There’s no single trick for getting employees to stick with you. But when you treat them right, they are more likely to stay. To make sure your business isn't haunted by potential new hires who ghost you, don’t be afraid to think a bit differently.
For companies, ghosting is a growing problem — and not merely because Halloween is lurking around the corner. With a strong labor market, applicants are drawing more offers, leading some to accept jobs and never show up. Others, meanwhile, might take a job and then disappear soon after starting. In fact, nearly a third of employees leave a job within 90 days (Source: Jobvite, Job Seeker Nation Study, 2018).
Although young people have always been more likely to switch jobs as they begin building their careers, more mature workers are increasingly demonstrating greater willingness to not only work longer, but also change jobs. In fact, workers 55 and over accounted for 49% of all employment gains last year (Source: TLRanalytics, Comments on December Employment, 2019), and you’ll have to go back to the 2008 financial crisis to understand why.
To stay afloat back then, companies removed layers of middle management from their workforce. This means there are fewer promotions available nationwide than in the past. To find a pay increase, an opportunity to learn something new, or a chance to advance to a leadership role, workers are finding that the best solution is moving to a new company.
How to Attract Talent and Prevent Ghosting
With a more competitive labor market, talent has become the new commodity. This is forcing companies to rethink how they recruit employees to include more enticing compensation packages that attract employees who are looking for growth opportunities. Companies are also responding by creating more opportunities for contingent workers within their operations. This opens them to a new and ever-growing talent pool of workers.
To avoid getting spooked not only this month but also the rest of the year, Glassdoor has put together an ebook available for download, "Recruiter's Guide to Not Getting Ghosted," which provides steps for helping your company during the hiring process. And below are three programs you should implement to attract talent to your organization and prevent employee ghosting.
1. Internal Training That Celebrates Learning
People want to be in a work environment where learning is celebrated. The opportunity to learn is one of the most important factors people consider when deciding whether to take a job, and there are steps you can take to ensure personal growth is at the core of your operation.
Internal training programs, such as public speaking, organizational communication, and business acumen, allow your leadership team to train people across departments while giving workers a chance to connect on a deeper level with leaders in the company.
Continually reinvesting in team members is one of the best ways to retain the best employees. Programs such as these can help your people tap into their full potential. Not only will they make your team members better workers, but they could also lead to a spike in job satisfaction.
Once you have the initiatives identified, create a communication plan around why they are beneficial. To make sure they're not viewed as a burden, show employees how this training will help them grow both professionally and personally.
RELATED: How to Retain Great Employees Amid Periods of Disruption & Change
2. Career Tracking That Shows Growth
Not every worker thinks of advancement as a promotion to management. For some, it might mean taking on added duties or reimagining a role to showcase a different skill set. Think about ways you can create advancement opportunities for every department, even those where they might not be readily apparent.
Take a look at your company's career tracking. Do you see a pathway for individuals who are looking to grow? If you don't see it, neither will they. Creating different levels within a position, for example, allows employees to show progress in a role without having to leave a position they might like and find fulfilling. As they progress, consider rewarding them with a salary increase, too.
You could also consider professional development courses that yield a certificate of completion. Companies can use these as a means to engage employees by investing in their future within the company.
RELATED: Employee Engagement Checklist and Calendar
3. Mentorship Initiatives That Connect Employees With Leadership
There’s a reason the overwhelming majority of Fortune 500 companies offer mentorship programs to their employees: Mentorship leads to higher levels of engagement and retention. Connect individuals who are eager for development opportunities with leadership representatives who specialize in something those team members want to learn about.
Start by identifying the leaders in your company who have the skills to be effective mentors. Being a mentor isn’t the same as being a boss or manager. Mentoring is about investing in people and providing them with insight into ways they can develop and grow in their career.
These relationships are especially valuable when bringing new employees into the fold, and they can also help your leaders learn who within the company is ready to take on new challenges.
RELATED: How to Build Your Leadership Pipeline From Within
Adding these types of programs to your organization can be done simply and effectively, and they are great ways to get people excited about your company culture. No one wants to get ghosted, and by showing your employees you care, you can remove any spooky surprises from your organization this Halloween and beyond.
Antonio Barraza is a business development representative and contingent workforce expert at Innovative Employee Solutions (IES). For over four decades, IES has grown to be one of San Diego’s largest women-owned businesses, offering superior outsourced payrolling and HR administration services to companies across the globe. Our innovative, streamlined contingent workforce solutions consistently help clients save time and resources, increase revenue, and reduce risk.
