How to win the talent war

Tech acceleration, automation, and the COVID-19 pandemic are transforming the world rapidly, turning recruitment into a challenging undertaking. Because of that, navigating the hiring process and employee journey requires comprehensive improvements.

It’s no longer enough to rely on pre-COVID strategies that typically overlook job seekers’ needs, subtle generational differences, and skill gaps. If you want to avoid high turnover, incompatible training, time-consuming processes, and well-being issues, you should consider a holistic approach to recruitment.

Happy workplaces depend on efficient talent attraction that results in choosing the most compatible candidate. But to achieve that, you have to win the talent war.

CRITICAL HR ISSUE IN POST-COVID ERA: THE TALENT WAR

The unemployment in the UK in the first three months of 2021 was five per cent, which is the highest rate since 2016. The silver lining is that many people are looking for a job, creating a talent abundance.

Yet, recruiters have to be more careful than ever concerning selection as underqualified candidates might apply for work for financial security. Companies must enhance their processes, answer job applicants’ needs, and provide a holistic work environment to attract qualified talents.

The generational shift also impacts what employees expect from their employers, workplace, and opportunities. For instance, millennials (between 25 and 40 years old) are already the largest generation in the UK world of work.

However, generation Z (between 6 and 24 years old) already outnumber their older millennial siblings and will soon become the dominant cohort in the workforce. These two generations are substantially different from generation X and baby boomers, and they’re holistically oriented.

Both millennials and gen Z prefer when companies perceive their employees as individuals with distinctive aspirations instead of numbers on a spreadsheet. They want to work in modern workplaces, but they also appreciate being able to choose between working in an office and from home.

The youngest group in the workforce holds work-life balance highly, but 93 per cent of millennials find skill development, learning, and career progression to be their top priority. Gen Z is resourceful and wants to access information with ease.

If you aim to attract and retain these young job seekers and differentiate your business, you must provide them with a workplace where they can grow, learn, and progress. Here’s how you can do it.

4 INITIATIVES TO ATTRACT, DEVELOP & RETAIN THE BEST PEOPLE

The post-COVID era requires showing that you care about your employees, their well-being, and their future. A company that nurtures their wellness and supports their growth will attract highly qualified job seekers.

The following initiatives can help you foster a healthy work environment where hires feel appreciated and safe.

1. Holistic mental health and well-being program

Even though the pandemic brought health to the forefront, only 46 per cent of employers support their employees’ physical and emotional wellness. Yet, well-being is critical for happiness, productivity, and engagement.

It’s why implementing an efficient program with a holistic approach should be your priority. Avoid perfunctory strategies that tackle the physical needs only.

Show your care by nurturing the six dimensions of wellness: emotional, occupational, physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual. Consider implementing stress reduction initiatives, nutrition workshops and education, mental health awareness training, or exercise and fitness challenges.

2. Employee learning and professional development opportunities

Nearly 70 per cent of employees want to learn or train in the workplace. Yet, 74 per cent believes they have a lot of untapped potentials and want more mental stimulation.

Make continuous employee learning and development your competitive advantage. Invest in modern platforms that provide hires with engaging digital content. Nurture their knowledge, help them improve their abilities, and address skills gap.

Consider introducing relevant online and office workshops, e-libraries, and educational courses. Ask your employees what they would love to learn and what kinds of tools they need. Use this information to improve your talent attraction and ensure consistent professional development.

3. High-quality training content

Compulsory regulation and compliance training tend to be dull, overwhelming, and time-consuming. Because of that, employees might avoid participating or making the most out of it.

Regardless of the topic, you can turn this procedure into an engaging experience if you ensure high-quality content. Get creative and invest time into developing valuable training that the staff won’t see as a tedious requirement.

Leverage advanced technology and gamify the procedure, turning it into engaging digital learning content. Besides getting closer to winning the talent war, you’ll stand out among the competition with weaker digital capacities.

4. Human-centric diversity program

More than 60 per cent of job seekers consider diversity a significant factor when assessing organizations and job offers. Yet, many companies struggle with program integration and follow-through concerning inclusion.

It’s recommendable to apply a human-centric approach when establishing DE&I initiatives to ensure efficiency and a long-lasting positive change. That means fostering diversity to empower each employee and celebrate their differences instead of introducing them due to compliance or profit.

Evaluate your current diversity efforts by talking with hires. Leverage their insights to implement fair policies that encourage equity and mitigate obstacles minority groups encounter in the workplace.

Moreover, consider developing diversity training centred around employee learning to raise awareness and emphasize empathy.

LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO WIN THE TALENT WAR

High tech is one of the ultimate weapons to win the talent war and position your business ahead of the competition. Cademi Holistic Learning Platform is an all-encompassing digital learning platform that focuses on professional and personal development.

The unique feature of this platform is that it understands each employee is an individual with distinctive needs, aspirations, and fears. Hence, it puts employee learning and well-being at the forefront. Cademi nurtures all aspects of one’s wellness: mental, physical, personal, spiritual, financial, career, family, and social.

If you want to establish consistent initiatives that encompass recruitment and employee journey as a whole, the Holistic Learning Platform is highly customisable and aligns with your company needs. Ultimately, this platform aims to improve your business while creating a positive workplace culture where employees can learn, grow, and feel safe.

The pandemic is transforming the world, making talent attraction more challenging and requiring up-to-date strategies. As a result, job seekers want to work in companies that refuse to be profit-driven only.

Instead, they want a holistic workplace that addresses their needs, nurturing their wellness as a whole. It’s why you must evaluate your initiatives and ensure that your business can provide continuous employee learning, a consistent well-being program, and efficient DE&I policies.

Avoid the outdated strategies that centre solely around what the employer needs. If you want to win the talent war, make your recruitment about what your company can give its employees.

Get a step closer to winning the talent war with our Holistic Learning Platform by booking a demo here.