Recruiting today’s workforce has challenges few have experienced before. Businesses claim they are doing all they can to recruit in these very competitive times. All of them are doing the same. Those who dare to be different can not only win the battle for talent today but also win the long term battle for talent. It requires business leaders to get outside their comfort zones, open their minds and consider other methods with lasting effect. In short, it requires new ways of thinking. Recruiting is hard because you are doing the same thing as everyone else.
What more can you do?
Most likely your business is using the same worn out tired approach that everyone else is. You have declared or decided that you are or will be an Employer of Choice or a Best Place to Work. You may have spent a great deal of money accomplishing that, and you have missed the mark. These easily duplicated and relatively meaningless designations are little more than wasted effort over a label. On top of that, you’ve increased your wages to compete. Neither of these is having the desired results, but you keep doing them anyway. It is time to do more and do something different. It is time to stop letting your recruiting efforts be just like everyone else.
There is not an “If you do this one thing you will never have to recruit again” solution either. The solution does take time, effort and an open mind. The solution requires you to leave the office, conference room, Board Room and be present with your workforce. Yes, you need to do this as well but you can and should have other members of management doing this as well as your HR Team if you have one. The desired outcome is information. More accurately the desired outcome is actionable information from which you can build trust and involvement with your workforce. You must identify what your workforce wants, what is important to them and why. That also means there is no one size fits all approach. Every workforce is different even within your own company.
The pundits tell us that complete employee experience is the game changer. Providing this will ensure that you recruit better, you retain better and as a result, your business excels. It is a part of Workforce planning; a process whereby you determine current and future needs, compare them to current skills on hand and then plan how to fill the inevitable gap. By including employee experience your recruiting efforts are unique to your company and not just like everyone else’s.
Generally speaking, today’s workforce is seeking six key things from their jobs. These are:
- Meaningful Work – the work must have some value at the job level, at the culture level, and the industry level. It must have value.
- Hands-on Management – Management must be present. They must set clear goals, give feedback and provide coaching.
- A Productive Environment – They want a flexible work environment that recognizes performance and is inclusive and accepting of differences.
- Growth Opportunities – the ability to grow professionally and personally. Growth does not need to be upward, but the opportunity to learn must always be present.
- Trust in Leadership – Transparency, communication, and honesty from leadership are critical
- Wellness – the achievement and maintenance of physical fitness and mental stability. This includes personal financial wellbeing, safety, and security.
The development of a culture that provides these, and that is tailored to your specific workforce and your workforce’s needs, are all focused on one thing; developing an environment for workforce success that in turn drives business success. Paired together these outcomes create a unique environment that not only capitalizes on the strength of your workforce but also its uniqueness. No one can duplicate the power of your workforce. Capitalizing on, Developing and supporting that power is the key to successful and sustainable workforce levels and fulfilling as much of the employee experience as possible means more successful workers and a more successful business.