According to LinkedIn’s research, company culture is among the top reasons for changing jobs. 25% of candidates said that better company culture is among their top reasons for changing jobs. Start-up culture is a defining aspect of this century’s economy and is shaping the way companies think of their employees. As the flexible work hours, cloud computing, and take-home company laptops take the office by storm, we are seeing a myriad of traditional start-up work trends spread across organizations, both big and small. Any modern organization is sure to flaunt its newly installed volleyball court, bottomless coffees, or free yoga workshops in job postings. No longer does a millennial-driven work culture belong solely to the start-up. Everyone is on board and ready to compete for the top talent by peacocking their trendy perks. So, what is it that differentiates your start-up from the millions of other small businesses out there? We can assume that individuals actively seek out opportunities at start-ups, because they already have certain expectations they hope to have fulfilled. If you are a start-up-sized gig just putting out a job posting, there’s no need to toot your horn about how small and hip you are. You may offer remote workdays, but so does every other start-up on the block. If you do not already have elements that make your start-up unique, find something that sets you apart. Market your business as an irreplaceable opportunity that offers a partnership, not just a one-sided relationship. On the other hand, you may have the challenge of convincing desirable talent to leave their lofty corporate jobs and take the plunge into the risky start-up world. He or she may have exactly the profile your company needs, so you will have to convince them on what more a start-up can provide them. Is that more creative freedom? Expanded responsibilities? Less management? You can offer negotiation on role responsibilities and even have the position to grow with the candidate’s own expectations.

A Gallup study found that high performing, yet unengaged employees were equally likely to leave a company as their unengaged low performing co-workers. Top talent can accelerate your company’s growth and make invaluable contributions, but if the initial excitement wears off, engagement wanes and your company is in danger of losing a star player. The self-motivated, high octane employees necessary to get start-ups off the ground are also going to be the ones to actively seek out further developmental opportunities. Start-ups can offer an untapped source of opportunity to learn, but if a position’s responsibilities become too limited or the company stops growing, those opportunities die off. How can your company offer continuous learning and keep employees engaged in their work? We have all felt empowered by a sense of ownership over work. Trusting team members to take responsibility over their own work not only encourages engagement, it creates a self-sustained process in which they feel truly connected to what they are doing.
It goes without saying that high turnover rates will stifle growth and may even leave your start-up in a worse position than where it started. You can attract top young talent to your start-up, but it’s all for nothing without retention. A new employee will ride out the initial wave of start-up excitement after a while, then have a clearer idea of whether they can see themselves there long-term.
A retention plan should start as early as the hiring process. Being transparent in job postings and interviews about the candidates’ responsibilities and the company’s position will help avoid frustrations down the road on both sides. You cannot promise professional growth and a variety of responsibilities if realistically that won’t happen for months down the road. The chosen candidate might just be stuck tackling growing pains and operational tasks rather than taking on the responsibilities and creativity that motivated them to join the company in the first place. Salary is also a vital sign of company health that signals to candidates whether they will have a sustainable future at your start-up. Someone may initially join for the experience but move on once they have hit a learning limit and need to pay the bills. Going all in on a start-up is not the easy route but promises endless opportunity. Your founding team will play a decisive role in shaping where your company goes, how it develops, and what values it adopts. Be strategic about your hiring, and you may be one of the fortunate start-ups to recruit the right people for your company, take a flight and make it big.
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