Building your team

A panel of industry experts came together to talk about recruitment and retention of staff on Thursday, 8 June 2017. Hosted by the REINSW Agency Services Chapter Committee, the panel shared their words of wisdom …

… on recruitment

Here’s some key advice from the panel about recruitment:
 

1. Use recruiters

“More and more, candidates are using recruiters these days and recruitment can be a cut-throat industry. That’s why it’s important to build a strong relationship with your recruiter of choice. Build an affiliation and use them for every position. They’ll grow to understand what you’re looking for. And always be sure to give them a good briefing document – leave no room for error.” – Caroline Glover

2. Know what you want
“Shape your goals, know what you want to achieve and build a team around you that will contribute to your agency. At our agency, we want to have fun – but we also want people who will work hard and meet the expectations that we set for them.” – Carlos Gonzales

3. Get to know the candidate
“Drill down into the attributes of each employee and understand what they bring to your business. Far too many employers spend the interview talking about themselves. Don’t fall into this trap. Spend the time finding out about the person that’s in front of you. And don’t forget to reference check. Never take a candidate’s CV at face value. All too often, there is false information – so it’s worth doing some work to understand the background of the person you’re employing.” – Bryan Wilcox

4. Take your time
“Never rush the recruitment process. Carefully consider what a candidate is going to bring to your business and understand how they are going to help you achieve your business goals. You need to understand their DNA – what are the non-negotiable attributes they need to have? Don’t settle and stay true to your business goals.” – Kylie Walsh
 

“Shape your goals, know what you want to achieve and build a team around you that will contribute to your agency."

Carlos Gonzales
Office Manager at LJ Hooker Willoughby

… on retention

Recruitment isn’t a one-time thing. It doesn’t stop when someone joins your team. Retention is a key aspect of recruitment.
 
Caroline Glover has a stellar track record for staff retention, with four of her team clocking up more than 10 years with the agency. Here are her tips about how to retain high-performing team members.

1. Always recognise performance
Whether it’s a lunch, an outing, a bonus, an increase in salary, or just a simple thank you, always recognise the efforts of your team. Remind them that each and every one of them is important and plays an integral part in the success of the business.

2. Encourage flexibility
We all have families and we all have different things that come up that require us to leave early or be away from the office. Make sure your team know you are approachable and they can ask for flexibility without feeling uncomfortable about it.

3. Put procedures and checklists in place
Life is a lot easier when you know what to do every step of the way, so make sure you have robust procedures and checklists. Your team will know what’s expected of them and feel more confident in their role.

4. Stay on top of technology
Having the right software and technology in place makes it easier and more efficient for your team to effectively do their job. It means your team can focus on being at the top of their game.

5. Build a strong team
We all spend a lot of time at work, so it’s important to enjoy being with the people you work with. Providing support at all levels is a must, as is ensuring everyone feels appreciated.

“We all spend a lot of time at work, so it's important to enjoy being with the people you work with."

Caroline Glover
Director at Elders Toongabbie

The Panel

Kylie Walsh
General Manager at Di Jones Real Estate

Bryan Wilcox
CEO at the Real Estate Employers’ Federation

Caroline Glover
Director at Elders Toongabbie

Carlos Gonzales
Office Manager at LJ Hooker Willoughby