Learning about a typical employee’s path with a company will help you better understand how to recruit and develop talent. The employee life cycle model is one tool that may assist you in this endeavor. Understanding this model can help you understand how employees normally interact with a company and the issues they may face.
In this article, we will go over the 7 stages of the employee life cycle model and discuss some of the benefits of employing it.
What is an Employee Life Cycle Model?
The employee life cycle model is an organizational model that human resources (HR) professionals can use to envision an employee’s journey and comprehend how they progress through and connect with the organization. The model is similar to the common customer life cycle used by businesses since it is founded on the premise that an employee’s experience is just as valuable as a customer’s experience. It’s a thorough picture of the employees’ experiences that serves as a solid foundation for engagement tactics. These tactics may eventually benefit the firm by promoting success, encouraging participation, lowering attrition, and enhancing employee morale.
The Benefits of Using an Employee Life Cycle Strategy
Your organization will benefit from mapping out the employee trip in the same way that you map out the consumer experience in two ways:
- Improved talent retention, and
- Reputation enhancement.
The capacity to properly manage resources and efforts to prevent turnover concerns reduces the time and money spent by the organization on turnover charges. A higher reputation, on the other hand, enhances the likelihood of hiring more new talent, implying a more engaged and driven team.
What are the Employee Life Cycle Stages?
The employee life cycle model is divided into seven stages. Let’s take a closer look at the various stages of the employee life cycle.
Stage #1. Attraction of Candidates
Candidate attraction is the first stage of the employee lifetime model. Attracting qualified individuals necessitates a great deal of imagination. You can’t just sit back and wait for prospects to knock on your door; otherwise, you’ll be left in the dark with no one to hire.
#1. Make a job description for yourself.
To assist you identify the proper people, you should first establish a job description. Create an eye-catching job advertisement that will entice qualified applicants to apply for positions at your organization. To prevent wasting time on unqualified individuals, you should also focus on knowing the company’s requirements. It is critical to comprehend what the prospects want from you. To make an informed decision, they want to know about your company’s culture, work duties, income, and benefits. The wording used in the job description is critical since it has a direct impact on how many people are drawn to your firm.
#2. Publicize the Job Posting.
To attract competent people, you must advertise your job vacancy in the appropriate places. You can distribute them through job boards, social media, and employment websites. Potential candidates might also be found through recommendations and networking. Creating a captivating career ad or outstanding recruitment kits such as brochures and booklets might assist you in the attraction phase. You can also publicize it in newspapers, magazines, and other print media to let people know about the opening at your company.
#3. Provide incentives and perks.
You can entice prospects by providing them with advantages and incentives. Flexible work hours, telecommuting, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation days, and sick leave are just a few of the popular benefits you can provide.
#4. Utilize employer branding.
One of the most essential criteria in attracting top talent is your employer brand. You must project a positive picture of your organization and ensure that potential prospects are aware of it. Promote your employer branding plan through multiple marketing channels. Employer branding can assist you in differentiating your company from the competition.
Stage #2. Employee Acquisition
Once you’ve attracted prospects, it’s time to choose the best one. Employee recruitment is a critical stage in the employee life cycle. You must screen all applications received in order to hire the best candidate for the job. Screening candidates is a difficult undertaking, and you must put forth some effort to hire the correct candidate.
It ensures that you only invite qualified applicants for interviews who meet the requirements, saving you time and the time of other current employees involved in the recruitment process. The steps below can assist you in screening prospects and hiring the right person:
#1. Check out the Portfolio.
A decent CV can reveal a lot about the person. Check the candidates’ skills and qualifications before inviting them to an interview. Check to see if they have the necessary technical skills for the position. Don’t overlook the soft skills essential for the job when assessing technical skills. Individuals who lack suitable soft skills, such as problem-solving abilities, good communication, and teamwork, may not fit within the company’s culture.
#2. Examine the Employee Experience.
You should also ask if the prospects have worked in organizations similar to yours since this will familiarize them with company culture and expectations. It is difficult to adjust candidates who have worked in firms with a different culture to your company’s culture.
#3. Request Testimonials.
People will always discuss the candidates. Check out their reviews to learn more about them. Good recommendations from previous employers can reveal a lot about a person’s abilities. You can learn about their previous job experience and competencies through testimonials.
#4. Conduct face-to-face interviews.
