Employers across the country are facing a similar challenge: Staffing shortages. Some pundits attribute the shortage of workers to government stimulus programs or people exiting the job market. In a job-seekers market, a business needs to be strategic in order to attract the best workers and fill open positions.
1. Promote a Positive Company Culture
Before an employer posts a job ad, they need to do some self-evaluation. Does the business promote collaboration between employees, or do they value competition? Are hard-working employees rewarded with opportunities for growth, or do employers expect employees to put in their time and move on? Business owners should be honest about the type of culture their company fosters.
2. Conduct Stay Interviews
If an employer is unsure about company culture, then there are a few tools that can help. For example, exit interviews can provide valuable information about why employees leave the business. Companies also may conduct stay interviews. Unlike an exit interview, which asks an employee why they are leaving, a stay interview can find out what motivates an employee to stay with the company. Stay interviews give employees a chance to communicate suggestions for improvement.
Questions employers can ask in the Stay Interview include:
- What do candidates look forward to the most when they come to work?
- What do they look forward to the least?
- When was the last time they thought about leaving the company?
- What situation made them think of leaving?
- What talents are they not using in their current job?
In order for a Stay Interview to yield helpful information, a direct supervisor should not conduct the interview. In order to retain employees using this strategy, employers must use the feedback to improve.
3. Allow Flexible Schedules
According to an article in Forbes, workers in today’s job market value flexibility. After many companies switched to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees realized the importance of a flexible schedule.
Employers should examine which positions in their organization can be fully remote or hybrid. Fully remote or hybrid work allows employees to be present for their families when needed. Companies also may save on costs for leasing office space and paying for utilities.
For positions that are required to be in-office full-time, employers can offer flexible scheduling to allow workers to structure their day to allow for family events and appointments. Recognizing that employees need flexibility can help retain current employees.
4. Write an Effective Job Ad
In addition to retaining current workers, employers need to attract the best workers from competitors. An effective job ad will attract top applicants who are a good fit for the company.
An effective job ad features a clear description of the company and its goals. The best applicants want to ensure their personal values and goals align with the company’s goals. An effective job ad includes the company’s mission or vision statements that articulate those goals.
An effective job ad is specific about the job duties. List out the required duties of the position, and if possible, include the percentage of time that the employee will spend completing those duties. For example, a job that requires an employee to spend 60 percent of their time working alone on budgets will attract a different pool of candidates than a job that requires an employee to spend 60 percent of their time collaborating on marketing projects.
5. Enlist a Staffing Agency
ITAC staffing solutions and other staffing agencies are tools that employers can use to help save time and money. Staffing agencies prescreen potential employees before recommending them for a job. Employers won’t need to wade through a pool of unqualified, passive candidates.
Staffing agencies also have access to a wider talent pool. Instead of relying on job seekers to find a job ad, a company that uses a staffing agency ensures that the job ad is distributed widely. Staffing agencies also can help with determining fair compensation for a role and refining a job ad.
In a job-seekers market, employers need to compete to attract and retain the best workers. Employers who create a positive company culture and convey that in an effective job posting have a better chance of success.
