Adams & Garth Blog

A big salary is one of the most powerful motivators. But in these tough economic times, it may also be the most unrealistic. So how can you recruit top talent in Central Virginia without breaking your budget? Here are some tips:

Become a best place to work.

The best way to recruit and retain is to offer a company culture where the top employees want to work. This means creating an environment where positive attitudes, innovation, respect, and consideration prevail.

Offer on-site services.

Consider offering services that will support employees and their families, and help them to manage a demanding schedule. Such services could include free or reduced lunch programs, childcare, or a fitness center. These kinds of services are not realistic for all companies. But if you are able to offer some on-site services, that could make a big difference in recruiting and retaining top talent for your firm.

Allow flex-time.

A flexible work schedule is a huge incentive for many candidates, especially those with families. For example, allow employees to work four 10-hour days, rather than five eight-hour days; let them come in from 7:30 am to 4 pm, rather than 8:30 am to 5 pm; or allow them to work from home a couple days a week.

Offer professional development opportunities.

Professional development opportunities, such as a mentoring program or a tuition reimbursement program, can be the difference for many candidates between choosing your firm or your competition’s. Many individuals want to continue to grow and develop career-enhancing skills. Not only will the employee benefit, but your company will benefit as well by retaining engaged and well-trained talent.

Promote job security.

In this day and age of economic volatility, many people are nervous about the future. One way to ease those fears is to make sure that your new recruit understands your company is stable and growing – something not every organization can offer right now. So be sure to promote things like your management team and their leadership abilities, as well as any new initiatives your company is undertaking, on your recruitment website or in recruiting materials.

Innovative recruitment incentives that go beyond the basics can help you stand out, improve recruitment outcomes, and enhance your competitive edge. So take some time to develop incentives that will work well for your company. In the meantime, if you need help developing an incentive plan or recruiting top talent for your Central Virginia company, the staff at Adams & Garth is here to help. Please contact us today.