Many businesses are finding it harder than ever to attract and keep good people. The accounting industry has been feeling this pressure for some years so it was a relevant theme at a recent industry event, where the speakers, broadcaster Jake Humphrey and psychologist Damian Hughes, drew heavily on insights from their incredibly successful High Performance Podcast.

The presentation was aimed at accountancy firms, but many of the points made are just as relevant to other sectors. Whether you run a professional practice, a manufacturing business or a growing service company, the same core issues keep coming up: how do we find the right people, how do we keep them, and how do we help them perform at their best?

We’ve followed the High Performance Podcast for a long time because we find it consistently useful. Obviously, there are no quick fixes on offer, but it suggests lots of ways to improve performance, leadership, mindset and culture, all of which could be very relevant here. The content from the stage challenged owners and managers to look honestly at how their organisations really feel to work in and why that either attracts or repels talent.

It’s not just a recruitment problem

One of the most important messages from the session was that recruiting is only one part of the picture. In a tight labour market, putting an advert out and hoping for the best is no longer enough. Businesses need to think more deeply about:

• The experience they offer to people who join.
• How clearly they communicate their purpose and values.
• Whether day-to-day reality matches what is promised at interview.

When there is a shortage of skilled people, candidates are far more selective. They are looking for organisations where they feel they will be supported, listened to and developed – not just somewhere that offers a job title and a salary.

Culture and retention

Another powerful theme was the importance of culture and retention. When good people leave, the cost and disruption of recruiting replacements can be enormous. Focusing on retention can therefore be one of the most effective ways to reduce recruitment pain, and cost.

That means asking what could be uncomfortable but necessary questions. For example:

• Do people feel trusted and respected?
• Are workloads reasonable and sustainable?
• Is there clarity around expectations, feedback and progression?
• Do leaders model the behaviours they say they want to see?

Small changes, such as clearer communication, more regular check-ins, or more flexibility in how and where work is done, can make a big difference to how a business is perceived internally and externally.

How a good HR adviser can help

The good news is that you shouldn’t have to work through all this alone. A good HR adviser can play a key role in helping you:

• Diagnose any issues around culture, engagement or retention.
• Review your current recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Develop practical steps to improve the employee experience.
• Put in place clearer policies and frameworks that support both the business and the team.

For many businesses, an external perspective is pivotal to move from ‘we know we have a problem’ to ‘we have a plan and we’re making progress’.

What this means for your business

If you’re finding it difficult to recruit, or are worried about losing good people, this may be a good moment to take stock. Rather than seeing it purely as a hiring issue, it can be more productive to look at the wider picture: your culture, leadership, development pathways and the overall experience you can offer.

If you’d like to explore how these ideas apply to your own business, or would value an introduction to a trusted HR adviser who can help you take the next steps if you don’t have one in place already, please get in touch.