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Attract, Retain, and Grow your people to grow your impact and the role of leaders

In today’s post-pandemic world, leaders in businesses must be, at the very least better than average when meeting their people’s needs. One of the most significant effects of the pandemic on the workforce was that it brought attention to work-life choice debates leading to employees’ re-evaluation of career and life choices. Its effect is massive resignation in the workplace. This occurrence is now commonly referred to as “the great resignation.”

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New research by the Charted Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the University of Birmingham shows that more than 6.5m workers in the UK plan to leave their jobs by 2023. Further information reveals that while better pay and benefits are some of the top reasons, people also seek job satisfaction and a better work-life balance. This places a lot of responsibility on the leadership as it is no longer enough to focus on offering job quality but on addressing employee engagement. Prioritising their needs in personal development, career progression, better work-life balance, and increased job satisfaction is no longer negotiable in attracting, retaining and growing a successful team.

Attracting the right set of employees remains one of the driving forces behind any successful business. While recruitment can be a minefield and getting the right set of people does not usually happen by chance, with deliberately designed methods, the organisational leadership can build a strong business culture by defining what they allow and encourage, thereby setting the organisation apart.

While recruitment can be a minefield and getting the right set of people does not usually happen by chance, with deliberately designed methods, the organisational leadership can build a strong business culture by defining what they allow and encourage, thereby setting the organisation apart.

Some of the ways an organisation can attract people are…

  • Remote workplace – with the world of work changing with so many employees requesting remote schedules, employers have been forced to accept the new way of working. This is vital for the sake of attracting and retaining new hires. 
  • Inclusion & Diversity – building an inclusive work environment is significant as it reflects the willingness and openness of leadership to build a culturally diverse team. Organisations with high-level racial diversity have been proven to be more innovative and influential as representation is often highlighted as critical in building a wholesome organisation. In addition, ensuring greater diversity among leadership teams positions the organisation as culturally diverse and accommodating. Despite the importance of having a culturally diverse team, only 66% of black employees said they feel included in their teams compared to 70% of white employees Race at Work Survey 2018. Further research has shown that employees from a BAME (Black Asian Minority Ethnic) group background do not have access to the contacts, networks or prospects required to climb the career ladder successfully. This limitation has led to a lack of significant BAME role models in leadership and management positions.  
  • Flexible recruitment – businesses must be open to having a good mix of staff. While experienced hires tend to immediately add value to the organisation and have their impact felt, they are also cost-effective as the employer saves on training costs. However, a common challenge with experienced hires is adaptability. As a result of exposure to diverse organisational cultures, they often struggle to adapt to their new organisation’s core values, significantly if it vastly differs from what they are accustomed to. In addition, they might not be open to innovative ideas and thinking but stick to what they are used to. To create a good balance, leaders should explore creative ways of expanding a team, such as work experience placements; this involves allowing college students to experience the work environment for a short duration. Other options include internships and apprenticeships. While internships are typically offered to university students to supplement their studies, apprenticeships involve having a candidate will work for 1 – 5 years alongside an external study to earn a qualification. The apprenticeship route into the workplace has gained momentum and has witnessed a 14.1% increase from 2020/21.  
  • Building a visible and credible brand; social media has become integral to building brand visibility and credibility in today’s world. The internet has become the first point of contact for many in meeting and associating with a brand, making it easier for people to relate, connect and build relationships with brands they feel align with their values. It is no longer enough to be known, but equally important is what your brand represents regarding environmental, Social and Governance considerations. According to 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, 60% of employees say they want their CEO to speak out on controversial issues they care about. (“The Greater Good – Volume 1, Issue 4 – Benefit Corporations for Good”) This is indicative of the import place on the alignment of personal values and type of societal leadership.
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Employee retention is a task championed by senior leadership and cascaded from top to bottom to drive effectiveness. This is because leaders set the tone for employees to feel included in a team, and these set standards for retention. In a recent survey conducted by the CIPD Good Work Index comprising over 6,000 UK workers, it was discovered that one in five workers (20%) say it is likely they will leave their current jobs in the next 12 months, compared with 16% in 2021. When asked why they left their previous employer, one in five people (21%) said “being unhappy with the leadership of senior management”. (“One in five workers have the intention to quit their jobs”) This supports the saying that “people don’t leave organisations; they leave bad managers.” After investing time and resources to attract quality employees to join the team, you must empower, enrich, and keep them engaged.  

Kevin Ellis, chairperson and senior partner at PwC UK said: “The economic outlook may be uncertain, but it would be premature to call the end of the Great Resignation. “Highly skilled workers are in hot demand, and employers can’t be complacent. “It’s not just about keeping the most talented workers happy – our data highlights the need and opportunity to create new talent and ensure no one gets left behind. (“PwC research highlights the pressure on pay in the tech sector amid great …”) (“PwC research highlights the pressure on pay in the tech sector amid great …”) (“One in five workers likely to switch jobs in next 12 months – Yahoo! News”).

To avoid high attrition rates, organisations must invest in developing leadership skills and character in senior management and across all managers and leadership levels to produce leaders who can provide a sense of purpose and strong values that employees need to stay focused. Some of the ways to drive workplace engagement are;

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  • Workplace training; equips managers and leaders with the necessary tools to identify skill gaps and assist team members in closing these gaps. This makes employees feel connected to the organisation, which strengthens the leadership and aids retention. It also empowers them to quickly identify employees showing signs of fatigue, tiredness or illness and help them through the challenges, ultimately saving work lost due to sickness and increasing productivity.
  • Healthy environment; prioritising mental health in the workplace by embedding mental wellness as a vital part of the organisational culture. This empowers employees to feel open to discussing mental health challenges, thereby taking control of their wellbeing. While hard skills are necessary for the workplace, soft skills remain the missing link that can make a difference between good and bad leadership. Applying soft skills such as communication, conflict resolution and empathy in the workplace helps promote emotional intelligence, which builds a healthy work environment.
  • Build Careers and not just jobs; it is no longer enough to offer jobs but empowers emp

Lastly, growth is an integral part of business sustainability; every successful business knows that a lack of growth will lead to business stagnation.

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Leadership today requires a lot of introspection and redefinition as the pandemic introduced new expectations for employers and employees. People have become the new priority as employers struggle to attract and retain employees to drive business growth. As stated by Unilever on their website, “Traditional employer-employee dynamics are no longer fit for either individuals or businesses… We are breaking the employment mould to create new work methods that suit our business and our people.” (“5 Ways Leaders Can Attract & Retain Great People – MRINetwork”).

To stay relevant and keep winning, many leaders today must leave their comfort zone and alter their perceptions of what leadership is all about. Instead, they must refocus on strategies that reflect the new workplace reality to build a winning team.

Safaraz Ali; Attract, Retain, and Grow your people to grow your impact and the role of leaders, as featured in the Institute Of Employability Professionals Journal 7th Edition