Following the shortlisting of prospects, it is time to contact all of those who meet your requirements for a face-to-face interview. You must schedule interviews so that they do not overlap and provide adequate time and space for each of them. You will be able to analyze several elements during the interview process, such as personal skills, technical skills, and expertise. In an interview, you should prepare a list of questions depending on the job posting.
#5. Carry out mobile interviews.
If an in-person interview is not possible, a mobile interview can be conducted. The questions you ask during the mobile interview should assess the candidate’s skills and experience. You should also evaluate their personality and soft skills.
#6. Choose the Best Candidate.
After the interviews, it is time to choose a candidate. You must choose the best applicant who is a good fit for your organization. The improper applicant might cause a variety of issues for the company.
#7. Offer the position to the best candidate.
After you’ve chosen a candidate, it’s time to make an offer. You must ensure that the offer is appealing enough for the candidate to accept it. The salary, benefits, and other bonuses should all be included in the job offer.
Stage #3. On-Boarding
It is time to onboard the candidate after they have accepted your job offer. Employee onboarding assists in acquainting the new employee with the firm. Let’s go over the procedures for onboarding a new employee.
#1. Pre-Boarding.
Pre-boarding entails engaging employees before they join the organization. This stage tries to make the employee’s onboarding procedure easier. It is delivered in the form of an email, a video, or another medium that is understandable to the new hire. Pre-boarding can involve learning about the business culture, company values, the organization’s history, and what to expect on the first day.
#2. Onboarding Day.
The first day is crucial for a new employee. On the first day of onboarding, employees should be given an orientation about the organization and its policies. Introduce the new hire to their teammates as well. The new team member should be welcomed by the existing personnel. On the first day, HR staff, including the hiring manager, must also greet them.
#3. Orientation.
The orientation program educates new employees about the company’s values, mission, vision, and purpose. The orientation process comprises activities like learning about the company’s organizational structure and the functional groups to which they belong. It should also include background information on the company, such as its history and significant accomplishments.
#4. Employee Training.
Employee training helps train employees on your organization’s policies so they know how to accomplish their job. The training program should be designed in such a way that employees grasp their job tasks and obligations. Teach them how to use the necessary tools and software. It is also critical to train employees on how to improve their soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and interpersonal abilities. It is also your responsibility to create a training program for each employee based on their job description. For example, if you are educating a software developer, it is pointless to teach them about marketing.
#5. Develop a Performance Management System.
It is critical to implement a performance management system to guarantee that employees are motivated and engaged. A successful performance evaluation process enables an organization or management to find areas where employees’ skills can be improved for improved job performance.
#6. Training on Safety and Security.
When working, safety is of the utmost importance. Employers should train their staff to work safely in order to avoid mishaps or accidents. When operating in an unknown place, you should also give personnel safety training. Train your staff about your company’s safety and security rules during onboarding.
Read Also: HR Coordinator: Job Description and Salary
Stage #4. Employee Development
Make sure to give your personnel opportunities for growth so that they can improve their abilities. HR managers must recognize their employees’ training and development requirements and give them the resources they require. Furthermore, workshops, seminars, and other professional development activities are required.
Employee motivation and engagement in their work are improved by development possibilities. If you want to learn about growing the abilities of your staff, you must first examine your company’s goals. Then you must determine the competencies necessary of your personnel in order to achieve those goals.
Human resource managers should build a development plan for their personnel and monitor their progress. Here are some pointers to help them increase their professional development skills:
#1. Choosing Which Skills to Develop.
It is critical to determine the abilities you wish to acquire. You can’t enhance anything if you don’t know what you’re trying to improve. Once you’ve determined the abilities you need, you’ll need to figure out how to get them. You must discover their sources of information and learning.
#2. Making a Development Strategy.
Following the identification of the abilities to be developed, it is time to establish a development strategy. The development plan should include the goal you want to attain, the stages you must follow, and the resources needed. You can use peer mentoring, work shadowing, and online tools to design an effective growth plan.
Stage #5. Monitoring Progress
It is critical to track your development in order to assess your success. You should also identify any obstacles you encounter while attempting to reach your goal and devise strategies to overcome them. It will assist you in determining whether or not you are achieving the necessary progress. To track your progress, you can utilize several tools such as performance appraisal forms and development diaries.
Collect Feedback from Employees.
