Designed to support our businesses, this initiative by the Seacoast Economic Development Stakeholders is made possible through a Collaborative Economic Development Region grant provided by the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs.
Explore the hiring resource below or download the PDF version.
Attracting,
Developing, and
Retaining Talent
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When it comes to building, scaling, and maintaining a business in 2023 and beyond, employers recognize the importance of a reliable workforce.
Last year our business community was asked what they believed the most important problem they faced. 34% mentioned labor shortage or the cost of labor - making it the leading concern of New Hampshire employers. It beat out the next closest concern, inflation, by a whopping 15 percentage points. Without the ability to hire, businesses can’t grow. Halted growth is not just a problem for individual organizations, but for our greater New Hampshire economy.
The last three years have caused a permanent shift in the way Americans look at work. High paid remote jobs via large multinationals has become a norm. Combine this with near historic unemployment rates, “Quiet Quitting”, and a drastically fluctuating economy, it’s no secret that employers have their work cut out for them.
Resource Outline
Prefer to listen to each module? Select the section below:
[16 MIN LISTEN][14 MIN LISTEN][12 MIN LISTEN]Creating a Strong Employee Value Proposition
Our research shows significant thematic overlap when it comes to attracting, developing, and retaining talent.
Every employee seeks fulfillment in their work. This fulfillment ranges from paycheck to purpose.
A strong employee value proposition includes a multifaceted approach to attract new hires and retain top talent.
The five areas in the outer ring of this chart are essential to each stage of the employee life cycle. However, they’re utilized differently depending on the goal.
Resource 1
Attracting Talent
LISTEN TO THIS MODULE [16 MIN]ATTRACTING TALENT
Brand Storytelling
Kimiko Ebata
Career Coach & Transition Expert at Ki Coaching
“With this new landscape, it's important for companies to differentiate themselves by effectively communicating their culture, their values, as well as their overall brand to their potential talent base.”
CHALLENGE
My company has served the Seacoast Region for decades, but now we feel invisible to the new talent base.
APPROACH
Job seekers look to a business’s website to learn more about the company as a whole. Strengthen your digital presence by:
Creating a distinct employer brand to attract top talent.
Authentically communicating your story and culture so that potential hires can envision themselves working for you.
Share your mission, so that talent has a deeper understanding of the “why” behind your work.
STRENGTHEN YOUR DIGITAL PRESENCE BY
Creating a distinct employer brand to attract top talent
It’s common for organizations to narrow the focus of their brand identity to only attracting potential clients or customers. However, cultivating a distinct employer brand is just as important when you’re working to sustainably scale your company.
Simply put, a consumer brand attracts clients or customers, an employer brand attracts talent.
By intentionally crafting an authentic employer brand, you’ll attract potential hires that are aligned with your company’s values.
You don’t have to change who you are! You just need to get creative with your storytelling.
Authentically communicating your story and culture so that potential hires can envision themselves working for you.
Company culture begins at the top. When potential hires feel like they can trust the founders and executives, they’ll be more interested in joining your team.
FOUNDER STORY
While leaders may set the tone, it’s ultimately coworkers that bring the culture to life. Give inquiring talent an opportunity to see what it’s like to work with you through photos, videos, and testimonials on your website and social platforms.
COMPANY CULTURE
When sharing your story, consider the talent pool you’re hoping to access: A blue-collar business shouldn’t take the same approach as a tech startup. Authentic communication is key to reaching your ideal audience.
Sharing your mission, so that talent has a deeper understanding of the “why” behind your work.
At the end of the day, employees want to feel like they’re part of something bigger. By clearly communicating your company’s purpose, they’ll be able to understand their role in bringing this vision to life.
Remember, when it comes to attracting talent, you're only competing with others in your industry – who have the same limitations and operating parameters as you do. All you have to do is gain the competitive edge within your field – and an effective mission statement is a great first step in this process.
This can be demonstrated through mission, vision, and values statements on your website.
ATTRACTING TALENT
Employee Value Proposition
Bill Stowell Jr
Central Park Garage & Central Park Express
“Just look at industry norms, and if there's something that you can change – that benefits your employee – that you can implement without costing an arm and a leg, that really sets you apart from the industry standard. [That will] make you different in a positive way to prospective employees.”
