By: Elizabeth Galewski

Hiring prime talent is one of the most strategic investments a company can make. Leading performers bring the capacity to increase productivity, drive innovation, and enhance a company’s overall reputation.

However, companies must first recruit performers before hiring them, which is not an easy task in today’s highly competitive employment landscape. Winning the war for talent requires identifying and adopting strategies that attract the exceptional and brightest and inspire them to come on board.

Investing in an Inviting Workplace

Rotem Eylor, founder and CEO of Republic Floor, has seen first-hand the exponential impact high-achieving employees can have on overall business success. His approach to business focuses on recruiting and retaining world-class talent. By applying that approach, he has built Republic Floor into one of the world’s leading pioneers in the development of resilient vinyl flooring.

“The key to attracting an all-star team boils down to one fundamental factor: Being a place where people genuinely want to work,” Eylor asserts. “It’s about fostering an exceptional workplace culture that talented professionals actively seek out and rave about to their peers.”

While Eylor believes salary and benefits are important considerations for those seeking to attract prime talent, he also believes that they can’t be a company’s primary focus. He has seen that the most sought-after candidates want more than a healthy paycheck. They are looking for values they can support and a place to grow.

“Stellar employees seek workplaces that provide meaningful opportunities for professional development and career advancement,” he says. “High achievers constantly seek to improve their skills and take on new challenges. A stagnant workplace environment will have them searching for something more fulfilling.”

Eylor and other experts also point to a strong company culture as a key to attracting prime talent. A recent study discovered that 77 percent of job seekers explore a company’s culture as part of their job search process. The same study found that 56 percent of job seekers value a good culture above a good salary.

“Workplace culture is also a huge factor,” Eylor says. “The excellent employees value environments that emphasize trust, open communication, work-life balance, and employee well-being. Archaic top-down management styles, unreasonable time demands, and toxic environments will quickly turn them off during the interview process.”

Crafting a People-Centered Organization

Asim Hafeez, owner and operator of Empower Energy Solutions, has built a magnet for prime talent by committing to a people-centered culture. Hafeez founded Empower Energy Solutions on a commitment to using the company as a platform to serve its people, a decision he believes has attracted the right talent and fueled fast, extreme growth.

“Solar energy is our product, but we are a people company,” Hafeez shares. “My idea of leadership is remembering that you’re working for people, and your job is to serve them.”

Genuine care for employees is one of the hallmarks of Empower’s culture. Birthdays are celebrated, extra effort is recognized, and resources are provided to help people improve both inside and outside the workplace. Hafeez has gone to great lengths to ensure people feel appreciated and cared for.

Many experts feel that creating a family-like atmosphere in the workplace boosts the potential for healthy employee engagement — another factor that can help attract and retain talent — and Hafeez agrees. He sees his efforts to establish personal connections as an investment in overall business success.

“We are spending so much time in the work environment, and I think all of us are craving real relationships and connections,” says Hafeez. “No one likes feeling like a number, so we have a plan for people to feel appreciated and cared for.”

Spreading the Word About your Winning Workplace

One critical step to attracting prime talent that companies often overlook is marketing their employer brand. In the same way that they invest in promoting their products to potential customers, companies must also invest in promoting the benefits of their workplace to prospective employees. Limiting promotion to job postings will only succeed in getting the word out to job seekers. By building excitement for your workplace in other channels — LinkedIn, X, and other social channels — you cast a wider net.

“Prime talent won’t simply stumble upon your company,” Eylor explains. “You must proactively showcase why you’re an exceptional workplace.”

Eylor also shares that leaders who want to work with prime talent must work hard to attract them. Building a reputation as a company where people love to work requires an investment, but it promises a considerable payout.

“If you make it a continuous focus, you can cultivate a magnet culture that prime talent can’t resist joining,” Eylor shares. “Reap those benefits, and you’ll gain a powerful competitive edge for driving innovation and long-term business success.”

Published by: Josh Tatunay