The beginning of a new year is usually when people take stock of their lives and make decisions for the coming 12 months – and this is certainly the case when it comes to their jobs.

As a result, businesses may need to prepare themselves for taking on new members of staff, or figuring out new ways of keeping existing employees on board.

One of the main draws of a new role is if it offers better opportunities and the support of a stable company, explained Nick Deligiannis, managing director of Hays in Australia and New Zealand.

In light of this, managers need to think about providing workers with the opportunity for professional development, which is likely to involve additional training.

Giving recently recruited staff members a training feedback form is a good way to gauge how effective your current strategies are and whether any improvements can be made.

This will provide valuable information managers can put to good use when they do take on new members of staff at the start of 2014.

Mr Deligiannis acknowledged that new candidates will do their research into their potential employer, so maintaining a strong reputation is essential to attracting the best candidates.

Alternatively, businesses keen to keep on existing workers can also benefit from the feedback provided in employee surveys.

If you want to know how to keep staff on board and prevent them from deferring to your competitors, it is worth knowing what they hope to accomplish in their role.

Some workers will be happy where they are, but others are likely to have their sights set on improving their career prospects in 2014 – and it is up to you to accommodate this.

Click here for a free custom-branded demonstration of PeoplePulse to see how your company can retain and attract the best talent this year.