Finding new employees can be tough. You’re looking for specific skills, or you have a specific culture in mind and need people who fit that mold. All businesses want to attract the best talent for their employees, but most are hesitant to give employees the power to hire talent. To get around this, many businesses turn to employee referrals as an alternative hiring method. While some companies use their own employees to refer candidates, there are others that opt for a third party or intermediary so they don't have to do anything other than refer good candidates and wait for the results.
Employee referral programs are one of the most popular ways to find good employees because they help your company bring in high-quality talent that can help boost profits, employee retention and brand recognition. However, some companies struggle with implementing an effective employee referral program. With the right talent acquisition software, you can keep track of who’s recommended who (and ensure only candidates with a good fit for your company are being referred), and you also gain more insight into how different types of referrals can make for better hires.

Here are seven ways you can begin implementing an employee referral program in your business:
Set your goals first
Before establishing an employee referral program, hiring manager needs to first know what your recruitment goals are. Do you want to save time on the hiring process? Cut down on costs? Or find candidates with specific skill sets? Once you know your goals, you can start tailoring your program to fit your needs.

Management Team Collaboration
Good communication is essential in any working environment. When it comes to hiring, this is especially true. Your management team can do a lot to help improve the chances of attracting top talent by being able to honestly convey the culture and ethos of your company. The best way to do this is by referring people they know who fit the bill. By setting up SquaREcruit’s applicant tracking system, you can make sure that you have a way for employees to refer their friends so that you’ll be able to quickly start receiving applications from people who match the needs of your job openings.

Clearly Define the Job Requirements
As your business grows, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of all of your employees and potential referrals. This is where SquaREcruit's ATS comes in handy. With SquaREcruit's ATS referral software, you can easily keep track of who's recommended who and you also gain more insight into how different types of referrals can make for better hires. Plus, our software makes it easy to connect with potential referrals and get them started in the hiring process.

Employee Incentive Programs
Employee referral programs are a great way to attract top talent. But if you want your program to be successful, you need to offer a variety of incentives that will appeal to your employees. Here are some ideas
- Financial bonuses
- Additional vacation days
- Gifts or gift cards
- Public recognition (such as announcing the referral in a company-wide email)
- Private recognition (such as a handwritten note from the CEO)

Build Easy-to-Use Customer Referral Program
If you want to create an employee referral program that works, you need to start by using the right software. SquaREcruit's ATS has an inbuilt referral system that makes it easy to track referrals and see how they're performing. Plus, you can use the software to keep track of different types of referrals so you can make sure you're getting the best possible candidates.

Monitor and Evaluate Your Results
Employee referral programs are everywhere in the modern workplace. They range from the large corporate level to the small start-up, and with so many different variations, it can be difficult to know exactly where you should focus your efforts. This can also lead to some frustration when employees begin complaining about how their implementation is not working properly. In this situation, you need to closely track and evaluate your results in order to improve yours as quickly as possible!

Conclusion
The benefits of employee referral programs are numerous, but it takes a proper implementation to reap the rewards. The right talent acquisition software will not only help you create a program that works for your business, it will also make managing your program far easier. Get started today by following these seven steps to implement a successful employee referral program