CHALLENGE
We’re looking to fill a role, but aren’t finding the right talent or culture fit. What can we do?
APPROACH
Be direct about what you can offer new talent and how your organization is different from the competitors. This includes those three areas of the Employee Value Proposition Pyramid:
Contractual: Compensation and Benefits
Experiential: Career Development and Well-Being
Emotional: Purpose
EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION
Contractual - Compensation and Benefits
This is the most straightforward of the categories – and is what makes you competitive in the industry. Examples of monetary and non-monetary compensation to consider are:
MONETARY
Salary
Commission
Bonuses
Stock Options
Profit Sharing
Paid Time Off
Employee Discounts
401K matching
NON - MONETARY
Flexible schedules
Hybrid/Remote work
Parental and Caretaker Leave
Insurance
Housing
Experiences & Rewards
Every person has different priorities – it doesn’t all come down to salary! If you have a tighter budget, get creative with other perks. Can you offer remote or hybrid workplace structures? Unlimited vacation days? These details are incredibly important to future employees – particularly for those seeking a strong work-life balance or to be part of a mission-driven organization.
Experiential - Career Development and Wellbeing
Experiential components of your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) are what differentiate you from similar companies in your field.
Two primary areas are:
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
These opportunities help talent understand how they will grow with the company
Internal Systems for Career Development
Education & Training Reimbursement
Clearly Articulated Promotion Opportunities
Networking Opportunities
Mentorship
EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING
This demonstrates that your organization values the overall wellness of your team
Parental support: child care, nursing rooms, flexible scheduling for families
Stocked kitchen with snacks and beverages, or weekly team meals
Mental health support for employees
Social opportunities and team bonding activities
These are just some suggestions on how to approach professional growth and employee well-being within your company – but consider what makes sense for your organization and industry. For example, if you’re a local restaurant, you may not be able to offer onsite child care, but you can provide a shift meal for your employees to enjoy on their break.
Take some time to brainstorm all of the experiential benefits. Once you’ve created an exhaustive list, order them from immediately accessible to long-term goals. This will help you prioritize these perks, in a way that is financially and systematically most beneficial to your team.
Emotional: Purpose
When highlighting your Employee Value Proposition (EVP), don’t forget to demonstrate the bigger picture. This area is what allows you to stand out from the rest, making you a unique company in your field.
Clearly communicate the greater purpose behind your organization, and how that employee would directly contribute to this larger mission.
This can be integral to the work itself
A non-profit that offers after school arts programming for elementary school students
Or it can be ways that your organization gives back to the community
A barber shop that offers free haircuts to veterans on the first of the month
Purpose not only gives employees a sense of direction and accomplishment, it also helps bring teams together around a common goal. While your employee brand demonstrates your organization’s vision, use the details of your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to show how each role directly contributes to this mission and demonstrate how you value each team members contributions.
ATTRACTING TALENT
The Hiring Process
Barbara Marchetti
Consultant with Leddy Group
“You have got to think about how the people perceive your recruiting process. If you're serious about hiring talent, you’ve got to put the human back in human resources. Right now, the number one thing that every candidate is looking for is engagement. That first step is going to make or break it oftentimes.”
CHALLENGE
We’ve had a job posting up for weeks, but aren’t getting any traction. The few folks that do apply are no-shows for interviews.
APPROACH
Re-evaluate your hiring funnel and process by:
Considering the demographic of the role you’re trying to fill.
Then place yourself in the shoes of the ideal candidate. How can you encourage them to come work for your organization?
Take a multipronged approach to finding new talent.
RE-EVALUATE YOUR HIRING FUNNEL
Consider the demographic of the role you’re trying to fill.
STEP ONE
For example, if you’re hiring for an entry level position, you’ll likely receive a lot of GenZ applicants.
This age group grew up in the world of TikTok videos, Instagram stories and swiping left/right on dating profiles. They are used to a transient digital presence. Your best bet with these folks it to engage them early on in the hiring process.
Taking the time to research your target demographic – whether that’s generational, cultural, or industry-specific – will help you better understand how to best connect with them to ensure an effective and meaningful hiring process.
