5 creative ways to attract high-quality employees

Hiring trends fluctuate, so staying on top of what's happening is important to attract the best employees. The employees your company will hire today want different things than those who came on board a few years ago. If you can meet the needs and wants of the next wave of employees, you'll attract candidates who stay with your company for years to come. But these days, it takes more than a high salary to entice applicants. You may need to use these five creative ways to attract employees if you want top-notch talent.

"Whether the employees you want to hire are looking for a short commute, more paid days off, or great company culture, catering your job description and hiring plan to meet their needs will help you attract the right candidates."

Propose a challenge or contest

Propose a challenge or contest to attract talented young minds looking to show off their skills. Some companies use assessment tests during the recruitment process to determine whether a candidate is a good fit for a job. Instead, presenting a contest can provide similar results to a test without putting the same pressure on the individual applying to your open position. The challenge should incorporate one or more tasks they would need to do in their role. Make sure the competition is challenging, but don't make it too difficult.

For example, if you're hiring for an IT role that requires a lot of debugging, you could come up with a challenge that requires candidates to debug a communications issue within a specified time frame. You can see how they handle the problem, how long it takes them to fix it, and how well they resolve it. Remember that you can train new employees, so it's not always just a matter of solving the problem. You'll also want to consider their approach and whether they can meet a deadline.

Make your offer exciting

An enticing offer will look different to everyone, but there are a few things employees want in addition to a competitive salary that will make your job opening more attractive:

• Bonuses: Offering new hires sign-on bonuses or mentioning that you give rewards, like an employee of the month award, can make your job offer stand out. You can pay these bonuses after a specified time, such as 90 days or monthly.
• Benefits: Most employees want a nice benefits package that helps them pay for medical expenses. It should include medical, dental, and vision coverage and be affordable if they want to add a family member.
• Perks: You can also offer employee perks that make working at your company enjoyable. The perks your company offers will need to suit your staff and industry but can include things like providing a great vacation policy, promoting being outdoors, offering paid leave, and encouraging openness and communication.

When you make your company an appealing place to work, you'll attract candidates who want to work for you. Knowing what employees are looking for can help you create a workplace that caters to their needs.

Provide a flexible schedule

Remote work is a hot topic and something many employees want, but not all companies can offer fully remote positions. And that's OK because many employees and employers are embracing flex time, which is allowing for more freedom in employee schedules, even if they have to show up to the office. Giving your employees a more flexible schedule means they can pick up their kids from school or go to the dentist without scheduling it first. This kind of flexibility empowers employees to accomplish more because they have more control over when they work.

Focus on training opportunities

You don't want to have to recruit, hire, and train new employees, and they don't want to have to look for new jobs. With this in mind, make sure that candidates know you're dedicated to providing training and upskilling opportunities. If you focus on providing training opportunities, you'll always have employees to fill open roles. As positions become available, you can fill them with the people on your team who have the training to take over the job. 

Because most candidates hope to work for your company for years to come, knowing you'll provide the training they need to stay up to date in their field can be the motivation they need to apply to your position.

Ask for referrals or hire from within

Asking current employees for referrals is another creative way to attract new employees. If your employees know you're hiring, they may know someone who can fill the role. Your employees know your company and how it operates. Most employees won't recommend someone who wouldn't be a good fit, so it's worth considering their recommendations. This also shows you trust your employees, and they can pass this on to potential job candidates. Employees who enjoy working at your company can persuade someone to apply by showing excitement about their job.

Finding creative ways to attract employees will make your organization stand out. You'll get high-quality candidates applying for your open roles, which should result in fewer job openings and a shorter time with gaps in employment. Whether the employees you want to hire are looking for a short commute, more paid days off, or great company culture, catering your job description and hiring plan to meet their needs will help you attract the right candidates.

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