During the recent Recruitment Directors Lunch Club season the 20 assembled founders, or Pirates, debated ‘Reasons to thrive in recruitment — not just the money’

Getting great raw talent is always a challenge; to see that investment leave, for whatever reason, doesn’t make great economic sense. 

The group explored points which they as business owners should be covering to ensure the talent we have has many, many reasons to want to stay and to not think the grass will be greener elsewhere — and also not to stay because of ‘golden handcuffs’. 

Founding partners Gary Goldsmith and Dean Kelly put together the following list for the group of everything a recruitment business owner who aims to be an employer of choice should consider and offer employees: 

# Feeling Invested In

Everyone who works for you should receive appropriate training and motivating management — feel part of the team — feel like a person not a number (they know you) — get told ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’

# The Environment 

The office and set-up are great — the tools are great — regular investment is made in the work place — breakfasts/fruit/chocolate 

# The Opportunity

A successful business — regular advancement — working in a dynamic space — a career path that is exciting — a career path that is believable/achievable — recruitment from within first — it’s a career not ‘a job for now’! 

# The Boss

Inspirational — fair and honest — visible — believable and likeable 

# The People

Where colleagues become friends — working with people you admire — working with people you can learn from — you like your workmates — you relate to your peers 

# Perceptions 

Doing a job that is valued (clients, colleagues, friends) — working for a well-received/known brand — feeling needed and respected

# Taking Pride

Doing something well — being recognised as being good — doing something worthwhile — it’s a career not a job (again)

# Culture

Where being good is cool — where helping happens freely — where doing more than the minimum is a driver — where you are asked questions and listened to — where you can change things and make a difference — everyone is motivated — healthy competition 

# Fun

Gary Goldsmith and Dean Kelly are the founding partners of the Recruitment Directors Lunch Club (RDLC). Contact them @RDLC_PIRATES on Twitter

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