Summary: We cover ways organizations can make their positions attractive to skilled employees.
A War for Talent A January 2019 report from Gardner found that the global talent shortage is now the top emerging risk facing organizations [#1]. The current job market swings heavily in favor of candidates [#2].
Today’s applicants want more from their job than just a paycheck. What’s more, limited funds may be preventing you from offering top dollar to every candidate. Your mid-sized company may not have the “name recognition” of more established larger organizations.
“Unfortunately for most organizations, the most critical talent needs are also the most rare and expensive to hire for.” -Matt Shinman, vice president of Gartner [#3]. To win the war for talent your organization must align its values with employee values and follow the tips laid out in this article.
Here are a few options that (1) workers say are important to them and (2) your organization can actually offer, even under tight budgetary constraints.
Meaning and Purpose
Winners want to work for winners. By presenting a winning story of why people should work for you, you demonstrate the meaning behind their jobs. Use case studies and handwritten client testimonials to demonstrate the direct impact that their job will have on consumers. You want the employee to feel that they are working for the benefit of a mission “that is greater than me.”
Corporate Social Responsibility
As a recruiter or hiring manager it will help you to know your customers as well as possible. What are the causes they care about? Furthermore, how does your company demonstrate social responsibility in addressing these concerns? How is your company helping the community? Collect these stories from sales people on the ground floor as well as leaders on the top floor. Have these stories well rehearsed before you ever pick up the phone to talk to that potential star candidate.
Training and Development
People learn differently. Some people learn visually, others verbally, and others kinesthetically, by doing. Demonstrate how your company invests in education and training programs for its staff. Highlight the (1) real-world wisdom and (2) specialized training to be obtained by working at your company. Perhaps you have a subject matter expert that no one else has. Perhaps you have access to software licenses or education materials that would be attractive to an engineer. These are valuable bargaining chips you can offer.
Here is how we set up training and development programs for the clients we work with. We educate companies on various systems and programs – including time management, conflict resolution, and diversity & inclusion.
Attracting Talent
Work-life perks can be leveraged to swing the conversation in your favor. If you haven’t had the conversation with company leadership about adding flex hours or remote work capacity, now may be a good time to do so. Your competitors in Silicon Valley already offer time-saving perks such as car washes, child care services, and laundry pickup. Flexible working hours and remote work capabilities are the number one thing new candidates ask for.
Do you have the right systems in place? Contact Tammy Klein today to learn how to create systems and processes to manage remote workers. Free consultation via 305-775-5640
People are particular on where they’re going next. These modern initiatives, centered around meaningful work and work-life-balance perks contribute in creating a winning culture. Continue to collect stories of how your company impacts the lives of its customers and clients, and share these stories with potential candidates. Beyond a paycheck, we all wish to work at a company that deeply understands and cares for us. We are all motivated by the greater vision of leaving the world better than how we found it.
Align your organizational values with employee values and you’ll create a better incentive package for top talent. You’ll start seeing an increase in engagement, retention rates, and will find yourself filling positions faster than ever before.