6 Secrets on Winning the War For Talent in 2024
18 Oct, 20231-2 minutes
The phrase “War For Talent” was first coined in 1997 by Steven Hankin and it relates to the ability for businesses to attract, develop, and retain talent.
Fast forward a few decades later and winning the war for talent has never been more important; after a challenging period for workers over the last few years, it’s expected that 1 in 5 employees are looking to change roles during 2024.
If this comes into fruition, HR departments up and down the country will be extremely busy. Businesses are always on the hunt to recruit and retain the very best talent so by following our 6 secrets on winning the war for talent, you will already be one step ahead of your competition.
Be a business where people want to work
Think about your local area and you could probably list the ‘best companies’ to work for without doing a Google search.
This is because they have built a reputation as being a great employer which is one of the most important things your business can do.
In order for your business to thrive, you need great people in the right roles; by making your company an attractive place to work, you’re already halfway there.
Studies show that 75% of jobseekers will place consideration on the employer's brand before they will take the time to apply for a position.
This means that your online footprint, and the story it tells, is critically important. Do you have testimonials of happy employees on your website? Are your social media accounts positive and upbeat? Do your Glassdoor reviews paint a good picture? Do you win awards for excellence?
If your employer brand is poor or none existent, you might find that you are not attracting the level of talent which you are hoping for.
We would recommend working on your employer brand as a matter of priority to market your business as an attractive place to work.
Defining your values and explaining what it’s like to work there will help jobseekers better match themselves to your job vacancies.
Give the people what they want
For some professionals, money isn’t the be all and end all; perks and benefits are equally as important.
Before you dive in to offer perks and incentives which ‘you’ think your employees want, take the time to actually ask them what they would appreciate.
A pet friendly office, an office creche, flexible working, early finish Fridays, free gym membership are all ways which could make your company a desirable place to work.
Not only will it help you to attract new talent, it will help you to retain your existing staff. (Staff leaving you in droves? Check out 101 ways to prevent employees from leaving you!)
Some professionals view career progression as the single most important thing which they are looking for and employers can often forget that people aren’t willing to wait years to move up the corporate ladder.
If an employees needs are fundamentally not being met, you run the risk of losing them.
When trying to attract new talent, include personalised information on the opportunities available to progress within the business.
Offer flexible working
The Covid-19 pandemic meant that remote working became the norm for millions of UK professionals.
For many, the flexibility and freedom of remote or hybrid working was a huge benefit, a benefit that some professionals are now reluctant to give up.
However, with the government urging workers to 'get back to the office,' it has left businesses wondering what work patterns they should offer in order to keep their existing employees happy and to attract new talent.
Businesses who typically struggle to attract top talent could hugely benefit from adopting a remote or flexible working model, particularly attracting professionals who have to care for children or elderly relatives alongside balancing their career.
Recognise where you’re going wrong
No company is perfect and it never will be; however, you can do your best to develop critical awareness of what professionals like and dislike about working for you.
By acknowledging your limitations, you can put strategies in place to eliminate some of the most common bugbears.
For example, if 80% of your workforce complain about Zoom fatigue, you could look into alternative ways for teams to communicate or put a limit on the number of virtual meetings which an employee can attend in one day.
By ignoring your shortcomings, you will continue to let top talent slip through your fingers; retaining talent is one of the clearest returns on investment which a business can make.
Aside from having to constantly recruit and train new employees, it will also be an extremely expensive process. (If this is the case, writing a job advert that works is critical in attracting new talent.)
According to Glassdoor, the average cost of recruiting a new employee in the UK is £3,000 which is a huge concern, particularly if you have a large workforce.
Act fast
With so many companies searching and competing for top talent, acting quickly is one strategy which is utilised by savvy hiring managers - when interviewers ask candidates if they have any other interviews lined up during an interview, they’re asking for a reason; they’re trying to gauge how quickly they need to make a decision before another company snaps the candidate up.
Long and elaborate recruitment processes could mean that you lose out in the race for talent; if you’re trying to make a candidate jump through hoops for a position, they might accept a position at another company during this period.
With more interviews now being held virtually, the whole interview process has become a lot easier for candidates.
A candidate may have multiple virtual interviews lined up these days as opposed to a few in person interviews which they may have had pre-pandemic.
Use a reputable recruitment agency
Sometimes a role is just difficult to fill; difficult or rural locations, time sensitive hires, the necessity for a very specific skill set or the need for multiple hires can add to what is already a very challenging search.
In these circumstances, a recruitment agency can give you a competitive edge; a robust and thorough recruitment process is absolutely essential, particularly if the role is critical to the success of the business.
As a starting point, we would advise that you reach out to a reputable recruitment agency which specialises in your industry.
By opening a dialogue, you will be able to discover how their search processes differ from your own and whether this is a route which you should go down.
Ask for case studies or testimonials to see if the agency has experienced success within this area with another client, this will give you confidence that the agency knows what they are doing and can be trusted to deliver for you.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.
Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health.
Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Planning, Development & Regeneration
Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering
If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available.
If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.