STEP TWO
Place yourself in the shoes of the ideal candidate.
Now that you’ve honed in on your target talent demographic, it’s time to do a bit of research. Look up workplace trends, poll your network on LinkedIn, or simply chat with current employees to learn more about their personal values.
From there, ask yourself the question: How can I encourage my ideal candidate to come work for my organization?
Sticking with our entry-level example, The Washington Post reported that most GenZ applicants are seeking flexible working environments, wellness benefits, and mentorship opportunities.
Consider highlighting these perks on the job posting itself – as well as building it into your employer brand – so that potential hires can confidently apply, knowing that your organization shares their values. (source: WaPo)
Take a multipronged approach to finding new talent.
STEP THREE
When it comes to finding new talent, taking a multipronged approach to your hiring funnel can not only help you successfully discover your next hire, but also streamline your application process altogether.
There are many ways to connect with potential employees – from recruitment agencies to online job boards. By understanding the pros and cons of each approach, you can determine what makes the most sense for your organization. Let’s think of this step through the lens of fishing.
TALENT FISHING WITH A NET
This will reach a greater audience, but you’ll likely have a wider variety of applicants, many of whom might not be the right fit. Also, this method can take a bit longer to engage with each potential hire, and you may lose interest from some folks early on in the process.
Online job postings, like on LinkedIn or Indeed
Ad in the local paper or on community social platforms
Storefront window sign that states We’re Hiring
TALENT FISHING WITH A LINE
This approach will take a bit more work on the front end, but you’ll target a smaller talent pool that is more aligned with the position. You will also be able to connect with that person earlier on, which helps build a relationship and determine if they are a culture-fit before the formal interview.
Recruiting, either with an agency or by reaching out to talent on LinkedIn + social networks
University Job Fairs
Employee Referral Programs
Networking events
When building a multipronged hiring funnel, consider choosing any two of the options above to begin – then add on more if needed.
Resource 2
Developing Talent
LISTEN TO THIS MODULE [14 MIN]DEVELOPING TALENT
Investing In Employees
Diana Bournes
President at Ascendle
“Part of our managers’ responsibility is to set a professional development plan with each team member. So each person is thinking: ‘okay, in the next 12 months, I really want to work on these areas, maybe I want to set some really specific goals, maybe I want to take this training.’ They put together a professional development plan for that year, and then revisit it every quarter to see how are we’re doing. Have we made progress together? [Are we] helping you to achieve these goals? We're always looking at that plan and tweaking it.”
CHALLENGE
It seems like one of my best employees isn’t engaged in the work anymore. Are they Quiet Quitting on me?
APPROACH
Have an open, honest dialogue with your employee:
Talk to them as a whole human. Life happens. They may need additional support.
Lead with empathy and clarity.
Troubleshoot any problems and find ways to lean into their strengths.
Create a professional-growth game plan that provides a roadmap to success.
COMMUNICATING WITH EMPLOYEES
The evolving economy and workplace can leave a lot of leaders concerned for the future of their business. Which is valid! But before you begin problem-solving, take a moment to connect with your employees on a human level. By leading with empathy you demonstrate:
Lead with empathy
You care for the well-being of your team.
This goes a long way for building a supportive company culture.
Challenges may be occurring outside the workplace. By having an honest conversation, you’ll be able to understand the root of the problem, rather than jumping to assumptions or conclusions.
An understanding that life happens.
Perhaps your employee does feel stuck, but is unsure of how to begin the conversation. When you lead with active listening, you’ll model teamwork and collaboration. Two traits that support the long-term health of your company.
Your priorities as a leader.
Offer constructive feedback
Framing feedback in a constructive way is essential to a strong, productive working environment. Keep the following in mind when having performance-based conversations.
Don’t assume that your employee simply ‘doesn’t want to work’
Are there times that this is the case? Sure. But most people – of all generations – seek meaning and respect in their work. Assuming that someone is lazy is an unhelpful character judgment. Not only does this impact the relationship, it’s counterproductive when troubleshooting any problems.
Recognize that there’s no one-size-fits all solution.
