Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

It’s harder than ever before to attract and retain top talent. Learn how a boutique recruiting firm can help you find the best talent – and keep them.

Since the pandemic, millions of people have left their jobs and a recent PwC survey indicates the ‘Great Resignation’ is still alive and kicking in the UK, albeit for different reasons from the ones that led to it beginning.

With inflation having risen at a much faster rate than wages over the past 18 months and economic conditions remaining uncertain, in addition to offering a competitive salary, employers need to remain alert and be flexible in their approach to engaging and retaining staff.

So, if you are struggling to attract and retain business support staff, read on to discover how a specialist recruiting firm like VWA can help.

7 Ways to Attract and Retain Top Talent

1. Offer a competitive benefits package

Today, a good work-life balance is more important than ever before – so one of the best ways to ensure you attract and retain the best talent is by offering a competitive benefits package.

A longstanding client of VWA, for example, offers 30 days holiday. Amongst other benefits, a generous holiday allowance above the market average has been a key benefit that has enabled them to retain staff.

Other key benefits that employees value include a strong pension scheme (15% non-contributory is the most competitive seen in the market), medical and dental healthcare, life insurance, gym membership, wellness allowances and lunch allowances.

2. Embrace hybrid/flexible working

Following on from our first point, hybrid/flexible working is another important benefit that enables candidates to achieve their ideal work-life balance – which will ultimately make your workplace more appealing than the competition.

This has never been more of a focus since the pandemic. In fact, a recent LinkedIn poll carried out here at VWA revealed that hybrid working is a must for 77% of people.

The survey showed that hybrid working of 3/2 is in more demand than 4/1, and while some employees may choose to come into the office more than the minimum required, having this as a benefit allows employees to feel trusted, resulting in improved morale and a better overall work-life balance.

Another longstanding client of VWA’s, alongside offering hybrid working, offers their employees two weeks of working from anywhere in August and December, which further fosters a feeling of trust. Hybrid working not an option? You could consider a compressed work week or flex-time instead.

3. Consider offering sabbaticals

Whether it’s one, three, or six months, or even up to a year, sabbaticals offered to employees after a certain length of service can aid retention.

The benefits speak for themselves: sabbaticals allow employees to focus on their personal goals, with the security of knowing they can return at the end of their time away. Ultimately, it gives the opportunity for employees to return recharged and with a renewed focus.

4. Provide regular check-ins

Emotional wellbeing is more important than ever before, so another way to ensure you not only attract but also retain the best talent is by providing regular check-ins with your team to see how they are doing.

Providing more frequent one–on–one meetings with team members gives them the opportunity to discuss short and longer-term goals and deliver feedback. Plus, regular check-ins also ensure that your employees feel listened to and integrated, helping to boost motivation and morale.

5. Offer a training and development path

Yes, offering a competitive salary is essential when it comes to attracting and retaining high-quality staff. But in today’s world, training and development is just as – if not more – important.

In fact, according to recent research, 83% of employees consider learning and development to be a “vital factor” behind their choice of employer.

In addition to providing feedback, identify areas for professional growth and new skills. Offering a yearly training allowance demonstrates a commitment to employees’ long-term career prospects and can improve staff loyalty.

Plus, if the size of your organisation allows, offering to retrain staff in alternative areas of the business can also support with retention, too.

6. Foster a good workplace culture

We spend one third of our lives at work, so it’s no wonder that a good workplace culture is a huge factor in attracting and retaining top talent.

Encourage communication, collaboration, equality, diversity and inclusion – all great examples of values that feed into a workplace culture. At VWA, for example, equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging is at the heart of everything we do.

Often staff want to feel that an organisation’s values align with their own and this can give them a real sense of loyalty and belonging.

7. Offer a robust onboarding and induction programme

Finally, your ability to attract and retain top talent starts from the very beginning of the hiring process. In fact, a solid onboarding strategy is crucial, and can improve a company’s retention rate by a staggering 82%.

Your onboarding and induction programme is a critical first step that can set the tone for an employee’s future time at your firm, so it’s important to get it just right. In addition to the job and introductions to colleagues, the onboarding process should also include the culture of the company and how they can contribute to it.

If you need further advice on how to provide a strong onboarding programme, don’t miss our top tips in this blog.

How a recruiting firm can help you attract and retain top talent

We get it: the hiring market today is tougher than ever before – which is why, if you’re looking to attract and retain high-quality employees, you should enlist the help of a specialist recruitment consultancy.

Here at VWA, for example, we are an expert executive assistant recruiting firm with years of experience matching the right candidates to our clients’ roles. With a wealth of experience recruiting for a broad range of business support roles, we tailor our approach to your specific needs every time.

Should you require any further information on the above or wish to discuss our services further, please contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

recruit@vwa.com || 020 7225 1888