The Great Talent Shortage – Be the Most Sincere Employer
We can no longer wait around for candidates to show up. We need to talk about more than just what jobs are available.
In “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” Linus spends the entire show in the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to show up. He believes that because he has the “most sincere” pumpkin patch, the Great Pumpkin will simply show up and deliver toys. Now, I don’t know if there was any campaigning or advertising involved in the most sincere pumpkin patch competition, but I do know a lot of employers who seem to think that all they need to do is post the jobs and the candidates will come.
And in the past, it sometimes was just that easy.
Even before the pandemic hit, things were starting to change a bit. Candidates were getting a little more picky. Old adages were no longer holding true as people started to question some of that old logic. Why couldn’t we ask for more from our employers? They aren’t just “buying our time” to make widgets. Candidates have a better understanding of the value they bring to an organisation and are demanding better treatment, not just in the workplace but throughout the entire process.
So, how do you, as an employer, show your candidates that you are the most sincere employer?
1. Have a clear & concise selection process
Hiring managers typically want someone to start as soon as possible, so why does it take them so long to make a decision? You need a clear selection process that everyone involved understands their part of. We shared some hints in a previous blog post, but we all know that candidates are definitely not waiting around for you to make a decision.
You need to make your decisions quickly and follow up with your candidates to let them know where they are in your process and when decisions will be made.
2. It’s more than a paycheck
Today employees want more than just a decent compensation package. They want flexibility. Think about when and where your work needs to be completed and determine what flexibility can be added in. It’s not just about a work life balance, because you don’t put life on hold when you walk into the office. Can the work be completed remotely or asynchronously? How can you help your employees take care of what needs to be taken care of both in their work and in their home? An employer that is there for their employee has employees that will be there for them.
3. Moving up
Talk about the additional opportunities within your organisation. Most employees don’t really want to stay in the same role their entire career. They want new opportunities and you need to do this to keep your employees. Offer learning and cross-training opportunities.
As the world changes, you need to be able to flex to redeploy, upskill quickly and easily. Make it easy for your employees to find and be considered for new opportunities to stick around!
4. More than what’s in it for me
No longer are most of us working for just a paycheck or what the job brings to us, we want to be a part of something bigger. We want to know our company does the right thing and that what we do matters. Share the good things, give your employees the opportunity to give back to the community. Be sure your leaders can talk about the good things and how their role fits into this bigger picture.
As an employer, we’ve spent the last 2 years flexing, adjusting, reorganising to make the workplace safe and productive. And candidates have moved further into wanting a better all around experience. We must meet candidates where they are and ensure we are offering what they need.
“Employers who lead people first and view their people as amazing individuals with complicated, full lives are faring better. Strong cultures are carrying employers through this challenging time,” Tracie Sponenberg shared.
And this is how you can have the most sincere employment patch and you won’t have to work as much about the Great Talent Shortage.
