The Best of the Best: 7 New Ways to Attract Top Talent

The cost of the labor market is increasing. Competition for talent is fierce.

High performers are 400% more productive than average ones, and this number increases with high complexity jobs. This makes it crucial for companies to innovate and stay competitive to attract top talent from other companies.

How the new era of hybrid work affects recruitment

In the 2021 Word Trend Index Report by Microsoft, there are a few key insights that tell us what employees are looking for in the new era of hybrid work.

• 46% of the workforce are planning to move because of remote work
• 5x remote job postings have increased on LinkedIn
• 148% more weekly meeting time
• 40.6B increase in emails delivered in 2021 vs 2020

Remote work is here to stay and top talent is everywhere in the hybrid world.

In addition, the current workforce has retained productivity, but this has come at a cost of feeling overworked. The latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Co stated that 42% of women and 35% of men reported feeling burned out often in 2021.

The best companies know this and have implemented new strategies to make their company more attractive to potential employees.

1. Build a strong employer brand through social media channels

In today's market, top talents consider company reputation as a key factor in deciding where to work.

Building a strong employer brand becomes vital in your recruitment strategy. This includes using social media to tell potential employees the company's vision and values. Highlight the work culture, benefits and other perks that come with working for the company.

If you want to attract top talent, be sure to tell your company's story through video. Video can include interviews with employees about what they like best about their jobs and what makes working at your company fulfilling. Providing potential employees with an idea of what life at your organization is like will make them more likely to apply for a position.

2. Provide courses for professional development and growth

Providing free courses for professional development and advancement is another way enterprises can attract top talent.

Top talents are always looking for ways to further develop themselves and are interested to know how being in your company can further their credentials and career.

There are various methods of implementing professional development courses in your organization, either through an online learning management system (LMS) or in person. These courses teach high income skills like negotiation, communication and leadership which allow employees to work more effectively with their teams.

3. Offer mental health resources for employees to help them cope with the stresses of a busy work life

Top talents are constantly under immense pressure to perform at the best of their capability each day. They may feel as though they are not valued or appreciated for their work. In the 2021-2022 Executive Survey, providing learning resources and webinars on wellbeing is an area that executives feel there is room for improvement.

Short courses on meditation, mindfulness or other stress-management exercises give workers some relief from their constant obligations. One-to-one specialized coaching by an external provider is also a new way that enterprises help employees improve themselves so they can deliver at a higher level. Provide these benefits as an option (not mandatory) to encourage employees to attend when they're feeling the need for a brief mental break.

4. Use artificial intelligence for recruitment

Artificial intelligence streamlines recruitment to source the best-fit candidates. It automates tedious tasks like sourcing, which many recruiters spend up to 30 hours per week sourcing resumes. It can also analyze social media to find applicants who have a social media presence that will appeal to the company's values, and improve the quality of hire.

This type of recruiting saves time because it narrows down the potential candidates using data-driven insights. It also removes recruitment bias, which is why some companies now look outside the standard workforce to find unique candidates with diverse skills.

Artificial intelligence combined with skilled recruiters will create a talent acquisition strategy to win the battle for top talent amongst firms.

5. Offer a remote work program

With rising rental costs in cities like New York, San Francisco and London, many employees are looking for work in suburban areas where the cost of living is cheaper. Removing the need to commute can be another way to attract top talent by increasing employee satisfaction.

Working from home is an attractive option for those who like flexibility. It can be a way to make your company more attractive to potential employees and greatly increase the talent pool your company can hire from. Remote work strategies help employees be just as productive, if not more than they would be in person.

For employees that are working remotely, make sure that there’s a clear structure and orientation program so employees know their roles and company processes.

6. Make your culture code publicly available

A culture code is a document that describes your company culture. It provides a clear picture of what the company values are and how people in the company are like.

This allows candidates to get a feel for what it's like to work at the company before deciding if they want to come onboard. It also allows candidates to understand what they need to do to succeed in the organization and integrate well into their team.

Making sure your company culture is clearly visible can attract top talent that lines up with your ideal candidate profile. HubSpot's culture code is a good example of an enterprise using this strategy to attract the right people.

7. Maintain an open door policy for employees

Maintaining an open door policy where employees can speak to the senior management and managers without fear of repercussions can be a great way to attract top talent. Include an anonymous employee engagement survey as part of the policy to make them feel more comfortable with any concerns they may have.

We often think of the workplace as just that - a place where people work. However, employers need to realize that people often spend more waking hours at work than they do at home. People place a high value on the relationships they forge with their co-workers and managers, and sometimes it can be very difficult to build those connections if there is no opportunity for communication.

Speed of adaptation is key

Top talents bring great insights, improved productivity and innovation to a company, so it’s important for HR departments to find ways to attract them and keep them interested in the long-term.

In the fast-paced world, recruitment strategies need to adapt quickly to stay successful. Implementing these strategies help you update your recruitment strategy and attract high-quality talent that will get the job done well.