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Many hiring managers believe that employing a top performer will make an immediate impact on the business, without the need for an onboarding process or training and development programme. However, as with any new starter, high achievers must be supported throughout their career in order to perform at their best.
Without supplying adequate training and development, you may be hindering the productivity of your top talent, and when an employee feels they’re not working well, it’s detrimental to your organisation and to their own career satisfaction.
Most people want a defined career path. This isn’t an unrealistic expectation from employees. Today, it is rare for an individual to remain in the same position with the same company throughout their entire career. Demand for top performing employees is high, therefore you should be working extra hard to develop and retain your top talent.
Being an employer of choice
Work on your employer branding; show candidates why they should work for you. If you’re an employer of choice, not only will people want to join you, they’ll also want to stay.
It’s important you’re clear about what the organisation and role offers during the interview process so candidates know exactly what to expect when they start.
What happens if your top talent wants to leave?
Market demand means that your top performing employees are highly sought after. If your talent is unsatisfied with their position or the organisation, they are likely to consider their options externally. New starters who don’t feel that they’re being developed, supported and valued may feel their talents are better used elsewhere.
How to retain top performers
The last thing you want, is for your highest achieving employees to leave your organisation and work for your competitor. Ensuring you have a good retention strategy in place is just as important as your attraction methods.
Five ways of retaining top performers
1. Organise a mentoring programme - have senior level employees answer any questions and provide support for new starters.
2. Ensure all employees feel their skills are necessary and don’t let them get bored with their job – expand their role or rotate their responsibilities.
3. Reward success – don’t let hard work go unnoticed.
4. Get them working as soon as possible- onboarding is important, but don’t be insulting by holding off on difficult tasks or dumping too much on them either.
5. Create an atmosphere that allows top performers to thrive, whilst remembering to understand individual needs too.
It’s important to value all your staff; you might find that those you didn’t consider to be particularly high achievers, develop into your best performers.
To hire top performers for your organisation, please get in touch with your local Michael Page office.
