Recruiting and retaining staff is proving harder than ever – here are some ideas to help
Earlier this month I took part in a roundtable event in Bath, discussing the issues facing owners of SME businesses. It was a wide-ranging discussion, covering sectors across the spectrum. But one issue arose repeatedly – the ongoing battle to attract, retain and motivate the modern workforce.
Businesses of all types and sizes have opportunities to grow like never before, as we emerge from the Covid crisis and use technology and innovation to access new markets. However, we’re also faced by the coinciding and paradoxical situation of a lack of available recruits and an increasingly fickle workforce.
As someone who deals in the management of people, I thought it might be helpful to lay out some ideas of how businesses – including franchisors and franchisees – can avoid people-related pitfalls and develop strategies for success.
Focus on benefits, not pay
Of course money is important to everyone in the workplace. But it’s not the be-all-and-end-all. I believe that many employees will substitute a degree of pay for flexibility and benefits, especially if they’re able to cut commuting costs by working at home.
Indeed, as people begin to prioritise work-life balance over pure financials, then considerations for your staff members’ family and other requirements will help create a mutually beneficial relationship.
Employers often make the mistake of thinking flexible working means home working. But there’s a lot more to it, from job sharing, compressed hours and several others. And staff now have the right to make requests from day one of their employment, so be ready to get creative.
Make culture a priority
Employees are increasingly choosing employers based on culture, so it is crucial to be able to communicate this from the start of the recruitment process. This may require investment, but it’s money well spent.
Ultimately you’ll end up with happier employees, who want to stay with you and who, hopefully, recognise a good thing when they’ve found it.
Communicate, communicate
In these times of instant communication there’s no excuse for not knowing what your employees find important. Understanding what drives your workforce is vital to maximising their effectiveness.
This is vital for retention, too. You can’t afford to lose talent and experience from your organisation, especially now. If you have employees who want to leave, the chances are that decision could have been nipped in the bud if they’d been better communicated with.
Choose your franchisees carefully
Franchising is often a lifestyle choice and it may not be previous industry expertise which is key to a successful new franchisee. Often, it’s the type of person which makes a difference. They need to be self-starters, capable of acting independently, positive people with a desire to drive things forward.
So it’s worth being creative about where you find your franchisees. Consider desirable personality profiles and think about where those people might exist.
Value your front-liners
While franchisors may understandably focus on franchisees as key personnel, it’s important to invest in your front-line staff as well. After all, they do make up the majority of your workforce.
This goes back to culture- something which usually trickles down from the very top of a franchise organisation. You should recognise the contribution that the front-line staff make to the success of your business, understand the benefits of high retention and motivation, and invest accordingly.
After all, happy staff can only be positive mouthpieces for your company, which is bound to help you in the fight to recruit. Of course, the reverse is also true.
