What do you do if your organization is struggling to attract and retain top talent?

Interesting topic for me. Both my careers I worked for sexy brands that you were proud to work for and garnered the envy of friends and associates. With both companies the hiring practices were to hire at the lowest rates as applicants were plentiful for every opening. Sure the companies were fun to work for but unless one progressed through the ranks the pay was subpar. Turnover was high as eventually the sexiness of the brand wore off as life's expenses became the priority. For me the lesson was when you're fortunate enough to attract good people pay them well and help them progress through the company. Turnover is expensive. I would add that in today's market the 9-5 attitude is done. Hire people to do a job, who cares where its done.

People don't leave organizations, they leave managers. To retain good talent, an organization needs to train their leadership and managers to be empathetic leaders. They need to build a culture of constant learning and nurturing that makes the employees feel secure and wanted. Things like good opportunities, voice on the table, global exposure and challenging the skills are close next.

People stay with an organization because they feel appreciated, empowered, and part of a team. We pride ourselves on transparency and consistency both internally and with our customer base. Providing clear communication, support, and expectations allows for them and us to succeed. It takes time and effort to get the right culture, it also starts with the CEO C-Suite, and senior managers, I am lucky to be part of a great company with great leadership.

The single biggest driver of talent recruitment and retention is brand purpose. The value of “making a difference” in this world is core to human motivation. Clarity of purpose is the single most important aspect of successful employer branding. Values as the genuine articulation of current and evolving culture is also key to driving the evolution of the brand through behavioural change. That change manifests in the integration of values into performance management and recruitment processes. In this changing world adaptive culture is fundamental for continued relevance.

Developing a compelling employer brand that highlights your organization's unique culture, values, and opportunities for career growth. Utilize storytelling and employee testimonials to showcase what sets your company apart and why top talent should choose to work for you.

It is a process of promoting your unique identity as an employer. Job Security Work life balance Benefits Career development

A strong employer brand attracts high-caliber candidates who are actively seeking not just a job, but a career that aligns with their values and aspirations. It sets you apart from competitors who might offer similar job descriptions. Showcasing your company's true values, culture, and mission through various platforms allows potential employees to see if they're a good fit. When employees feel like they belong to a company that values them and shares their values, they're more likely to be committed to their work in the long term. In essence, a strong employer brand is a win-win. It attracts the right talent and fosters a culture of engagement and commitment, leading to a more successful and sustainable organization.

As I stated in other article, employees today want to grow faster at the same time wish to explore more, hence it's important to establish a culture of growth & development. Organizations should focus on Individual Development Plans & make sure that employees become more self aware about their strengths, areas of development to fulfil their aspirations. Inspiring employees that they can grow not just by having linear path but also by moving into newer areas out of their comfort zone. 70:20:10 is a well known framework which must be kept in mind to create opportunities where employees learn on the job, via relevant trainings & from peers. Job rotations, Short/long term assignments, mentorship, etc can help facilitate 'on the job' learnings.

Career development is very central to both retaining and attracting talent. Mentoring has been an effective tool for continuous development of team members in my experience. We all have different backgrounds and perspectives which allow us to teach to and learn from each other. Mentoring is absolutely a two way street and forms stronger bonds when understood in that way. These types of relationships allow for both sides to grow by learning and teaching. In addition, if the relationships are also interdepartmental, they offer further opportunities to expand company knowledge which can also support cross-functional thinking and growth.

Both managers and employees often underestimate how important this step is and do not invest enough time and effort. For managers: it is easy to offer growth opportunities, but have you considered the following? Is this opportunity tailor made for your individual employee? How will this help them get to their next step? What sort of experience or skill will they learn with this opportunity? How will you follow up with them on their learning progress? For employees: Have you thought about what your next step is and what you are currently lacking to get there? In other words, if that role opens up today, are you confident that you can do well? If not, what do you need to learn to get there?

