VIJAY ANAND VICE-PRESIDENT, INDIA DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INTUIT INDIA It is all about talent Vijay Anand (Vice-President, India Development Center, Intuit India) reveals the seven secrets to attract and retain the right talent Issue Date - 01/03/2013 |
 There is a famous saying, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There is plenty of movement, but you never know if it is going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.” In this age of competition, every organisation looks for right talent to channelise in the right direction. However, there always seems to be dearth of suitable talent in the market.The key to attracting right talent is to retain such assets in the organisation because they are your first brand ambassadors. Your employees have a lot of influence on how your organisation which is perceived by your future employees. The ability to retain your best employees also ensures customer satisfaction, satisfied staff, retention of organisational knowledge and learning, and effective succession planning. Hiring and welcoming Attract the right talent by creating exceptional experiences for candidates. Also, cast your net wide by constantly following the talent you are looking for. Today’s generation is active on social media platforms, so leveraging channels like social media, Facebook and Twitter is a good idea for an organisation that is looking for talent. Traditional approaches like campus selection, filtering through resumes, employee references are also helpful. Once you hire an employee, roll-out the red carpet and work to make a good first impression. Only a high-tech employee orientation is not enough to make the new joinees feel comfortable. Organise an informal meeting with the leadership team for the new employees, which will give them an opportunity to meet and learn from the veterans and network with other employees. ‘Buddy programmes’ are also effective in helping new employees feel at home and benefit from a built-in network right from day one. Foster a culture of transparency The more the organisations are getting serious about effective and transparent communication, the more they are getting creative to ensure a multilateral communication within the organisation. Companies are investing in in-house broadcast channels to reach out to employees that help in sending across the message through video broadcasts. Employees can submit questions during live broadcast and get answers. One needs to ensure that the organisation’s intranet is in place and is effectively used to share news, generate ideas and brainstorm. Newsletters are also a cost effective and an easy tool to communicate with employees. Address grievances Addressing grievances is an inevitable part of every organisation and its HR managers. Make sure to address employee issues in a timely and effective manner. This goes a long way in ensuring the retention of your employees. It is a good idea for organisations to provide its employees harassment prevention training, and for dealing with employee relations issues. An anonymous microsite or a hotline can be established within the organisation for employees to voice their concerns without losing out on confidentiality. |
Thank your employees When your employees work hard, they deserve to be acknowledged and appreciated for their contribution towards the organisation. Even at times when corporations want to be “lean and mean”, it is possible to compensate employees for doing good work without affecting the budget. There can be tangible expressions of thanks in many ways — from a heartfelt thank-you note, recognition and awards, an all-expense paid trip, and to a formal letter of recognition by the leadership team. If you really want to thank your employees, then there are more ways than one to do so. Help the talent grow HR department is responsible for managing employees career and enhancing personal growth. Develop programmes that give your employees a chance to break the routine and devote sometime to work on projects they are passionate about. It can give them a chance to solve new problems, learn new skills and innovate their work environment. Organise relevant training, leadership programmes, soft skills workshops etc. and take regular feedback from employees to make it more effective and in sync with the demand. Promote work-life balance Help the employees balance their work life with their personal life. Develop a full range of programmes, from wellness to backup family care, designed to help employees achieve this goal. Also, remember that when it comes to significant life events, do not deal with these situations by the book but by the heart. To avoid stress at work, encourage fun and camaraderie among your employees. Create a holistic work culture Finally, create a work culture that allows employees to enjoy their job. Keep your employees engaged, provide them growth opportunities and empower them. While in the beginning money and growth prospects can draw employees to an organisation, what will make them stay longer is a favourable work culture. A poor work culture neither attracts nor retains talent. |
Schweta Chaturvedi
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