The nature of today’s job market means candidates have higher expectations for their careers and more control over their search than ever before. While this is good news for job hunters, it can cause problems for recruiters. Attracting and retaining talented staff is important to any business, but this can be challenging when candidates are looking for a job with a strict set of criteria in mind, unwilling to settle for anything but the best. In fact, a recent study from CV-Library explored how long it takes a new hire to decide if your company is right for them and if they want to stay – the results were eye-opening.
Below I will discuss these in more detail, outlining some of the common reasons why a new recruit might choose to leave, and what your business can do to retain them.
Why new recruits leave
The study from CV-Library revealed that 41% of new hires will decide within their first week if they’re going to stay or leave a new role, and nearly half (48.4%) of workers continue to look at other opportunities for up to a month after securing a new job. It’s clear then that just because a candidate has accepted your offer, they’re not loyal to your business yet. Because of this it’s important to make new staff feel welcome, excited and keen to work within your company right from the get-go – otherwise you could risk losing a potentially great member of the team.
The study also explored the main reasons why recruits choose to leave a new role after such a short period of time, and the biggest problems to emerge were unfriendly work environments and no room for progression. Other factors include being or feeling underpaid and dealing with poor management. The good news is, all of these things can be easily fixed!
How to retain new recruits
So if you want to keep a new recruit, there are a few important things you can do to make them feel welcome. Firstly, you need to foster a friendly workplace, as staff cited unfriendly working environments as the number one reason for leaving a new job. This can be done by creating good company culture, encouraging strong communication and organising staff social events where new hires can socialise and get to know everyone a little better.
Secondly, with 42.1% of candidates saying that lack of progression opportunities would cause them to leave, it’s vital that you engage your new starter right away: find out where they want their career to go, and how your business can play a part in making this happen. In the first week ask them to discuss their goals and what your company can do to make them a reality; a staggering 90.5% of workers said that they would be less likely to leave an organisation if they were offered training opportunities.
Offering workplace perks is also a great way to stop your new hire from leaving, as 48.1% said that they take these into consideration when applying for jobs. These perks don’t have to be extravagant, even the simplest things like staff discounts or free tea and coffee can do the trick. It just helps to show your staff that you appreciate them and are rewarding them for their hard work.
In short, securing a new recruit doesn’t just end after the interview process, you have to impress your new starters if you want them to remain loyal. By offering simple things like training and workplace perks you can show your team that you care about them and their career progression. Be sure to foster a friendly workplace culture, where new starters can feel welcomed and begin getting to know their colleagues right away – this could be the key to securing a long standing member of staff.
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