There’s a reason that employees are the greatest asset of a company. 

When you have the right people in place, you can achieve your business goals and reach new milestones as your organisation grows. However, employing the wrong people can negatively impact your business — which is why it’s crucial to take the time to find the right staff members.

In today’s competitive job market, acquiring and retaining skilled and motivated staff can be a real challenge for businesses of all sizes. As an employer, you might often find yourself in a situation where you can’t seem to attract the right individuals to join your team. 

What’s even worse is hiring employees out of urgency, even if they don’t necessarily fit your requirements for a staff member. This can result in a clash of values, work ethic or even standards of excellence.

If you’re having trouble with this, you’re not alone. There are several factors behind your struggle to find good staff. In this article, we’ll explore these reasons and provide actionable solutions to overcome them.

5 reasons you can’t find good staff and how to overcome them

We’ve shortlisted five key reasons why you may be having a hard time finding good staff members, and how you can address these potential issues.

1. Limited opportunities for growth

According to Gartner, the average employee is in the same role 50% longer than before the financial crisis in 2008. This created negative feelings within the employees for staying longer even if they were no longer growing in their respective roles. The lack of career development opportunities and increased compensation can lead to employee attrition, leading employees either to actively seek new job openings or passively be open to job opportunities that come their way. 

Skilled professionals are often seeking opportunities for growth and advancement. If your company lacks a clear career progression path or fails to invest in employee development, you may struggle to retain talented individuals. 

Solution

If increased compensation is not feasible for your company right now, then you need to find other ways to show that you are committed to your employees’ professional development.

There are several ways you can do this:

• Create a well-defined career development plan for your employees, outlining potential paths for advancement within your company. 
• Invest in training programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities to help your staff enhance their skills and stay up-to-date in their respective fields. 
• When advertising job openings, emphasise the potential for career growth within your organisation.

2. Weak employer branding

In the digital age, your company’s online presence and reputation play a crucial role in attracting talent. Like your customers, your potential candidates also check your social media pages and website before deciding whether to apply for your job openings. 

If your online presence leaves much to be desired, and your company’s reputation is not positively perceived, you’ll have difficulty enticing top-notch candidates to apply to your organisation.

Solution

You can build a strong employer brand by creating and showcasing your company culture, values, and success stories on all your official channels. This will help you attract candidates who have similar values and give them a clear idea of what they can expect from the organisation should they become your employees.

Once you establish your brand identity as an employer, you can develop an employer branding strategy, which can help you understand your ideal employee, identify your unique value proposition and create messaging and visuals that align with your company culture and values. A branding strategy ensures that your initiatives, especially promoting job openings, are focused and targeted to reach the right audience.

Having social proof of your employer branding is crucial to gaining the trust of your potential candidates. Encourage satisfied employees to leave positive reviews on job sites and engage in industry events to boost your company’s visibility and credibility. 

3. Unappealing company culture

Your organisational culture is what sets you apart from other companies. Company culture plays a significant role in attracting and retaining employees. A healthy company culture enables organisations to adapt to change and is correlated to boosting employee performance.

If your workplace environment is toxic, lacks diversity and inclusion, or doesn’t provide a sense of belonging to employees, potential candidates will be hesitant to join your team, especially if negative feedback reaches them through word of mouth. 

Solution

Cultivate a positive, inclusive company culture that values diversity, open communication, and employee well-being. Showcase your company’s values and culture in your job postings and on your website, enabling candidates to have a clear understanding of how your organisation works and the driving purpose that motivates your current employees. 

It’s also important to promote employee testimonials and success stories that demonstrate your commitment to a healthy work environment. This serves as social proof that your company has a healthy organisational culture that positively impacts employees.

4. Inefficient recruitment process

A lengthy and convoluted recruitment process can turn off qualified candidates. If your hiring process involves too many rounds of interviews, redundant assessments, or slow communication, top candidates may lose interest or accept offers from other companies.

Solution

There are several ways you can create an efficient recruitment process: 

• Streamline your recruitment process while still ensuring a thorough evaluation of candidates. 
• Use technology to automate repetitive tasks, like initial resume screenings. 
• Communicate clearly and promptly with candidates at every stage of the process. 
• Implement efficient interview techniques, such as panel interviews or skills assessments, to make informed decisions faster.
• Enhance the overall candidate experience by shortening the application process and reducing the number of touchpoints that recruiters have to handle for every new employee.

5. Absence of work-life balance

Modern employees value a healthy work-life balance. Suppose your company culture leans heavily toward overwork and burnout. In that case, you’ll find it challenging to attract and retain skilled staff who seek a harmonious balance between their professional and personal lives.

Solution

Business leaders and their team members need to have good time management skills, ensuring that they maximise their time for each day. Promote a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, remote work options, and clear boundaries between work and personal time. Highlight these benefits in your job postings to appeal to candidates who prioritise their well-being. 

While finding and retaining quality staff can be challenging, addressing these common issues can significantly improve your chances of attracting the right talent to your team. Clear job descriptions, competitive compensation, a positive company culture, an efficient recruitment process, and growth opportunities are all essential components of a successful staffing strategy. By focusing on these areas, you can position your business as an attractive employer and build a team of motivated and skilled individuals who contribute to your company’s success.

Ready to build your A-team? Contact us and we’ll help you find the right people for your organisation.