Compensation packages have changed a lot in the last few decades. Salary is just one element of that change.  Thinking in terms of the total compensation package is the first step to updating your approach to this subject.  What is now offered as monetary and non-monetary benefits covers a broad array of options.  It’s important, as an employer, to know what people are looking for so that you can offer an attractive package when it’s time to hire.

Remember, if you are actively hiring, you are competing for the best talent.  To put it plainly, you need to know your stuff and do what it takes to bring the right people to your team.  You should be competing with the intent of winning.  Winning doesn’t happen with half efforts.

The Strategy of a Good Compensation Package

Part of your winning strategy must be a total compensation package that gives the right impression.  The offer should convey the meaning, “Your skills and experience are very valuable to our company.  We want to make it easy to say yes to joining our team.”  Unfortunately, low-ball offers convey the meaning “We’d like you to work for us but we’re hoping you won’t be a big expense.”

You also need to be aware of your many competitors.  If your top candidate is currently employed, you can expect a counteroffer to be made.  We are seeing counteroffers from companies who have historically refused to make counteroffers.  Companies are acutely aware of the cost of hiring and training a new employee, so they are willing to break traditional policies to keep their current employees.  That’s the kind of fierce competition that is out there.

The other competitors you are up against are other companies who are actively hiring.  Most active candidates have more than one offer being extended in a short span of time. Don’t assume your offer is the only one on the table.

How Can You Make Your Total Compensation Package Appealing?

If you are extending an offer to a candidate, the understood assumption is that you want them to accept the offer, come work for you and help make your organization more successful. You may have budgetary limits, but that shouldn’t prevent you from sending a very positive message when you extend an offer, with the attached compensation package.

The total compensation package has the potential to be quite robust.  This is helpful when people are assessing the value of a job in relation to what is important to them.  Here are some elements that can be included:

• Salary
• Bonuses/commission
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance
• Disability benefits
• Paid holidays, vacation and sick days
• Retirement savings
• Maternity/Paternity leave
• Work flexibility
• Subsidized training or education
• Parking
• Job title
• Pet insurance and other automatic payroll deductions
• Childcare – onsite and offsite options
• Gym membership
• Car, phone, Wi-Fi or office equipment reimbursement
• Student loan repayment
• College grants and scholarships
• Investment opportunities

Let’s dig into a few areas where we have seen companies being hindered by old-school thinking.  Many times, organizations are simply unaware of what has become competitive when it comes to compensation packages.  Keep reading so that you can avoid losing a great candidate because of an outdated compensation package.

Salary

If you haven’t done your research, you may have a skewed view of what is considered fair compensation for a role.  You may feel very strongly that you know what salary is suitable for a specific role, but you need to be sure the market feels the same way.  Everything from apples to airline tickets have increased in price, so you can expect that salaries have done the same.  Go into a hiring process with an informed mindset. Robert Half produces an annual salary guide that can be very helpful with this. Salary.com and Glassdoor are other resources available for salary information.

If a generous salary is not an option, consider other monetary ways of incentivizing a new hire.  Bonuses are a good option.  Specifically, a signing bonus can provide the additional enticement a candidate is looking for, without the annual expense.  You can pay the signing bonus all at once or pay portions of it over a period of time.

This article from Payscale provides some additional ideas around bonuses.  We recommend working with your new employee to create “Key Performance Indicators” that will measure the outcomes you want and provide the structure for the bonus they want.  Get creative with what you can offer in the way of monetary compensation.

Paid Holiday and Vacation Time

This is one area that many companies need to improve in.  Two weeks paid vacation is not an attractive benefit – at least not at the executive level.  Unless there are built in breaks such as a company-wide closure between Christmas and New Year’s or some other time of the year, people are expecting much more than 2 weeks of vacation/PTO.

Some employers may feel that vacationing for two weeks a year seems extravagant. If that is you, remember that there are many things that require time off that are not truly vacation.  Events such as moving a child to college, going on a younger child’s fieldtrip, helping a loved-one during a medical need, having your own medical need, and the list goes on.

To have healthy and productive employees, they need time to disconnect from demands and have an actual vacation.  Show your interest in your employees’ well-being by giving them a nice amount of time off every year. Our experience has shown that most candidates, at the executive level, are looking for 4-6 weeks of vacation.

Allowing for unlimited vacation time is a reasonable benefit as well. This Indeed article unpacks the benefits companies experience with unlimited vacation time, along with tips for avoiding abuse of the policy.

Work Flexibility

Having a flexible work schedule is a high priority for most people.  We dedicated an entire article to this topic due to its popularity.  The bottom line is that people want to be trusted to manage their schedule in a way that fits their lifestyle.  This doesn’t mean their work is allowed to suffer, rather, it means they have the freedom to adjust their schedule to allow for the things that are important to them.  You can find more about that topic in this article.

Be Competitive

As you develop total compensation packages for new employees, go into it with a competitive spirit.  If you’ve identified someone as a great addition to your team, win them over with a package that will help them feel like a winner.  Look for ways to customize your offer within the constraints of your system.

The nice perk of working with an executive recruiting firm, such as Centennial, is that we ask candidates, “What would it take to have you make a move to a new job?”  We find out what would make the candidate happy, so you don’t have to guess.  Because of our constant immersion in the hiring market, we also know what a reasonable request is.

Your goal should be to offer the best compensation package possible so that the candidate is honored and thrilled to come work for you.  When someone feels valued, that sense of worth is transferred to their eagerness to do their best for you.

Hire some great people.  We’d love to help.

The post Compensation Packages – make one worth receiving appeared first on Centennial.

Flexible work options are a big deal – a really big deal – in attracting and retaining your employees. What flexibility looks like to your company may be very different from a company in a different industry or different size.  If you think there’s no way to offer flexible options, we encourage you to keep reading.

Flexibility doesn’t mean you must allow your employee to work fully remote.  In fact, there is research to say that we need in-person interaction to perform at our best (more on that later). However, you should take a close look at workable solutions that could radically improve your company.

It is important to realize that the standard work life of the ‘80s and ‘90s will not attract the talent you need for today.  The information we share below is intended to help you discover some feasible options that keep you competitive.

71% of professionals said they would change jobs if they were offered flexible scheduling in a new role.  The Execu|Search Group

The Pandemic’s Impact on Employee Expectations

The pandemic forced us into uncharted waters of a largely remote workforce. The traditional workday was reshaped and reexamined for companies in all industries.  Some of the changes were for the good, some were not so good, and some are still in question.  According to Qualtrics, a software company focused on experience management, 93% of employees feel the way they work has “fundamentally and forever” changed since the pandemic, with the most favorable changes being flexible schedules.

