Your guide to sourcing, hiring and retaining employees.

Talent Management For SMEs

Guide To Talent ManagementGiven the challenging nature of today’s candidate market, the fight for top talent is intense, not just in Singapore’s thriving sectors like IT, finance and engineering but across all industries. Any business that plans to grow and remain competitive needs to get talent acquisition right.

• Sourcing for candidates• Making a decision on who to hire• Onboarding the new hire and retaining employees

Employees are the backbones of every business and talent acquisition must take a strategic function. As such, hirers need to have proactive sourcing and employment branding.

In this guide, we dive deeper into the topic of talent management, and explore sourcing, hiring, and retention best practices for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Talent acquisition encompasses a whole range of processes from:

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1.1 Today’s Talent Sourcing Landscape

2.1 Be Clear Choose Clarity2.2 What Do Candidates Look Out For In A Job Ad?2.3 How To Write Effective Job Advertisements?2.4 Quick Tips In Managing Your Job Advertisements

4.1 Importance Of Proactive Sourcing4.2 Using Talent Search Integrated Sourcing4.3 Using Talent Search Starting Your Own Search4.4 Using Talent Search Retrieving A Profile4.5 Using Talent Search Sending An Invitation

3.1 The 3-Step Approach To Effective Screening

1. Understanding The Talent Market 5

2. Moving Towards Success In Hiring 10

4. Be Proactive - Approach Candidates 25

3. Be Responsive - React Promptly 19

Contents

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5.1 Approaching Candidate And Arranging For Interviews5.2 The 3-Step Guide To Attract Monitoring Talent5.3 The Invite Feature5.4 What To Ask The Interviewee5.5 Pre And Post Interview Checklist5.6 Making The Job Offer

6.1 Checklist For A Successful Onboarding Program

7.1 What Makes Employees Happy7.2 How To Engage, Motivate And Retain Talent

Links of interest for employers• To learn more about integrated sourcing, click here.

• To learn about candidates in our database, click here.

• To get insights about the job market and recruitment process, click here.

• To receive expert advice via our free training programmes, click here.

5. Be Convincing - Set To Hire 33

6. Be Prepared - Getting Your Hire Onboard 46

7. Be Engaged - Retaining Your Hire 50

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Most SMEs often have very limited resources to conduct talent acquisition. That is why having a tight grasp of the current talent market is important for hirers.

1. Understanding The Talent Market

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Today's Talent Sourcing Landscape

A) Mobile explosionThe growth in mobile usage has reshaped the talent sourcing landscape around the world. Mobile visits now account for a huge chunk of traffic on job sites like JobStreet.com.

Based on the JobStreet Singapore Candidate Factsheet in June 2017, 65% of candidates have visited the website through their mobile devices. This shows a whole new set of challenges for hirers to modify their talent engagement strategy in order to capture talent on-the-go.

Today’s recruitment landscape is characterised by the following dominant trends:

1.1

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Statistics are based on Research Ink Jobseeker Market Survey, SG Data, December 2016.

96%

4%

of candidates are either actively searching for jobs (active candidates) or simply checking out for better

opportunities that will come along (monitoring candidates).

of candidates claimed to have settled or are not interested in finding new career opportunities (passive candidates).

B) Changing candidate behaviour

Candidates are actively looking or constantly checking out for other opportunities. This proves that there is no scarcity for talent.

It is up to SMEs to step up and compete with larger firms in order to make the best hire for their organisation.

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C) Shifting job motivationsWe can further characterise today’s candidate behaviour by looking closer at their shifting job motivations. Candidates now look at factors like company environment and growth opportunities.

An inside look into their potential employers will empower candidates to make informed decisions during the job search process.

What this presents to SME hirers is the opportunity to:

• Ensure they give competitive employment offers that are attractive to candidates.

• Step up employer branding to get the word out and reach target audience.

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D) HR pressured to do more with lessToday’s HR personnel are stretched thin to manage their company’s hiring needs, with an increasing pressure to get them to find more people and recruit faster.

Newer and faster screening tools that seamlessly integrate multiple products and services allowing hirers to work together to make joint hiring decisions will help to overcome overworking challenges.

