Most of us would prefer to look to our own bench strength, our own staff, when we need to fill a key position. So why do so many companies in our industry find themselves poaching from someone else’s team instead of promoting from within? Probably because it takes time and planning to develop the leadership and motivation that underpins a fine team.

The team-building process is easy to understand; that doesn’t mean it is easy to achieve. Success requires discipline, hard work and an unwavering dedication to the individual.

The process always begins with leadership that captures the imagination of the individual employee. And it must be matched with enthusiasm – not a false, shallow style of enthusiasm, but one that makes employees understand that their leader cares about them as people. These opportunities to care about staff usually come in small ways: How do you deal with employee concerns? How do you handle personal issues around child care, or parental care? Do you work with the employee to find a solution, or do you quote company policy?

If promoting from within is your goal, you have to think about that objective at the first interview. Because people motivate themselves, you’re looking for the
candidate with the right attitude. Always hire an individual who shares the company culture. If you hire someone with proper credentials but poor attitude, you sabotage your own operation. Open-ended questions should provide clues to attitudes: “Why do you work with seniors? What do you love about this work? What is a good day on the job for you?”

So we have solid leadership and a positive employee; what’s next? Opportunity: this critical external factor will determine whether you will have a motivated team member or an employee who puts in time until a better job comes along. Opportunity is not about pay or benefits. Opportunity is career advancement. If I dedicate my working life to this company, will I be rewarded? Opportunity is personal growth. Does the company offer me the chance to grow as an individual? Opportunity is increased knowledge and education. Does my employer support me through a professional and personal education program? For example, giving food-service employees the chance to upgrade their cooking skills at a local community college offering Red Seal chef training can be an area of success that has a big payback for residents and employee satisfaction.

This has worked in our operation. We have 25 leaders and some 250 staff; of our leaders, more than 60 per cent come from internal promotions. In the executive director role across the division, the average length of service is six years.

There’s a common business maxim that “Good employees are hard to find.” Let’s change that to “Good employers who offer opportunities are hard to find.”