Now that we’ve proven that much of our work can effectively be done away from the office, people want to know they aren’t expected to clock-in and clock-out in the same fashion as their parents did.  People aren’t typically looking to get out of doing work, they simply want the ability to manage their health, family, and nonwork commitments without feeling like demerits are piling up on an invisible – but very real – report card somewhere.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on industries where work can be performed from home. The issue on the table is striking the balance of in-person vs. remote work.  There are also some very inventive ways for manufacturers to provide schedule flexibility and we’ve added links to some helpful resources at the end of this article.

There are great benefits to working remotely and great benefits to working in-person.  It’s a fact that there are pros and cons to both options.  We want to share some recent research about both options and then share what we have seen as some helpful guidelines for making flexible schedules work for employees and employers.

The key is finding the balance that allows for autonomy and great outcomes for the people and the business.

The Benefits Employees Gain from Working Remotely

People love the freedom that comes with working remotely.  As with any freedom, it can be abused, but when managed correctly, the outcomes can be amazing for both the employee and the employer.

“Remote work also allows for personal breaks that ultimately make us more productive.”  Tony Schwartz, author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, writes about the importance of working like a sprinter. He says it is important to work distraction-free for a period of time, but equally critical to take regular renewal breaks to recover from that time of dedicated work.

You can take breaks when you are working in the office to walk around and chat with a coworker, but when you are home your breaks can give you a greater sense of accomplishment. At home your break may involve walking the dog, starting a load of laundry, prepping for supper, cleaning the bathroom or any number of things that will give you a mental break and also alleviate the responsibilities waiting for you at the end of the workday.  When managed appropriately, these 5 – 10-minute breaks provide you with a greater sense of accomplishment and energize you for your next task.

In another article, Dr. Travis Bradberry agrees with this idea of taking regular breaks. “Getting away from your computer, your phone, and your to-do list is essential to boosting your productivity. Breaks such as walking, reading, and chatting are the most effective forms of recharging because they take you away from your work.” Why the 8-Hr Workday Doesn’t Work

Another obvious benefit of remote work is the lack of commute.  Although commutes can be a good time to mentally transition from work to family life, they also consume time and gas money.  All those minutes and dollars add up.

The Disadvantages to Working Remotely

While the benefits of remote work are clear, there is also a negative side. Even when a role can technically be done away from the office environment, some employees and employers are experiencing negative effects – developmentally, socially and emotionally.

1. Developmentally, people aren’t receiving the unstructured learning that would naturally occur by virtue of sharing a common space.
2. Socially, relationships aren’t being formed and nurtured to the level they are when they are in-person.
3. Emotionally, people are losing a sense of belonging and connection.

From a professional development standpoint, people benefit from the support and knowledge of their counterparts.  When colleagues aren’t in the office to overhear an effective customer service call, or to see someone handle a situation in a healthy way or get an encouraging word, they are missing out on the fine brush strokes that make a good worker even better.

Erik Kostelnik, CEO of the marketing-technology company Postal.io explains his experience this way, “When everyone was working remotely earlier in the pandemic, “A players” were self-sufficient and thriving but his B and C players weren’t benefiting from the knowledge and experience of their colleagues.”

On the social front, Nicola Hemmings, workplace scientist at a mental healthcare provider, shares her thoughts on the downfall of remote work in this article from BBC.  She states, “When working remotely, we miss out on the social cues of a busy office and much needed social-interactions – catching up in the corridor or making a drink in the kitchen while checking in and asking about the weekend,” she says. “These seemingly small moments can collectively have a large impact on our wellbeing.”

And hitting on both the social and emotional negativities, this article from Entrepreneur, cites 4 reasons remote work is hijacking our “best chance at satisfaction at work (and in life).” These reasons include:

1. We are communicating more but connecting less
2. We lack a sense of belonging
3. We miss out on relationships and become lonely
4. Our mental health takes a hit because of lack of interaction

What Does Healthy Flexibility Look Like?

After reading the pros and cons of remote work we hope you have a balanced view of why people may strongly feel one way or another.  There are good arguments for both.  What employers need to determine is how to provide the flexibility that leads to happy employees while achieving the goals and objectives of the business.

In our experience from our hundreds of conversations with executive-level candidates, it comes down to this: people want to know they’ll be treated with respect.  When high-performing leaders look for a new job, they want to know they’ll be trusted to get their job done without being micromanaged.  That may look very different than sitting at an office desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Finding flexible solutions that work for the business and employees is a wise endeavor.  Here are a few tips to guide your decision-making process:

• Know when in-person meetings are most fruitful
• Establish set in-person hours and/or days
• Check in on your people to see if they are flourishing with schedule flexibility
• Take a page from other companies

Some meetings are generally more fruitful when held in-person. This article from Harvard Business Review provides helpful ways to evaluate whether a meeting should be in-person or virtual. Tips such as assessing if a meeting has relationship-based goal or task-based goals, will help employers and employees understand the value of meeting in-person when it makes sense.

Rae Ringel, president of the Ringel Group summarizes it well by saying, “Once we determine which parts of our work should be done in person, which should be virtual, and which can benefit from a mix, we can design toward that ideal.”

Having designated days for in-person work is another helpful way to provide flexibility while allowing for in-person collaboration.  “If you don’t have a standardized time of when you’re in the office and when you have core working hours, it becomes too loose,” says Mr. Kostelnik CEO of the marketing-technology company Postal.io. “It’s not about productivity; it’s not about the output or making sure you’re getting what you pay for,” he said. “The office is a resource.”

Regular check-ins are also critical for ensuring that your people are using their freedom wisely. Mike Sipple, Jr. CEO of Centennial and Talent Magnet Institute has been a big advocate of flexible scheduling for years.  He’ll tell you that, “People want empowerment and autonomy.  When managers can give their employees both, and employees can be responsible with them, it’s a powerful thing.  However, you need to check in on your employees regularly.  Some people need the office setting to work at their best.”

And lastly, observe what other companies are doing and see what is working for them.  What they are experiencing with in-person vs. remote work may give you great ideas to implement.

