Rebooting How You Attract and Retain Employees — Richa Gupta
The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few years have led many people to reevaluate how they integrate their work and personal lives. While there are a myriad of reasons given for the “Great Resignation” of 2021, one of the primary motivating factors for employees quitting was a dissatisfaction with their working conditions. As Corporate America moves forward and envisions a post-pandemic work environment, we are faced with a widespread demand for better conditions coupled with continued remote options.
In April, I wrote an article entitled “Five Ways to Retain Fantastic Talent (Remote Edition)” for HR Daily Advisor. Here are the key takeaways:
“An employee value proposition (EVP) encompasses everything an employer is doing to attract and retain employees and stand out among competing employers. It’s the company’s way of saying ‘You should work for us because we’re the best in X, Y, Z.’’’
“The baseline of a modern EVP through the lens of today’s changing workforce is this: The pandemic has led people to rethink their purpose in life, and this has had a significant impact on their career choices. They want to know that the work they do — and the company they work for — is able to bring them a stronger purpose in life. Employers must meet this need or risk losing their best people.”
1. Stand Firm in a Defined Company Culture
“The most impactful and memorable brands are those that are transparent and authentic and have a clear purpose or mission. Their audience or buyers know what to expect in terms of quality, communication, customer service, and so on. There are no surprises when it comes to what and whom they represent. The same sentiment must hold true for business; talent must have a clear understanding of the culture of the business for which they work.”
2. Connect to a Broader Purpose
“Along similar lines is a company’s stance on issues impacting humanity on a larger scale. The importance of a corporation’s social action has been elevated by consumers and employees at a fascinating rate.”
“Employees want to work for companies that are connected to a broader purpose that connects back to their *own* personal life mission, whatever that may be.”
3. Promote Holistic Well-Being
“There is no longer room for generic rewards and one-size-fits-all benefits. Individualized incentives are soon to be par for the course. This is all part of the movement to see employees as humans rather than numbers on a spreadsheet. Each employee has different needs, wants, and ambitions. Similar to persona creation methods in marketing, businesses should learn what makes each of their employees unique and cater to that wherever possible. This might take the form of well-being bonuses that are customized for each person.”
4. Tear Down Borders
“The pandemic has played a major role in breaking down silos and training for greater global inclusivity, but there are a lot of opportunities for businesses to capitalize on the democratization of the global workforce. In terms of accessibility, companies can appeal to a broad range of candidates simply by thinking creatively about factors such as schedules, equipment, training, education, and experience.”
5. Walk the DEI Walk
“Likewise, with more people having access to employment opportunities around the world, there’s a newfound opportunity for companies to finally walk the walk when it comes to DEI. Continued globalization brings with it the democratization of work. This simply means there is a greater ability to access and hire talent from virtually anywhere.”
To read the full HR Daily Advisor article, click here
About Richa Gupta: For the last two decades, Richa has helped organizations create and unlock their Talent practices, build strong global companies with a purpose and high-performing teams, curate workplaces for talent to thrive, and develop strong and empathetic leadership muscle. As Chief Human Resource Officer at Globalization Partners, she is leading all facets of their global workforce, while playing a key strategic role in scaling the company and culture to meet the surging demands of remote work across the globe.
