There’s a great deal of focus in today’s marketplace about how companies can attract the best talent but companies continue to unknowingly do things that are in reality driving away talent.

Many of the top reasons employers are pushing talent away are because of long-standing policies and actions that are simply unfavorable in the eyes of employees but they’ve been in place so long that companies may not even realize the negative impact they’re having.

If you’re worried about your ability to attract and retain talent, take a look at the top 5 ways many companies drive talent away and see if your organization is guilty of any (or all) of the things taking top spots:

1. Bad Job Ads

This consistently ranks as one of the top reasons companies aren’t gaining the employees they’d like to have and need to succeed, yet it’s a mistake that’s made time and time again.

Your job ad is your first impression when it comes to attracting and recruiting talent so why would you create an ad that’s less than outstanding? You want to present your company’s employer brand and really drive great candidates to want to work for you—you only have one chance at a first impression, so make it good.

2. Complex Application Processes

Yes, you want a comprehensive application for potential employees in order to ensure you’re able to properly screen candidates, but you don’t want an application that’s so complex or confusing that you’re turning off great talent before they ever come in for an interview.

Ideally an application should be one that’s concise and streamlined, and only asks questions that are truly relevant to employment at your company.

3. Impersonal Communication During the Application and Interview Process

You begin nurturing and developing your talent from the moment they submit an application—at least you do if you want a stellar talent management strategy and implementation process.

Want a surefire way to push potential employees away?

Issue the cold, impersonal, and automated forms of communication that are so common during these initial steps of the recruitment process.

Instead, take the time to be personal with how you respond to candidates, even if it means you’re telling them a position is no longer open or available. You’ll be able to improve your employer brand and that’s going to help you attract better talent in the future.

4. Red Tape and Bureaucracy

This may not be a huge problem for smaller businesses, but it tends to be a big turn-off for potentially great employees when it comes to larger organizations.

If your company is one where you have to seek approval for every action taken and it’s like moving a mountain to request time off, it’s going to discourage some of the best, brightest and most creative employees from coming on-board. Even if you can manage to recruit them, they’re not likely to stick around for long in a stifling environment.

Great talent tends to also be entrepreneurial, inventive, innovative, and creative—not characteristics that are encouraged by or drawn to red tape and bureaucracy.

Instead, try to establish at least some sense of flexibility in the workplace, whether it’s in how projects are completed or even how time off is requested and given.

5. A Lack of Growth Opportunities

What’s even more important to many of the most talented individuals in the workforce than a big paycheck? Opportunities for growth.

If your organization is seen as one where the opportunities are limited, you can expect to kiss your talent goodbye pretty quickly. Great employees want equally great opportunities to develop and progress in their career and if you’re not offering that, they’re going to go elsewhere so they can find it.

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