The competition for talent is alive and well. A healthy and robust talent market coupled with the emergence of new technologies makes hiring all the more exciting for Singapore’s SMEs.

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2. Moving Towards Success In Hiring

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Be Clear Choose Clarity

A study by Research Ink shows that job ads remain the centre of most job placements. It is still considered the most effective hiring channel.

According to the Internet World Stats, the internet penetration in Singapore is at 82.5% and is the highest in the ASEAN region. With online and mobile applications becoming the norm, placing online job advertisements are essential in attracting talent.

2.1

51%

15%

34%of candidates saw a job ad by chance or were notified via email alerts, banner or

social media feeds.

of candidates found job oppurtunities via job ads

of candidates had approached a company or were approached by a company.

Source: Research Ink Candidate Survey, December 2016

The quality of job ad plays a significant role in attracting quality candidates to apply for the job.

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What Do Candidates Look Out For In A Job Ad? The process of how candidates view and evaluate job ads can be outlined in three steps namely channel, evaluation and decision point.

2.2

A) ChannelTechnology plays a huge role on how candidates view job ads. The most common channel that Singapore’s job seekers access job ads is through their mobile devices (63.5%). In comparison, only 36.5% of candidates use their desktop to browse job ads.*

The data stresses the importance of creating short and engaging online job ads which candidates can easily consume through their mobile devices and desktop.

Statistics are based on Research Ink Jobseeker Market Survey, SG Data, December 2016.

Candidates like to use both mobile and desktop to browse jobs but prefer desktop when it comes to applying for jobs. About 63.5%

of Singaporean job seekers are browsing jobs through mobile devices which

gives hirers more reasons to create better and more

engaging job ads.

VISITS BY DEVICE

Mobile

63.5%

Desktop

36.5%

APPLICATIONS BY DEVICE

Mobile 46%

Desktop 54%

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B) EvaluationA closer look at how candidates evaluate job ads has shown that candidates tend to focus on certain key information like salary, job description and location. JobStreet’s 5-Star job ads findings encourage hirers to complete their job ads with the important details in order to increase their chances of hiring right.

What should hirers do:• Display salary

• Include job location

• Provide clear job title and detailed job description

• Complete company profile

What candidates are interested in:• Right Salary

• Job/Role Match

• Suitable Location

• Company Insight

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C) DecisionWhile more candidates prefer to browse job ads on their mobile devices, most applications were made though desktop. Hence, employer branding is important because certain parts of the job ad including company profile, videos and photos play a key role in convincing the candidates to apply. Employer branding will help the company to stand out among other companies that are offering similar perks and compensation.

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How To Write Effective Job Advertisements? The type of information provided in a job ad is important as it helps to attract the most relevant and qualified talent to apply while enabling themselves to compete with bigger and more established companies.

2.3

Job titleGive an accurate

description of the job role by specifying the nature and the type of work they need to do.

Job description

Include three to seven highly important skills

required and focus more on selling the position to

the candidates.

KeywordsInclude keywords

within the job description to

increase visibility.

Key selling points

JobStreet’s StandOut Listing feature allows hirers to

highlight three key selling points in the job ad.

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SalaryDisclose how much the job

offers. An attractive job offer will entice candidates to spend more time reading the job ad and apply

for the job.

LocationIs your location accessible? Is the role

based in an office or does it require some amount of travelling? Always

remember that the job location is as important as the job role.

Company profileA completed company profile with

essential information, photos and videos, provides the perfect opportunity for hirers to elevate their branding and

make themselves more attractive.

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Hirers have to proactively manage the job ads in the most efficient manner to attract and source the best candidates for their company.

2.4

Tip 1: Collaborate with hiring managers at the start of the sourcing processJobStreet’s SiVA Recruitment Centre provides useful features to help hirers manage their job ads. One of which is the Collaborative Screening feature which allows hirers to collaborate with Hiring Managers to help them make joint hiring decisions efficiently.

Instant collaboration between hirers and hiring managers is one of the key features of the new SiVA Recruitment Centre.

