Contrary to what some job seekers think, not all employers and recruiters have vast databases of resumes they can pull up at anytime to find a qualified candidate to fill an open position. They don’t have hours of free time to spend interviewing three, four, five candidates for one job. And they don’t have a chance to meet with every person who wants their help in finding a job. Let’s face it – recruiters, hiring managers and HR professionals are busy, most wearing many hats and taking on many different challenges throughout the day.

One of them is hiring. And to make that task less of a challenge, employee referral programs can be put in place to help reduce the burden of finding top talent by encouraging employees to recommend their company as a great place to work and advance their career to friends, family and anyone in their professional network. In fact, studies have shown referred employees have higher retention rates and increase employee engagement within a company.

That being said, what are some ways an employer can implement an employee referral program? What can be done to get employees to brand the company as a great place to work? And then, how can these employees who do provide the referrals be rewarded and recognized, especially if money is tight (and when isn’t money tight?).

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Employee perks certainly have changed over the years. Years ago free tickets to the big game, gift certificates to the hot new restaurant in town or an expense-paid trip to somewhere tropical to the employee of the year were among the methods used by employers to reward and recognize top employees.

Today some of top employee perks include on-site physical therapy and acupuncture at Cisco Systems, free food (along with bocce courts and a bowling alley) at Google, an indoor rock climbing wall and free scuba diving certification classes for employees of Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Employee perks can be a great recruiting and retention tool, especially when monetary bonuses or salary increases are not always an option. It’s also a way an employer shows they value their employees, says Tina Fox, Branch Manager of Accountemps in La Jolla, Calif.

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Being named to a workplace “Best of” list can be a positive recruiting and retention tool for employers. Earning these accolades can boost employee morale and increase company pride while also providing something that is easily promoted via social media channels such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, serving as a way to brand the company as a thriving and vibrant place to work.

There are many “Best of” workplace lists. Among the most popular is Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. Others include Crain’s New York Business Best Places to Work, Working Mother Magazine’s Best Companies for Working Moms, the Dave Thomas Foundation Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces and the Great Place to Work 100 Best Companies to Work For. In addition, there are numerous other local and regional Best of workplace lists, such as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top Workplaces in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Last year the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM.org) was named as a Washingtonian’s “50 Great Places to Work.”

Best workplace awards “can be attractive for recruiting and retention purposes as well as employee engagement,” says Lisa Orndorff, manager of employee relations and engagement at the Society for Human Resource Management. “Employees often take pride in knowing that they are part of a “best of” organization.”

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