Research has revealed the biggest attraction for job seekers looking for a new employer is the salary. In a survey of 1,000 candidates across the UK, 77.5 percent of respondents said they looked for a good wage when considering a company.

The OnePoll survey, carried out by Laudale, questioned respondents on what attracted them to work for a company. Money was the top response, followed by location (69.5 percent), benefits (67.1 percent), reputation (57.6 percent) and work environment (57.1 percent). Behind the top five responses, the other attractions were flexible working hours (56.7 percent), career progress (47 percent), word of mouth (42.6 percent), training opportunities (39.1 percent), mobile working (14.7 percent) and employer branding (13.4 percent). 

How salary affects staff retention
Many employers will feel that the salary alone isn’t the most important aspect of the job from their point of view, as obviously, the smooth running of the business is paramount. However, they will understand how a competitive wage will contribute to recruiting and retaining high-quality employees. The salary can help employers achieve their goals, if handled effectively. For example, a company that offers every employee the average industry increase, or one in line with their length of service, can find this is counter-productive to accomplishing goals. The system of pay must support the work culture, so many companies give the best salary increase to those employees who contribute to the culture’s success. Paying one individual more for their outstanding contribution won’t help the team ethic. A company’s salary strategy must align with its human resources goals. For example, if HR is required to develop a highly-skilled workforce, then the salary should be above regional or industry averages to attract the best-quality staff. 

The importance of location
The location of a business is an important factor, not only in terms of customer base, but also in relation to the workforce. The ideal location for a business is in an area offering a stable economic base, providing a healthy environment and consumer spending power. In terms of the workforce, it’s important that employees with the required skills and talents are available. Not everyone is prepared to commute a long distance, or relocate, for a new job. If the community has the local resources, such as sufficient housing, schools and recreational opportunities, it follows that it will contain suitable people who are looking for work. 

Benefits will attract top staff
One means of recruiting high quality staff is by offering a good salary and above-average benefits. Many companies offer such benefits as free childcare, unlimited sickness leave, healthcare facilities, above-average bonuses that match the company’s profits and free products. By offering an attractive benefits package, you’re more likely to attract the talented workforce that you require. 

Reputation matters
It’s important not only to strive to be a great company, but also to let others know what a wonderful employer you are. You need to be aware of your company’s reputation and if it’s positive, make sure everyone knows this, through social media, for example. If the reputation isn’t great, take firm steps to improve it. Good employees will do their homework before applying to a company and, if it’s common knowledge that a particular department has a high staff turnover because of a difficult manager, for example, this will become a barrier to recruiting great staff. Recruitment agencies are normally among the first to hear about such problems and they must be dealt with internally before they adversely affect your ability to recruit. Potential employees can learn information from many sources, such as company reviews in the media, from past employees, through job satisfaction surveys and exit reviews. Make sure they’re all positive if you wish to attract the best staff.

Provide a great work environment
What atmosphere do people sense when they enter the workplace? Are employees smiling and interacting in a pleasant manner with each other when you walk past? Alternatively, are they frowning as they slouch to the dining area, complaining about a lack of resources preventing them from completing work and assisting customers? If the atmosphere is tense, with employees feeling dissatisfied and that they’re subject to unrealistic work expectations, then your business won’t attract the top candidates, as the unhealthy atmosphere will jump out at anyone who comes into the building.

It’s essential for managers to consider what attracts people to work for a company, as these factors have a massive impact on the quality of job applicants. If your company is falling short in any of the top five areas, look into positive ways of improving the situation in order to attract the cream of the workforce.