Quick Tips In Managing Your Job Advertisements

Naresh wants to collaboratewith you

Software Development ManagerPosted on 10 Jan 2017 by Naresh

View job ad

Terms | Privacy© JobStreet.com Singapore

Dedicated LocalizedServices Proven PartnerSerious & Relevant

Candidates

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Tip 2: Log in to your hirer account daily to get the freshest and most qualified candidatesQuality talent are usually available within five days after posting a job ad. Hence, it is essential for hirers to monitor their job ads daily.

Tip 3: Improve efficiency by processing candidates immediatelyTo win the war for talent in this tight labour market, it is crucial to notify candidates about their job application right away. Hirers can do it by processing candidates’ applications in SiVA Recruitment Centre as candidates will be notified instantly about their application status via their MyJobStreet account.

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Every hirer desires effective screening that is not laborious and time-consuming. With SiVA Recruitment Centre, hirers can complete their hiring journey in one platform.

3. Be ResponsiveReact Promptly

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The 3-Step ApproachTo Effective Screening

3.1

Step 1:Setting an efficient screening process

Step 2: Aligning with Hiring Manager

for the right criteria

Step 3:Using the rightscreening tools

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Step 1: Setting an efficient screening process Hirers should not keep candidates waiting. Processing applications promptly allow hirers to evaluate the best applications and maintain a good company reputation. This will indirectly prompt more applications when candidates see a shorter processing timeframe on hirers’ company profile page.

Step 2: Aligning with hiring manager for the right criterias

• What are the ‘Must Have’ and ‘Nice to Have’• Identify preferred skills or experiences that candidate should have• Set realistic expectations

Include the criteria as part of the job ad content to manage the expectations of the potential candidates.

Hirers can start by thinking about the following:

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Hirers can add multiple collaborators to improve hiring efficiency by making joint decisions as a team.

Step 3: Using the right screening tools JobStreet’s SiVA Recruitment Centre helps hirers implement an effective candidate screening process and enhance their hiring experience.

• Provide Hiring Manager the access to SiVA Recruitment Centre at the start of the hiring journey.

How it works:

“Collaborative Screening” allows the user to add collaborators before posting a job ad, search for talent and/or process candidate applications.

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<

Process it by selecting one of these options

• Process candidates’ job applications promptlyTo win the war for quality talent, it is crucial to notify them about your interests in their profile by processing their job applications. This action will provide candidates an instant update on their MyJobStreet account.

SHORTLIST INTERVIEW NOT SUITABLE

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Hirers can set filters based on location, industry, salary, years of experience and a lot more. Sort and select qualified candidates with filters.

• Use filters to process candidate applications efficiently

Search filters allow hirers to view relevant applications and make timely decisions. The business card-size layout provides hirers with a quick overview about the candidate’s essential information.

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4. Be ProactiveApproach Candidates

While posting a job ad is a basic way to source for candidates, companies need to take a more proactive approach in acquiring talent in the current competitive landscape.

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Importance OfProactive SourcingJobStreet gives hirers access to millions of candidates through Talent Search. With an average of 20,000 candidate profiles from Singapore added each month, hirers can connect with relevant talent.

SMEs need to strengthen their talent acquisition strategy by implementing proactive sourcing methods. JobStreet’s Talent Search perfectly complements job posting and should figure prominently in every company’s talent acquisition strategy.

4.1

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The importance of proactive sourcing today:

Companies that use proactive sourcing techniques gain a competitive advantage over those that still use traditional sourcing methods. Aside from using Talent Search to complement job ads, hirers can also use Talent Search alone to search and contact candidates to fill their job vacancies.

Speed

Success

Instantly search for talent and hire quickly to address urgent hiring needs.

Offers more possibilities because companies are no longer limited by the number of candidates that responded to the job ad.

Refined with filters and various matching criteria that ensure hirers will get only the most qualified talent. The ability to determine the qualifiers needed for the job, allows hirers to source for relevant candidates.

Choices

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After posting an ad, hirers are prompted to use Talent Search so that they can start sourcing for suitable candidates immediately.

Using Talent SearchIntegrated SourcingAfter posting a job ad, hirers will get instant talent recommendations based on the job specifications indicated on the ad. This allows hirers to immediately screen and contact relevant candidates immediately.

