Competition for top talent is at an all-time high, so it’s more important than ever to stand out from the crowd when attracting new talent and retaining your best employees.  Did you know that something as simple as including your value proposition in your recruiting and retention strategies can make a huge difference?

Why Traditional Recruiting Ads Often Fall Short

Many recruiting ads on Indeed and other sites simply list job duties, minimum requirements, and benefits. Sure, that information is enough to attract the attention of average candidates.  But the best candidates are looking for much more from their roles, they want to know the meaning of the work they’ll do.

The good news is that you probably already thought through the meaning of the work your employees do.  It’s laid out in the value proposition your sales and marketing teams use to tell customers why they should buy your products and services. A quick win is to start including key elements of that value proposition in your recruiting ads, which can make a world of difference in the type of talent you attract.

Here’s an Example

Let’s say your company manufactures safety products and your value proposition explains why the products keep customers safe from accidents, minimize their stress and worrying about being injured, and help them spend more quality time with their families.  You can incorporate that information into your job ads by describing how the job responsibilities are related to keeping customers safe, reducing their stress, and spending more quality time with their families.

It’s not enough for you to hope that the best candidates will make that connection for themselves as they quickly scan your ad and decide whether your company is somewhere they’d like to work.  You need to send clear signals to the best candidates that your company is an exact fit for what they want because it allows them to apply their talents and skills to meaningful work.

Don’t Lose Top Talent in an Ultra-Competitive Market

You can also use your value proposition to help retain your best employees by sending both direct and indirect messages to them.  Don’t assume they fully understand and appreciate their ‘connection’ to your value proposition without reinforcing it to them.  Examples of direct messaging include:

  • Managers having regular conversations with your top performers about why their work is beneficial to customers and valued at your company.

  • Ongoing development training specifically designed to help your top talent better understand and meet customer needs.

  • Creating employee newsletters that share customer testimonials about how your top performers help make customers’ lives better.

Examples of indirect ways that you can reinforce the importance of work done by your top talent include:

  • Rewarding your top employees with recognition programs and investing in their career development and advancement.

  • Encouraging your top talent to informally recruit their like-minded colleagues to join your company.

When you are ready to implement these and other strategies to help your company build and maintain a strong workforce, call us at 505-377-0015