Recruitment and retention
Recruitment and retention
The recruitment process should be thoughtfully planned, informed by
technology developments, and in line with changing corporate plans and employee
expectations. To successfully traverse the hiring landscape, it is pivotal for both
companies and job seekers to comprehend these elements. Additionally, all
relevant labor rules, regulations, pay, and workplace safety must be guaranteed
when hiring a new employee.
There are 04 common recruitment methods as follows (
1. internal
recruitment
2. external
recruitment
3. employee
referrals
4. social media recruitment
In terms of internal recruitment, focus on promoting or transferring
existing employees to enable improved morale, reduced training time and
cost-effectiveness. Besides, employee referrals are cost-effective and can
ensure trust based on the existing employees recommendations.
Furthermore, social media recruitment ( Daily FT 2014) becomes a widely popular and growing method since it enables reaching a large and diverse audience and allows for targeted recruitment based on specific skills and experience.
Nevertheless, many companies face challenges in terms of retaining existing employees due to competitive compensation packages, maintaining a positive, engaging workplace, and limited career advancement. Hence, employees tend to leave the workplace (TheCEO Magazine, 2025)
In the Sri Lankan context, experts emphasize that Sri Lanka is struggling to recruit professionals in sectors like healthcare(JaykodyR 2025) , the IT sector, the higher study sector, the manufacturing sector, and the banking and finance sector due to an unprecedented brain drain (Economynext 2025) of skilled professionals. According to the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (2022, 2024), significant brain drain is indicated, with over 300,000 people migrating, which impacts the local industry's ability to recruit skilled labor. It is detrimental for the entire economy.
Furthermore, experts argue that in terms of employment and retention, there
is a mismatch between academic output and practical skill (senarath SACL, Patbedige S, 2014) Therefore, they
emphasize necessary reforms need to be set up and implemented.
In addition, recruitment and retention are sometimes impacted by external
factors like economic stability and government fiscal policies (inflation
factor), which lead to a higher cost of living due to poor earnings and higher
expenses (
In conclusion, despite economic and political turbulence, industry experts
and organizations should be focused on retaining their existing workforce by
providing competitive salaries and benefits, clear career paths, recognition
and appreciation, training and development, and regular communication in order
to address concerns and provide support. In contrast, on the other hand, in
order to facilitate reduction, businesses should be worried about internal
recruitment and use AI-driven technologies for interview scheduling and
candidate screening. Cost of hiring.
References
JaykodyR (February 2025) Addressing brain drain in the health sector, the morning Epaper
Weerakkodi D, (2014) Sri Lankan talent exodus and the challenge of retention
Posted by - K M N R Wickramasinghe (E276762)

A well-planned recruitment process that uses the latest technology and aligns with company goals and employee needs is essential. It's also important to ensure compliance with labor laws, fair pay, and safety standards to create a positive and lawful hiring experience for everyone.
ReplyDeleteThis blog highlights the importance of focusing on employee retention through good pay, career growth, and communication, while also using AI tools to make hiring more efficient and cost-effective.
ReplyDeleteThis is a well-rounded overview that highlights the importance of strategic, tech-driven recruitment and the need to retain talent through meaningful support and career growth. A proactive approach like this can help organizations stay competitive even in challenging environments.
ReplyDeleteFor employee retention, recruitments must be balanced with technology, internal hiring, brain drain and skill mismatches, as these remain critical challenges in Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteRecruitment attracts the right talent, while retention focuses on keeping employees engaged and satisfied to reduce turnover and maintain organizational stability and growth.
ReplyDeleteTo address recruitment and retention challenges, companies should prioritize internal mobility and employee referrals to boost morale and reduce costs. Leveraging AI-driven recruitment can streamline hiring, while competitive compensation, career development, and engagement initiatives are key to retention. In Sri Lanka, aligning education with industry needs and mitigating brain drain through local talent incentives are critical. Adapting to economic shifts with flexible policies will ensure resilience.
ReplyDeleteHiring the right people and keeping them is not easy—especially with so many skilled workers leaving the country. To fix this, companies need to offer better pay, growth opportunities, and use smart tools like AI to make hiring easier and faster.
ReplyDelete