Gone are the days of circling a job advert in the newspaper (although I do sometimes miss those days). Recruitment is constantly changing and evolving, and we need to stay ‘current’ in this competitive and sometimes aggressive market.
In the last few years, specifically through the pandemic, there has been a huge focus on attracting and retaining top talent. It demonstrates that talent management really needs to be aligned with your company goals and growth strategies to reflect the needs of the business.
In a consistently candidate-driven market, you really need to make sure you are enhancing your employee’s performance to help you to retain top performers and not be faced with the dreaded ‘counteroffer’ as they look elsewhere.
Most businesses will lose employees because they simply don’t have a talent management strategy in place and become stagnant in thinking what they are doing is working.
The pandemic has given us the chance to reflect on what is truly important: we don’t just want a higher salary, we want to feel valued, supported and appreciated. We want to be offered more flexibility for a healthy work/life balance and more growth opportunities for career progression.
The benefits that are appealing to workers are: flexible and hybrid working for a better work/life balance, health and wellbeing initiatives that aren’t just lip service, the opportunity to develop skills and see the next step in your role, security and trust, and a true alignment of culture, values and goals.
The number of times I have had conversations with clients who are struggling to attract and retain talent when all they need to look at is their existing talent! Retaining talent is incredibly important in such a competitive market; it’s not just about casting your recruitment net far and wide.
In my twenty-year recruitment career, I can honestly say it is refreshing that businesses are focussing more on their talent management strategy rather than just constantly ‘back-filling’.
To see people reach out about how to improve their talent acquisition and talent management strategies is very hopeful for the future direction companies are taking, and the importance they’re placing on finding the right talent – and not only that but keeping them!
Catherine Hingston
Head of Corporate Services