Talent retention: the complete checklist

September 25, 2020

 

iCIMS Staff

3 min read

Is your talent satisfied with the employee journey your company offers? Are they given development options that let them anticipate a future to match their career ambitions? Crises usually bring out the best and the worst in people and organizations, and 2020 was no exception. Perhaps now is the right time to assess and take action on how to make your company a great place to work where talent wants to stay!

Here is a checklist full of good ideas on how to retain talent.

#1 The building blocks of talent retention

Perhaps some of these actions and suggestions will seem basic or superfluous to some, difficult to implement, and others interesting. Each company leader needs to find what works best for them and the organization. However, the more employees there are, the more reasons to implement a clear and structured process to retain talent and stand out from the competition.

Talent retention is not an action, but rather a sum of actions, which will lead employees to feel that your company is the right place for them professionally (what career prospects do you offer?) but also personally (what benefits do you offer, do you have flexible working hours, etc.?). Talent retention starts from the moment your new hires sign their contracts because chances are you promoted your company values during the hiring process. To avoid any disappointment, it’s crucial you follow up on promises.  

#2 Offering the best talent retention journey

Here are 4 strong elements to keep in mind when trying to meet the challenge of employee retention:

• Onboarding: did you know one out of two employees consider leaving a company during their trial period? How you onboard new hires can make a real difference, so it is important not to neglect this first phase of talent retention. Make sure newcomers feel welcomed within their team but also in the company. Plan training sessions and guide them through their first weeks and months, depending on the position. Remember, a confident employee who strives is well-informed and accompanied.
• Work environment: not every company has the means and budgets to create those “dream environments” as defined by some, that big tech companies promote. However, there are some fundamentals affordable and accessible to all: the workstation, access to information, and feedback. You want your employees to only have to focus their jobs and tasks instead of worrying about logistics.
  
• Organization: the main question to ask, does your organization reflect the values you promote? If you value initiative, for instance, do you free time during the week and let employees have space for creativity? If teamwork represents the core of your culture, do you organize regular events team building activities to strengthen cohesion? You get it, be transparent, and practice what you preach.
• Career paths: what better for a company to be able to offer long-term development plans for employees in a time when job-hopping is no longer considered instable but valued as proof of drive and opportunity-seeking? Start exploring paths around internal mobility vertically, but also horizontally.

For more ideas and actions to put in place, download our complete best practices checklist to retain talent.

Do you have other tips and ideas? Do not hesitate to share them with us and we will be happy to add them to our checklist!