Get curious about their interests and strengths, then find creative ways to weave that into your growth-plan. For example: Your introverted employee doesn’t need to take the same approach to sales as a social butterfly. Maybe their strength lies in their introversion and ability to listen to a clients pain points before providing a solution. By leaning into each person’s strengths, you’ll inspire the individual and strengthen the collective.
Work together to find a solution to any existing problems. People respond to a combination of trust and accountability. Strike a balance between offering consistent support and providing agency over their work. This approach creates a positive working relationship based on self-motivation and honest communication.
Remember, you’re on the same team.
Create a growth plan
This plan will look different for every industry, company, and employee. However, a basic formula looks like:
You’re currently in X role. If you show progress Y area, you’ll be on target to progress to Z.
X= Defining where the employee is now. Their position in the company and job expectations.
Y= Agreed upon targets and areas for growth. Find qualitative and quantitative ways of measuring progress, and offer as much clarity as possible.
Z= Their goal. This could be a new position, financial raise, or professional opportunity. Discover what your employee values, and build a growth plan around that larger objective.
Another key element of your growth plan is including opportunities for feedback. Investing in employees means offering mentorship, supporting resources, and recognition every step of the way.
DEVELOPING TALENT
Company Culture
Jilan Hall-Johnson
Owner of The Sassy Biscuit Co.
“We are a small business but we try to operate as a much larger company with a hope that, if we create an amazing culture that: 1.) It's rewarding for the employees, because work should be rewarding. 2.) It leads to less turnover. And 3.) It creates a better experience for the guests who walk through our doors – and even extends into our community as a whole. We want to be the standard that everyone tries to live up to or wants to be a part of.”
CHALLENGE
My small team is growing. How do I create a positive company culture? It’s important that my employees want to work here.
APPROACH
Lead with respect and collaboration:
When people feel espected, they’re more excited to contribute. It’s senior leadership’s role to set this standard for the company.
Listen to your team’s ideas – and implement them! (when possible).
Create flexible, but sustainable working structures.
RESPECT AND COLLABORATION
Prioritize people, and the profit will follow
When people feel respected, they’re more excited to contribute. It’s senior leadership’s role to set this standard for the company.
Fostering a culture that is inclusive of varying cultures, backgrounds, and ideas.
Demonstrating respectful communication, and not tolerating gossip, in order to cultivate a positive work environment.
Taking time to get to know your team, and offer opportunities for them to connect with each other.
Company culture starts at the top. Setting a solid foundation from the get-go is easier that fixing things down the line. Prioritize your people, and the profit will follow.
Listen to your teams’ ideas, and try them whenever possible
The rules of improv comedy are a great reminder of how to build a creative company culture.
The #1 rule of improv is to always say
“Yes, and -”
In the context of comedy, this means agreeing with any idea your scene partner has, then building upon that idea. Granted, you won’t be able to implement every new idea or system. Being open and receptive to change will benefit you in the long run. Not only will it get your team’s creative juices flowing, it also reinforces that you value their input and perspectives.
Consider your work structures
There is freedom and stability within a well-designed structure. If employees know their boundaries and protocols they’re more likely to innovate within them, because the daily needs are taken care of.
When considering how to structure your team’s workdays, ask yourself:
Where can I offer flexibility to my employees, so that they’re able to best perform daily tasks? This could look like flexible working hours or unlimited sick days. Think about what makes sense for your company.
Can I offer hybrid or remote work? If not, how can I best cultivate a working environment that supports productivity and creativity?
What is the leadership style, and does it support my team? Keep in mind, micromanaging kills creativity and company morale.
Are our current systems sustainable? Work will always have its busy moments, but managing daily expectations supports your employees’ physical and mental health, and as a result the health of your company.
DEVELOPING TALENT
Balance > Burnout
Beth Blaney
Founder of BBA Bookkeeping
“If I have turnover, I cannot grow and scale this company. Employees need to be happy. They need to be fulfilled and not overwhelmed, in order to treat our clients the way that I expect them to be treated. It's this cycle, right? We found our ideal client, but now we need to care for our ideal client. Which means I need to make sure I'm caring for the people who are caring for our ideal client.”
