

Especially if you’re dealing with a young, Generation Z workforce – in our research, they rated employers who look after mental health and physical wellbeing as the most important factor in workplace happiness. Start by looking at your mental health workplace strategy (or developing one), speaking openly about mental health and showing your team you’re committed to creating a mentally healthy work environment. It might also mean putting in place a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and discrimination, and ensuring good work-life balance for your team.

The world of work is changing fast, with automation set to impact up to 46 percent of current jobs in Australia by 2030. And employers who embrace a life-long learning approach and offer their staff the chance to learn on the job and develop their skillset with ongoing training opportunities, will be seen as far more valuable than employers who offer no training at all. This was reflected in our research, with training and upskilling opportunities rated very highly when it came to gauging how happy employees were at work.

We’ve all listened to horrible boss stories – and you don’t want to be the manager everyone’s talking about. Not only will it lead to a higher turnover of staff (and the costs that come with it), but it’ll impact workplace morale and productivity in general. Instead, foster a culture of mutual respect and celebrate your team’s achievements and wins. Multiple studies show that employers who are appreciative of their teams and show it have better employee engagement and retention.

Want to know more about how to create a happier workplace for your team? Download our Frontline Feel Good Index Report.