This article is brought to you by Sprockets, a NACS supplier member.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Congratulations—you’ve hired the right person. Now the challenge begins. How are you going to keep this employee on staff long-term?
“Good employees bring stability and help ensure smooth operations at any business, especially at convenience retailers,” said Zach Matook, director of Marketing at Sprockets, a provider of AI-powered hiring software. “But a bad hire can throw businesses off their footing, halting progress and costing them time and money. Getting that ideal, quality worker right away and keeping them is essential.”
Sprockets recently released its “Road to Retention” e-book, which outlines four steps on how employers can improve their retention of hourly employees.
The first step is recruiting the ideal applicant from the get-go. Employers get one chance to make a first impression on a potential employee, and that usually happens with the job description.
Sprockets recommends a clear and concise job ad—no more than 300 words—and being upfront about a company’s pay and culture. Also, using gender-neutral language garners 42% more applicants.
“People spend 14 seconds on average reading a job description, so employers need to make those seconds count,” said Matook.
Additionally, an effective candidate screening tool, such as Sprockets’ hiring solution, can help businesses narrow down their ideal hire and predict the success of a potential employee.
The second step is a powerful onboarding process. The orientation is the springboard for new hires, so Sprockets recommends providing plenty of resources, encouraging new hires to ask questions, introducing them to their coworkers and being honest about expectations during this initial time.
“The first 90 days are crucial to a new hire’s success, so employers should use the orientation period to really set the tone for a new hire’s day-to-day routine,” said Matook. “It’s also important to provide new workers with a clear advancement path and adequate training that is ongoing throughout their time with the company.”
Read the remaining third and fourth steps to successful employee retention in Sprockets’ e-book “Road to Retention.” To learn more about the solution Sprockets offers, schedule a free, 15-minute demo with one of their hiring specialists.
Join Sprockets on Tuesday, February 28 for a webinar featuring Ricky Rockets Fuel Center’s director of training who discusses how the company tackled employee turnover across locations and increased its quality of applicants with Sprockets. The 15-minute webinar will be available for complimentary viewing and download on February 28. Register today!
This is the final installment of a two-part NACS Daily series on how convenience retailers can utilize artificial intelligence to increase job candidates and retain current employees. Learn more about Sprockets.