Plucking the perfect employee tailored to your company's particular needs fresh out of the talent pool is hard work, and takes a little luck, good timing, science and experience. Cultivating talent from your existing workforce will always be a more cost-effective option. Chances are that your employees are primed with the desire to expand their professional knowledge already, as most people view their jobs as a springboard for progression along a certain career path. Here are some things to keep in mind when cultivating talent from within.
Hire not for ability, but an aptitude for learning
Enthusiastic candidates with great attitudes are often the most willing to learn. Qualities like these are also more difficult to teach and are often more important than technical abilities in the long run when it comes to shaping your workforce.
Consider adopting mentorship programs
Go beyond basic training by developing a system in which your top employees are rewarded for sharing their expertise - using iSolved with Mojo is a perfect way to encourage this activity.
The benefits of internships
Though some interns may lead to direct new hires, the fact is that most will eventually take the knowledge they acquired with your company with them as they continue their careers elsewhere. However, internships can be hugely beneficial and well worth the effort long-term. Interns involve a short term of investment when compared to new hires, making them less of a financial risk. As a plus, they have chosen to participate in the program usually because they have ambitions toward a career in the field, so they are eager to learn the job. Most importantly, by observing your training methods at work, internships can award valuable insights which can then be applied to your core training program. They also go a long way in creating a company culture that promotes overall employee growth.
There's always room left to grow
When an employee proves their ability to excel within a certain role, it can be easy to want to keep them there. High-performers can quickly become stagnant performing the same tasks day after day. If not properly challenged they may eventually seek opportunities to grow elsewhere. Take the time for a one-on-one with each of your top performers to discover where they see themselves in the company and their current position. If a formal promotion up the chain of command isn't an option, consider giving them other non-managerial responsibilities, or give them the opportunity to perform their work with less supervision. Sometimes even moving them to a different department will be just what they need as the excitement of exploring unfamiliar territory reinvigorates their enthusiasm for the job. A lateral move will also broaden their overall perspective on the business, perhaps grooming them for an executive position in the future.
Tying it all together
Whichever methods you choose for training and strengthening your workforce, HCM software can be an invaluable tool for unifying them into one cohesive training program. With multi-tiered performance reviews and other employee-tracking implements, you can be sure that each employee stays on track toward becoming the next highly prized member of the team.