Wondering how to attract new employees? Focus on the ones you already have

Currently, there is a particular shortage of not only employees in the market, but also applicants for vacant positions. Finding out what employees want has become one of the main missions of employers. As one of the ways to improve the well-being of an employee, experts identify a clearly depicted career perspective path. The workplace, where there are opportunities to grow and learn, has greater advantages in increasing productivity and preserving and attracting specialists.

A significant number of employers believe that motivation and productivity depend on the amount of remuneration. However, this attitude has changed. Experts recommend devoting more time and energy to delving into what employees lack the most these days, and where they feel most engaged. Different studies show that for the absolute majority of Generation Y, growth and development opportunities are very important aspects of job satisfaction. Also, as many as 7 out of 10 representatives of other age groups feel the same.

If current and potential employees see a clear career path to learn, grow and be connected to impactful and meaningful work, they will feel motivated and much more likely to stay. To do this, it is necessary to reconcile the career goals of individuals with the attitude of the employer to the creation of opportunities for career growth.

4 ways to stimulate the career growth of employees

These are ideas that will help develop a career development strategy that will attract and retain specialists. They go well with admission and recruitment.

1. Use the expanded definition of career growth.

It is important that the organization has much more in its vocabulary than just promotion. Think about how employees can grow both in their role and in functions. Perhaps they need to be redistributed or even expanded beyond their borders. For example, to give the administrator the opportunity to join the marketing team, or to test the accounting system by a sales specialist. Volunteering can also benefit. For example, by joining psychology courses, it is possible to acquire certain competencies that are applicable in the work.

2. Team or department heads should behave like career coaches.

By using important questions, managers help employees figure out their connection to the work they’re doing. Do not forget to ask your employees: “What worries you at work?”. “What’s your dream job like?”, “How can I help you achieve your goal?”. By coaching, managers can help employees uncover a deeper meaning. These coaching conversations will also make employees feel heard and appreciated. If managers do not want to take on this role or are still learning to train, hire certified career coaches.

3. Use technologies and apps that enable career mobility.

There are a variety of HR competence apps that allow you to identify the competencies that the organization will need in the future. For example: ManpowerGroup’s Right Management (Talent Solutions) utility rightmap. It acts as a career management platform that provides insights to help you plan your career. This approach helps to reconcile employees with the functions that best suit their skills. This is especially effective in large organizations, where it is somewhat more difficult to determine the possibilities for each individually.

4. A hybrid work model, becomes a real challenge for employees, when some are in the office and others are away.

Companies need to be vigilant to avoid the “bias over the proximity” that occurs when employees who are close to their team are perceived as more hardworking and more dedicated than those who work from home. Whether team members are working remotely or locally, they should receive equal attention and mentoring – to help not only growth, but also results.