Training a key to retaining staff

In a candidate-tight market, retention is more important than ever, says Jason Walker, general manager of recruiter Hays New Zealand.

He says companies should focus on measures to retain existing staff and thus save on the costs of recruitment and reduce disruption within the workplace.

The firm has released the findings of a survey it carried out to establish why people leave firms to work elsewhere.

Its survey, which questioned 612 people on why they were looking for a new job, shows that employers need only to give their staff room to grow and develop their careers within the business to help keep them on board.

"Linked to this is the importance of providing new challenges to staff as many candidates surveyed said they felt stale or bored in their current job and felt they were not going anywhere in their role," says Walker.

He says a lack of training or development opportunities was also a high factor, ahead of work/life balance and stress. Poor management was also a key reason for leaving a current job, with lack of direction, little empowerment or lack of recognition from management common complaints."

Many of those surveyed said salary was a factor for looking for a new job, but not the primary motivator.

"This survey makes it clear salary is not the main motivating factor for candidates seeking to change roles. Certain sector-specific reasons for leaving a current employer also emerged.

"For example, in the IT sector technically challenging roles were the key priority, followed by lack of career development, salary then training."