Until we hired a consultant to help us understand why our company Samurais.co was losing our best talent, I had no idea. "Stop driving away your top talent!" she said.
Our consultant pointed out that top talent is like owning an expensive car; if you take care of it, it will take you and your company places - getting you where you want to go.
We learned that attracting and keeping talented people takes continuous effort. Otherwise, people who know they have alternatives will quickly head elsewhere.
It was a good time for a reality check. We had to answer some tough questions and make some tough decisions. While our intentions were good, we were not satisfying our workforce.
Does your company have "top talent repellents"? Take a look at our list and see if you're practicing the top 10 pitfalls that drive brilliant people away:
1. Drone-like job ads
Look at your job ads: are you selling the job to a talented recruit or just tossing out "Essential Requirements", blah blah, blah? If your ad lacks a "personalized" feel, the level of talent you seek will pass. Your ad should speak to the candidate in language that lets them know you care about them as an individual, that your company can benefit from their skills and that you want them to work with you and not for you.
2. Mind-numbing application portals
Does your company have an online portal for job applicants with a process so tedious that candidates can actually save the application and return to finish it later? If yes, the best candidates are long-gone. They want to bump and go...on to bigger and better things.
Ask your IT people what the abandonment rate is on your recruiting site. Our numbers were shocking-over 65% of our candidates did not complete the online application.
How many candidates drop out without completing the application? You lured them and lost them because the process was so tedious. If your bounce rate is high, it's time for an overhaul.
3. Ban Clichés
If your acknowledgement to an application is as dry and humorless as cardboard, beware this talent repellent. Avoid using bog-standard responses like, "Your application has been received". Try something a little more personal. "Thank you for your interest in working with us at XYZ Company. Our recruiters will review your application to determine whether your skills and our needs are a match. We appreciate you taking the time to fill out our application."
4. Rigid time off policies
Wouldn't it be nice if all of life's little surprises happened on the weekend or after hours? Life happens when it happens. Our consultant put it this way: "Get out of the past. Review your work/life balance policies and offer flexible work schedules. Leniency and compassion go a long way.
In real life, people get sick, their children get sick, and appointments have to be made and kept. Things have to be scheduled during the work day. Ease up on time off policies and give your talent time for their families - flex time goes a long way to show them that you are sincere when you say "family first".
5. The "No-feedback" feedback systems
Keeping the company on track requires new impetus and a means of tracking the metrics - if not, things will eventually start to break down. When there is no upward/downward feedback, executive leaders are spared the inconvenience of reacting to messy reality and the company as a whole will begin to suffer.
If your company does not have constant, robust, active, feedback mechanisms in place and an appetite for hearing about concerns and ideas from the rank and file, you are driving away top talent. Stop and listen - provide feedback and praise innovative ideas. This not only promotes a healthy work environment, it creates a culture of trust and respect.
6. What's in their wallet?
How does your organization's ability to catch and keep talent stack up? When someone hits a home run, does the hiring manager say "I'm sorry, but a two percent raise is all I can only give you; it's our policy"? Establish a formal appraisal system to award raises based on performance and merit. This will revitalize team spirit considerably.
Your employees want to feel their contributions matter and that their talent is appreciated. Make sure your organization is not one that rewards good work with more work.
7. Sharing too much or too little information
Everyone is there for the betterment of the company - sharing ideas and building work relationships is essential to the survival of the company. Look around your organization- do you have some trust building to do? On the other hand, constant meetings are an unforgivable time-waster.
Weekly or monthly "state of the company" meetings keep everyone informed on how the company is performing. As a nice touch, provide lunch.
8. The "Sasquatch" processes
Elusive bad processes are damaging to your company. Do you know the signs of bad process? Here are some points to ponder:
•Are some processes arbitrary or redundant?
•Are some slow?
•Are some nebulous and poorly defined?
•Are some non-intuitive?
• Are some demeaning?
When people come to work ready to rock it and are prevented from meaningful contributions by bad processes, they are guaranteed to be dissatisfied. Your people might be sitting at their desks, but their hearts are no longer in it. Quashing inspirations is demoralizing.
Ensure that your communication channels are open and ready to hear new ideas - you may discover a new direction with a lot of potential.
9. Toxic-free culture
Leaders who can coach and inspire employees are one in a million. They recognize the importance of a toxic-free culture. Top talent won't tolerate sniveling and sniping. Who can work in such an environment?
Don't let this talent repellent drive your star performers away. Look into using the Tuckman Group Development Model of "Forming - Storming - Norming - Performing" to create an atmosphere of top-performing teams the best talent can't wait to join and rise into management from within.
10. Don't punish those who care
One of the biggest talent repellents on our list is a culture that punishes honest dissent and exalts "yes men (women)". Passionate people who truly care are often silenced.
The best talent realizes that life is too short to work in such places; they have options. The world is too big.
There are brilliant people waiting for them to collaborate in trust-based, forward-thinking organizations.
Keeping the Talent
By implementing some simple changes, we were able to start acquiring, cultivating and keeping top talent.
Keep your ear close to the ground, listen to what your talent tells you, demonstrate respect and appreciation in all your communications. As your superstars grow with your company, they will help you grow.