4.2

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After clicking “Search candidates”, hirers will be redirected to the Talent Search results page with the basic criteria filled (position title and location).

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Start your own search by simply entering the position title, the skills required, a keyword, or any combination of these.

Using Talent SearchStarting Your Own SearchWhile Talent Search is the perfect tool to support job ad posting, hirers also have the option to use it as a stand-alone service. Hirers are recommended to ‘slice and dice’ the Talent Search results by using JobStreet’s extensive selection of filters. This will make it easier for hirers and hiring managers to get the best results.

4.3

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Using Talent SearchRetrieving A Profile

Once the hirer is satisfied with the Talent Search results, click on a card to reveal the full profile.

To find out more about the candidates’ work experience, click on a card to see

the full profile details.

4.4

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Make connectionsReach candidates in a snap via the invite notification feature after retrieving a resume.

A simple and modern interface All it takes are just a few simple clicks to connect with your selected candidates.

See your appointments at a glanceFind all your currently scheduled interviews on a calendar dashboard for easy tracking and recall.

Using Talent SearchSending An InvitationJobStreet’s latest innovation ensures a seamless invite process for hirers to connect with their selected candidates as quickly as possible.

Never miss an interview again, thanks to this calendar dashboard.

4.5

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As a hirer, while your first contact with a potential candidate is through the job ad, you need to find a way to sustain their interest to get them to continue their application with your company. Apart from creating effective job ads to capture the attention of job seekers, here are some

useful techniques and strategies that hirers should practice to acquire talent.

5. Be Convincing Set To Hire

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5.1 Approaching Candidates And Arranging For InterviewsWhile an effective job ad will certainly bring in applications from active job seekers, hirers who sourced talent via Talent Search may face some challenges engaging candidates they found there. Because they did not seek out an application with a company, applying a little bit of salesmanship to entice monitoring candidates will reap better results.

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5.2 The 3-Step Guide To Attract Monitoring TalentStep 1: Identify your targeted candidate’s pain pointsFind possible gaps or pain points in the profile that you can leverage when you make your pitch.

In the following scenario (please refer to the next page), the hirer can leverage on the company’s location as a selling point to entice the candidate to pursue an opportunity with them. Likewise, the hirer can use the following details as leverage:

• Salary How much is the candidate currently earning?

• Job responsibilities Are there areas in the candidate’s current role that can be improved upon in the new job?

• Career progression Are there roadblocks that impede the candidate’s career from progressing?

Hirers can then craft the right pitch using these selling points by closing as many gaps as possible.

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Experience

10 years of total experience

2012 - Present Sales Manager

John DoeMale | 35 | Punggol, Singapore

Bachelor’s Degree

EXRIIX Pte Ltd | TuasIndustry Computer / Information Technology (Software)Specialization Sales - CorporateRole ManagementPosition Senior Manager

• Managing a sales team of 10 consisting of Sales Executive, Tele-Sales Executive, Pre-Sales Lead and Pre-Sales Consultant across Singapore, JB and Batam. • Responsible for overall company sales and marketing into 14 defined sector and new businesses.

Selling point Hiring company is located less than 30 minutes away from the candidate’s home.

SituationTravelling to work via train takes at least 2 hours.

Therefore, the key proposition is “lower travelling time” and the strategy is to promote the new office’s accessibility.

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Step 2: Make the pitchWe encourage candidates to have an ‘elevator pitch’ when going on job interviews, and now we are also encouraging hirers to do the same. The elevator pitch is a persuasive speech to convince candidates why they should consider a career with your company. To craft the perfect pitch, answer these questions:

• Why should the candidate consider my company? (Be ready to talk about the perks of working for your company) • What is the role about? (Give a concise explanation)

• Why was this candidate chosen? (Be positive)

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Step 3: Choose the right engagement channel This depends on the type of candidate you’re interested in approaching, as well as the urgency to which you need to fill the position.

ActiveActive candidates may fall under Employed or Unemployed. For those who are employed, your best bets are email or SMS. These two methods can be discreetly sent during the work day, even while your target is at work, without arousing suspicion in their workplace. Unemployed applicants could be less occupied, hence a call to their cell phone will do.

