As a business owner, you are constantly battling with how to boost profits and productivity without increasing costs. Commonly, the first adjustment that comes to mind is within your own team. Finding quality staff members is valuable, though these workers often come at a higher price.
Paying your staff more than your competition can certainly entice people to work for you. However, if cost is a concern, there are other proven ways to attract quality workers to join your team.
Here is a list of actions you can take to attract quality workers without paying more.
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Advertise for your ideal employee
You can attract the quality workers your business needs by optimizing your recruitment process. It is easier and more affordable than you might think.
Appealing to workers who are searching for a place to belong is a great way to find the right people for the job. Also, the more transparent you are about your expectations, the more likely it is that you will attract quality workers.
1. Social media
Social sites are a great place to find quality workers that complement your company’s mission.
These advertisements for workers can be in the form of videos, ads, or even testimonials from happy employees or clients.
You can attract people who value employment aspects such as a fun work environment or camaraderie instead of simply the highest pay by highlighting those parts of the job.
2. Job boards/sites
The same principle about transparency applies here. The more information you can provide, the higher your chances are of attracting quality workers to perform the job well. Not saying you should write a novel, but including key points that are important to your business can really help weed out those that are not a good fit.
By including your company’s values and culture in the job description, you might welcome those who are excited to be part of your mission.
3. Company website
While it is smart marketing to start the recruitment process on social media and job boards, any quality candidate will likely do a Google search of your company to see what you are all about.
This is a good thing as it gives your business a chance to shine.
Making sure your company has an up-to-date, friendly site will allow your new workers to see that your company is the place they want to be. In addition, ensuring that your mission statement is visible will do wonders for attracting employees whose values are in line with your business.
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Be flexible
The issue many workers have with their jobs is lack of flexibility, which can sideline valuable employees who have other responsibilities. One way to avoid this is to be as flexible as you can — within reason, of course. You might be surprised at how many quality workers truly appreciate being given a little leeway here and there.
With hybrid office models and working from home becoming more normal by the day, this is an option to consider that could attract the quality workers your business needs.
Office environments are not always best for everyone, and there is some fantastic talent out there that you might be missing out on. Other ways to be more flexible include:
Scheduling
Finding ways to be flexible on scheduling could really help to attract quality workers with busy lives outside of their jobs. Creating a shift-style schedule versus the traditional 9-5 could be great for this, as well as allowing at-home workers to set their own hours (provided work is completed on time). You can get creative and find what works best for your business and your workers.
Meetings
Meetings are important for communication within your business, but attracting quality workers might be easier if they were more flexible. Offering virtual attendance options, making them less frequent or creating a video/transcript for employees who cannot make it are all great incentives. Of course, it is important that everyone is on the same page, but you do not always have to be in the same room to achieve this.
Location
For hybrid or at-home employees, having location freedom is a huge bonus and a helpful feature for attracting quality workers. Many employees travel regularly and take their work along with them without a hitch, so why not yours? Provided their work is completed on time and they are available to communicate on important matters, your business could really benefit from allowing more location freedom.
For instance, a knowledge worker such as a graphic designer or software developer might choose to work for your company instead of another employer which pays more, if your company doesn’t demand a daily commute into the office.
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Prioritize their well-being
A popular complaint among workers is employers prioritizing profit over people. While profit is a huge factor in business, low morale, employee burnout and declining health among workers can actually work against your profit margin. Keeping employees healthy, happy and supported does the exact opposite — and it is a smart strategy for attracting quality workers.
There are plenty of ways to prioritize the well-being of your workers, from traditional health benefits to mental health check-ins, personal days to company retreats. You can get creative, making your business stand out as an awesome place to work, and attracting amazing employees in the process. Here are a few more ways to help your employees feel important:
Wellness activities
Workers that feel like part of a team, community, or family are more likely to be happy, healthy, and productive. Giving your workers the opportunity for activities that promote wellness as a group (or even solo) makes your business more interesting to applicants, and helps you to attract quality workers. These do not have to be expensive either. Group hikes, bike rides, dinner after work, or even potluck-style gatherings can do wonders for wellbeing and morale.
Mental health resources
While the mental health stigma is slowly becoming a thing of the past, employees still need to feel supported by their employers to prioritize their mental wellbeing. Providing access to mental health resources — whether that is a counselor, mental health insurance or similar — makes you an amazing boss and is also helpful for attracting quality workers. This helps you stand out from the crowd and shows employees your business is a terrific place to work.
Encouraging healthy lifestyles
It is clear that healthier means happier, more productive, and generally contributes to a more cohesive workplace. The good news is this does not have to be expensive. Providing healthy snacks, emailing healthy recipes and workout routines, or allowing meditation breaks are all cost-effective ways to encourage healthy living — while attracting quality workers in the process.
Recognition
Many people like to feel appreciated. Your business can create rewards for a job well done. This can include accolades, such as an Employee of the Month award where you engrave the teammate’s name on a plaque and offer them extra time off.
Another way to recognize a top performer is with a sincere handwritten thank-you note.
Your business may also offer workers who excel a better parking spot or their choice of scheduling.
Summary
Attracting quality workers without paying more does not have to be difficult. There are several ways to bring in the talent your business needs without forking over more cash. In summary, these ideas are sure to bring in the right talent for your business:
- Advertise for your ideal employee and highlight the benefits of your workplace atmosphere: Utilize social media, job boards, and your company website.
- Be flexible: Reconsider your scheduling, meetings, and employee location.
- Prioritize worker well-being: Provide mental health resources, wellness activities, and encourage healthy lifestyles.
- Recognize top teammates: This can range from an Employee of the Month plaque to a better parking space.
A little more effort can bring big rewards, and you do not have to spend more money to achieve it. These strategies will attract the quality workers you need for your business to run smoothly and thrive.
