How to Attract Talent in The New Normal

If you are finding it difficult to attract the talent your business requires in these pandemic times, you are definitely not alone. .

Business owners in all types of industries, especially service industries such as hospitality, tourism, and retail, are tearing their hair out at the lack of suitable job applicants.

And the worrying thing is that this situation doesn’t look like improving anytime soon.

The reasons behind this frustrating and often debilitating lack of suitable talent are many and varied.

A newly developed taste for working at home and the advantages that brings, a reluctance to work in industries most impacted by lock downs and a fear of face-to-face customer interactions, are all part of the cause.

The effect of course, is to severely reduce a business’s ability to regrow back to a situation of stability and sustainability.

Understanding the problem is one thing however but doing something about it is another.

The good news is that there are a number of ways to help attract and acquire the best talent, to help grow your business.

Here are 10 Ideas for Attracting the Best Talent

• Before you fire out a job ad, think about alternative strategies such as recruiting from within. Is there someone in your team that is showing potential and may, with the right training, be able to step up and perform the role you have in mind?

• If external recruitment is your only choice, then consider widening your net before you cast it. Consider people from outside your industry with skills that may be transferable with some training and mentoring.

• Don’t discount older applicants. Mature age people often have a wealth of knowledge to tap into and can bring passion to a job they see as being everything they desire, rather than just a stepping stone towards something better.

• Review your position description to ensure that it has the ability to generate excitement. Make sure that it reflects many of the needs quality applicants seek in a job, such as flexibility, autonomy, teamwork and growth developing challenges.

• When crafting your job ad, make sure that the most attractive elements of the position description are highlighted. Ensure that your employer brand reflects attractive values such as genuine care for individuals and teamwork.

• Money is still and probably always will be a key motivator, so make sure that your financial rewards are competitive. It’s not all about the base salary, as sweeteners such as bonuses, increased holiday leave, increased sick leave (for COVID recovery time), birthday holidays, mental health days, gym membership discounts etc., can all help.

• Even though money is a key consideration for job applicants, other factors are becoming increasingly important. For example, mental health and wellbeing is a key employment related issue, so initiatives such as the encouragement of breaks and exercise during working hours, may be well received.

• Be as flexible as possible up front with regard to working hours. A great candidate may only be able to work in the office during school hours or may only wish to work 2-3 days a week. If you need someone full time, then two people working in tandem as a team, may represent a workable option.

• When the employment market is competitive and quality candidates few and far between, it’s important to stand out from the competition. This means reviewing competitive job offers to see where you could do better in attracting the right people.

• Don’t feel that you’re all alone in your attempt to attract the best talent. Talk to other employers regarding successful strategies or an external HR consultancy who can help you create and execute a more effective approach to recruitment.

For further information call Justine on 0419 568 899 or email justine.pepper@esshr.com.au