How to attract the best employees to start and stay with your company?

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With great stories about your culture told by your colleagues. Most companies have great cultures but they’re just not very good at talking about them to prospective or existing employees. Your culture is what makes people start and stay.

Benefits of clearly communicating your culture

• Attract and retain the best employees

• Gain a competitive advantage

• Provide your clients with a better experience

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Lack of suitable people and rising employment costs are challenging

You want to keep your best employees because its expensive and time consuming to recruit new people. You also want to know how to attract the best employees to start and stay at your company.

Yet the cost of retaining existing employees is rising rapidly and some companies are giving loyalty bonuses or rewarding them with self-development or well-being programmes. The cost of living and interest rates are up, which is also putting pressure on salaries.

Unless you enjoy sky high margins, you are never going to be able to pay your people the most in your market because you operate in a competitive landscape.

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The UK workforce is changing shape rapidly

Some people have not retuned to work after the pandemic whilst others are leaving or just doing less because they want a better work life balance. Many are disillusioned and de-motivated. Whilst BREXIT and rule changes around VISAs are also helping to re-shape the UK workforce.

How to attract the best employees

Some industries like hospitality and agriculture are finding it particularly difficult to attract and to retain people, either because the working conditions are poor and the pay low or both. Unless you are market leader like Apple or Google you will probably be finding it tougher to recruit and retain the best talent. Consider those with unusual back stories, non-traditional skills or disabilities because they could become loyal employees.

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What do the best people want?

Individuals want to feel valued, to feel special. They want to be respected and listened to and to spring out of bed in the morning. They look to develop their skills and to feel part of a successful team because they share the same purpose as everyone around them. To be part of a diverse and inclusive workplace where people are allowed to be themselves, and to be recognised and rewarded on merit.

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How do you make them feel special?

Ask yourself how you can improve their experience? Small thoughtful things can make a big difference to individuals. So it doesn’t mean throwing loads of money at them. But if you don’t respect them then don’t expect them to respect your clients or customers.

How do you tell the story of a company with a great culture?

I asked Graham Jerome-Ball Global Branding Director of Informa plc how he has been tackling this issue. He says, by asking ourselves, “how do we express our culture? What does it look like so it feels exciting? What traits do we have that are unique and how can we express them through stories?”

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How to make it happen

First your need to develop a compelling employee value proposition, which is the same as defining what your culture is all about. We can help you do this and then turn it into something that is story-based, exciting and engaging to read, to make you proud.

If you don’t know or are not sure why your company is so great and what your point of difference is, we’ll work it out together. Then clearly explain why employees should start and why they should stay by interviewing key colleagues about their jobs, why they love doing them and why they love working for your company.

Explaining the importance of culture and the way it relates directly to success and to your brand is crucial. Because culture is all about people, what’s in it for them and the benefit of working for your company.

What makes your culture different from others?

Get real employees to talk about their specific, exciting or unusual roles. Explaining their background and the qualities they believe have helped them to succeed. Giving an idea of the pathway they’ve followed that resonates with your viewer or reader.

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All great stories have six key elements

REALISM

Make sure your story reinforces your brand’s overall market position and offer.

EMPATHY

AUTHENTICITY

RELEVANCE

EMOTION

ACTION

'Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Not necessarily in that order.’ Tim Burton

Storytelling enables you to talk about your company’s purpose and culture in an engaging and compelling way. Through a magical mix of words, photos, graphics, film or animation. In our experience the most compelling stories often don't start at the begining.

Do you want to talk about your great culture in a more engaging and compelling way then contact Craig Thatcher now to find out how.

Services

Brand strategy and market positioning

Creative management

Planning and filming interviews

Storytelling

Employee value proposition design

Drafting company purpose and values

Copywriting articles and posts

Graphics and animation

Digital marketing

Coaching