CHALLENGE
We had a series of layoffs this year, and I’m afraid we won’t make it through another quarter. How can I support my team?
APPROACH
Take a step back, and understand your employee experience. Ask the following questions:
What is their day-to-day experience?
Do they feel supported and capable of success?
How do they interact with their team? Management? Technology?
THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
Look beyond the regular to-do list
This includes task load, communication protocols, meetings, and everything in between.
While unrealistic productivity expectations can certainly lead to burnout, often the root of the issue is not about the amount of daily tasks.
Burnout can come from lack of agency, or the emotional drain of trying to rally a team that’s facing low-morale. The more you understand the circumstances, the better you can offer support.
Understand every aspect of your employees’ day – including the commute. Figure out where you can lighten the load in a way that doesn’t affect your ability to serve your customers or clients.
Offer support early and often
While extenuating circumstances can lead to overwhelm, many causes of burnout are completely within your control.
When offering support, check in with your team to make sure they have:
An achievable task load and reasonable work hours
Sufficient resources that are readily available
Effective systems and processes
Recognition and/or reward for their efforts
A sense of community and leadership
Access to a management team that responds to requests for assistance
Consider communication boundaries
The world of instant notifications and non-stop communication is directly connected to burnout. If you’re concerned about your team, do a company communication audit.
How do employees interact with their colleagues? Management? Technology?
What are the expected turnaround times for team and client messages?
And (perhaps the most important question) can that meeting be an email?
Constant contact gets in the way of deep work and impacts mental well being. When in doubt, slow things down. Rushing in the wrong direction is worse than taking a pause to get it right.
Resource 3
Retaining Talent
LISTEN TO THIS MODULE [12 MIN]RETAINING TALENT
Fostering Trust and Connection
Krystal Hicks
Founder of JOBTALK, former Director of Career Services at the University of New Hampshire
“My theory on this has always been that remote work is not the issue. The issue is trust, or the lack thereof, in the workspace. If you have a CEO or if you have leadership that's filled with micromanagers, then you have more trust issues. If you don't have a culture of trust, you don't have autonomy.”
CHALLENGE
Nearly a quarter of my employees have left the company in the past 6 months. I can’t handle this turnover. What’s going on?
APPROACH
‘People don’t leave jobs. They leave people.’ If you’re having a high turnover rate, take a look at how your team operates. Ask yourself:
Is there is a specific employee that is making others’ jobs more difficult?
Is micromanagement an issue?
Are current systems getting in the way of employee connections?
‘PEOPLE DON’T LEAVE JOBS.
PEOPLE LEAVE PEOPLE.’
When to terminate employment
Hiring quality team members is a major part of keeping your team strong and happy. If management makes excuses or allows poor behavior, you’ll lose good employees by keeping the bad ones around.
If you have a specific colleague that is affecting team dynamics or making others’ jobs more difficult – and you’ve already tried to remedy the situation with a growth plan – then it may be time to consider letting them go.
However, you’ll want to consider the context of the situation. Abrupt firings can create a culture of instability. By having accountability systems in place, you’re able to document problems as they arise, rather than making an impulsive decision to terminate employment. This ultimately protects your company and respects the employees who are pulling their weight.
How to address micromanagers
Micromanagement demonstrates a lack of trust. And when your team isn’t trusted, they’ll feel like they don’t have autonomy in their work.
The result? An apathetic company culture.
No one wants to feel like a cog in a machine or worry that one mistake will put their job in jeopardy. Address this head on by:
Often micromanagement comes from leaders explaining what to do, without educating their teams on how or why these steps are necessary. If you focus on education, you empower employees to own their work and processes.
Focusing on education
Many micromanagers are stingy with praise. Pay attention to who acknowledges the contributions of others. Those who are quick to recognize their colleagues’ achievements are often team players and effective leaders.
Give credit where credit is due
Control issues are often at the root of micromanagement behavior. Bringing in an HR specialist or executive coach can help to proactively address these personal and interpersonal dynamics.
Give trust, get trust
Lack of quality connection
Employees spend ~40 hours a week communicating with the same group of people – whether remotely or in person.
