You certainly have a few bright stars among your team. High-performing, innovative talents who make sparks fly, help you achieve your objectives and grow your business. If they were to tell you to go off to the competition, you'd be in big trouble! After all, top talent is hard to find.

But here's the thing: a collaboration is like a love affair. The early days are exciting, then the routine sets in. It's when you take your partner for granted that things start to go wrong, and you start to feel the urge to look elsewhere.

To convince your top talent to stay with you, you need to keep the flame burning. But how can you do that? Here are 5 ways to make it happen.

1/Play fair right from the recruitment stage

Recruitment is a crucial stage for talent. It's where they form their first impression of your company. And when you show them what you can do, their expectations are (very) high. If your pitch doesn't match reality, you're in big trouble. Your top talent will quickly realize this, and is likely to run away from you. But who can blame them?

Keeping your top talent loyal starts with transparency. In other words, don't try to pass yourself off as something you're not, and don't embellish reality. For example, if your company has a culture of presenteeism and reporting, don't pretend otherwise by asserting that trust is a key value in attracting talent. Especially since, in the age of Glassdoor and social networks, anyone can find out the truth about your organization.

Instead, stay true to yourself. Candidates need to have a clear idea of what to expect when they join your team. Give them a concrete idea of the context in which you're recruiting. What are the missions and objectives of the position in 3 months, 6 months and one year? What is your company's DNA (culture, values, processes)? What benefits do you offer?

The more transparent and clear you are about your position and working environment, the more likely you are to retain your best talent.

2/Breaking out of the status quo with daring initiatives

The meaning of work is an important concern for talented people. But how do you do this when you're a company operating in an unattractive sector? By breaking away from the status quo with bold, original initiatives!

For example, the company Shine, which offers a banking solution for the self-employed, has set itself apart by offering its employees one day a month of freelance work. The idea? To encourage talented people to develop their professional projects. An initiative that benefits not only the employees, but also the company. In effect, it's an opportunity to enhance skills, develop creativity, put oneself in the customer's shoes and increase income.

What if you did the same? Set up an association day every month, take action to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the planet, create a book club, offer a sports package, join forces with a cause that's close to your heart and bring employees together (housing, professional integration)... Start from your core values and push back the boundaries to become a company that stands out from the crowd!

3/Show gratitude and appreciation

For 30% of employees, recognition is a priority (JLL barometer on employees' new work preferences, May 2021). While it can be financial, it must above all take shape in interactions. Unfortunately, we tend to remember bad things and point the finger at mistakes. How about introducing a genuine culture of recognition?

Several studies have demonstrated the benefits of recognition on individual well-being. Praise, encouragement, thanks and smiles are signs of recognition that feel good, motivate and reinforce commitment.

Conclusion: don't be stingy with compliments for your top talents (and others). Make your managers aware of the art of recognition!

4/Developing team spirit

Your best talents may be geniuses, but they're still social beings who need to be part of a group.

In a 2020 study by Deloitte, more than 9 out of 10 employees felt that a sense of belonging was a boost to performance and commitment.

If the feeling of belonging is created at the level of the company itself (we share the values, the culture), it is also important to develop it at the team level, as a survey by EY has shown. The goal? That your talents enjoy working with their colleagues.

There are a number of things you can do: onboarding, team-building events, afterworks between colleagues, rituals (breakfasts, coffee breaks). Although these times are not dedicated to the task in hand, they do help to reinforce motivation and commitment.

5/Provide prospects for growth and development

21% of employees are considering resigning in the next two years due to a lack of career development (BVA survey for Club Média RH, 2022). On the other hand, 94% of employees say they would stay longer with their company if it took more account of their skills development (LinkedIn survey, 2019).

This desire for development and evolution will undoubtedly grow over the years. The reason? Talent - and especially the best talent - is aware that we live in an ever-changing world where skills are rapidly becoming obsolete. In other words, they need to add new strings to their bows and regularly update their knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills to remain desirable.

As a result, they expect their company to take matters into its own hands by supporting them in their career development. With training, a skills development plan, professional coaching and mobility.

In conclusion, most of the best talent is canvassed by headhunters and other companies. Retaining them is an ongoing task!