It’s interesting that Marriott hasn’t mandated specific days for a return, and yet CEO, Anthony Capuano, says he would not be surprised if office attendance is to grow over time—particularly as workers start to feel left out. This Wall Street Journal article goes on to say, “Already, he has noticed a shift during daylong hybrid meetings. When the in-person group breaks for lunch and rejoins the meeting in the afternoon, laughing together as the meeting resumes, those at home seem to look on with what Mr. Capuano described as the same expression of children peering into a store window in a Norman Rockwell painting. “You can tell they miss some of that unofficial interaction,” he said.”

Flexibility When Remote Work Isn’t an Option

There are some jobs that cannot be done remote but that doesn’t mean flexibility is not an option.  Organizations have developed creative ways to allow their employees some control over their schedule, and therefore providing them with the extra freedom that they desire.

Here are three articles with excellent solutions to flexible scheduling in the manufacturing industry.

SHRM: Manufacturing Guide

The Fabricator: The Power and Necessity of Flexible Schedules in Manufacture

The Manufacturers Alliance: Future Flexible Work

Provide Flexible Schedules to Attract Employees

As a team of executive recruiters, we find most executive-level job seekers will only consider a job that offers the freedom to work from home at least a couple days a week.  To be sure your organization isn’t missing out on a top leader, find some ways to allow for schedule flexibility. It’s important to be sure your organization isn’t saying no to remote work because of old thinking.  Giving employees flexibility will go a long way in attracting and keeping the employees you need.

Do you have questions or comments?  We’d love to hear them.  Drop us a note.

photo credit:Designed by azerbaijan_stockers / Freepik

The post Flexibility Looks Different Than It Did in the ‘80s appeared first on Centennial.

Despite what your coworkers – or kids – think, you can run a successful business wearing clothes that are no longer in style.  You can’t, however, run a successful business with attraction and retention methods that are left over from a previous decade.

Hiring and retention trends have changed, and you may not be aware of the new expectations. It is easy to continue with what is comfortable, but you miss out on what makes your organization attractive to others.

As a team that talks with dozens of hiring managers and candidates every week, we’re very aware of the changes that have taken place and mismatched expectations that lead to frustration on both sides of the interview table.  We want to help hiring managers identify outdated ideas that are holding you back and you may not realize it.

Some of the trends are very hot topics but you may have dismissed them as absurd.  Let’s take an objective look at what people want in a job.  Everyone wants really talented people on their team.  To attract them, you need to adapt to the new way of doing business.

What you need to consider to attract and retain top-performing employees:

• Flexible work options
• Compensation, including benefits and vacation
• Upward mobility
• Pace of the hiring process

Flexible Work Options

One of the biggest shifts in employee attraction and retention centers around your employees’ ability to have flexible work options.  Although any flexibility is a significant attractor, the freedom to work from home is a large part of this consideration.

Even though remote work has been around for years, it obviously gained prominence during the Covid pandemic.  Now that more people have had a taste of the flexibility that comes with remote work, they are not ready to give it up.

“Does this job offer remote working options?” is one of the top questions candidates ask when they contact us about a role we are filling.  It is regularly asked within the first 5 minutes of a conversation, and it can be the end of the conversation if the answer is “no”.

71% of professionals said they would change jobs if they were offered flexible scheduling in a new role.  Research from The Execu|Search Group

For managers who like to have their direct reports close by, it can be a great mystery as to why working from home would be beneficial.  You must realize that people aren’t asking to work from home so they can slack off.  People want to work from home to maintain a better work-life balance.

How You Can Increase Flexible Work Options at Your Organization

Providing a flexible schedule doesn’t mean you have to allow employees to work from home 100% of the time.  There are many options; your employees may have some great suggestions, too. Here are some possibilities:

Hybrid: Allow for 2 or 3 days of remote work per week.

Flexible hours: Not all jobs can be done remotely but could there be flexibility around the hours the individuals choose to work?

Dedicated sessions: There are good reasons to have people come to the office such as onboarding, training, team building, etc. Set some dedicated time for in-person work with a clear end date.

Compensation and Benefits

It is a tough market and trying to get top talent at a low price will backfire.  Give a candidate the best offer you can to show your interest and your enthusiasm to have them join your team.  If you don’t know what a competitive offer is, ask someone who would know.

You don’t want a great candidate to feel like a used car that someone doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on.  Giving a candidate that impression is a huge turnoff.

Your job offer has a big impact on how the individual feels about you and your organization.  Do they receive the offer and feel impressed and motivated to show they are worthy of the generous compensation, or do they feel undervalued and disappointed in what you think their abilities are worth?

Counteroffers play a huge part in compensation.  There was a time, not that long ago, that counteroffers were made as a half-hearted attempt to keep people.  Now, even companies that strongly opposed counteroffers in the past, are being very generous and aggressive in their offerings so that they don’t lose a good employee.  When a company sends that kind of wholehearted message, departing employees start to reconsider why they would want to leave.  And if that same employee received a paltry offer from the new employer, the choice to stay becomes pretty obvious.

The Benefits-Side of the Job Offer

The benefits package is another area that has changed over the years.  Whether it’s tuition reimbursement, paternity leave, retirement contributions or other creative perks, the “extras” that come with your job play a large role in the job’s attractiveness.

Vacation is a topic that needs its own spotlight.  At one time it was very acceptable to give a new employee two weeks of vacation for their first year.  This is no longer true – especially at the management levels.  Two weeks of vacation is an outdated practice that taints, what could be, an attractive job offer.

Most organizations, when pressed, are willing to give more vacation if it means securing a good employee.  Send the right message by including the extra vacation in the initial offer letter.

Remember that when someone is considering a job offer they are weighing all the changes that will come with a new job.  Some of those changes include a lot of unknowns which can feel even more daunting.  Make the offer attractive as possible so that they see the many reasons to choose the changes that come with a new job.

How You Can Improve Your Compensation and Benefits

You may have a limited budget that won’t allow you to offer a larger salary.  There are other ways to make your offer very attractive.  Here’s a short list of possibilities:

• Sign-on Bonus
• Other bonus opportunities
• Maternity/paternity leave
• Community service opportunities
• Unlimited vacation time
• Flexible schedule (as mentioned above)

Upward Mobility

People long for advancement.  They want to know there is room to grow in your organization. In fact, according to research done by the Execu|Search Group, 86% of professionals said that they would change jobs if they were offered more opportunities for professional development.

There is a fear among some managers that sounds like this, “What if I train them and they leave?”  The credible concern is that you’ve just spent time and money investing in someone and then they take their new skills to a new employer.  The rebuttal to this fear is, “What if you don’t train them and they stay?”