Employees are the best source of knowledge about their own development needs. Inquire about their honest opinions and what they wish to change in their professional life. It will assist you in providing them with the resources and opportunities for growth that they require.
Stage #6. Retention of Employees
Employees are difficult to find, but even more difficult to keep. Most employees are drawn to other businesses in today’s economic climate. If you want to keep your top employees, you must give them with the required resources and development opportunities.
Employee retention is a critical component of human resource management. Finding and hiring new personnel is both costly and time-consuming. Employee life cycle management that is effective can assist in retaining the finest employees by providing them with the required development opportunities. To keep talented people, you must take the following steps:
#1. Motivate Your Workers.
Motivating your employees is the most effective approach to keep them. You must discover what motivates them and offer them with the resources they require. Job satisfaction, recognition, cash benefits, and prospects for advancement are all popular motivators.
#2. Have Faith in Your Employees.
Employees want to believe that their employers trust them. They become more involved and productive at work if they believe their employer trusts them. You must discover what makes your staff feel valued and respected.
#3. Develop Strong Employee Relationships.
You can’t keep your staff if you don’t have a good relationship with them. Today’s job market is extremely competitive, and most employees are drawn to other organizations. If you want to keep talented employees, you must cultivate good ties with them.
#4. Communicate With Your Workers.
Employees are curious in what is going on in the organization. They also want to know what their future role will be in the organization. Communicate with your employees on a regular basis and keep them up to date on the latest company news and advancements. It will assist in keeping your personnel interested. Employee mistrust and unhappiness might be caused by a lack of communication between them and the authority.
Employee management skills enable you to effectively manage employees. Good handling leads to increased productivity, which leads to improved targeting of HR objectives. If you wish to master HR management, you might want to look into and enroll in the following course:
Stage #7. Employee Departure
The employee life cycle plan does not cease when an employee is terminated. In reality, it is critical to properly handle an employee’s departure. You must learn the proper procedures for terminating an employee. The goal is to safeguard the company’s interests while also maintaining a friendly connection with the former employee. The following tips can help you improve the efficiency of your offboarding process:
#1. Conduct an Exit Interview.
Before leaving the organization, it is critical to hold an exit interview with the employee. The departure interview can provide you with useful information regarding the reasons for termination as well as the employee’s thoughts about the organization. You can also take advantage of this occasion to solicit candid feedback from employees about their experiences at your organization.
#2. Make a Checklist for Documents.
Before terminating an employee, it is critical to ensure that all relevant documentation are in place. You can email a checklist of all required documents to the employee’s management. It will aid in ensuring the employee’s smooth leave.
#3. Notify the rest of the team.
The loss of an employee might have a detrimental impact on the remainder of the team. You must notify them of the termination and offer any assistance that may be required. It will aid in the maintenance of a positive work atmosphere following the departure of an employee.
#4. Maintain Pleasant Interactions.
Maintaining positive interactions with an employee after he or she left is critical. The former employee may turn out to be a beneficial resource for you in the future, so don’t destroy any bridges before departing. If you want your employees to recommend others when they depart, make their work experience enjoyable.
Read Also: KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE HR DEPARTMENT: All You Need To Know
What is the Importance of the Employee Life Cycle Model?
The employee life cycle model is critical for several reasons. The most significant advantage is that it drives you to assess and enhance the employee experience at each point of the model. And the better an employee’s experience with your organization, the more likely they are to stay with you. This increases retention and has a significant impact on turnover and associated expenses.
You may focus on improving the experience at each stage of an employee’s journey with you if you understand the employee life cycle. You can also create learning and development plans to help your employees to grow and reach their full potential.
All of the aforementioned contribute to your employer’s reputation. As a result, you can attract top personnel and establish a devoted and driven workforce.
Summary
The employee life cycle model is one of the most effective ways to envision and prepare for each stage of an employee’s interactions with your firm, giving you the insight you need to make each stage of your stay with your company as successful as possible. You are much more likely to attract and retain a wonderful staff if you focus on doing your best at each stage.
Related Articles
- CANDIDATE RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: Guide To The Processes
- 40+ Good Questions to Ask in Interviews in 2023
- JOB OFFER LETTER: How to Write It, Template, and What Not to Do
- INTERVIEW QUESTIONS TO ASK CANDIDATES
- JOB ORIENTATION: How To Prepare For A New Hire Orientation
References