Monitoring The same tactics may be applied to monitoring candidates. However, they may require a little more salesmanship to get them interested, so email may be a better option. A phone call may be a great way to communicate to the candidate more details about the job opening and company, however chances of engaging an employed monitoring candidate (during their work hours) may be slim.

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5.3 The Invite FeatureHere’s another great way to connect with candidates, courtesy of JobStreet:

Get to know the “Invite” featureJobStreet has made it easier for you to contact with the potential candidates via the Invite feature. Invite candidates in just a few clicks!

1.After shortlisting candidates who have applied to your job, you may move their applications to the ‘Interview’ folder.

2.Thereafter, you can invite them for an interview from the ‘Invite’ button.

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The process is the same when choosing candidates from Talent Search.

Candidates’ profiles are displayed in business card format for easy review. Click on the card to reveal more profile details. At this point, you may decide to shortlist, send interview invites or reject candidates by selecting from the choices provided.

Some great things about the Invite feature: 1. The system does follow-ups and reminders on

your behalf2. You may send a copy of the job ad for the

candidate’s reference3. Messages can be customised4. Select from phone or face-to-face to conduct

the interview

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5.4 What To Ask The IntervieweeEvery question asked during an interview should be able to help you determine whether the candidate is a right fit. Beyond meeting the job skills requirement, the candidate should possess the right personality to fit the role and company. With these in mind, here are our suggested questions that hirers must ask their interviewees:

To find out their motivations for applying:• What attracted you to this role? • What do you hope to accomplish in this role? • What do you know about our company?

To gauge their skills• What are your main strengths and weaknesses? • What are the three most important attributes

or skills that you can contribute to the team/company?

• Specific questions about the job’s requirements, which may also include practice tests or problem sets that the candidate must be able to accomplish.

To figure out how they handle stress or challenges at work• What has been the biggest challenge of your career? • How do you handle pressure at work? For example, what if _____?

(You may cite a specific scenario).• Name an instance where you faced an obstacle at work, and tell

me how you were able to overcome that obstacle.

To know their work styles• What kind of management style works best for you?• How do you plan your work day?• Do you work best with a team or by yourself?

To discover how they interact with colleagues• How would your co-workers (or ex co-workers) describe you?• What kind of people do you like to work with?• Would you say you are an introvert or an extrovert?

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5.5 Pre And Post Interview ChecklistBefore the interview: This depends on the type of candidate you’re interested in approaching, as well as the urgency to which you need to fill the position.

1. Have I reached a consensus with the stakeholders (reporting managers or supervisors) and hiring team involved?:

Purpose for hiring a new team member?

The top three ‘Must Haves’ and ‘Nice to Haves’ skills.

The screening and testing measures to evaluate candidates.

The role of each member in the process?

The venue and schedule of the interview?

The next steps to take for subsequent interviews?

2. Am I fully prepared for the interview?

Have I thoroughly reviewed the candidate’s resume?

Have I prepared the right questions?

Do I have the essential tools or gadgets I need to conduct the interview?

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3. Am I thoroughly ready to answer the questions by the candidates on:

The company’s background (history, mission, culture & etc.).

Information about the company’s products, services and policies.

Areas to highlight as a way to show the company’s strengths over its competitors.

The key roles and responsibilities for the role I am trying to fill.

4. Am I ready to face my interviewee?

Am I dressed appropriately to face the candidate?

Am I in the right mood or bearing to conduct an interview?

5. Have I made the necessary steps in case the interview is rescheduled?

Yes

No

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After the interview:1. Was I able to ask the essential questions for me to properly evaluate the

candidate?

Was I able to probe the candidate about his/her employment history?

Were my questions relevant to the role I am filling?

Did I employ the proper testing methods?

2. Did the candidate meet my expectations?

Did he/she meet the requirements of the role?

Was he/she able to answer my questions well?

3. Was I able to answer his/her questions sufficiently? Did I provide enough information about:

The job opening?

The company?

The next steps in the hiring process?