Are you limiting your employees by not offering growth opportunities?  Do your people have ways to stay engaged, mentally sharp and satisfied with their career trajectory?

Much more than in the past, people are likely to change jobs to get to the next rung of their career ladder. When your organization can clearly articulate advancement options within your company, people are more inclined to stay. These advancement opportunities are also very attractive to people outside your organization, considering a job change.  When there is room to grow, people get excited about all the potential.

Pace of the Hiring Process

The pace of a hiring process is more about attracting talent than retaining it but it’s another area that needs to be addressed. The time a hiring process should take, from the first introduction to the offer letter, is much shorter than it used to be.  What was once an acceptable drawn-out process filled with numerous interviews, dinners and assessments is now condensed into a very short span of time.

There is a lot of damage that happens when a candidate is in the hiring process for weeks on end.  As harsh as that may sound to say the delay is damaging, we have found it to be true.  We want to impress upon you the need to make a swift and confident decision when you find a good candidate.

Some negative results of a long hiring process:

• Your top candidate gets another offer and jumps on it.
• Your top candidate decides you must not be that impressed with their abilities, so they withdraw.
• Your top candidate realizes that your organization struggles to make decisions and they don’t want to join an organization like that.
• The employer of your top candidate becomes aware of their job search and provides them with what they want.
• The reason the candidate wanted to leave their current employer has resolved itself or has diminished in importance over time, so they are not interested in making a job change.

To shorten the time of the hiring process, make sure everyone involved in the hiring decision considers it a high priority.  Carve out time to move it along quickly.  Additionally, be sure your hiring team is in alignment about what skills and experiences your ideal candidate should have, before you start interviewing.

Action Item for Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

Take an objective look at what you are offering – both to new employees and your current ones.  Do you see some areas that you have fallen into the old-school thinking?  Have you stayed current with your hiring and retention methods, or have you stayed comfortable with the policies you have used for decades?

During our 47 years of doing executive search work, we’ve seen a lot of changes in employee expectations.  We want to pass along what we are seeing so that you can adapt to the best ways to hire and retain.

More to Come

Each of these topics about hiring and retention deserve a deeper dive to really unpack the research and experiences around them.  To provide a wider breadth of understanding, we will be publishing a series of articles on these topics.

Our desire is to help inform employers so that they can attract and retain the talent that helps organizations to be successful. We want to be surrounded by successful organizations, employing happy successful people.

If you have questions or comments related to these topics, we’d love to hear from you!  Drop us a note.

The post You Can’t Attract New Talent With Old Hiring Practices appeared first on Centennial.

Not all talented people are good resume writers.

Not all impactful leaders have had a seamless career journey.

Not all effective managers can clearly communicate their value on piece of paper.

Simply put, resumes can be misleading.  They can lead you to believe someone is disqualified for a role when that is not true at all.  Resumes are a great tool, but don’t assume they are telling the whole story.  It takes an experienced eye to see the raw talent or transferable skills in a candidate who has a less-than-ideal resume.

Resumes and Recruiters

Resumes can be an excellent way to showcase the value you bring to an employer, but some resumes do a poor job of fully defining the person they are representing. A seasoned recruiter can see beyond the traits that, at first glance, don’t appear to add value.  That doesn’t mean that red flags or gaps are ignored or absently excused.  What it does mean is that a recruiter who is good at what they do, will not dismiss someone because their resume is not airtight.

When there are gaps in an otherwise promising resume, an experienced recruiter will take a closer look to find out the details behind the gaps.  Sometimes those gap-fillers tell a story that makes the candidate even more qualified than someone without those gaps.

Knowing how to read a resume for more than the words printed on a page, is one of the reasons organizations should hire a recruiting firm.  Like any skill, you get better and better at it when you are immersed in it.  When you’ve read hundreds of resumes and interviewed hundreds of people, you get very skilled at reading between the lines.

Reading Beyond a Resume

This Ted Talk is a great example of reading beyond the resume.  Regina Hartley, Vice President of Global Talent Management at UPS, very poignantly identifies candidates as Scrappers and Silver Spoons.  One has had setbacks and challenges to get as far as they have.  The other has had a smooth career journey.  The 10-minute video highlights the underlying values the Scrapper has developed which could be a huge asset that the Silver Spoon does not possess.

As an executive search firm that has been in business for 47 years, we have numerous stories that align to this theory.  Because of our experience we may present a candidate to a client who, at first glance, doesn’t appear to be a great fit.  The candidate doesn’t check all the proverbial boxes the client has envisioned.

Why would we introduce a candidate who doesn’t fit the criterion our client has laid out? Because we are experts at spotting talent.  We see strengths that may not be apparent by simply looking over a resume.

This can only happen because we spend a significant amount of time understanding our clients – their character, culture, chemistry, and competencies.  Additionally, we spend a lot of time understanding and learning our candidates.  During this thorough evaluation, if we see impressive talent in the candidate that is not obvious from the resume, we dig deeper.

When we meet someone who can help our client achieve their objectives, regardless of what their resume implies, it would be a disservice to both the candidate and client if we dismissed the candidate solely based on the first impression of the resume.

Humans are 3-Dimensional, and Resumes are Only 1-Dimensional

“Candidate potential is rarely captured in resume form,” says Centennial’s President, Marcus Gardner. “Resumes are a 1-dimensional view and we are evaluating a 3-dimentional human being.  Part of our process is looking at the 3-dimensional role and filling it with a 3-dimentional person.”  So much of the recruiting process includes human intuition and that can’t be accomplished if you rely heavily on AI scanning a resume. This is a big part of understanding the person beyond the resume.

Qualifications on a Resume Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Executive Vice President, Becky Scheeler, further comments “Our clients repeatedly tell us they value how we really listen to them.  Before interviews start with candidates, we perform an extensive fact-finding process with our client which equips us with a very good understanding of the organization.”

“There have been times that a client has identified a specific qualification as a “must have” at the beginning of the search, yet as they move through our 4C Recruiting Process® they realize it isn’t a “must have” after all.  Through the process, they see that the fit of character, chemistry, and culture is more important than a specific qualification that you find on a resume.”

To sum it up, trust a seasoned recruiter to see what isn’t on the resume.  Not every great candidate has a bullet proof resume.  You certainly don’t want to miss out on someone with the skills and passion that your organization needs.

The post The Person Beyond the Resume appeared first on Centennial.

