Employee poaching and staff turnover are on the rise, and employee engagement has flat-lined at around 31% of the workforce (according to a survey performed by Gallup earlier this year). These issues are fueled, in part, by employees feeling under appreciated for the work they do. Employees may leave of their own accord or they may be lured to rival organizations with promises of a brighter future.

To improve employee engagement and increase retention, it is crucial to recognize your employee’s efforts from the moment they start with your organization right through to their final day.

Sophisticated on-boarding programs help to retain top talent

Organizations have realized the value of creating long-standing on-boarding programs to ensure that new employees feel integrated into, and supported by, their company from the word ‘go,’ and throughout their first year. On-boarding programs have changed to become more employee focused. In fact, many now include pre-boarding and orientation, as well as first-week and first-month reviews, which expands the range and frequency of feedback that employees receive.

The benefit of making the on-boarding process longer and with more frequent feedback is that it gives both the individual and the employer more opportunities to discuss what’s working well and what could be done differently. If there are issues, these can be resolved quickly, and employees will be less likely to leave the company because they are unhappy. The outcome is higher retention of top talent.

Recognition is key for successful on-boarding

However, for on-boarding to be successful, a vital part of a feedback program is recognition. High engagement, and, therefore, improved retention, arises when employees receive recognition for their outstanding performance right from the start. When this occurs, employees understand the behaviors that drive the organization and their individual growth forward. Without feedback for their work, employees quickly become demotivated and disengaged in the organization’s goals and their personal development.

Without recognition, your talent is prime for poaching

With disengagement comes the desire to look elsewhere for recognition.
So when rival organizations look to your organization for their talent needs, and use tactics to encourage your talent to leave for a ‘superior’ employee experience with them, those disengaged employees in search of the recognition and appreciation become prime for poaching. Unfortunately, many companies have poaching strategies in place, and since we cannot control the actions of other organizations, it is paramount to ensure that your employees are engaged from within.

Recognition behaviors can save employees

If employees believe their efforts are appreciated from the start, and they continue to feel appreciated as they make further impacts on the organization, they are more likely to remain loyal to your organization, even if they get approached from elsewhere. Recognition can occur throughout the on-boarding process, from the completion of compulsory forms on day one, right through to reaching more challenging defined goals at each of the on-boarding milestones.

Final thoughts

Your recognition solution can help you to ensure that your new hires are recognized from the moment they join your company, leaving them feeling appreciated and satisfied, and less likely to yield to poaching efforts from your competitors. This establishes your company as one that considers a culture of recognition a priority; a message that sets the tone for their future and that leaves a lasting impression on your employees during their time with your organization.

You can learn more about how to avoid poaching of your best talent in Mike Ryan’s Webinar – 7 Simple Steps to Avoid Employee Poaching.