4. Were there missteps or issues that occurred during the interview?

Yes

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5.6 Making The Job OfferMake sure you’re taking the right steps to secure the candidate’s ‘yes’.

Step 1: Act quickly A fast response time shows your commitment and excitement to have the candidate become part of your team. A quick call, scheduled in-person meeting for formal job offer/contract signing will suffice.

Step 2: Show them the money Make it worth their while by offering a salary that is at least 10% more of what they’re currently earning. Likewise, you need to also explain the perks and benefits that comes with the role.

Step 3: Put everything in writing To make things official, include all the essential details of the job offer in writing.

Step 4: Get the candidate’s commitment, but don’t rush him/her Allow candidates time to think about your offer. You can ask questions to find out their reasons for having second thoughts and find a way to appease their reservations.

Step 5: Be enthusiastic Show the candidates that you are looking forward to their joining. Make them feel they’re already being valued as a future co-worker.

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It is important to get the new hire integrated into the new workplace. An effective onboarding program not only ensures a smooth transition for the new hire, it is also crucial for his/her

work performance, level of engagement, and willingness to stay in the role.

6. Be PreparedGetting Your Hire Onboard

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Before the first dayBe ready with the paperworkNew hires have a ton of paperwork. Consider exploring cloud storage apps or project management tools for you to use to keep track of everything. Keep in touch with the new hires without needing to ask them to drop by the workplace before starting. Prepare related equipment for the new hireAnything your new hire needs to do the job well should be ready on the first day. Make sure they have everything like office supplies (pens, pads, staplers, etc.), hardware, software, a phone line, email address, network access and biometrics or key card access. Get in touch with the new hire’s supervisor and team membersA new member has to be accepted by the team and HR has to align the employee’s duties during their initial days with the company. Working out a list of colleagues who will give orientation to the new hire is a good way to achieve this while also promoting inter-department collaborations.

Checklist For A Successful Onboarding Program

6.1

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On the first daySettle any last requirements or paperworksDouble check to make sure the new hire has complied with all the documentary requirements on the first day. Get them updated with an orientation programUpdate them to the goings-on in the company and proceed to discuss their job scope and task assignments. You can also talk about company/team expectations, rules and regulations, and culture. The session may be spread out throughout the new hire’s first few weeks if needed. Facilitate this session with their direct supervisors. Give them simple tasksYou may, for example, place them as part of an existing project. It would make them feel accepted and valued, while also breaking the ice with their new colleagues.

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On the first week, month, and beyondStay in touch with regular catch-upsBeing in a whole new workplace can be overwhelming, their early attempts at making contributions to the office can be a matter of trial and error. Having regular consultations ensure you are on top of things, while providing much-needed support to the employee. Assign a colleague as buddyHaving a buddy will help the new hire get adjusted. It can be someone in the team who is familiar with their role, not necessarily their senior. In fact, it may even work better with someone who is on their same level as he/she will be familiar with the new hire’s concerns and needs. Provide continuous learning opportunitiesReference materials that will help them be familiar with their new roles can especially be helpful to fresh graduates or to those who are newcomers to the company’s industry – conducting workshops can be helpful too. While these steps can ensure a smooth transition with your new hires, understand that they don’t have to be set in stone. You may update your onboarding strategies as you see fit by having regular consultations to see how the new hire is fitting in.

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7. Be EngagedRetaining Your Hire

Having an effective retention program ensures the continuous operations and success of your company. Your role then as a hirer involves knowing what makes people stay,

as well as implementing policies so that those needs are met.

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In 2016, SEEK Asia conducted a survey of job happiness in the workplace in seven Asian countries, namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. We sought to find out the factors that influence an employee’s satisfaction in the workplace. The collected responses from the Employee Job Happiness Index 2016 report revealed interesting insights into the minds of Asia’s workers.

What MakesEmployees Happy

7.1

These are the top three drivers of happiness in the region’s workplaces:

A convenientjob location

Good companyreputation

Greatcolleagues

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A convenient job locationWith many of Asia’s roads facing heavy traffic each day, it’s no wonder employees in the region appreciate it when their workplaces are easy to reach.

