5 min read

The War for Talent is Back. Add these Weapons to your Hiring Arsenal.

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The war on talent is an expression that dates to the late ’90s. It describes the increasingly competitive environment for hiring and retaining talented employees. The marketplace has become even more intense with societal, demographic, and economic forces in play. The challenges brought by the recent pandemic are expected to remain through 2022, and having great hiring tools is more important than ever.

Today’s talent shortage has resulted from early retirement, inadequate compensation, childcare issues, working conditions, and burnout.  Some workers have even turned to entrepreneurship or joined the gig economy as freelancers.

 “The Great Resignation” is a recent phenomenon that has emerged during the pandemic. According to a recent study, most of those leaving jobs are 30–45-year-old mid-level employees.

Organizations need to adjust to the new paradigm and entice workers back. Being a great employer is no longer enough. You need to have a mission, great benefits, development opportunities, internal mobility, and a strong employer brand. Other clear steps also need to be taken to retain existing staff and attract new candidates. Now is the time to build an arsenal to win the talent war in this challenging environment.

Add these weapons to your hiring technology stack

Embrace AI-powered hiring tools

The digital transformation of the past decades continues to dominate recruiting, hiring, and training practices. AI and the new technologies are critical components to fight the war on talent.

The new technologies, such as Censia’s Internal Mobility Matching, enable matching people with the right job, eliminate bias during candidate search and streamline the recruiting process.

boost recruiting ROI with Censia

Stay ahead of your hiring needs

Workers feel empowered today and will do so for the foreseeable future.

There are different and higher employee expectations from the emerging workforce. The millennials and Gen Z workers have more diverse perspectives and meanings of work than previous generations.

Hopefully, the post-pandemic landscape will see more job seekers once they feel safe, taken care of, mentored, have flexibility, and feel adequately compensated. Companies will need to be ready with tools and an arsenal to win the talent war now and in the future.

Become an attractive employer

Emphasize company culture and prove to be a good fit for a prospective candidate. Develop a strong brand, digital awareness as well as a clear mission.

Create an inviting environment and roll out the red carpet to attract top talent. Ensure recruiters and HR assist candidates, so the potential employee feels comfortable with the hiring process. Recruiters should maintain engagement with the job seekers as ghosting candidates is not a good practice in today’s competitive market.

Offer flexibility to prospecting and existing employees

Flextime and work from home options were typical among many organizations, even pre-pandemic.  The pandemic resulted in people expecting to work remotely using Zoom and other platforms.

It can be challenging to force staff to be physically present full-time in an office environment. Potential hires now demand flexible work schedules, work-life balance, extended vacations, and bonuses.

Offer staff development, upskilling, and training

Providing robust training and development programs are no longer options but a must-do for organizations. A recent PwC survey found 63% of CEOs are concerned about finding the right talent with the right skills.

Training can address gaps such as digital business skills. This will enable internal mobility and prevent flight risk by current staff. Providing internal opportunities can reduce recruiting costs while retaining institutional knowledge.

Showing a company is committed to training and development can also enticement to prospective candidates. Upskilling and reskilling programs can impress potential candidates while serving existing staff needs.

Offer Attractive Benefits

Review and revisit current benefits packages for new and existing staff.  Benchmark your benefits with local companies and competitors. The hot button issues are PTO (paid time off), health care, academic assistance, and wellness programs.

Employers should recognize stress burnout and provide work/life flexibility.

Create a diverse and inclusive environment

Take proactive steps to ensure an inclusive environment as this is critical for attracting and retaining talent. Establish various teams in a safe, collaborative environment. Developing a mentorship program enables peer support and idea integration to foster engagement.

Further Reading

The War for Talent is Back. Add these Weapons to your Hiring Arsenal.

3 Impactful Ways AI Will Make Hiring Human Again

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4 Simple Ways to Improve Your Talent Acquisition Strategy

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The Top 5 Recruiting Challenges and the Technology that will Solve Them

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