You hire a new recruit, watch them prove their worth as an integral team player and suddenly, with no warning, they’re clicking ‘send’ on their resignation email. The majority of employers are painfully familiar with this scenario.
Retaining talented employees is a constant battle and when it comes to the localisation industry, this battle intensifies. In fact, a recent poll conducted by Slator found that companies are currently finding it particularly difficult to fill language-based Project Manager roles and Localisation Manager positions; two pivotal posts for many companies that have expanded into the global market.
So, with expert personnel proving difficult to find and even harder to keep, what measures can you put in place to retain your top talent in 2021?
We examine five key areas to focus on to improve your performance in this very area.
1. Train to retain
Start as you mean to go on with your team by providing intensive training during induction. In order to carry out their work comfortably and effectively, an employee should know your company and products or services inside out.
A complete knowledge and understanding of your brand are integral to facilitate an appropriate cultural adaptation of your message.
While initial training is hugely important in giving employees vital insight into the brand they are working with and the job at hand, it is essential to keep the momentum up when it comes to further training after this point.
Perhaps there are other areas within your company where an employee can – and would like to – apply their skills. Speak to your team, find out where they are uncomfortable and where they feel they can shine. Provide further training when necessary and offer opportunities for role expansion if it feels like the right fit.
It is your team’s job to understand the needs of individual customer bases in various local markets; it is your job to understand the needs of your employees and act accordingly by considering their requests. Job satisfaction and staff retention levels are sure to soar as a result.
2. Embrace the remote or hybrid workplace
With a reported 16 percent of global companies now working remotely, it’s safe to say the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the landscape of the workplace as we once knew it. Luckily, the localisation industry is tailor-made for remote working and has adhered to this model in many instances long before the pandemic hit.
That said, it is important to review and amend regular working practices when your usual on-the-ground team is now predominantly based at home – particularly when you consider that almost three-quarters of workers would be less likely to leave a company if given the option to work remotely.
Put measures in place not only to ensure productivity and consistent workflow, but also to check in on your team’s wellbeing and to troubleshoot any issues they may be experiencing. To facilitate this, hold daily or perhaps twice-weekly virtual meetings; make phone or email contact regularly; make sure your team is equipped with all the resources they might need in the home office.
Be present and reinforce the message that while they may be working alone, they are still part of a larger team that is making great things happen through successful collaboration.
3. Involve your team in your expansion plans
If you are looking to hire or build on your existing team of localisation specialists, congratulations! This means you are expanding into the global market and there are exciting opportunities ahead. But such an undertaking requires a lot of hands-on work from experts in the field.
Encourage company buy-in by sharing your plans with key members of your localisation team. Explain the part they will play in the ultimate success of your endeavours and make them aware that they are an essential, valued piece of the puzzle.
Showing appreciation in this way and validating their role, while involving them in the growth of the business, will boost morale and inspire commitment.
4. Upskilling equals investment in your team
Upskilling is another vital undertaking to ensure a contented team, as it enables employees to grow professionally while adapting to changes and developments within the localisation industry. From courses in localisation-specific project management and machine translation, to those that cover content design and strategy, there is an endless list of upskilling opportunities to be availed of within this ever-evolving sector.
Investing in your team in this way shows your commitment to their continuous development and in turn, your business will benefit from keeping up-to-date with trending innovations and developments within best practice models.
5. Get expert help with the hiring process
Retaining talent is one thing but sourcing this talent in the first place might be a good place to start. To ensure you build a team that will become a key component in your company’s success – and one you will want to retain forever – it is advisable to seek help from a reputable recruitment service provider who is proficient in your industry.
Partnering with such a service will greatly increase your hiring potential, ensuring the role at hand is filled with the best possible candidate.
With over 20 years’ experience providing premium-level recruitment solutions for many of the world’s leading companies who are expanding on the global stage, International Achievers Group is a team of recruitment professionals who aim to go beyond expectations for both clients and candidates.
We pride ourselves on providing the best fit possible in matching high-calibre commercial staff to senior company roles. We know that people are what make great companies and we’re the best when it comes to matching people and building teams.
For further information on how we can enhance your recruitment drive, contact International Achievers Group today.