Learn Tips for How to Attract and Retain Top Employees

One high-achieving employee can be as productive as four run-of-the-mill team members, so it only makes sense to try to hire as many as possible. But top employees are generally in high demand, so it can take some work on your part to recruit and keep them. Here are some ways to attract and retain top employees.

Identifying Them

So what makes someone a high performer? The details may vary by industry, but in general, top performers tend to be growth-driven. They actively seek out new challenges and are always developing their skills. They tend to be flexible, proactive, intuitive, and innovative. They’re not afraid to fail, and they will take full accountability if they do.

Attracting Them

While salary and traditional benefits are always important, they’re typically not the sole motivators for high performers. Instead, these candidates are often driven by what they can learn and how they can grow. They also tend to value flexibility and novel benefits such as student loan assistance or help with childcare. The best way to find out what perks they want is to ask them.

Managing Them

As you might expect, managing high performers can present new challenges. Here are some of the most important tips:

• Avoid micromanaging
• Give them the tools to succeed
• Provide regular actionable feedback
• Challenge them with special projects
• Provide a path for growth
• Offer learning opportunities
• Assign them to high-performing teams or provide a mentorship
• Reward their efforts
• Don’t rely on them to drag low performers along
• Listen to their feedback
• Don’t box them in or pigeonhole them

In some ways, high performers are an entirely different type of employee. While it’s important to treat everyone on your team fairly and with respect, high performers often need a somewhat different approach. Trust them, give them what they need, offer growth opportunities, and avoid relying on them to fix your organizational problems, and you will go a long way toward keeping them on your team.

Need some new hires?

Contact Total Staffing Solutions for the light industrial or clerical employees you need. With more than 20 years of staffing experience, we know how to help you recruit and hire your next temporary or permanent team member.