The world of recruiting can be a great mystery to people outside of the industry.  Many companies rely on recruiters to find people to make their businesses run.  Sometimes that means hiring hundreds of people in a short amount of time – as in the case of an expansion project – and sometimes recruiters are seeking just one, critical hire.  I’ve done both.

I have spent many years working with volume recruiting and I’ve spent many years with executive search.   There are many similarities that are found in both recruiting functions, but there are also some vast differences.  For anyone confused about how these two types of recruiting can warrant such differing processes, this article is for you.

Skillsets with Volume Recruiting vs. Executive Search

To put it simply, the ultimate goal of any recruiting process is to find people to fill the roles that need to be filled.  However, volume recruiting is targeting a general skillset that needs to be met while executive recruiting focuses on a very specific skill set and a very specific culture fit.

In volume recruiting it is possible to hire someone with no experience, knowing that it will be fairly easy to train them for the role you are recruiting for.  Or in a bit different scenario, you may interview someone with inbound and receiving experience and feel good about putting them in a role in the outbound and shipping department.  The skills required for those two positions are similar enough to be a good fit.  With volume recruiting you can confidently hire people who are a general fit for the role, knowing they can be trained in the areas that they need it.

However, in executive search, a “general fit” isn’t enough. The nuances to a person’s skill set are much more impactful at the executive level.  A sales leader with a decade of experience in the automotive industry will not be a great candidate as a sales leader in the food and beverage industry.  There are just too many details that are different in these two industries for there to be a simple transfer of skills.

Without a thorough match of character, culture, chemistry and competencies, an executive will not be able to deliver the results that the organization is looking for.  That is why I firmly believe in Centennial’s 4C Recruiting Process ®.  We very intentionally interview candidates to ensure they match the character, culture, chemistry, and competencies of the organization we are representing.  This sets up both the candidate and organization for long-term success.

A Thorough Understanding of the Candidate is a High Priority in Executive Search

When you’re hiring a key executive, the recruiter really needs to understand the candidate.  Putting a person in a top leadership role without a thorough examination of their long-term fit, will not create the results anyone is looking for.  This thorough examination takes a lot of time and requires a curious and discerning recruiter. This is a huge difference between volume recruiting and executive search.

Here are several of the areas an executive recruiter will need to spend a good bit of time unpacking as they gain a better understanding of the candidate:

• strengths
• weaknesses
• passions
• leadership style
• cultural preferences
• communication style
• how they get work done
• values
• motivating factors
• past employment
• personality traits
• career goals
• education/certifications

To further understand the importance of this deep dive, think of it this way:  In executive search, you’re finding the leader to lead the changes. With volume recruiting your finding the people to execute the change.  You need the leader to be fully aligned to the vision of the company for the people under their leadership to help the company succeed.

Executive Search is a Development of Relationships

Due to the necessary deep dive with executive search candidates, the recruiter develops quite a relationship with the candidates they interact with.  Once they’ve invested time to really get to know them, there is a connection there that doesn’t happen with volume recruiting.  This can be a challenge and a highlight for the recruiter.

The tough reality is that not every candidate journey with an executive search firm is going to end with a job offer.  This can be a tough message to deliver when you, as the recruiter, have developed a relationship with the candidates.  However, an ongoing benefit is that, due to this relationship, the recruiter knows these candidates well and can call them up when a similar opportunity becomes available in the future.

The relationships that are developed during an executive search are often relationships that surface again and again over the years.  Just recently we had a candidate who was interviewed for two different jobs and then ultimately, we hired her to work internally!

Respect Should be Unquestionable in all Recruiting

An important value to remember no matter what kind of role you are recruiter for: people deserve respect.  A significant part of respect in the recruiting world, is communication.  Whether someone has applied for a 3^rd shift housekeeping job or a COO of a multimillion-dollar company, they deserve to be told if they are still being considered for the role or if it is not going to be a good fit.  Give them the courtesy and respect to know where they stand so they are not left in the wind.

We know that too many candidates have had poor experiences with recruiters so they may feel perfectly justified to no-show for an interview.  This is the sad reality of recruiting today and something my team and I are actively fighting to correct.

I thoroughly enjoy executive recruiting, which is why I returned to it after being in volume recruiting for a number of years.  All recruiting is challenging, but executive search is a different kind of challenge. I enjoy finding leaders that can impact a business positively for all levels.  I find great fulfillment in building a relationship with someone and ultimately placing them in a role where they can drive positive change and positive culture.

However, my time in volume recruiting was also a great experience.  It was especially exciting to see the importance placed on essential workers during the thick of COVID. We all relied on our essential workers to make it through.  Now, back in the executive search seat, I enjoy finding the right person to advocate for those essential workers.

All recruiting is a challenge but it’s a rewarding one!

The post Executive Search vs. Volume Recruiting appeared first on Centennial.

Since COVID has become a regular part of our world, video interviews have become a lot more common.  However, in-person interviews are still a typical part of the hiring process.  Some things have not changed for in-person interviews, but it’s good to review best practices and address the changes COVID has added to the process.

Here are our recommendations, along with links to articles that can give additional information.

Pre-Interview:

• Know where you are going and arrive 10 minutes early.
• Make sure you know where to enter the building in case there are different entrances.
• Research the company: know the competition, the growth opportunities, and consider how you could make an impact if employed by them. Ask questions, but you should already understand the basics from their website.
• Research the person you are meeting with, so you are familiar with who they are and what they do.  It may also help with rapport if you have things in common with the interviewer.
• Clothing – your recruiter can help with this (i.e., business casual, etc.) Based on the industry and whether there will be a plant tour, the best wardrobe choice can vary. When in doubt, dress for success.

 What to take to the Interview:

• Pen and paper to take notes. Paper is preferred to a laptop since electronic devices create an unnecessary barrier between you and the interviewer.
• Take several copies of your resume, ready to hand out to anyone who may not have a copy readily available.
• A face mask, in case they require it.

During the Interview:

• Greet everyone with a smile – assume everyone you meet is part of the interview.
• Due to personal preferences read body language regarding shaking hands.
• Ask permission to take notes – this eliminates any uncertainty about what you are doing.
• Read body language to determine if you are droning on.
• Answer the interview questions using the SAR method – Situation, Action and Result. Provide an example of a situation that fits the interviewer’s question.  Tell what action you took and the results that came from that action. (See additional note below)
• As the interview winds down ask this question, “Is there anything I have said or not said that would prevent me from moving forward in the hiring process?”
• Close the interview by asking what the next steps are in the process – this shows interest in the role.
• Be enthusiastic about the role and the company. They will want to choose someone who is eager to join their team, so let your enthusiasm show.
• Show your personality and the fact that you are an enjoyable person to be around.
• If asked about compensation say something along the lines of “I’m seeking a great opportunity where I can make an impact while being fairly compensated according to the market and responsibilities.”

