​Attracting and retaining top-tier talent will always be a top priority for organisations. Hiring employees who strike the right balance between talented and hard-working is understood to be the key to achieving organisational success. While scoping out talented specialists has always been a struggle, the current talent shortage across all industries has exacerbated the problem.

Here are some strategies you need to find and hire the talent who will drive your business forward.

1.      Look in-house first.

According to Harvard Business Review, 60% of a company’s future roles could be filled by current employees, assuming the correct training is in place. The rapid pace of change in many occupations, driven by advancing technologies - has made it difficult for workers to obtain relevant skills. Although often overlooked, looking internally, and investing in the training of existing staff for specialist roles, could minimize the ever-growing skills gaps within an organisation.

2.      Be a crowd-stopper from the get-go.

With so many job opportunities available to candidates, it’s essential that your organisation stands out from the rest. Start with the job spec, does it look like your competitors? Does the wording align with your organisations Employee Value Proposition (EVP)? How can you create a job listing that breaks through the noise?

Ensuring that your Job advert is created with a target demographic in mind is essential when attracting the right talent. Replace the ‘nice to have’ attributes with ‘must have’ skills related to the role. Be to the point. Star-worthy talent is not going to be attracted to run of the mill incentives. Listing annual holiday allowances and sick-pay benefits will not attract the new-age employee. Perks which stand out include sign on bonuses, flexible hours, shorter workweeks, office lunches and extended maternity or paternity leave.

Understanding how your brand is viewed at all points is vital to understanding why a candidate may choose not to apply for a role or reject your offer. The job spec, interview process, candidate experience and time to hire provides candidates with insight into the attitude and values of a company – so ensuring they’re representative of the organisation you want to create is essential.

3.      Prioritise Workforce agility.

We know that the impact of the global pandemic has re-shaped the employment landscape forever. Where and how we work has changed drastically. Individuals search for remote work and shorter work weeks because they know these are viable options.

How can you use borderless remote working arrangements to widen the talent pool? With geographical restrictions no longer affecting the availability of a candidate, organisations have access to a much larger selection of talent - which they otherwise might not have found. Choosing from a global talent pool also encourages diversity, which can enhance innovation.

An agile mindset is one of flexibility, openness to change and adaptability. An agile workforce should focus on how we work, not where. The priority is on the people rather than the space they occupy. Employers should look at the development of the workplace ecosystem which increases employee engagement and success.

4.      Utilise the power of technology.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ever-evolving, but have you ever considered that technology could alleviate some of your talent shortage issues? Automation has been threatened to do half of all work tasks by 2025. By investing well in updated technology-based recruiting tools, organizations can increase their hiring effectiveness within the super competitive job market we find ourselves in.

We can also assist and empower our employees by embracing technology to automate mundane tasks. Doing so, gives employees the flexibility and cognitive ability to focus on more important work to enhance the success of the organisation.

The changes brought on by the global pandemic have undoubtedly affected the world of work. To attract and retain talent now, organizations should embrace the changes and focus on the development of a business culture which values the contribution of every team member. Prioritising existing teams and encouraging employee development will help organisations become an employer of choice, thus attracting the industry's top talent.

Is your organisation struggling to recruit the right people during the Talent Shortage? At Kelly, we can support you in the search for top talent. Whether you need help with temporary sourcing including payroll services, permanent recruitment, or total talent management, we've got it covered. We build bespoke solutions for each client which are created with organisational goals in mind. Click here to find out more and start connecting to top talent today.