Hiring & Retention: Can Better Communications Help?

If you’re struggling to hire and/or retain talent, today’s post is for you.

I’ve got some research and some very practical tips to share. But first, a quick story.

In my early twenties, I worked at a major book store. As you can imagine, the busiest time of the year by far was during the Christmas rush. The entire store would become a whirlwind of activity as we tried to sell a vast quantity of product, satisfy frantic customers, and keep the store clean and orderly.

As staff, we were expected to work more hours, work longer hours, and give up what might be holiday time (e.g. Christmas Eve and Boxing Day) to help out… all while being subjected to often impatient customers and a barrage of Christmas music.

In truth, I enjoyed much of my time working there. The store felt cozy and warm as the windows fogged up, I loved to help customers pick out books for their loved ones, and boy did I make use of the employee discount. But it was definitely hard work.

As we got closer to Christmas, the work days became longer and more intense. One early morning before the store opened, the manager gathered us together and delivered what I suppose was meant to be a “pep talk”.

Or at least, it could have been a pep talk, but instead it came off as a bunch of demands. Clearly exhausted herself, she presented a laundry list of things we absolutely had to do, and emphasized with an urgency bordering on desperation that we must roll up our sleeves and get to it.

I remember thinking: what a wasted opportunity.

Her talk could have encouraged us to come together. It could have engaged our love of books and our desire to make people happy. It could have reminded us that we were a team, that we could lean on each other. It could have emphasized how much we were appreciated and valued.

Unfortunately it did none of these things. Rather than leaving the meeting energized, ready to dig into the challenge, we left with our shoulders sagging.

So maybe it won’t surprise you that immediately after Christmas… I quit.

Here’s my point. I know that so many leaders are struggling to hire and retain talent.

And I can’t help but to wonder: could better communications help?

In my experience, the answer is yes.

I’ve helped some pretty major brands and businesses with their internal (as well as external) communications over the years, and I’ve witnessed how powerful internal communications can be.

What you say (or write or present) to your people has the potential to foster deeper connections between leadership and staff, build team loyalty, and create alignment in mission and message. (Unfortunately, if your words are neglected and/or careless, they can also do the exact opposite.)

With all that in mind, over the next few posts I’m going to share some of my key learnings for leaders.

(BTW even if you’re not in a position to hire staff, I believe there will still be some worthwhile nuggets here for you. I’ll be covering things like the role of communicating proactively; getting clear on your message; and expressing gratitude and appreciation. So no matter your goals, stay tuned — if you’re interested in communications, I think you’ll like this.)

Today’s Lesson: Demonstrate your mission and values through proactive communications.

In their 2021 research report, Finding the Potential & The Possible in the Era Of “The Great Resignation”, the ITA Group identified “a significant increase in the importance of company mission and values to employees.”

This passage in particular really jumped out to me:

“The data showed new hires are particularly excited about culture, mission and values, despite the potential ambiguity of those messages because of being hired during the pandemic. New hires are also especially susceptible to “The Reality Slump,” which means employees are all too often left feeling as though they were sold a dream that wasn’t authentic."

“The dramatic decline in cultural perception matters because when employees do believe in the clarity, inspirational appeal and authenticity of their organization’s culture, they're more likely to be satisfied, more likely to recommend your company and more likely to believe your company wants to develop and retain them."

In other words, if you want employees and prospects to believe in your mission, vision, and values, you must proactively demonstrate these things.

Communication is not the only piece of the puzzle here (actions matter, not just words.)

Nonetheless, what you say — and how proactively you say it — will play a key role in how your company is perceived by those who work in it.

When I say “proactively”, here’s what I mean:

Will you wait until something goes wrong to speak up about an issue or topic of concern?

Will you follow behind what other people are doing, or will you lead the way?

Will you foster discussion about topics and issues that are relevant to your industry?

Will you demonstrate your passion and purpose by thinking and talking about pertinent matters and creating a space for your employees to do the same?

Communicating both proactively and consistently can demonstrate authentic leadership, not just to your customers and clients — but to everyone in your organization. And that matters.

What might this look like in practice? Here are some ideas.

• Create an internal email newsletter, just for employees. This could be as simple as a monthly email to staff with your own observations and musings (and maybe a few shout-outs / thank you’s to exemplary staff.) (Want help writing an email newsletter? Find a set of tips here: camilledeputter.com/blog/trash.)
• Deliver regular (e.g. quarterly) keynote-style speeches, presentations, and/or workshops just for staff. I’m not talking about a dry presentation on “quarterly performance” or sales numbers here either. Instead, share something of yourself. What have you learned? What is your vision? What are you reflecting on? What has inspired you lately? What skills can you practice together? Share that stuff — the stuff that matters to employees and makes them feel like they are in the right place.
• Publish your own bylined articles and OpEds in publications such as trades and newspapers. Your communications don’t have to be geared towards your employees for them to see value in them. (This is especially true if the goal is to attract talent.) Well thought out ideas will demonstrate your leadership and show both existing staff and potential talent what you are all about.
• Keep a company blog. Yes, writing a blog can help you attract talent and can enhance the culture of your business. Here, read how one PR professional does it — and how it’s helped them attract talent: veracityagency.com/thought-leadership/using-thought-leadership-as-a-recruiting-and-retention-tool
• Write a book or e-book. A book carries significant credibility, even when it’s self published. Even a short e-book can go a long way: it can communicate a lot about who you are and what you’re all about — enabling you to attract more of the *right* kind of people. (Wondering whether a book is a good investment for you, right now? Read my advice here: camilledeputter.com/blog/checklist.)

All of these types of efforts can help you prove that you’re a leader worth following, and your business is worth believing in.

What do you think? Has today’s post been helpful to you? I’d love to hear what you think.

And if this ISN’T relevant to you, write me back and let me know what IS top of mind.

Either way, I’m interested.

And of course, if you want help with any of these things, just give me a shout. That’s what I do. :)