As companies expand and become more successful, so does the need to recruit and retain great people to build their teams.  Working in the semiconductor market, we have seen phenomenal growth over the past few years across many of our clients. This has resulted in a hugely competitive candidate marketplace and more emphasis on the conversations around how to find and retain the best people. 

Delve is here to help customers find the right candidates for their business but also to support and advise on the equally important subject of retention. We speak to people all day, every day, who are looking to leave their role and one of the first questions we ask is ‘why?’, giving us a great insight into how best to retain your team.

Here are our top tips on how managers can stay ahead when it comes to retention and in turn drive more engagement in their teams…

Effective onboarding and communication – From the day they sign their contract make sure the communication is open and regular. Great onboarding is essential and sets the tone for a working relationship. The probation period is crucial and although it’s a time where employees need to shine and show their worth, managers also need to realise that it’s a two-way street and they also need to show that their company is the place to be! Beyond this, having regular and open communication with team members enables managers to ensure they are aware of any threats, challenges, or demotivating factors early.

Training and development – Whether it’s a new hire, or someone who’s been in the company for years, training and development should be a regular talking point. In our experience, employees who feel like they are being invested in are more likely to stay in their roles. 

Recognition and feedback – A lot of managers find recognition difficult, and it can take practice to get it right. Everyone, no matter what level, wants to feel valued and if you’re a manager your team probably crave that recognition from you. Managers, particularly in technical environments, need to be successful at praising and rewarding success and having processes/systems for doing this in the workplace. Feedback is also a key part of this, not everything your employees do will be worthy of recognition. In fact, sometimes you will have a deep feeling of despair around their abilities. It’s important though that managers give constructive criticism and create a positive environment to improve. Remember, people want to feel challenged but not attacked.

Say/do ratio – A very simple and effective concept. If you say you’re going to do something, do it! I can’t tell you how many candidates I’ve spoken to, who say “my manager promised me ‘X’ but it never happened”. This is a huge demotivator for employees and it is a major factor in them losing confidence in their managers.

Make sure they have the tools – If employees feel like they’re doing their job with their hands tied, this is a huge problem. I’m not saying you need to cave to every demand (my manager keeps refusing the pool table and €2k coffee machine I requested) but ensure you listen to requests and their equipment is fit for purpose. 

Flexibility – Prior to COVID, employees having so much flexibility and the ability to work from home was less common. Now it’s a topic on most of our calls with candidates. It’s an expectation that companies have flexibility and in this competitive market, your competition will be offering it. There are obvious limits to this, and it can make management, training new employees and idea sharing difficult. Achieving a balance here is key to ensuring employees are happy and results are maintained.

Company culture – As finding new people in the semiconductor market becomes more competitive, many companies are looking for employees who are relocating both nationally and internationally to satisfy this need.  This can present challenges when integrating people into the existing company culture and making sure they feel part of the team.  If they haven’t already, companies must be aware of these challenges and put plans in place to actively help relocators integrate into the business both professionally and socially.

For more information on our experienced Semiconductor consultants and how we can support your recruitment needs visit.www.delvesemiconductor.com