Optimise modern leadership for talent attraction, engagement and retention.

Leadership is powerful. 

Being a leader in the new world of work is complex. Our relationship with work has changed, forever. People’s expectations of their employer are very different from a few years ago.

But the old adage is still true: People don’t leave organisations, they leave leaders.

Leadership capability and behaviours can be both an enabler and inhibitor of culture. They are key drivers of engagement, job happiness and employee experience.

Leadership can have a profound impact on talent outcomes.

Why leadership matters at work

Effective leaders are responsible for more than people and project management. 

Good leaders do what it takes to build highly engaged, productive teams that offer employees the support, impact, and growth opportunities they’re looking for. 

According to Gallup research, engaged leadership can boost team engagement by as much as 39%. When people are engaged at work, they are more likely to feel valued by their leaders, encouraging them to work towards common goals and stay in their roles for longer.

Leadership and your employee value proposition

Leadership capability and behaviours also form part of your employee value proposition.

Your employee value proposition operates under the laws of attraction, with your people, purpose, mission, vision, values and culture combining to highlight the best of your organisation as an employer. 

When you understand the value you provide, you can clearly define your employee offer and use this to attract and retain great team members. 

Only through effective leadership can you transform your EVP and use it as leverage for your talent attraction and retention strategy. 

Leadership and your employer brand

Going one step further, leadership is critical to the power of your employer brand to connect with the right people.

A strong leadership culture helps you communicate your employer brand well and deliver on your promises to attract and retain exceptional talent. Your leadership approach enables you to take control of employee experience and engagement. 

Leaders who have strong, positive relationships with their people can also create the social proof you need to highlight your employee experience and employee value proposition – both critical to make you stand out when you want to attract new talent. In a world where would-be employees spend 1 to 2 hours on employer brand research before submitting an application, this is more important than ever!

Leading well allows you to build a happy, engaged and high-performing team – all things key to meeting your mission. Plus, you can leverage this sentiment when you next need to hire.

How to optimise leadership for talent engagement and retention

What can you do to improve leadership at your organisation and drive successful talent engagement and retention outcomes?

Deliver on your EVP

A clear, authentic employee value proposition is key to all things talent engagement. Beyond defining an EVP, leaders play a key role in putting it into practice. Deliver on the promises your organisation makes, which might include a positive culture, a collaborative environment and a purpose-driven employee experience. According to Gartner, working on your EVP can reduce employee turnover by 69%! Unsure what your organisation’s EVP is? This article might help.

Listen to your team

Lead with listening. This simple yet powerful approach means not making assumptions and putting your people in the driver’s seat (to a degree). Say goodbye to simple employee satisfaction surveys, and start asking real questions to gain insight into employee experience. Seek feedback as often as you can, and look for ways to action what you learn.

Communicate your value

Once you’re clear on your organisation’s EVP, communicate it. Internally, this might be by  encouraging flexibility, open communication, greater collaboration. Think about what your people say they want and value.

Externally, it’s important to deliver clear, consistent messaging when you’re hiring. 84% of job seekers consider an employer’s reputation before applying for a new role, and most people use social media as part of their job search. 

Leaders and talent teams should know their organisation’s EVP, use social recruiting strategies and take an always-on approach to employer brand and talent engagement. When you share your value with the world, you’ll soon start to reap the attraction, engagement and retention rewards. 

Want to learn more?

Want to learn more about how you can optimise leadership to enhance talent outcomes at your organisation? Discover more educational content from Heart.