The pandemic caused employees who had been thinking of a career change to postpone their plans. You may need to refresh your hiring process because 26% of employees plan to change jobs by the end of the year. The American Workers Survey: Is This Working report from Prudential also reveals why employees are leaving and what you can do to encourage them to stay. Despite your best retention efforts, employees will leave and you will need to hire the best reps for your organization.

Why 26% of Employees Plan to Change Jobs

Now that the economic recovery is underway, 34% of millennials are seeking greener pastures. The latest Labor Department reports show 2.3% of employees leave their jobs in a typical month. Is there any way to stop some of this turnover? Researchers believe that employees have grown accustomed to pandemic-​induced changes in their work environment, and they want them to continue.

It’s not surprising that employees can be convinced to stay with their current job if they get flexible work schedule (31%), mobile opportunities (25%) and remote-​work options (22%). Employees are starting to get the word about what their work situation will look like going forward. They don’t all expect to work from home every day. However, they would like the option to work in remote locations at least some of the time. And they also want some assurances that they can move into different roles over time. As new technology becomes available, your team members don’t want their skills to grow stale.

You may be able to head off the possible departure of key employees by addressing their concerns about returning to the workplace. Show flexibility in terms of where and when they work, if possible. And take concrete steps to train them on technology and coach them to develop their sales skills.

How to Reduce Hiring Risk

Despite your best efforts, employees will leave your organization and you’ll need to hire replacements. While you may be in a hurry to hire a sales rep to keep your business momentum going, don’t make a mistake that will cost you in the long run. One factor to consider during hiring is how well a candidate’s skill level and personal characteristics match with the job you’re trying to fill. The results of a good sales skills assessment can reveal these details. Often, a candidate doesn’t possess enough self-​awareness to realize that they would make a better customer service agent than a new business development wizard. As you review the assessment results of candidates to replace your outgoing business development manager, remember that you’re looking for a person who understands how to identify the right targets and how to communicate with them.

Coachability

If you can’t find a candidate who possesses everything you’re looking for, the most important compromise factor may be coachability. An individual with high coachability scores on a sales skills assessment is worth a second look. You want your new employee to come into the organization with the right mindset. That means you should hire a person who’s willing to change their ways and learn how to sell your product to your type of customers. The coachability factor increases the likelihood that your new rep will listen to your suggestions and give them a try.

Being highly coachable also ensures that a new hire will contribute to the organization in various roles over time. You may hire an individual as a customer service rep. Eventually, you may be able to train that rep to become a sales engineer, a step which requires significant investment from the organization and themselves. However, when employees see that kind of career mobility taking place, they’ll be more willing to stay with you instead of leaving for the competition.