Recruitment: Don’t Let It Turn Into a Costly, North Jutland Love Affair

RECRUITMENT: DON’T LET IT TURN INTO A COSTLY, NORTH JUTLAND LOVE AFFAIR

Recruitment is a massive expense in the construction and real estate industry. Companies could save both time and financial resources if they reduced the need for it. The solution is remarkably simple:
Make an effort to ensure your employees want to stay.

Employees on the ground floor are often very loyal and may remain with the same company for decades. However, among employees in key positions, job-hopping is more common.
Can I get a higher salary elsewhere? Can I find better development opportunities?

Low-Hanging Fruit

I’m not complaining—I make a living by helping companies in the construction and real estate industry with leadership recruitment. But it frustrates me when I see wasted resources and low-hanging fruit left unpicked. If companies could retain just half of the employees who leave each year, they would gain significantly.

So why do key employees leave after just a few years in a trusted position? There can be many reasons, but quite often, I hear that they didn’t feel seen. That they felt stuck because they no longer had a clear sense of why the company had hired them in the first place.

Like Love in North Jutland

We all need to hear that we are important—perhaps even indispensable. But in the turbulence of daily work, things can end up like a North Jutland love affair. According to humorists, love declarations in North Jutland are supposedly limited to one single statement: “I love you—and I’ll let you know if that ever changes.”

However, frequent love declarations and professional praise are not enough. Companies need to implement “systems” that bring leadership closer to employees. This could be weekly meetings, collaboration seminars, or traditions tied to the company’s history. It can be both formal and informal. There are many ways to do this—and surely one that fits your company perfectly.

Challenge the Framework

The most important thing is to listen to your employees' desires, understand their ambitions, and acknowledge their future aspirations. Ask how their goals can align with the company’s framework—and be ready to challenge that framework when necessary. Get to know your employees and show genuine interest in them.

If employees feel seen and that their professional development is being supported, the grass will seem less green on the other side of the fence. They should also continuously feel that their market value is increasing by being part of your company.

Show them that they matter—perhaps even that they are indispensable. Though indispensable is a big word.