It’s a very different labour market we now find ourselves in as a result of COVID, and this is posing all kinds of new recruitment challenges for employers.
Not only do they need to retain existing staff who might be weighing up their options, they must also ensure that the costly exercise of recruiting, training and onboarding new staff goes to plan.
UNE’s Acting Deputy Director of People and Culture, Lee Atkinson-Barrett, says organisations are having to change their leadership models and undertake strategic workplace planning in response to new employee expectations.
In the final instalment in our series, Lee shares her top tips for employers looking to attract strong candidates or retain those they already have.
This is the third and final piece in our series, Labour Pains. Read part 1: The Great Resignation and part 2: Tips for workers.
“Employers can no longer afford to treat people as a head count or a dollar cost; they need to see staff as assets to the organisation, as humans who are increasingly seeking greater meaning and purpose in their work,” says Lee.
“Those employers that become what is being described as ‘radically human’ are seeing the benefits of strong growth and innovation, productivity savings and improved employee engagement.”
Acting Deputy Director of People and Culture, Lee Atkinson-Barrett.
Look inside
“Sometimes it can be much better to invest in existing staff,” Lee says. “I’m not saying you don’t bring in new employees, but you are far better to train existing employees and build skills internally.”
However, it doesn’t end there. “Employers need to be cautious if they are building in staff skills that are in demand,” Lee says. “Those staff still need to feel valued, to prevent them from being poached, looking elsewhere or launching their own businesses. That’s where career progression can come into the equation.”
Be real
“In job advertisements and interviews, be genuine and transparent,” Lee says. “Represent what is important to the organisation and give applicants a good understanding of what they will be doing and what’s required of the role. That may mean challenging assumptions of what the position used to look like. Just be clear on what you can and can’t offer.
“Sometimes a new employee will join an organisation and what was advertised is not aligned with what the individual wants. It is far better for the employer to be truthful about what is expected, so a new staff member is not as likely to become disenchanted early on.”
Present the whole package
“Consider the whole package you are offering to new staff members, including the workplace culture and lifestyle,” Lee says. “Here at UNE, for example, we offer excellent superannuation and leave entitlements and our staff can live in a community with amazing national parks on their doorstep, and great educational facilities and artistic culture. The wage is important, and you need to be offering a competitive rate, but prospective employees look at the whole package.”
The future is hybrid
“Many organisations are now considering hybrid work models that combine more flexible working-from-home arrangements, if the role permits,” Lee says. “If it’s an option, the employer needs to be truly comfortable offering it.”
