WHY would I want to work for you?
Can you answer that question the way a potential candidate would want to hear it? The next logical question is…why should I continue to work for you?
Retaining your internal team can impact your bottom line and grow revenue. Conversely, turnover can reduce revenue and add to expenses. The first logical step to increasing your revenue is to improve retention. Retention starts when you first speak with a candidate for an open position and continues throughout the duration of your employee’s tenure. You can keep that person engaged even after they leave if you create a talent community (but that is for another blog).
This new world of talent is not changing any time soon. You need to be able to articulate and deliver on the value or benefit you provide to your team members. So, let me share three points that will help you start your benefit proposition statement for your internal team. I say start because we may have to change course over time. The current employee driven workforce is complex, and we will have to learn and change as we go.
Three Elements of a Team Member Benefit Proposition Statement
Your talent benefit prop statement should answer a question, just like your client value proposition does. The question for the talent is…
· Why should I work (or remaining working) for your staffing company?
· What is in it for me? (We call this the WIIFM)
Element #1 – Articulate Team Member Contributions
I find it interesting when Staffing eTrainer is collaborating with our clients and coaching their recruiters, many of them think their purpose as a recruiter is to fill a job order.
I see it very differently. Their purpose is to be a career counselor to the candidate. They can impact and contribute to the success of each candidate, if they choose to do so. The contribution we provide as staffing services is helping people find their next best position, helping build their skillset to make them more marketable, and increasing their ability to earn more money. Isn’t that what most candidates are looking for today?
Take a moment and write down the contributions your internal team members provide to your company, your candidates, and your clients. If you don’t know what to write down, you can research it with these steps:
Research it through discussions and focus groups
Read your client value proposition statement
Ask your temporary associates how you have helped them
Element #2 – Understand Current Team Members Loyalty
What makes your team members loyal to you and your company? What are your team member successes today? Understanding what your team does well and appreciates is a great starting point.
The answer to those questions may not always be a positive one. We learn from our mistakes, but also from our successes. Doing well is important but the bar will be moving consistently in this new employment market. Regularly check in with your team members to understand what they like about working with your company and where you can improve.
Learning this from your team in a discussion group is an effective team building exercise, if facilitated correctly. Also take the time to understand what you are not doing well. Learning from mistakes and acting on them shows your team members you care; you are a person of action (not just talk), and you want to improve their lives.
Element #3 – Be Honest and Factual
There is nothing more deflating than being told something that is not true. Your employee benefit proposition should not just sound good, it needs to be supported with facts.
I have a friend who was excited to start their career. They selected a company that touted a young workforce, a fun atmosphere, and a rewarding career with growth opportunities. The fun wore off quickly once they started working 60+ hours a week and there was no time to have fun with their coworkers. Yep, you are right...they are no longer there.
To get those facts you need to engage your team members in feedback and discussions.
When was the last time you surveyed your team members? If it was more than 6 months ago, you need to do it again. And let's clarify what type of information gathering, not surface questions but those that are much deeper and more meaningful. Focus groups are a terrific way to allow for dynamic and open discussion.
Here are important questions you will want to add to your survey or focus group to determine your internal team member value proposition.
What is the best thing that has happened to you at work in the last 30 days?
What is the worst thing that has happened to you at work in the last 30 days?
Tell us about the last new skill you learned and how you learned it.
Compared to other companies’ employee experience, where do we exceed? Where do we fall short? (Have them think about friends and relatives that have had great experiences with their employer and offer ideas)
If you ran a staffing company, what would you do differently for your internal team members?
Once you have completed your survey and focus groups, you are on the way to understanding the benefit you provide as an employer and can start crafting an honest and compelling benefit proposition statement for your team. Those companies that can articulate their true value and benefit will be the winner in the talent war.
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