Recruiting future talent is becoming a top priority for many companies across developed countries. Over the last few years, a compounding of the effects of Brexit, the covid pandemic and the working from home phenomenon, and an increasing number of older people opting out of the workforce and moving into early retirement has created a skills gap that is leaving some companies under resourced.
With increasing competition in recruitment, companies must put together a more aggressive approach to filling roles at every level if they are to maintain their position in the market. If your company is NOT doing all of the following, then bringing in new talent in the future is going to be increasingly impossible.
Build a relationship with a specialist recruitment agency
While it is tempting to go for a scattergun approach to finding new talent, finding a specialist recruitment agency that can concentrate on specific roles and positions within your company will give you access to a much more relevant pool of talent.
A good recruitment agency will have developed an established and ever changing pool of people at every level – from graduates right up to senior board level. Some of the best recruitment companies will have inhouse training to ensure that their candidates have access to the latest knowledge and skills.
Building a relationship with a good agency will save you untold time and money, as well as place you in the forefront when it comes to filling positions. They will have a keen eye on the jobs market, and know the salary levels and benefits being offered by competitors to lure talent away from you. With this knowledge and insight they can ensure that you are leading the pack in terms of looking after your workforce and giving them the best possible deal on the market.
Embrace Artificial Intelligence driven recruitment processes
AI – Artificial Intelligence – has revolutionised the recruitment industry. It has enabled companies to handles hundreds, if not thousands of applications and drill down into those that are of most interest and relevance to the company in particular, in a fraction of the time that it would take if done manually.
While you may think AI is a poor replacement for the human touch, the technology can actually elevate the filtering process, seeking out skills and knowledge that might otherwise be lost through human error. However, it is also important not to lose that human, face to face element that is so important – recruitment is, after all, a people’s business about people.
Focus on values, skills and potential rather than rigid qualifications
To this end it is important to continue to look at the whole person, rather than simply qualifications. Having an understanding of a company’s overall culture, and whether an individual will not only fit in, but contribute proactively, will go a long way to finding the right talent in a diminishing pool.
Expand the range and quality of employee benefits
Because companies are competing with each other in an increasingly diminishing market place for the best people, greater importance is being applied to the range and quality of employee benefits that are on offer.
While schemes such as employee perks and EAPs Employee Assistance Programmes are these days commonplace in companies, from corporates to SMEs, many HR departments are getting increasingly creative when it comes to putting together an enticing benefits programme.
For example, companies are offering anything from your birthday off as an extra holiday, to the opportunity to take a sabbatical – paid and unpaid – for anything between a month and a year – with the guarantee of your job still at the end of it.