Public Interest

Optimizing the seven stages of the employee life cycle

No matter how large or small an organization is, there will be a constant influx and outflow of employees. it is essential to comprehend the employee life cycle and how it affects motivation, job satisfaction, and retention. 

The employee life cycle adheres to the same principles and concentrates on cultivating positive relationships and experiences for employees within their role and the company's culture as a whole. 

In this article, we will examine the employee life cycle in human resources, as well as the seven phases that comprise the employee life cycle model and how to optimize them for the benefit of your business and the health of your workforce.

When looking at how to maximize your employee life cycle, CIPD learning resources also offer a variety of beneficial tools and insights to support you and your HR department.

The employee life cycle is a description of the phases that an employee progresses through during their tenure with an organization.

The cycle begins from a person becoming aware of the company, continues through their employment, and ends after they leave the organisation.

  • Attraction

It is essential to note that the employee life cycle begins before a person even applies for a job with the organization. 

HR professionals can optimize the attraction stage by promoting the organization to potential employees, just like consumers. This could include a career page, company blog posts, and social media. Share your company's work-life balance initiatives, fun events, webinars, and staff daily life.

  • Recruitment

The recruitment phase encompasses more than just candidate interviews. From writing the job advert to supporting new hires post interview and preparing them for their first day of work, there are many distinct phases to the recruitment process that can cover a period of months.

To maximize the recruitment process, optimize your job listings to attract competent individuals who fit your corporate culture. An Applicant Tracking System can centralize recruitment.

  • Onboarding

Making new hires feel welcome and comfortable from the outset is crucial. A clear onboarding process calms new hires and decreases downtime for HR, supervisors, and support staff.

HR may help line managers onboard new workers by developing a checklist of duties, such as setting them up on critical software and completing mandatory training.  

  • Engagement

You should focus on engagement when the person is settled in, usually around one year. Here, people are motivated and acknowledged for their work and the business culture is promoted. Employee development, job satisfaction, and productivity depend on ongoing engagement.

Maintain employee engagement by encouraging feedback and rewarding their accomplishments. To demonstrate that you regard employees as people, prioritize employee wellness and work-life balance.

  • Retention

Your firm gains long-term skills and optimizes employee life cycle by investing in staff training and development. Giving staff goals boosts engagement and retention.

Performance evaluations allow employees to discuss issues in a non-confrontational setting and assess their mood. It also lets employers modify to prevent disengagement. Make careful you check in with workers regularly to avoid missing opportunities to remedy the problem.

  • Exit & Advocacy

Just because an employee leaves doesn't mean their relationship with the company ends. The employee can promote the company by sharing favorable experiences with potential hires after parting ways. Good working relationships allow employees to return to the organization.