Companies that are located less centrally can consider implementing flexible work arrangements. Today’s technology makes working from home easy, so telecommuting is one way to address this need. Another strategy is the implementation of shifting schedules, which allow employees to avoid the typical workday rush hours.

Great colleaguesEmployees who have good relationships with their colleagues are more productive and generally satisfied in their careers. It all starts with building a company culture that values teamwork as part of the company’s success. Achieve this with the right team building initiatives. Your team’s day-to-day interactions shape the company’s environment, so make each one as pleasant for everyone as much as possible.

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Good company reputationPeople feel happy when they feel valued and empowered. Beyond perks and a good pay, having talent development programmes that highlight your company’s corporate values are key to shaping your employees’ attitudes towards work. These programmes should trickle top down in the employee hierarchy so that everyone is on the same page, with the company’s leaders serving as mentors to impart the corporate values to their staff.

It’s easy to imagine the process as a two-way street: employees who work for employers with good reputations are likely to be happier and work better, and this extends to their dealings with your respective customers and stakeholders. This in turn further improves your company’s reputation, especially to the public at large.

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Employee Job Happiness Index 2016 also looked at the top employee motivators in the region.

Unsurprisingly, ‘rewards’ topped the survey as the region’s top motivator for raising its employees’ happiness quotient. Rewards come in the form of salary raises, positive reinforcement, training, and job promotions. As a hirer, you need to take these factors into account if you want to engage, motivate, and retain your employees.

How To Engage,Motivate And Retain Talent

7.2

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EngageLet your employees know their worth and show them how their work impacts the company’s mission. Make them a part of the equation – engage them by showing what you are trying to accomplish and why you are trying to accomplish that goal.

Keep an open line of communication with your employees. Give them the full picture about the happenings in the different departments in your company. Keeping them in the dark breeds insecurity, which can be destructive to their productivity.

Create a culture of teamwork in the workplace. An open flow of ideas between different departments reflect a company culture where everyone’s voice get heard. It fosters the idea of a ‘community’ in the workplace – of colleagues with different strengths and diverse disciplines coming together to work on a common goal.

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MotivateReward great work with financial incentives and other perksAs our survey has shown, nothing beats financial incentives as a motivator in the workplace. Employees who are well-compensated work better, are more productive, and go above and beyond expectations. Financial incentives can be salary raises, bonuses, gift certificates, or commission pay.

Make positive reinforcement a habitRewards don’t have to cost you anything. Praise, like a quick ‘thanks’ is enough to boost an employee’s mood which can help them do better work. A pat on the back, a handshake, or a small gift can work wonders in the workplace.

Avoid micromanagement People feel motivated when they are empowered. They want to feel valued, but they also need to be trusted to do their tasks on their own. A little bit of guidance is fine in the beginning, but once they can manage, take a step back and leave them on their own.

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RetainCommit to their professional development with trainings and programmesIt’s a way to show you are investing in their future – an affirmation that they made the right choice in choosing the company by helping them progress in their careers. You can do this by conducting in-house training sessions or by sponsoring employees who may want to earn advanced degrees.

Promote deserving employees and give them fair compensation In a survey conducted by SEEK Asia in their Job Promotions Report 2017, Singaporean employees wait 46 months on average before they move up the ladder. For those who do get promoted, often their rise doesn’t come with further benefits besides a pay rise. Most employees want progression in their careers, Singaporean employers need to do more to address this issue. Especially with the huge gap between Singapore’s high cost of living and the employees’ slow career progression.

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Treat employees with dignity and respect A workplace where they don’t feel valued and disrespected is a tough place to go to each day. If managers treat their employees well, employees will always associate their jobs with positive experiences. So get to know your employees and make each workday as pleasant as possible for them.

For these tactics to succeed, it is important for employers to commit to them on a long-term basis. Always remember that happy and satisfied talent are the key ingredients to a company’s success and longevity in the industry. Taking the time to invest in talent engagement programmes in the workplace can only lead to good things in the years to come.

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Any Questions?We’re always at hand to help you with whatever questions you have.

Call your dedicated Customer Care Manager.

Email us at corpcare-sg@jobstreet.com

To learn more about our webinars, click here

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