Eight recruiting resolutions for 2024
By Daniel Abramson, HRSource
Lose weight, quit smoking, reduce stress, save money or drink less. If you made a New Year’s resolution this month, you’re in good company: according to Forbes, an estimated 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions annually.
But what about resolutions and goals for your business? If you have plans to scale your retail operation this year, it all begins with hiring and recruiting “A” players. Here are eight achievable recruiting resolutions to help you grow your company in 2024.
1. Review Your Hiring Process
When was the last time you reviewed your hiring and on-boarding process? Hiring is one of the most essential functions under the HR umbrella, and it impacts your business from top to bottom. Consider setting a goal to dissect your hiring process throughout the year, ensuring that the experience is positive and effective for the hiring managers and current team members as well as the job candidates. Word of a good hiring experience can help bring in good candidates via referrals and recommendations.
2. Update Your Employee Handbook
Employee handbooks help onboard your employees effectively and set essential ground rules to guide their daily activities. Employee handbooks are living resources that should reflect your organization as it stands today. Most businesses wait until their handbook collects dust before updating it, but these resources need to change along with your company.
If it’s been more than a year since you reviewed your handbook, it’s time to revisit it and note any outdated areas. If you’ve updated policies, improved benefits, changed your work schedule or made any other relevant changes in your company since the last revision, make sure to address them as soon as possible. Remember, there’ve been lots of work rule changes since the pandemic, plus we live in a litigious society, so it’s imperative to have all your latest policies in writing.
As you may know, AVB BrandSource will compile a customized employee handbook for your company that’s compliant in your state at no charge. Just give me a holler at (540) 535-8484 for all the details.
3. Review New Salary Laws by State
There are lots of new rules and regulations out there for 2024, including some mandatory salary hikes. While the minimum wage remains unchanged in 20 primarily southern and midwestern states, and the federal minimum wage stays at $7.25 an hour, seven states, including California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, along with Washington, D.C., now require baseline pay of $15 or more an hour.
In all., 22 states saw minimum wage increases of varying amounts effective Jan. 1, 2024. They are, according to Paycom:
Alaska: $11.73 (up from $10.85 per hour)
Arizona: $14.35 (up from $13.85)
California: $16 (up from $15.50)
Colorado: $14.42 (up from $13.65)
Connecticut: $15.69 (up from $15)
Delaware: $13.25 (up from $11.75)
Hawaii: $14 (up from $12)
Illinois $14 (up from $13)
Maine $14.15 (up from $13.80)
Maryland: $15 (up from $13.25)
Michigan: $10.33 (up from $10.10)
Minnesota: $8.85 for small employers; $10.85 for large companies (up from $8.63 and $10.59, respectively)
Missouri: $12.30 (up from $12)
Montana: $10.30 (up from $9.95)
Nebraska: $12 (up from $10.50)
New Jersey: $15.13; $13.75 seasonal/small employers (up from $14.13 and $12.93, respectively)
New York: $15 (up from $14.20); additionally, New York City, Westchester, and Long Island: $16 (up from $15)
Ohio: $10.45 (up from $10.10)
Rhode Island: $14 (up from $13)
South Dakota: $11.20 (up from $10.80)
Vermont: $13.67 (up from $13.18)
Washington: $16.28 (up from $15.74)
4. Work on Work-Life Balance
Today’s employees (particularly millennials) are all about work-life balance. The American Psychological Association reports that about 550 million working days are lost annually due to employee burnout. In addition, employee burnout can significantly impact production, turnover rate and customer referrals.
Consider improving your paid time off (PTO) offering or providing remote work flexibility, if possible. This is understandably tough for many retail positions.
5. Conduct Regular One-on-One Check-Ins With Direct Reports
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details of retail and put off regular check-ins with your employees. However, employees often know what they need and allowing their voices to be heard will boost morale. It’s important to catch people doing things right for positive reinforcement.
As you look at your calendar, schedule regular, recurring meetings with your direct reports. Try to avoid rescheduling or canceling when your schedule gets busy. When you treat these conversations as non-negotiable, you’ll have clear insight into how to support your team members more effectively.
6. Update Your Compensation and Benefits Packages
Since you’re already reviewing your hiring practices and policies, now is a great time to review your compensation and benefit packages as well. But how do you know if your compensation package needs an upgrade?
Check your industry’s benchmarks for average compensation. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is a good place to start. If you’re providing less compelling offers than your competitors, you’re setting yourself up for a challenging hiring market and dissatisfied employees and possible turnover in 2024. Address that possibility now by making the necessary updates and improvements!
Need assistance offering a competitive benefits package on a small budget without breaking the bank? Call me at (540) 535-8484; I’m here to help.
7. Implement Employee Training Programs
Take a moment to think about your employee training programs. Improving your training is an excellent resolution for the new year. It helps ease the transition for teams with new hires, lightens the load on hiring managers and ensures that employees can see a long-term path within your organization.
You’ll also find some good outside programs on skill development, including Excel, communications and first-time management, at Pryor Learning, which are offered online or in locally-held daylong sessions. Prices vary from $100 to $200.
Note: It’s also important to look into whether your employees have taken required workplace harassment avoidance training. If you live in a state where this is mandatory, add it to the new year’s schedule to stay compliant.
8. Review Your Job Descriptions and Career Ads
When was the last time you examined your company’s job descriptions? If they’re positions you haven’t recruited for in quite some time, chances are they’re out of date. The market’s changed since then, and so have your needs.
Before searching for a new hire, create a job description that details the kind of duties the employee will be required to perform in the open position. This will better define the skill sets needed and assist in employee reviews later in their job.
A job description is critical to attracting the most qualified and best suited candidates. It can also help or hinder your diversity efforts. If you’re wondering whether your job description or job posting is effective, call me for a free second opinion at (540) 535-8484.
In Conclusion
Tackling your hiring and recruiting challenges effectively requires constant improvement, learning and development. Use these New Year’s tips and resolutions to set actionable and achievable goals, enhance staff engagement and to stay up to date on the latest laws and trends. Remember, being innovative and current on sound recruiting practices is crucial to staying competitive in this candidate-short market.
Need help or a second opinion? Call me!

Daniel Abramson is managing lead of HRSource, a comprehensive collection of customized employment tools and turnkey solutions exclusive to BrandSource members. Contact Daniel at (540) 535-8484 or dabramson84@gmail.com.