How to Overcome Today’s Biggest Hiring Challenges
Human resources professionals and hiring managers are always facing a number of challenges when it comes to recruitment and hiring. In today’s business landscape, hiring has become an even bigger issue than before — because employees are the new competitive edge, and more companies are racing to acquire top talent before their competition does.
Here are some of the biggest hiring challenges of today, and how you can overcome them in your organization.
Challenge: Sourcing top talent
In order to hire top talent, you first have to find them. Simply posting an online job description and hoping for the best is no longer sufficient — today’s recruiters and hiring managers need to take a more active role in sourcing talent.
Some of the most effective ways to source talent in the current job market include:
- Better job descriptions: Write job postings that are clear, concise, and discuss the benefits of working with your organization, rather than a laundry list of job duties, responsibilities, and requirements.
- Employee referral programs: Implementing a reward program for your current employees to bring in qualified candidates is a great way to tap into the “hidden” job market, and access candidates you may otherwise never have found.
- Social media: Active networking through social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, has become both normal and expected in recruiting.
- Staffing agencies: Working with third-party recruiters who specialize in the type of employees you need can give you access to a pre-screened talent pool of higher quality candidates.
Challenge: Attracting and securing top talent
There’s a lot of competition out there for top talent, and throwing more money at candidates is no longer sufficient to bring the best on board at your company. If you’re relying on salary alone to win over candidates, you’re likely to lose the talent wars.
Here are some effective methods for attracting and hiring the best candidates:
- Streamline your hiring process: If candidates have to jump through hoops in order to apply with your company, the best talent won’t bother. Make sure it’s easy to apply for open positions with short online processes, mobile-friendly access to job postings, and multiple options for candidates. You should also keep your hiring process moving as quickly as possible — with decisions reached and job offers made in a matter of days, not weeks.
- Sweeten the pot: Top talent will expect competitive salaries, but most of them aren’t in it just for the money. Offer benefits that today’s candidates really want, such as flexible scheduling or telecommuting options, healthcare packages, onsite perks, and a great company culture.
- Be willing to negotiate: Often, the best candidates will have several offers to choose from. Make sure you know what your company is willing and able to offer candidates, and be prepared to negotiate salary and benefits to a reasonable extent with top talent.
Challenge: Retaining employees
Finally, once you’ve sourced and hired great candidates, it can be challenging to keep them. Frequent job changes are now common and expected, particularly among millennial workers — but a high turnover rate can damage your company in terms of money, resources, and employer brand.
The best employee retention strategies are those that focus on workplace culture. If your company is viewed as a great place to work, you’ll end up with more loyal employees who will choose to stay longer and work harder. Make sure your company is structured to offer employees a great work-life balance, advancement opportunities, and a supportive working environment, and your employee retention will improve. To learn more about how we can help you find top behavioral health talent, contact us today at (513) 651-9500 or by email at [email protected].