Attracting & keeping a high-quality team
Theres no ‘I’ in Team
Your team is the beating heart of your nursery business and employing the right people for their roles is key to success. But it is easier said than done, too often settings are in desperate need for key team members and juggle roles to manage ratios and ever increasing requirements.
How to keep team members
People need to feel valued and appreciated, creating a happy workforce results in happy colleagues, children and families. A happy employee is more likely to exceed expectations and take pride in their work, they are also more likely to recommend your business to families and friends.
Communication – Listen to your team, they are often the people who receive direct feedback from families and see where improvements and cost savings can be made day to day. Consider introducing a team newsletter, we spend a lot of time engaging with parents but it is crucial to also engage the team. Provide feedback opportunities and annual surveys to gauge how people are feeling, offer 121 meetings and townhalls to help them to be heard and valued. Most of all share the results so they are included and aware of updates and changes.
Appreciation – The requirements of team members are growing, with more responsibilities and admin, ensure they have the tools to support work-life balance to get the most from them. Celebrate success as a group and even wider, sharing anniversaries and achievements across social media demonstrates loyalty and skills. Enter industry awards and nominate key people for their efforts, incorporate regular inhouse awards or certificates with prizes, and where possible encourage colleagues to nominate each other – they work together every day and see the work that goes into making your setting a high quality choice.
Benefits – what sets you apart from your competitors? Once someone has joined your business it shouldn’t end there, stay ahead and take time to listen to their needs. Its not all about salary, people also value friendships, perks and opportunities, it can be the little things from a chocolate bar to leaving 5 minutes early that make all the difference.
Health – Understand and demonstrate good health and wellbeing, ensure breaks are taken and adequate facilities are available. Share wellbeing tips and encourage social groups and charity fundraising to convert colleagues to friends.
Thanks – Say thank you! Notice their efforts and show appreciation, it can be a comment, email or announcement, they will know their work is noticed and valued. Involve your parents and ask for their feedback then directly share quotes with the team (and across socials as testimonials).
Length of service – Many will want to see their career flourish and understand the steps through the ranks, others will be happy where they are, understand what motivates your team. Recognising length of service is a great way to keep people motivated, announcing key milestones and providing rewards such as an extra day holiday will be well received.
How to attract high quality applicants
Many of the above form your USPs and will make your company an attractive choice, but too often brands don’t shout about their benefits and what makes them a great place to work.
Recommendation – Encourage existing team members to provide their feedback and thoughts, it is more likely to resonate from a peer. Consider video and visual quotes – share staff promotions and opportunities!
Benefits – List ALL the benefits that you offer, from lunch to free parking, every item is a positive that should be shared at the first stage of listing a vacancy.
Awareness – Be in the right place, social media is a great platform and Linked In is often a popular choice for more senior roles. Share vacancies on community pages and nursery groups and use social listening for qualified professionals looking for work.
Clarity – Be clear on the role and required skillset, if specific qualifications are needed, outline them on the recruitment advert so that you attract relevant CVs.
Location – Promote your positions within the local area and set a radius to consider commuting each day, often word of mouth can prove to be very effective but you can also target adverts to specific locations and interests.
Incentive – Offer an incentive to existing employees to introduce potential applicants, they will likely have friends with similar interests and will already get along helping the dynamic and easing the process.
Induction – The way you present your brand is a great way to set expectations, if someone applies but doesn’t hear back, it doesn’t send the right message. Create template email responses, agree interview processes and scoring systems and set out the induction process so everything is organised and transparent.
Create a checklist and start building and keeping your high quality team today!
Sprout Studio offer recruitment support to raise awareness of your vacancies, as well as services to engage your existing team, from surveys, newsletters and team building – contact us to discuss your requirements today.