It’s often heard that culture eats strategy for breakfast. You can build a great strategy but if you can’t build a great team culture - there won’t be any buy in, to execute the strategy. Culture building is based on structure, values and rituals. Often it’s the way the organisation is structured - that itself can lead to collaboration or fights. Values - most organisations define but often many fail to cascade it to all the team members effectively and hence the desired cultural attributes don’t get built. Rituals - are the small and simple practices that are built into the day to day working of the organisation and breed culture.

Fostering a strong culture of inclusiveness, collaboration, innovation, growth should be of prime importance to any organization in order to attract and retain talents. In today's fast changing environment wherein employees want to grow faster and explore more, it's important to create more opportunities where employees feel engaged, challenged and enhance their capabilities constantly. Also, it's important to build an open & honest culture within organizations encouraging transparency in communication where employees can challenge the status quo. One very important aspect of culture is how do you build a sense of belongingness for everyone where they relate to it and feel connected by having shared values that bring everyone together.

Workplace culture is important because it directly impacts employee engagement and satisfaction. It is essencial to foster a positive culture that embraces diversity, inclusion, prioritizing employee well-being, transparency and respect. Organizations that commit to building such a culture not only attract top talent but also cultivate a loyal and engaged workforce poised for long-term success.

?? Culture only wins if it goes beyond a fancy statement on your website. 3 lessons about culture that I’m still learning about every day: 1?? Culture is not just an aspirational mantra that you hope your people are proud of talking about. It’s best experienced in every action the organisation takes with team members, customers and partners. It only means something when the organisation is met with a challenge or difficult decision — how those moments are managed define your culture. 2?? Good leaders look for team members who fit the company’s culture. Great leaders find people who can ADD to the culture and make it better. 3?? It’s easy to say “they” build culture (HR, management etc) but culture is most definitely a “we” thing.

Work culture must be revisited time and again. It is not just during crisis but it should be done everytime consciously by the top management. a They must check out the engagement of all the top performer as to whether they are being handled basis their talent & expertise. b The engagement of the top management with the performers must continue c External HR help may be garnered to check on the competencies d HR must be asked to have soft but elongated exit interviews

Gone are those days when employees used to put more weightage on learning over earning. Needs & demands have changed drastically over generations from Gen X to Millennials to now Gen Z's who have high aspirations, value work life balance, demand competitive pay as well along with learning opportunities. Competitive pay becomes all the more important in today's era to benchmark yourself at par with industry standards. Another important aspect to ensure is that there's no disparity within an organization with one unit being positioned way above others in regards to designation, pay, etc for similar roles which may lead to dissatisfaction amongst others & lead to attrition despite of competitive pay but not being the fair pay in an ecosystem.

A culture of respect and a purpose to which people can align are two critical elements in attracting and retaining high performers. Too often, lip service is given to the “value of employees,” but it is in the day-to-day actions that demonstrate respect for the dignity of every individual that a truly empowering culture is found. High performers thrive in an ethical environment, and respect for the dignity of individuals is the cornerstone of positive ethics. An environment of true respect facilitates the development of transformational servant leaders. Marry such a culture with a clearly defined and lived purpose that people, who are searching for their own purpose in life, can align with and you can find and keep great people.

If people are the most important part of your offering, then you can’t always get away without providing competitive pay. If providing competitive pay makes it more difficult to hit your targets, then figure out what to streamline or which operations can become more efficient so that you have more for your people.

From my experience perspective I believe that we have to ensure your salary and benefits packages are competitive in the industry. Research what similar companies offer and adjust accordingly.

Indeed, it is true that many organizations struggle to accurately appraise quality talent and offer a commensurate salary. Everyone aspires to improve their life, and when exceptional talents witness colleagues with lesser experience or credentials earning more, or they identify companies willing to remunerate them appropriately, they are naturally inclined to move. In my view, remuneration should be an amalgamation of experience and the quality of work delivered. It should not be dictated primarily by the reputation of the educational institute attended or previous employment in prestigious firms.

