Retaining and Recruiting Top Talent Is a Focus for Many Employers.
Start by Understanding What to Look for in Top Talent.
One of the overwhelming issues facing businesses today is finding and retaining top talent. The McGregor Foundation recently held a forum on recruitment and retention, and we found out that this theme is affecting companies across many industries. That means that good employees have options, and if they don’t like the conditions at a job or a position, they are not hesitant to find an employer that better fits their needs and wishes.
That’s why it’s important for employers to be able to recognize top talent. If you’ve got great talent, you have to be able to hang on to that employee because someone else is waiting to snatch them up. If you let that employee slide because you think you can find someone just as good, you could pay dearly if you are incorrect. The same can be said for candidates. If you pass on a great potential hire because you aren’t seeing their potential, you might not get another chance. That’s why it’s important to be able to identify the traits that are exhibited by the cream of the crop. Here are some talent traits to look for in a great employee or candidate:
Top Talent Will Work Outside of Their Job Description.
If you have a task that needs to be done, sometimes you don’t care which member of your organization completes it as long as it gets accomplished. A great employee doesn’t balk at additional responsibilities or ask about compensation, they simply say “I’ll do it.” They understand that a reward might be delayed, but if they continue to show initiative, they will be rewarded. It’s up to you to ensure that they are.
A Great Employee Recognizes When Something Is Broken, and They Fix It.
There are levels to this attribute. Some employees don’t recognize when there are issues afoot because they aren’t vested enough to care. Other employees find the problems and just complain about them or stay silent because they aren’t sure how to make it right or don’t care enough to take action. A great employee will see a problem and come up with a solution that makes things better.
A Top Employee Is Accountable.
Finding an employee who is willing to accept responsibility without “passing the buck” is hard to find. A top talent is an employee who says, “this was my fault, and now I’m going to address it and correct it.” They will expect an employer to respect that, and if an employer does not value that type of attitude, they are setting themselves up for distrust within their employees.
A Valuable Talent Will Neutralize Toxic People and Work Environments.
Negativity spreads in an office or business. All it takes is one negative influence to take hold and everyone who encounters that person can be impacted. If you can find a person who can reverse the negative impact and replace it with positivity, you’ve got an incredible asset. Don’t let that person go!
It’s up to you to recognize these traits in your employees and candidates that you encounter. If you aren’t able to do so, someone else will and you will be looking for replacements with the hope that they might measure up to the one that got away. Be sure to check out our News page to stay up to date with all of the valuable information that can help you be a better employer!