This Indeed article provides over 100 common interview questions.  This is a good place to start when you want to prepare succinct, well-thought-out answers to potential questions.

After the Interview:

• Call the recruiter when you get in the car. This is supremely important so the recruiter can be well prepared to report back to the client.
• Write a thank you note.  Make it as personal as possible to show you were listening.  Either email or snail mail is acceptable.  Regardless of the format, be sure to proofread your note!  This note can be sent to the recruiter to pass along, or if you have the interviewer’s email address, copy the recruiter on the email.  See this blog article for more tips on this.

Come Ready with Examples (expanded from above)

When you provide an example using the SAR (Situation, Action and Result) Method, provide a balance of “I” and “we” to show leadership and teamwork.  You want to illustrate what you’ve done within the team and its impact. Such as, “I did this so that we could achieve this.”

Be able to articulate what you’ve done for past employers and how it has impacted the business.  Have specific examples available to share how you helped the team to achieve goals.

A similar method is the STAR method in which the T stands for “task” or “targeted results”.  This article from Indeed provides a great overview and examples for this format.

Other Tips for Interviewing

Liz Wessel, CEO and co-founder of WayUp, a job marketplace for students and recent grads, adds this extra advice. “There are a handful of questions that most interviewers will ask in one way or another, so be ready to answer those regardless of what role you’re interviewing for,” Wessel says. “As you practice, make sure that the answers relate back to the company you’re interviewing for.”  This U.S. News article provides additional tips that are worth checking out.

And this article from Glassdoor, lists some common mistakes that candidates make.  Glancing through these 6 tips could save you from making the same mistakes.

In summary, know that interview preparation will take a good bit of time.  However, if you are really interested in the job, this preparation is critical.  Do your research on the company and think through your answers to potential interview questions with that specific company in mind.    Represent yourself well by dressing appropriately, showing up on time, paying attention to context clues and following up with a thoughtful note.  Be proud of your accomplishment to make it to this stage of the hiring process.  Regardless of the outcome, this is an affirmation of your skills and presence to make it this far.

The post Best Practices for an In-Person Interview appeared first on Centennial.

There are a lot of people looking for a new job.  As a matter of fact, according to CareerArc’s Great Resignation + Rehire survey, 23%  plan to quit their job within the next 12 months.  That is almost 1 out of every 4 people! While we appreciate a talent pool, full of outstanding people, we recommend that you take time to thoroughly think through your decision before you make a career move.

It is important that you don’t leave a good job – albeit not perfect, but good – and take a job that leaves you wanting.  With so many people looking for a new job, it feels natural for you to do the same.  It doesn’t take a lot to convince us that there is something better out there.  And there could be, but it is important that you know what ‘better’ means to you.

We put together several questions to help you answer the question, “Is a job change right for me?”  After working through the questions, you will have a clearer picture of what you want and why you want it.

This downloadable version provides the questions in a succinct form that is also easy to share.  It is a great tool for making a smart decision about whether a job change is right for you.

The Why of a Job Change

The first thing to think through is why you want to change jobs.  Can you list your reasons for looking for something new?  You want to be sure your desire for change is based on more than a feeling, but instead, on solid factors that will lead to something better. Know what you want to gain from a job change.

Part of understanding your why should be future planning.  Think beyond what you want today, think about what you want for 1-5 years from now.  Think through what will provide you with long-term satisfaction and give you the opportunities you are seeking for your career goals.

What Jobs are You Best Suited For?

There may be jobs that you think sound great; maybe they come with a bit of mystique because they are unusual or related to a high-end product. The key is to consider how your strengths align with those tasks or brands.  Take some time to list your strengths and areas of greatest fulfillment.  Maybe you love Excel spreadsheets — that may not feel overly sexy, but if you’re good at it and it brings you fulfillment, then stick to a job that involves Excel spreadsheets.

Additionally, think about the areas that you have had significant accomplishments in the past.  Those victories are a good indicator of where you have valuable skills to offer a new employer. Contemplate your past accomplishments and think of roles that would further amplify those strengths.

Also, think about the work environment that fits your personality. There are huge differences in a constantly pivoting start-up company and a well-established, process-driven corporation.  Which one is a good fit for you?  Do you thrive on deadlines and processes, or will that type of structure cause you frustration?

What is Important in Your Next Job?

Thinking through what is important in your next job may sound overly obvious, but it is critical to write it out.  This will help you avoid getting caught up in the excitement of an appealing job offer, forgetting all the little things that drove you crazy in your last position.  Decide now about your commute threshold, your realistic salary expectations, and willingness to travel.  Think about these areas before you are swayed by an opportunity that makes everything seem doable, only to discover several weeks in that you signed up for something you regret.

Another area to think through is benefits.  This includes tangible and intangible benefits.  Health care, paid time off, and 401k contributions are important to most people, but also consider the importance of career advancement, schedule flexibility, and the importance put on employee recognition.  Usually, people value certain benefits more than others.  Know what they are for you.

Where Can I Find My Next Job?

Networking is always our best advice for finding your next job.  Let everyone know that you are looking – your family, your friends, your neighbors, your professional networks and even your hairdresser.  Everyone knows someone and you may find just the right position simply by making a casual statement about your job search.

Be ready to clearly state what you are looking for in simple terms.  Know how to describe your ideal job in a few sentences that can be understood by the hearer.  If they understand what you are looking for, it will be more likely that they will have a recommendation or a person to refer you to.

Also, use the technology tools that are readily available.  Update your LinkedIn profile and follow job boards or recruiting services, (such as Centennial!) which can serve up a list of possible job opportunities.  Not only can you find jobs that are a great fit, but you can also read job descriptions that will help you articulate your own qualifications.  As you read through a job description, pull out the phrases that resonate with you and help you form a clearer picture of the right job for you.

How an Executive Search Firm Can Help

Sending your resume to an executive search firm, such as Centennial, is an easy way to be considered for upcoming positions.  Our process is a simple as uploading your resume HERE.  All search firms are a bit different, but our policy is to never share your credentials with an organization unless we’ve interviewed you ourselves.

