After working with SMEs across the region on our Help to Grow: Management course, problems with recruiting and retaining the right people for their organisation is a continually emerging theme.

We spoke to Help to Grow: Management alumnus Pete Shillito, Director of Shillito Executive Search and South Yorkshire Chair at the Institute of Directors to learn his top tips for supporting SMEs with staff recruitment and retention.

If you’re finding it increasingly difficult to recruit into your business in 2024, then the good news is, you’re not alone.

Recruitment and Retention have topped lists for the biggest issues being faced by companies across a range of different sectors in 2024.

Although there is no “quick fix” to recruitment and retention issues, there are several things you could be doing to give your business the best possible chance to not only recruit the best people but to keep hold of those people, too.

With the UK job market cooling due to slowing wage growth and job vacancies across the UK continuing to drop, conditions should make things easier for employers to recruit. However, if you aren’t getting the basics right, it’s still going to be a struggle to get the right people through the door.

Here are my top tips for attracting and retaining top talent.

Analyse your advertising

Do your job adverts state a salary as “competitive” and list benefits such as “free parking and a company pension”?

If they do, then it’s time to re-think the proposition you’re offering as a company to potential candidates.

Multiple studies show job seekers are much less likely to apply to jobs without a salary banding and sharpening up the wider benefits you can offer could gain you an edge over similar businesses trying to recruit the same people and these benefits don’t have the break the bank.

Consider your culture

If you want to attract people who align with your culture and values, then make sure you’re showcasing what your culture is and what your values are.

Consider not only your adverts, but your online presence too. Consider your website, your social media accounts, your Google reviews. Do they offer a true reflection of what your business is all about, and what you stand for?

It’s also important to make sure your presence accurately reflects your culture. If you’ve done an excellent job of attracting a brand new employee through the door on day one, make sure they aren’t leaving again by day five because you’ve sold them a dream that isn’t matched by reality.

Nurture your network

Find a network of people from different industries who you can talk openly to about the issues you’re facing and who you can bounce ideas off.

From studying on the Help to Grow: Management course to my involvement with the Institute of Directors, I’ve found it an invaluable resource to be able to talk with other business leaders from different sectors who are all dealing with the same issues, no matter what industry they’re working in. The peer-to-peer support offered on both the Help to Grow: Management course and through the Institute of Directors (IOD) is a fantastic way to find solutions to problems or even just a different way of tackling an issue you might not have thought of.

Relish your recruiter

Finally, I would always recommend enlisting the advice or assistance of a good local recruiter who understands the job market and the local landscape.