Happy Global Talent Acquisition Day! Today is a time when we traditionally focus on celebrating the skills of TA professionals. This year, as in past ones, celebrations — virtual or in-person — are well-deserved.
But it’s also important to use the day as a platform to ask and discuss some of the important questions surrounding talent acquisition in light of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. It’s vital to address both the potential for new opportunities and the concerns companies have as we head into the future of work — particularly given the ongoing employee turnover crisis. Almost 4 million Americans quit their jobs in April, while in the U.K., the Microsoft Work Trend Index found that 40% of people want to change jobs this year.
Here are top considerations for talent leaders to keep in mind as they forge through the for the rest of this year and develop 2022 strategies:
No Room for Vagueness
Now the “remote everywhere“ trend has tipped the scale of balance, candidates and employees are making their preferences known. However, two issues have emerged:
- Some companies can’t make a decision as to whether to offer hybrid and remote working.
- Other companies haven’t defined what remote working really means. For example, does it mean close enough to the office so that employees can technically come in at any time, or does it really mean that they can live and work in far-flung locations?
The bottom line is that in the race to secure great talent, companies can’t afford to be vague about their remote-working policies. You need to think hard about your position and stick to it. You need to find what is right for your company and evaluate the level of presenteeism that is necessary for your business to run effectively.
However, it‘s not just about what you need. In a highly competitive talent market, it’s vital to consider what employees want (here’s a tip: survey them!) — or you run the risk of losing out on top talent to competitors that offer more flexibility.
Dedication to Diversity
Throughout 2021, many talent leaders have claimed diversity and inclusion is a top priority, but in a recent survey we ran, nearly 80% of New England-based tech leaders said they prefer to hire from their alma mater or personal networks, including former co-workers and friends. In the same survey, 90% of leaders said they were dedicated to hiring diverse and female tech talent. In other words, the desire is there, but approaches to hiring can leave much to be desired.
Simply put, leaders will need to broaden their horizons. Expanding your recruitment pool is key to helping companies secure the skills and the personalities that make up a truly diverse organization.
Employer Branding Makeover
To create an employer brand that is relevant, it’s important to look at what has changed as a result of recent upheaval. The workplace is not the same as it was in 2019, and employees’ attitudes and expectations are changing.
Employers need to go back and re-evaluate all aspects of their employee value proposition (EVP). You need to have a clear idea of what you can offer employees right now and going forward, from flexible work arrangements to actions that foster greater diversity and inclusion.
However, it’s not only about what you can offer employees and candidates but how you communicate those offerings. You’ve got to make sure your choice of words resonates with the right candidates in this new era of work. Otherwise, your employer brand will be outdated, and your ability to hire the right talent will be upended even more.
Success With Scaling
It’s often hard to implement a talent acquisition function when your business is scaling. However, building a flexible and resilient talent acquisition strategy with recruitment processing outsourcing (RPO) can allow your internal talent team to focus on growth and success rather than recruiting, while also introducing a future-proof, flexible model that can allow for ebb and flow amid uncertain times that may be marked with continuous change. Beyond this, RPO can help companies to be agile and reach out to the right talent when a natural talent pool might not be present.
However, perhaps the biggest advantage of RPO is that it’s a great way to retain your own internal recruiters as it’s so effective at providing that extra level of temporary help they can’t find elsewhere.
Ultimately, it’s high time for talent leaders to have open discussions about all of the above considerations. It’s also time to think about what recruitment models map to today’s uncertain landscape and how to tap into new talent pools to stay competitive in today’s hiring market.