In today’s market, the hiring process is largely controlled and dictated by employees. It is no longer sufficient to provide just a good salary or certain benefits, employees are looking to work with companies that provide a more holistic work/life balance, as well as an environment where they are felt trusted, respected, and wanted.

Today’s workforce seeks employment that will have a positive and seamless integration into their lives. This ranges from creating a positive workspace to communicating appropriate praise and feedback. The HR team can seek out new opportunities to promote a healthy and meaningful workplace, that are sure to assist in retaining top talent within your company.

Here are three strategies to ensure you retain your team’s best talent:

The need for space

Create an environment that serves employees outside of just work-related tasks. Today it’s common to find businesses provide napping areas, meditation rooms, cafeterias with healthy food options, happy hours, gyms, and more to their employees. Because we spend so much time and energy at work, it’s important to create a space that will serve your employees physically and mentally as well as professionally in order to keep them motivated, relaxed and provide the space for the development of creativity.

These spaces also create the opportunity for employees to step away from their workspaces and interact with one another. Once your employees can gather and talk, exchange ideas and bond their communication, team dynamics and productivity can increase. The balance of work and life within the office setting is crucial for employees to feel comfortable, happy and fulfilled within their work setting.

Recognize and reward exceptional work

One of the most common reasons for employees leaving their positions is due to lack of appreciation or recognition for their hard work. Employees that feel noticed, respected and appreciated are more likely to put forth a better effort and meet goals more quickly and efficiently.

By setting in place rewards programs, your employee will feel recognized and have an incentive to perform well. Instruct HR teams to provide specific, individualized, and positive feedback to employees. A general “good job” does not go very far, but a more in-depth analysis and praise of a specific project and its specific successes will. This requires an investment on the part of HR, but it will greatly assist in retaining top talent.

Employee referrals

Imagine that all candidates recruited by a company took less time to hire, remained in the company for longer, were highly productive, and were overall happier at work? When employees give referrals, your business gains access to a wider net of talent, which is often inaccessible through job boards and other social media methods of recruiting.

Employee referrals can often attract stronger candidates because they are being personally recommended by your existing team. This inspires trust both in the referer and the referee. Collecting referrals is an easy and efficient process when done through an employee referral software system.