Finding suitable candidates for sensitive positions within a company can quickly become stressful and costly. One alternative that easily replaces traditional recruitment is the implementation of an employee referral bonus program. It involves leveraging the networks of existing employees to identify the necessary profiles. However, this technique is not always easy to implement. Some tips that can help any human resources manager succeed on the first try.
Lead Effective Communication with Team Members
The foundation of a successful employee referral program lies more in effective communication with all team members than simply having a referral bonus in place. They should serve as scouts, finding the right profiles and persuading them to join the company. The idea of a referral bonus alone may not be enough to motivate them to convince their networks. The profiles you are looking for should feel that they are applying to join a supportive environment. The trusted employee review platform provides insight into the humane treatment within the company, but it alone may not be sufficient to persuade them.
Recruiting through employee referrals is a good idea but requires support. Your employees are aware of the referral bonus, but they also have their salaries. When the referral program is announced, they may not necessarily see it as an opportunity.
Leave a Lasting Impression on Your Team Members
You need to make a lasting impression on their minds during this period. Simply mentioning the employee referral bonus and expecting significant returns would be a big risk. Employee referrals rely on employees being the primary drivers of finding new profiles. An announcement, a release, messages, and reminders are all helpful checklists. In doing so, you will engage in real and increased communication that will effectively capture the attention of your employees.
Maintain a Consistent Reminder Schedule for the Employee Referral Bonus
One of the advantages of employee referrals over traditional recruitment is the cost savings for the company, especially in reducing communication expenses. However, you should not decrease the frequency of internal communication. At the launch of the employee referral bonus, your employees will have an initial level of engagement.
The key details to communicate are the number of applications and successful hires. Such ongoing communication keeps all your employees motivated to strive for the employee referral bonus.
Use Technology for a Permanent Communication
Just like with any human being, your employees’ engagement will wane if it is not nurtured. To address this, leverage digital tools.
Attractive Visuals
Keep the announcements displayed for longer than the usual duration. Change the design and opt for striking shapes or colors. Infographics and visuals remain powerful tools that can help you reinforce the employee referral bonus. Print the functioning of the referral program in color.
Explanatory Webinars and Videos
In explanatory videos, present the concept of the employee referral bonus with all the necessary details. Highlight the benefits and have the video permanently playing on the company’s screens. If possible, send these videos to your employees via email. Also, capture in video format the employees who have successfully referred good profiles and include statistics as well.
Create a Special Blog
Create a special blog to provide comprehensive information about the employee referral bonus. If a dedicated blog isn’t possible, set up a section for informative articles on the company’s website. You can explain the best tips for identifying the ideal profile within one’s network.
Internal Electronic Newsletter
Utilize the company’s internal electronic newsletter to share information about the employee referral bonus. Include stories, recent updates, tips, and reminders about the procedures for referring candidates.
Provide Notes and Concrete Result Examples
Share the results of the employee referral bonus program from elsewhere with your employees. This will make them believe more in the process and become increasingly engaged.
Remind Benefits of Employee Referral for the Employer
Human resources managers should not attempt to manipulate employees’ minds to make them desire the employee referral bonus. From an initial perspective, this may seem like a good method to gain their commitment. However, in this context, employees are not the direct target; they serve as intermediaries to refer the right profiles for recruitment. Therefore, you should provide them with clear arguments that will enable them to justify their invitations to their networks. For example, discussing the benefits of the employer brand is a strategy that emphasizes transparency.
Immediately, employees understand that there is no trickery involved and that the company’s need for them is not hidden. They gain personal esteem and understand what the company expects from them. Also, provide all the details about the desired profile. Let them know that such a recruitment approach is cost-effective and beneficial for everyone.
Highlight the Benefits of Employee Referrals for Employees
In addition to the company’s direct interests, the employee referral bonus offers real benefits to employees. It’s a strategy for the company to attract and retain its employees. By helping them understand this, employees will be convinced of the company’s esteem for them. This will provide them with additional motivation to deliver results.
Moral Satisfaction and Bond Strengthening
The employee referral bonus itself is an added value for every employee who successfully brings in a suitable profile. Beyond the financial reward, they gain moral satisfaction and strengthen their ties with their networks. By providing an opportunity for a member of their network to find a suitable job, they demonstrate loyalty and care. They satisfy both their employer and a close connection at the same time.
Building a Better Work Atmosphere
On the other hand, the referred candidate will become the new colleague of the referrer. Naturally, existing good relationships will positively impact the expected outcome. It’s much easier to work with people you already know. Misunderstandings and miscommunications are less likely. A better working atmosphere within the company is crucial for the well-being of all. The various talent management tasks in the company, such as identifying, retaining, and nurturing, become easier and create fewer frustrations.
Providing a High-Quality Impactful Experience
There is a trick that fosters workplace engagement and works very well to enhance the desire to earn the employee referral bonus. As a human resources manager, make it clear to employees that employee referral will be a high-quality experience. You should also take actions that align with this goal.
Clearly Define the Process
The high-quality experience should be felt throughout the entire recruitment process. To achieve this, start by laying very solid foundations. Establish clear recruitment procedures. If necessary, hold a discussion session where you answer all questions. This will prevent all your employees from trying to refer the wrong profile and avoid creating rejection frustrations.
This step is crucial because one employee’s bad experience can quickly become counterproductive. Regardless of the extent of an employee’s influence on others, a negative review would discourage others very quickly. If one employee tells another how their candidate was rejected, the others may withdraw to preserve their social ties.
Also, clearly explain to all your employees how and when the employee referral bonus will be paid. This point could also lead to frustrations if not properly understood. The rumor that the employee referral bonus doesn’t exist will simply extinguish any desire to refer candidates. For all others, the promised employee referral bonus would be an incentive, and they would be better off avoiding engagement if it’s unclear.
Stay Transparent and Highly Responsive
You will also benefit from improving the experience by being responsive and transparent. It’s important to provide individual feedback to employees who have convinced their friends to apply for a position. Don’t underestimate the value of this action; it serves a purpose and enhances the employer brand. In case their candidate doesn’t pass the interview, have a friendly discussion in which you explain the reasons for the rejection.
They will understand and provide feedback to their contacts as well. They will better prepare the next candidates and have a chance to earn the employee referral bonus. Don’t forget to treat each candidate well to encourage your employees and preserve their social relationships. This will help maintain the employer brand and HR marketing aspects outside the company. This action will have a positive impact on the company’s reputation and bring you all the benefits associated with a good reputation.
