By Michelle Hicks
The Daily Record Newswire
The most recent Employment Outlook Survey by Manpower Group shows hiring will be hot across the United States in 2014.
In the first quarter of the year, 13 percent of U.S. employers expect to add to their workforce next year – and while that may not sound like a lot, it is the highest rate since the first quarter of 2008 (16 percent), before the recession began. Even though Manpower shows Idaho’s hiring will still be soft in the first quarter, at just 3 percent, with other states turning the hiring faucets on, human resources professionals need to consider how to keep their top performers in place.
High-performers with desirable skills are going to be contacted before they even know they’re looking for a job. Consider this: Two people join LinkedIn every second, where they post not just a resume, but their entire career history, complete with references. Savvy recruiters are scoping out those individuals and adding them to their contact list so when a position rec opens, they’re ready to strike. Even savvier recruiters reach out before they have an opening to “develop a relationship” with potential recruits, making the potential candidate even more receptive to hearing about a new job.
Still not convinced? Another study, Preparing for Take-Off, from the management consulting firm the Hays Group, predicts that around the world, employee turnover will rise nearly 13 percent in 2014.
While there’s no magic retention formula, organizations that want to avoid losing their best people will start thinking now about what strategies they can employ to hold onto them.
Another important strategy is ensuring that employees are informed about your business. Provide frequent updates about important company news, financial reports, and short- and long-term goals. Make sure people managers are prepared to discuss how every worker in every task contributes to achieving those goals. As former President Bill Clinton once said, “Explanation is eloquence.” When you help people understand your goals and what they can do to help you reach them, you empower them to participate, removing barriers for engagement.
Protect your company and your profits by resolving to put a solid retention strategy in place for 2014.