Flexibility ia a crucial factor to attract and retain top talents. Nowadays, candidates usually prioritize work-life balance in their career choices. A very important aspect about flexibility is that it fosters a culture of trust and productivity.

In today's dynamic work environment, top talent, especially younger professionals, seek opportunities for nonlinear career growth and personalized career paths. They are drawn to experiences that offer individualized development rather than rigid job descriptions When I joined P&G to establish its digital media organization, this function was newly in-housed and undefined. Leveraging this fluidity, I had the opportunity to shape job descriptions and career paths for myself and my team. This allowed us to attract and retain top talent from diverse industries By embracing flexibility and empowering employees to carve their own career paths, organizations can effectively attract and retain top talent in today's competitive landscape

If Flexibility means work life balance than i must say that its a precious thing for today’s working class which is not easy to get. Neiher company can afford and nor employee can enjoy as it risk their survival. For an organisation it’s the cost factor and for Employees it’s their growth which make them work harder and be flexible to work all time as and when the business demands . Today Flexibility doesn’t contribute to work life balance but it only allows and provides all means to an employee so they are available all time. The best way to manage is to be open and honest to the current challenging situation and ask your self how fast you want to grow and set the right expectations for yourself so you can attain mental satisfaction.

Flexibility, including Flexible Working Arrangements, should not be treated as a right, nor as a privilege. It is a managerial tool best used to enhance productivity and promote engagement by providing employees with a sense of agency over their work tasks and environments.

?? Flexibility Wins: Boosting Workplace Attractiveness! ?? In today's fast-paced world, flexibility at the workplace isn't just a perk—it's essential. A flexible work environment supports work-life balance, fosters creativity, and enhances employee satisfaction. Embrace flexible hours, remote work options, and adaptable work roles to meet the diverse needs of your team. By prioritizing flexibility, you not only attract top talent but also cultivate a thriving and resilient workforce. Let’s make flexibility a cornerstone of our work culture! It is time to say goodbye to outdated practices and boldly pursue innovative paths. #WorkplaceFlexibility #EmployeeSatisfaction #WorkLifeBalance #TalentRetention #ModernWorkplace

The most talented people get jobs in companies that offer a healthy work environment or a promising future. Unattractive companies might try to compensate with all sorts of recruitment and retainment tactics, but the only sustainable approach is to make the business significantly sounder.

If capability is an issue for hiring top talent - split the requirement into leader ship and function skills. Hire a person who can exhibit great leadership though missing on functional skills and supplement him with good functional consultants or subordinates specialised in the specific function / business.

To attract talent, the leadership team needs to invest time in - meeting the candidates - explain organization’s vision and the role that will be played by the candidates - share growth plans and opportunities available to the candidates - make them understand why their skills are needed, share your own story and tell them why you are working in this organization - they need to buy your vision and once that is done Most importantly: - work on them before they join organization - provide resources to them and help them deliver their KRAs - celebrate their small successes and guide them towards bigger goals It is the people in the organization that makes the difference. Differentiating factor is people. Make them successful.

Most of the time, we over engineer the skills required for the job and expect the perfect person to fit the job. I would suggest you re-look at the job description and pick the top 3 must have skills for the job. Classify the skills into what is immediately required for the job and what skills can be learnt during the job. It would be beneficial for team members to refer and introduce new members to the team, whether they are internal or external candidates from other industry.

Based on my experience the surest way to attract and retain talent is having a compelling purpose that all employees identify with. This energizes them and makes them want to be part of the organization. This builds into a culture that binds all together and makes the work environment very friendly and contributes to high sense of achievements . Also think about the future of work and understand the current trends in the workplace, and use this to define our employees proposition. Creating moments of beauty where we celebrate small achievements by our staff sends good vibes across the organization leading to positive advocacy and motivation. Get everybody to understand what the strategy is and feel they are an integral part of the growth.