We hope these questions help you to make a smart move the next time you are considering a job change.  Again, you can download these questions in PDF form HERE.

The post Essential Questions to Answer Before Changing Jobs appeared first on Centennial.

I am passionate about helping business leaders be successful and we all know that people are the biggest factor in making that happen. For that reason, our team often talks about the best-case scenarios regarding employee engagement and retention. Those topics are incredibly important, but I also want to offer that I have learned that retention is not the end-all, be-all of success.

What Could Be More Important than Retention?

Could there be something more important than retaining your top employees? You may question why I don’t put a paramount value on something I promote as being so critical as retention. What I have found over my years as an employer and talent advisor is what you ultimately want is what is best for your employees and that may not always be found in your organization.

I remember vividly, a conversation I had with a client, James, 3 years ago.  He and I did a little dreaming about what companies would look like if they put as much emphasis on helping their employees be ambassadors as they do on retention. James and I firmly believe that creating brand ambassadors is an even greater marker of success than purely talent retention. Having people who love your brand and want to promote it, is a success that pays significant dividends. Building brand ambassadors is what employers should focus on.

Care is the Critical Ingredient

For the first decade of my career, I got to see how my father led and supported the employees who reported to him. I saw first-hand how he supported them to the nth degree. Then in the 2^nd decade of my career, I have had the opportunity to put that same care into practice, whether an employee stays long-term or decides they need to move on. The key to managing all departing employees – whether it was their choice or yours, is to be there for them.

During any transition out of your company, it should be clear that you want the best for that individual; help them and care for them through the transition. It is my belief that the level of importance that you put on retaining your employees should equal your support of your employees in their professional and personal growth, which may take them to a new organization.

The Sense of Failure at Receiving a Resignation

As a business leader, I can take it very personally when someone is either 1) not succeeding in their role or 2) has notified me that they are leaving.  I feel like I’ve failed.  I want to know what I did to cause this.  During these times it is good to remember that there are times in everyone’s life where change is good. And that change may come in the form of a job change.

Employers who care deeply about their employees must understand that growth happens, and new opportunities come calling – sometimes quite literally.

When an employee is leaving, you choose how you respond.  From my personal experience, when an employee has come to me and said, “I believe it is time for me to take the next step in my career,” I have found it to be very healthy to start asking questions.  This approach helps me see the good in what I initially perceive as bad, sometimes hurtful, news.

Questions to Ask a Resigning Employee

Here are some questions I ask to better understand why a person thinks they would be more successful somewhere other than their current company.

• What led you to this decision?
• What has changed in your life?
• Is there anything we could do to have you change your mind?
• Is there anything I could have done differently to make this company a better long-term choice for you?

Driving Factor for Resignations During the Great Resignation (Great Realization)

What we’ve found, with our own company and the clients we serve, especially during the Great Resignation, is that employees are making professional decisions to support their personal lives.  It is very possible that employees are making decisions based strictly on their personal lives and it isn’t a reflection of their experience at work. After I receive a resignation and after having a moment to process (or a few days!), I recognize that I’ve developed the environment I had hoped, where my employees are doing what is best for them and their families.

Also, as a helpful best practice, you need to develop a communication plan so that the news is rolled out in a healthy way.  Sometimes that communication plan should include a time for the departing employee to share their future plans with their peers and provide the personal reasons for this move.

How About You?

It’s never easy to accept the exit of a key employee. There are times you feel like a failure when this happens. Has this happened to you? How did you respond?

Has your response to a resignation notice changed at any point in time during your career?

It is also essential to remember that your employee’s exit experience is critical to the likelihood of them continuing to be a brand ambassador. Your response could determine the next chapter of your company’s success. The parting of ways does not mean the relationship ends.

I’ve been privileged to have ongoing relationships with practically all departing employees of my companies. In some instances, we’ve brought past employees into a project on a short-term basis because they had the capacity, and we were in need of their skills.  Those mutually beneficial relationships are built on a foundation of care and looking out for one another’s best interest. It’s what the best corporate cultures are made of and what success looks like.

So, when a key employee lets you know that they are resigning, and you’ve asked the necessary questions to find out why, do everything you can to send them off with a great parting experience.  Reiterate your desire to see them succeed professionally and personally and support them in their journey towards that end.  Even though you haven’t retained them, you have continued to develop a brand ambassador who will boost your brand in the marketplace. Not only that, you have maintained a valuable, personal relationship.

The post How You Should Treat Resigning Employees appeared first on Centennial.

Thank you notes. Are they an antiquated custom or are they still relevant? Are digital thank you notes just as acceptable as handwritten ones? And how much do you have to say to make the note carry some weight?

I think it’s fair to say that certain thank you notes have fallen by the wayside, where others are still very much necessary. Sending someone a note when they’ve had you over for dinner is certainly a welcome pleasantry, but not an expected one. Thank you notes for wedding gifts and graduation gifts, however, are very much appreciated and expected. What I want to focus on is the expectation around writing a thank you note after having an executive-level interview. What are the acceptable procedures around this custom?

There are differing opinions about the details of a thank you note, but the team at Centennial is in full agreement that a thank you note should absolutely be sent. I’ll lay out some options for digital vs. snail mail and what information to include, but the key thing to remember is this: the worst thank you note is no thank you note. Let’s break it down.

Why send a thank you note?

There are a few great reasons to send a thank you note. First, it shows your respect for the people who took time to meet with you. Interviewing at an executive level means you are interviewing with the top people of the organization so you can be sure they’re not looking for ways to fill their time. Thank them for the time they spent with you.

Secondly, it sets you apart. When you dedicate time to carefully craft a personal message (more about that later) it sends a message about your character and your diligence to do the right thing.

Thirdly, it shows your interest in the role and their company. This extra step affirms that you are serious about their open position, and you appreciate their consideration.

Digital vs. Snail Mail

Both email and physical cards are acceptable ways to say thank you – there are advantages to both.  Email is sure to get to the right person in a timely manner whereas a physical card may take some time, especially as people work from home more and more.  But the great advantage to a handwritten note is that it is more memorable.  It could give you the edge you need when an organization is choosing between two great candidates.  Our recommendation?  Send both – a digital thank you and a physical thank you!

An email can provide all the great content that you want to communicate to the interviewer and the physical card can be the next level of appreciation.  Choosing to send both may not always be realistic, depending on your circumstances, but with either form, we recommend that you send it within 24 hours of your interview.  This conveys your eagerness but also provides you with adequate time to reflect and craft a meaningful message.

