Have you found yourself hiring more often than you’d like? Or, maybe you’ve noticed employees leaving, and you’re wondering how you’ll find someone to replace them?
Employee turnover can happen for a number of reasons – from team members not feeling that they fit within the company, to not having the role meet their expectations.
As a real estate agent, you know that your assistant is your lifeline for staying organized and on track. In this article, you’ll not only learn how to hire a great administrative assistant, but how to reduce employee turnover! In addition, if you’re looking to connect with potential candidates, or potential agents, this is the platform for you.
Keeping your administrative assistant around first requires doing your due diligence. Searching in the right places and hiring the right people takes time, and it is so worth it!
Remember: every candidate is a potential source of new business or referral. Candidates from your community can be your ambassadors. Look for culture fit, job fit, and goal fit. Share your vision and values to make sure you give them some insight into the necessities of the job and how you and your company operate.
In interviews, it is crucial that you clearly communicate your mission, vision, and values to the applicants. We recommend the HUG method, which you can explore here. Understand that many contenders may fall short of what you are looking for, and that is okay! Keep your head up, and keep searching.
To attract top-quality candidates, you must offer adequate pay and benefits. If you are offering low pay and minuscule benefits, expect applicants with little to no experience, and most likely, a high chance of turnover.
Administrative assistants with years of experience, education, and expertise will require, on your behalf, to provide them with a competitive compensation package. You can download our Real Estate Assistant Salary Guide here.
We know, your business is your baby, and you want the best for it; however, this mentality can be a slippery slope when it comes to retaining an amazing assistant. This LinkedIn article touches on the pain points of being an assistant to an executive that micromanages.
Micromanagers can be suffocating and demotivating. It is challenging to thrive and do your best work when you are being micromanaged unnecessarily.
So, if you are going to go through all the trouble of finding a qualified administrative assistant, train them, and introduce them to your company, then trust them! As you create systems in your operations that have high transparency and accountability, you will easily be able to “inspect what you expect” instead of micromanaging for fear of things being missed.
To ensure the first 90 days of a new admin’s journey runs smoothly, here is our course to help guide you.
Assistants (and employees) who enjoy work will stick around. Creating an enjoyable work environment means creating one that is engaging. There are some key factors in an engaging environment:
– Being held accountable: Holding your assistant accountable for their work and then seeing the outcomes of their performance can be rewarding, and a great measure of progress.
– Development opportunities: Do you invite your assistant to participate in courses, accompany you in training, or provide ways for them to learn and grow in their career? This will yield a ROI for you as they will be better equipped for their role, and they will feel appreciated and more confident.
– Meaning: Inherent and associated meaning both contribute to staying engaged. Inherent meaning is the tangible result(s) that your assistant produces. Associated meaning is what the work enables them to do. For example, do you have catered lunches on Fridays? A company retreat? A flexible work policy? All of these things are enjoyable ways for your company to engage together and feel more connected.
These tips are designed to help you reduce employee turnover but can be applied to all employees. Creating a more autonomous, engaging, and trusting workplace environment will help you achieve the results you want within your company and encourage your team members to stay. Learn how to hire the stellar candidates you’ve been looking for through Hire LAB here!
Still looking for assistance with hiring and onboarding your new employee? Feel free to reach out!
KATHLEEN METCALF
Coach, Hiring & Retention Consultant, Hire LAB Co-Founder
Continue the conversation with her here.
TALK TO KATHLEEN