Your people are deciding every single day whether they still want to work for you.

Not just the new hires. Not just the ones interviewing somewhere else. All of them.

Recruitment begins long before someone accepts the job offer, and it certainly doesn’t stop there. A strong onboarding process or a well-designed training program might open the door, but they’re just the starting point. What truly matters is how consistently you show up after the welcome email is sent and the orientation ends.

Because if you're not actively, intentionally, consistently re-recruiting your team, you're creating space for disengagement to settle in.

And disengagement is a quiet killer. It doesn’t always look like performance issues. Sometimes it looks like the bare minimum. Sometimes it looks like quiet compliance. But eventually, it looks like an empty desk and another open position to fill.

What Does “Recruiting Your Employees” Really Mean?

Think back to when you were hiring someone you really wanted. What did you do?

• You prepared.
• You showed up with energy and intention.
• You highlighted your values, your mission, and the bigger purpose of the work.
• You painted a vision for what their life and career could look like if they joined your team.

Now ask yourself: When’s the last time you did that for the people who already said yes?

That’s what re-recruitment is. It’s the idea that leadership is a daily commitment to earn your team, not just employ them.

Your Team Isn’t Static And Neither Are Their Needs

People grow. Their priorities shift. Life happens. If you’re managing someone the same way you did six months or a year ago, chances are you’re missing something.

A promotion, a new baby, a loss in the family, a rekindled ambition — these things change how someone engages at work. If you’re not checking in beyond the surface, you’ll never know when they start drifting.

Leaders who succeed long-term do one thing very well: they stay curious about their people.

They ask questions like:

• What drives you right now?
• What does growth look like for you this year?
• What do you need more or less of from me?
• Are you still finding meaning in the work we’re doing?

These questions may seem simple, but they’re very strategic. Because when your team feels seen and supported, they lean in. And when they don’t, they look elsewhere.

Retention Is A Mindset

Too often, companies talk about retention like it’s something you do once a year. They launch initiatives, create engagement surveys, throw together culture committees.

But you don’t retain people with perks. You retain them with purpose.

You retain them by:

• Leading with clarity so they know what matters.
• Listening actively so they feel heard.
• Following through consistently so they trust you.
• Recognizing effort so they feel valued.
• Coaching for growth so they know their future matters.

It’s not complicated, but it does take commitment.

A Simple Leadership Audit

If you're wondering where to begin, try this quick audit:

• If one of my best people came to me today with another offer, would I be surprised?
• Have I given them compelling reasons beyond salary to stay?
• Am I showing up for my team the way I did when I was trying to win them over?
• Am I publicly and personally celebrating wins with my team?
• Do I know what matters most to each of my team members, beyond their job titles?
• Am I making space for growth conversations rather than just task check-ins?

If the answer isn’t a clear yes, it’s time to reset.

Bottom Line: Earn Their Yes, Every Day

The decision to leave rarely starts with a company policy and often begins with how someone feels day in and day out under their leader’s guidance. And in a world where top talent has more options than ever, being a good employer isn’t enough. You have to be a great leader.

That means recruiting your employees even after day 1.

Because if you’re not, someone else will.