Familiarity causes a lull in the talent pool

Everything new loses its appeal at some point. The feel-good song that is played over and over again on the radio eventually gets on your nerves. On the twelfth go on the roller coaster, you no longer shriek hysterically and even the most intense infatuation cools down rapidly after six months statistically speaking. The rosy-colored spectacles become sepia. Familiarity sets in - and with it, every great new experience loses its magic.  This process also makes it difficult to motivate employees – for example, in the case of a referral programme. After a successful introduction, including a big launch campaign by HR, enthusiasm is high. But after just a few weeks, the talent pool is in the doldrums. How could this happen?

A strategy ensures continuity in the referral programme

At first, the referral machinery picks up speed with the initial spark, but without “fuel” it will not continue to run in the long run. A successful referral programme depends on your employees continuing to recommend candidates. Many companies find it difficult to maintain the momentum of their referral programmes beyond the start. Usually, internal communication on this topic dies and it disappears from employees’ radars again. Stagnation. Even before the introduction of a referral programme, a long-term communication strategy must therefore set out a roadmap and timeline and, above all include the necessary pit stops that supply the programme with new energy.

Smart software solutions support efficient implementation

However, a long-term strategy also means that HR needs to continually invest time and resources for implementing the plan. With the current high workloads in many HR departments and thin staffing levels, these prospects are rather daunting. This is where smart technology can be the solution. On the one hand, it offers tools that facilitate both internal communication related to referrals and the referral process itself. On the other hand, automation is used where appropriate, which in turn frees up HR departments. A good example of this is the Talentry Engagement Engine, which allows employers to develop individual referral programmes and, following their introduction in the company, to maintain employee interest and activity in the long term. This can be achieved, for example, with the help of the following tools: 
Automated newsletters facilitate internal communication
Regular internal communication is crucial for keeping the issue of “employee referrals” in the minds of colleagues. This requires good content that motivates them to continue acting as referrers. Whether it’s a welcome video of a new employee, a photo of a team event organised as a reward, a job advertisement, or a short story about the latest referral success – a wide variety of content can be compiled to create a newsletter that can be automatically sent to registered employees in just a few clicks using the Talentry platform.
Special email campaigns bring a breath of fresh air and targeted referrals
Themed campaigns bring new impetus to the referral programme. For example, start a small competition between different departments or ask your employees for the best arguments that qualify you as a tolerant employer. Email campaigns offer a variety of opportunities for interaction. Smart filter and automation functions also enable you to communicate with a specific group of employees. This makes sense especially if the job profile is very specific. The chances of finding a process engineer in the network of another engineer are significantly higher than among the contacts of a marketing colleague. 

Push notifications via the employee app reach everyone

Want to keep your employees engaged as referrers? Then you need to make it as easy as possible to share vacancies and suggest suitable candidates – anytime, anywhere. Also, take into consideration the structural realities of your company. Not every employee sits at a desk with a computer with easy access to job ads, social media posts, the reward shop, or important internal news. That’s why the smartphone should be an important component in your referral strategy. With push notifications on a stable employee app, you can reach all colleagues regardless of location and without time delays. It is also more attractive for them to participate in the referral programme outside of working hours if shareable content is available on mobile devices and rewards can be redeemed using a smartphone.

Motivation and team building through gamification

Rewards are the most attractive type of motivation, especially if they follow transparent rules and are made directly. Through the Talentry Gamification points system, intermediate goals such as sharing job ads or recommending candidates can also be rewarded without employers having to worry about the misuse and exploding costs. Automatic control mechanisms, such as fraud prevention and individual point limits, prevent the uncontrolled redemption of rewards. A tip: it doesn’t always have to be a monetary reward. Team incentives are often very popular with employees and also strengthen the feeling of community and belonging.