The Three Characteristics of Retention

The Three Characteristics of Retention:

Nad Elias- CEO, recruitAbility

As we continue to work with the most dynamic, rapidly growing companies in Austin and nationwide, we’ve learned a bit about what I’m going to call the “Characteristics of Retention”.  Companies continue to look for ways to make sure the talent they hire become onboarded and engaged in their company’s values as soon as possible in that first year. There are three characteristics we’ve noticed that are helping with the retention of newly hired employees. They are Culture/Values recognition, Community Impact, and continuous learning. Let’s break them down a bit and see why:

1.      Culture Recognition- This seems to be the one that everyone can relate to most. Companies need to have a set of core values that define their culture, and those values need to be driven into the everyday behaviors of the organization. We’re recommending that companies create a document with their values and hang them in their cubes or offices of the new hires. There should also be Values training in the first week and examples of when co-workers demonstrated those values. Another example includes doing a core values exercise or contest in the first month. We had a client that purchased gift cards and handed them out every time a core value was demonstrated (can be done just for new hires for onboarding or for the entire team). There are many more ways to emphasize, but hopefully, we all get the point. We need to do as much as we can in the first week and the first three months to show how core values drive culture.

2.      Community Impact and Social Awareness- Now more than ever, employees want to feel like they’re part of an organization that does their part to change the world. Companies can demonstrate impact by connecting with a charity, and they can have social events that raise awareness for that cause. Or depending on the company and what services/products they provide, have a program for veterans or underprivileged families. There are many ways to get involved in the community, and the concept of a team getting behind a cause for the greater good can be so powerful. A new hire will notice this and is naturally drawn to the team because of it. It’s important to demonstrate how important community impact is and create that awareness throughout the organization.

3.      Continuous Learning- A new hire wants to see that the company they just became a part of is focused on professional and personal development. Companies that hold programs for new employees to take advantage of to fine tune their skills will create a loyalty between organization and employee that can’t be broken. Another suggestion is to identify continuous learning programs after hours and provide an opportunity for a new hire to sign up. You’ll get a good indication of how engaged your new hire is by whether or not they sign up (tricks of the trade 😊)

Focusing on these characteristics can create an impactful experience for your new hire, and our hope is that you’ll notice more engagement and improved retention!