Big organizations know that finding top talent is just one part of the job and it doesn't matter if you cannot retain said talent long-term. This is because people who are good at their jobs are always looking for new and more rewarding opportunities. Organizations need to inspire loyalty if they want to boost talent retention, but not everyone knows how to do this. This article covers some of the best strategies for retaining top talent. 

How to Retain Top Talent in Your Organization

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, workers all over the country have been evaluating their professional and personal priorities. According to Statista, a record number of 4.53 people quit in November 2021. Implemented effectively, the following strategies can help you retain top talent in your organization.

1. Widen Your Net to Find More Talent 

You need to source the talent first before you start working on retention. During recruitment, look beyond your locale and research for talent that can do the job across borders. Invest in a global recruitment outreach or pay a recruitment firm to help you secure talent from different countries. You should also be willing to sponsor relocation and accept remote workers if you want to get the best talent.

Another option you could consider is re-evaluating what qualifications are necessary for the job you are filling. If you are looking to hire an entry-level software engineer, consider looking for coding bootcamp graduates instead of exclusively applicants with a bachelor’s degree. 

2. Offer Incentives 

This might seem obvious but one of the best ways to retain talent is to offer lucrative incentives. How much are you willing to pay in salaries and allowances? Will employees get performance-based bonuses by the end of the year? What type of insurance will you offer and what will it cover?

Before anything else, most people are interested in working in companies that offer the most material benefits. According to data from PayScale, the number one reason why people leave their jobs is that they are looking for better-paying opportunities. 

3. Invest in Talent Education 

Big organizations offer learning opportunities for employees. This could be anything from paying for an advanced degree to paying for a coding school. Top bootcamps like General Assembly, Thinkful, and Coding Dojo cost less than traditional universities. 

While providing education doesn't guarantee that the employees will stay with your company, it is a great incentive. Also, employees can be asked to sign long-term job contracts that ensure their devotion to the company after getting their education. 

4. Provide Merit-based Advancement Opportunities 

Your human resource department should run performance evaluations at intervals and promote employees based on merit. Rather than employing people from outside the company to occupy vacancies, give those who have been loyal to your company an opportunity to advance their careers. If there are no opportunities for advancement in a company, employees may lose their morale and eventually leave the organization. 

5. Invest in People Who Are Passionate About Your Company's Vision

If your employees are driven by passion rather than just incentives, they will be more likely to stay and help your company reach its full potential. These passionate individuals need to know that their inputs are valuable and their jobs are guaranteed even as the company expands. Without job security, especially from top talent with vision, it would be difficult to foster loyalty in the workplace. 

6. Collect Employee Data

There are several machine learning and artificial intelligence tools that can be used to collect employee data. This data can help you determine who is most likely to leave your company and when people are most likely to quit.

When you identify patterns for retention and resignation, it would be easier to implement the right strategies and make the most out of your workforce. Just make sure that you are not relying too much on software to make difficult decisions and respect your employees’ privacy. 

7. Have a Clear Line of Succession 

Irrespective of a company's best efforts, losing top talent will be inevitable at one point or the other. Make sure that there is a clear line of succession with trained hands ready to fill the gap that is left.

Succession planning can save the company millions and prevent rash hiring decisions in the event of sudden vacancies. Keep in mind that succession planning isn't just beneficial for when talent moves on to other opportunities. It is also great for ensuring continuity in the event of retirement or sudden death. 

Conclusion

Running a business is difficult and having multiple vacancies can slow down business operations and reduce productivity. To ensure that an organization runs smoothly, strategies must be put in place to promote top talent retention for as long as possible. These seven strategies listed above are just a few of the many others that hiring managers and organization leaders can implement all year round. 

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