Who should receive a thank you note?

Write a thank you note to everyone you interviewed with.  That means writing individual notes to each person, not just a group email to all.  Make these notes personal and unique by mentioning something specific to that person.  Avoid sounding canned and generic!

If you have multiple interviews with the same company, send notes following each round of interviews.  To really set yourself apart, send a note to the receptionist or whoever may have been involved in coordinating the interview or greeting you at the door.  These extra notes don’t take long and can make a great impression.  Additionally, it could really make someone’s day!

Proofread your thank you note!

Don’t undo the good feelings of receiving a thank you note by having typos. Misspellings and grammar mistakes are more and more common in our fast-paced world.  However, don’t let that be an excuse for letting them slip through. Typos send a message – and it’s not a favorable one.

It can be hard to proofread your own work because your mind reads what you intend to say.  If you have someone who can read over them, do so.  If you don’t have anyone handy, I recommend reading the note out loud.  That’s a trick I learned in college that has saved me several times.  Another option is to set the note aside for an hour or more, then return to it with “fresh eyes” to reread what you’ve written.

Also, watch out for names!  Especially if you are sending a similar email to multiple people, double and triple check the name to be sure you have the correct name lined up with the right email address.

What do you write in your thank you note?

This bulleted list provides a good outline:

• Express your appreciation for the interviewer’s time.
• Briefly reinforce why you’re interested in the job and why you would be a good fit.
• Include something that you and the interviewer discussed that makes the thank you more personal.
• Clarify any topic that came up during your conversation that you feel needs more clarity now that you’ve had time to process.

The key to making your words really have impact is creating a customized message.  If you and the interviewer really connected about a personal commonality such as a local sports team or a love for art or both having kids in T-ball, etc., include a quick sentence about that.

The time commitment is worth it!

As you’ve read this article, you have probably come to realize that thank you notes are not something you can crank out in 30 seconds.  They take careful consideration and attention-to-detail.  However, those extra minutes could make the difference of being offered a job or not.

Even if you feel like you completely botched the interview, a thank you note is important.  Following up a poor experience with a positive note could go a long way in smoothing the road for future interactions.  You never know how influential the note can be.  I’ve even heard of an organization that reconsidered a candidate because of the thank you note following a less-than-excellent interview.

Thank you notes are worth the time.  Write them well to set yourself apart from your competition.

The post Interviewing and Thank You Notes appeared first on Centennial.

The Great Resignation is a hot topic in the business world. It’s exciting for some and infuriating for others.

Those in the ranks of the excited are the people who are eager to make a jump and and try their hand at a new opportunity.  On the flip side, the business leaders who are wrestling with employee retention are stressed and frustrated.  And then there are all the people who have a foot in each camp, trying to retain their employees while keeping an eye on job opportunities for themselves.

For the purpose of this article, we’re going to focus on how to retain your employees.  We’ll explore ideas for keeping your people dedicated and happy amid The Great Resignation.

Keep the Best Employees

Let’s start by saying that you may not want to retain all your employees.  The upheaval of the pandemic has probably revealed the employees who have what it takes to succeed in your business.  That’s not to say that the other employees are bad workers – although that’s a possibility too – but in a very real way, they may not fit the culture of your organization which creates frustration for you and them.

It’s ok – and, in fact, it is smart business – to focus on your high performers.  Give careful attention to ensuring your top people are engaged and satisfied with their job.  Your retention efforts will increase their likelihood of staying and it will promote the benefits of giving 100% to your job.  Ideally, this will provide a standard for under-performers to rise to, with the goal of helping them achieve more than they may have thought possible.

Tips for Keeping Your Best Employees

Give salary increases – This may be the time to look at your pay structure.  Are you paying people what they are worth?  Are you competitive with other companies?  Giving someone a pay increase before they are offered more money elsewhere, speaks to your proactive interest in keeping them with your organization. A raise in salary is a positive step in retaining your best employees and preventing them from joining The Great Resignation.

Provide retention bonuses – When you offer select employees a retention bonus, you are communicating their great value.  Not only are you acknowledging how important they are to the organization, but you are also reinforcing your appreciation with a key resource – money. You are “putting your money where your mouth is.”

Retention bonuses can provide the extra incentive for someone to stay when they are only somewhat interested in finding something new.  It will provide them with the extra reinsurance that staying is a good choice.

Offer non-monetary benefits – One of the biggest benefits that employees are now seeking is the ability to work remotely.  This popular byproduct of the pandemic is now a highly sought-after benefit.  If you have the ability to let employees work from home, it pays high dividends in retention.

Other non-monetary benefits include flexible schedules, generous time off, wellness stipends, community service opportunities and free life-coaches.  We dedicated a whole article to this topic here.

Help people see opportunities within their current organization – People shouldn’t have to resign to find new opportunities.  Make sure you are offering your employees new challenges within your organization.  Cross training, leadership development, and promotions should be a regular part of your discussions with employees.  These growth paths may offer the excitement your employees are looking for which will dissuade them from jumping ship.

Keep communication open – Ask employees “Are you happy?”  “Do you feel engaged with your team and the mission of the organization?” Getting answers to these questions can reveal an employee’s job satisfaction, and simultaneously, their flight potential.  This article from Harvard Business Review shares more insights on this topic of communication and employee retention.

The overarching principle is that leadership is a one-to-one sport.  Leaders must be in regular communication with their employees.  There must be a relationship in order to fully understand how to support and encourage individuals to be their best.

Put feedback into action – To tag onto the communication piece above, you should be asking yourself, “What feedback have I received from your employees – verbally and non-verbally – that I have not acted on?”  Listen to your people. Ask questions. Seek deeper understanding. Then act on that feedback.

Incentivize longer resignation notices – If people are going to leave, you can lessen the pain of the loss by having ample time to prepare.  Provide a monetary benefit for each week longer the exiting employee is willing to stay.  The more time you have, the less time you will be without someone in that role.  It will also help handoff responsibilities and relationships in a more intentional way.

Retain Your Employees Through the Great Resignation

The Great Resignation is certainly affecting businesses today, but there are reasonable things you can do to hold onto your high-performing employees.  This list, as well as other ideas that this list may have conjured up for you, are great places to start.

Consider what you can do short-term and long-term to make your organization a great place to work.  Your efforts will not only help you battle the current storm, they will also help your organization be more attractive to future candidates.

The post How to Retain your Employees During the Great Resignation appeared first on Centennial.