Distance work has made it more challenging to build strong relationships, which is why workplace connection is more important than ever before.
And even if you are spending time together in the office, lack of quality connections can lead to employee turnover.
Take the time to consider how you can bring your employees together. This can be quarterly events, company retreats, or even virtual team building exercises. No matter the avenue, prioritizing team connection will support employee retention by cultivating a sense of community.
RETAINING TALENT
Employee Recognition
Melissa Roy
Assistant Town Manager & HR Director: Town of Exeter
Everybody wants to feel respected and heard. That doesn't mean that you're going to get everything that you want. But is there an avenue for you to share your thoughts, concerns, questions in a respectful way. I may not be able to help them with everything. And at the end of the day, there are some things that we can't change. But can we at least give them an avenue to talk about what their concerns are? I feel like that's the really good starting place on culture.
CHALLENGE
A former employee said they didn’t feel valued during their exit interview. I had no idea this was an issue until it was too late.
APPROACH
Return to the Employee Value Proposition pyramid regularly to help your team feel valued. You can recognize them in a myriad of ways, including:
Contractual - Compensation and Benefits
Experiential - Career Development and Well Being
Emotional - Purpose
EVP + EMPLOYEE RETENTION
Contractual: Compensation and Benefits
Monetary compensation is always a solid way of recognizing employees who are dedicated and contribute to the company. If promotions aren’t actively mapped out, many people will seek pay increases outside of their current company.
However, if budgets are tight, consider what other benefits you can offer to recognize employees. Can you increase their benefits package or offer stock options?
And while some individuals may ultimately leave for a higher paid position, many will choose to stay if they have a clear path toward promotion and feel valued by their employer.
Experiential: Career Development and Wellbeing
Make sure employees at every level feel valued and heard by senior leadership. This includes opportunities for skills development, flexible working conditions, and systems that support a healthy work-life balance.
Annual or quarterly touch points that focus on professional growth are a simple way to use your Employee Value Proposition to support talent retention. It demonstrates that you’re invested in their personal career development and overall sense of well being.
Emotional: Purpose
And don’t forget the emotional component!
Celebrate your team successes and publicly praise individual employees.
Verbal recognition goes a long way for team morale.
RETAINING TALENT
Encouraging Feedback
Anne Nichols
Founder of K9 Kaos
“I have three supervisors that were just recently promoted. They recommended we do a team survey. And, I have to be honest, I was petrified. I was afraid to read the results; I'm not sure why. But I will say that after it was all said and done, it was valuable feedback. It wasn't horrible. I'm really glad I did it. We just actually did another one. But I would tell employers, don't be afraid [of feedback]. It really was a valuable exercise for me.”
CHALLENGE
My team is constantly complaining and threatening to leave. It’s creating a hostile work environment. What do I do?
APPROACH
Ask for honest feedback from your team, then be open to making changes.
This means:
Listening to your team - Encourage feedback through employer evaluations
Responding to insights - Take action and make changes accordingly
LISTEN AND LEARN
Employer Evaluations
Dialogue is a two-way street. You regularly evaluate your employees – whether formally or informally – but it’s much rarer for an employer to seek feedback from their teams.
How can you improve if you’re unsure what the issues are?
There are several ways to encourage feedback. Here are a few great methods to consider:
Employee surveys, preferably conducted by an external agency to offer transparency
One-on-one interviews with staff
Town-hall style meetings, with questions submitted anonymously ahead of time and the opportunity to speak collectively
Responding to Insights
Employees want to see that their leaders aren’t all talk, but actually back up their words with action.
When you have constructive feedback from your employer evaluations, it’s time to address the issues that were brought to your attention.
Once you’ve made the necessary internal changes to support talent retention, don’t forget to update your website to reflect your new values, policies, and employee value proposition – and attract top talent for your next open position!
To give additional insights into what the applicants currently entering the job market are looking for, we went straight to the source.
Michael Cinquino, Co-Founder of SoHo Creative Studio, surveyed over 50 students at the University of New Hampshire about their biggest workplace concerns when starting a new position. Here are their responses -
Take our quiz to learn more about where your Employer Brand stands >
Addendum
Special thanks to our partners in this project.
