A company or team is only as good as the individuals that work there. This is never truer than when building a startup – your employees are your most valuable resource.

However, building a team can be challenging for startups and most businesses. For most companies, there can be very high turnover, with a recent study showing that 46% of Singaporean workers are looking to leave their company in the next 12 months.

To prevent this from hurting business, it is better to invest time and resources upfront to get the possible people for the job. Here are a few things you can do to limit bad hires at your startup.

Here are the HR predictions for 2019

Invest in quality job sites

This may sound slightly cliche, but you get what you pay for.

We’re in no way looking down on job sites like Indeed and Cultjobs in Singapore, as they can be good for finding junior or mid-level candidates. However, in a competitive job market like the tech industry in Southeast Asia, it is essential to make sure that your job ad is seen by the best candidates possible. 

Depending on your market, different job sites might be more relevant, so take some time and do the research on which job sites are the most popular and most effective. Ask friends in the industry which sites they use, either as a candidate or as an employer.

Don’t forget about your social media

space gray iPhone 6 with Facebook log-in display near Social Media scrabble tiles

Candidates are like customers sometimes – the great ones know they have something you need, so you need to engage them on multiple platforms. Incorporating your hiring into your online presence is actually quite effective, especially when you make it a natural part of the content you’re sharing.

This could include something as simple as adding a line on a social status, such as “join us if you’re looking for a great opportunity”. But if you’re looking for more engaging ways, here are some tips to consider:

  • Develop videos to highlight your business and what makes you unique – make one of the calls-to-action to have prospective candidates send over their resumes
  • Highlight job perks through your social channels and give people an insider view into your company
  • Engage people proactively through social media to give them a chance to ask questions and get more comfortable with the brand

Host an open house day

Create an opportunity for interested or serious candidates to come down to your office and experience what a real workday is like for your business. Open houses are a great way to sift out those who are not really interested versus potential candidates who actually are serious about joining your company.

It also gives a chance for your staff to speak to prospective candidates and really helps both sides get a sense of how the company is growing.

Here are the top HR startups in Southeast Asia

people sitting in front of computer monitors

Proactively engage candidates

Be aggressive and if you see a great candidate on LinkedIn or if you met them in person, there is no reason you cannot approach them with a potential job opportunity. These are passive candidates or those not actively job hunting.

Approaching passive candidates should be a huge part of your business and also a very focused approach is required. This involves sensitivity, patience and a strong understanding of the type of person you want to join your company. Invest in something like LinkedIn Premium and start your search for great potential candidates.

There are sensitivities around poaching staff, so make sure to give it some thought and put effort into how you communicate with potential candidates. 

And we conclude this with…

Don’t rush into hiring someone who isn’t a good fit for your business, even if it is urgent. Take some time to look for ways to improve and expand your recruitment process, without negatively impacting your HR department. A strong workforce is crucial for building a great startup that can scale, so investing in your staff is essential.