Attract high performers by understanding what they are looking for in their next employer

The global talent market has never changed this much, this quickly.  LinkedIn calls it the Great Reshuffle: a time when everyone is rethinking everything. In the–se times, finding the right talent is a huge challenge globally.

The shift in power dynamic

 The jobs boom coupled with a limited talent pool means employers are in competition for the best workers and they will face greater demands for high performers.

 “Companies need to recognize that the power dynamic has changed,” says Karin Kimbrough, Chief Economist at LinkedIn. “Workers are going to demand more from them on multiple fronts. Candidates are being much more selective about where they work, and workers are more vocal about what they want.”

How do you stay ahead of competition and attract the high performers? You need to understand what these people are looking for in their next employer and cater to their needs.

New research form Linkedin shows the fastest growing priorities since COVID are

• flexible work arrangements
• inclusive workplace and
• work life balance.

Talent Acquisition managers are currently in a competition to bring to their companies talented employees which are rare to find.

Leaders must treat the talent war like a war and get involved in the recruiting process; to sell the company’s story. This helps in convincing high performers on how they will fit into the vision of their future employer.

As a corporate leader, it is essential to have high performers on your team. Will help you achieve your company’s objectives and reach new levels of success.

Every company wants to attract and retain high performers, but do you know what they are looking for in the next employer? Important now than ever before to understand what makes the high performers tick and how you can create an environment that would attract and retain the best and the brightest.

1. Reputation is key

In this era of internet, candidates can easily research your reputation to decide if they want to work with you or not.

Research shows potential employees, will review the company reputation before accepting any offer. This is in a bid to know whether that firm is culturally conducive, purpose-oriented and has high levels of retention.

So communicate your purpose, corporate social responsibility and culture to your current and potential employees regularly.

2. Commit to Employee engagement

Employee development requires companies to invest in their workforce and yes, there’s a good chance people will eventually leave for other opportunities. But employee development still is a worthwhile addition to your employee experience. It allows you to improve the quality of your workforce now and build a strong pipeline of talent for open roles in the future. 

Everyone learns differently, and it can be helpful to offer many different opportunities for employee development. This might include:

• Mentoring
• Job shadowing
• Stretch assignments
• Special projects
• Educational courses
• Industry certifications
• Conferences
• Leadership coaching services
• Career coaching services
• Online learning subscriptions
• Office lunch and learns

3. Keep up with technology

Companies that still run on manual and conservative processes are considered as less attractive by the Millennial. Cloud solution with self service capabilities is in line with the expectations of high performers as the workforce is now more tech-dependent than ever before and expect the information to be conveniently available.  Automate or outsource the mundane admin tasks so your high performers can focus on higher value adding tasks.

4. Care about others

High performers truly care about others and want their teams to succeed. They have high levels of Emotional Intelligence, and they empathise with co-workers. High performers value their peers and want everyone to succeed, so they seek collaborative supportive workplace cultures that ‘care’ and treat their employees in a fair and respectful way.

5. A challenge

High-performers are attracted to challenges and want to work on interesting projects that will stretch their abilities. They want to add value and feel their skills are being put to good use.  

6. Compensation and Benefits

High performers want to be compensated fairly for their work. They are also interested in benefits like health insurance and paid vacation days. If you want to attract high performers make sure your compensation and benefits package is competitive.

Conclusion

Retaining high-performers is critical to the success of any business – but it’s not always easy. By understanding what high-performers are looking for in their employer, you can put yourself in a better position to attract and retain the best talent. Keep these tips in mind as you build your recruitment strategy and you’ll be sure to attract the best candidates.

As a leader you wear many hats, recruitment is one of them. Are you ready to trim your workload? Access pre-qualified high achievers today – we have done the research, screening and qualifying for you. We work with our clients as a strategic staffing solutions partner. Give JobFitts a try!