Attracting and retaining talent is a priority for any business, large or small. Finding candidates that fit a role can be challenging, but ensuring that the talent you acquire stays engaged and committed is another matter altogether.

According to a recent report from Aon Hewitt, employee engagement levels worldwide are in decline. For many growing companies, this is a daunting statistic. Recruiting talent that is invested in the job, as well as your company, is crucial towards building a core team of internal employees. The more engaged your employees are, the more likely it is that they will represent your brand well, both inside and outside of office hours.

Here are six ways to retain talent and keep your employees happy:

Professional development opportunities

Whether youve hired a recent graduate, or have an employee who has been with the company for more than 15 years, professional development should be viewed as an ongoing task. To keep your employees engaged, offering them the ability to further their industry knowledge will help them feel invested in their current position. This will also keep the business attune towards trends or changes in the industry. Offering professional development opportunities is arguably a win-win for both employer and employee.

Be flexible with duties

Another offering you can provide to employees is the ability to be flexible with the role requirements. When employers begin to build a role around the qualifications and strengths of an employee, the more likely it is that the employee will be engaged in the position. Capitalising on an incoming candidate’s strengths is beneficial for both parties. It shows recognition on behalf of the employer that you are invested in what the employee does well. It also is a chance for an employee to put into practice what they excel at, making them feel suitable for the position.

Promote from within

Retaining talent can also come from recognising and rewarding employees through promotion. Before pooling from candidates for a newly opened position, consider the option of promoting from internal talent first. If a current employee is demonstrating the ability to take on more responsibility, this saves the risk of bringing in an unqualified candidate who is not right for the job. This demonstrates to employees that you are attuned to their work performance and reward for impressive work. Showing commitment towards progressing the careers of your current talent will help keep them engaged in their work and increase the chances of retaining talent.

Regular management check-ins

Keeping the lines of communication open between management and employees is also important for retaining talent. Ensuring that all employees are receiving adequate communication with their respective managers will prove that you are invested in hearing their feedback. This could be a designated time to discuss the things they like, dont like, or things that can be improved upon moving forward. Many times employees become disengaged because there are existing barriers that prevent them from communicating these suggestions with managers. Your employees are your most important brand ambassadors. The more you invest in your employees, the greater the chance that they will represent and speak highly of the company to others.

Better benefits packages

Employee work-life balance is becoming an increasingly important part of keeping workers engaged. A way to compete with some of the larger, more established brands is to offer employee benefits that can help your workers improve their life outside of their job. Investing in benefits can relieve outside stress on employees. These incentives can keep your workers engaged by providing them with ways to maintain good health outside of work, so that they are able to perform their best while on the job.

Team building

Another perk you can offer employees to help with talent retention is to offer outside activities that foster team building and group collaboration. The businesses that are excelling are the ones that are focused on promoting a strong company culture. Offering activities where teams can grow their professional connections and interact outside of work could help establish trust on the job. Focusing on culture, and having a core team that functions well together can make all the difference in the success of your company.

This blog kicks off a series from Clarity PR, global technology PR company with offices in London, New York, and Berlin.