How to Hire and Retain the Best Talent?

Research has found 'a fundamental mismatch between employee’s expectations and hopes and employers’ understanding of the situation.' It is important to recognise that employee satisfaction is not just influenced by material needs, but psychological ones as well.?

To successfully balance these needs, companies must carry out retention strategies – the efforts made to hold onto current staff through attractive programmes and policy.??

We have collated our top 5 processes – the ones that we feel have not only retained the most staff, but have also significantly improved their overall experience, resulting in increased productivity in the workplace.?

1.?????Stable Onboarding Operations

We value the first few months of our employees signing on with us and make it our mission to make everyone feel welcome and accommodated for! Our recruitment and compliance teams are there to ensure that all the necessary documents and forms are completed to a good standard. This takes the edge off our new starters and allows them to properly soak-up all the necessary training and checks.?

New incentives are always announced to bring new starters together. ‘Inductions’, ‘Meet and Greets’ and ‘Newsletters’ are just some of the ways we engage our staff and keep them updated on any developments made within their sector and the airport writ large.?

2.?????Clear Work Expectations?

It is easy to forget how much weight a job ad can hold. This is the candidates first impression of the company, so any presumptions will usually be attached to this ? - 1 page spread. Hence, we always aim to make their responsibilities clear – no easter eggs hidden around the airport!?

Our company values are always listed so we can attract talent most suited to the job. This also ensures that our team is built with similar characteristics and aspirations in mind.

3.?????Growth Opportunities

Employees are always offered opportunities to enhance their professional development. We facilitate education/ training courses so that our dedicated staff can undertake more senior roles within the airport (stay tuned for success stories).

4.?????Communication

Our team goes above and beyond to ensure that employees feel comfortable and settled in their new roles. Fantastic communication works hand in hand with all of our successful operations and builds a greater foundation for trust between employee and employer.?

We strive to update our staff on their performance and goals and are always there to make any necessary changes. This is tied to an employees notion of 'value', and feeling valued – “Many thanks to Ewelina! She has been excellent throughout my journey with Optime Group. She is approachable, communicative, understanding, and polite in her ways. She constantly keeps me up to date via text, calls and emails and is always there to talk whenever needed.”

5.?????Benefits and Perks?

Benefits and perks are part of what makes jobs so heavily sought after! When quality is guaranteed, employees are more likely to reflect this in their work. There are several airport specific perks that can be attributed to the type of lifestyle our employees possess/ strive for, e.g., flight vouchers and discounts. But at the forefront, can be found brilliant pension schemes, paid holiday plans, healthcare, overtime paid at 1.5x. The rest can be found on our website.?

Your aviation journey awaits … apply now!?

Allas , T. (n.d.).?More UK employees are leaving their jobs than ever before: How businesses can respond: United Kingdom. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.mckinsey.com/uk/our-insights/the-mckinsey-uk-blog/more-uk-employees-are-leaving-their-jobs-than-ever-how-businesses-can-respond?