New Talent Acquisition Strategies to Hire Top Talent for the Post-Pandemic Times
The pandemic left very few industries unphased. Its impact is still powerful and likely to be felt in the months and possibly years to come for the workforce. When the lockdowns began, many businesses instituted talent acquisition freezes, and others, of course, sadly shuttered. Now that the business world is attempting to return to business as usual, they know that the idea of ‘usual’ has been completely overturned. Even though talent acquisition freezes have shifted to hiring booms, many companies find it challenging to attract top talent. To attract and retain the best of the best, companies will need to revamp their strategies for this post-pandemic world.
Remote Opportunities
Many executives and managers necessarily engaged in remote work during the pandemic. They instituted new protocols, found or developed tools for connectivity, and created successful strategies for managing their teams. Although many companies require employees at all levels to return to the office, others are installing hybrid plans that allow both remote and in-person work and creating remote-only positions. Many executives are looking for the flexibility the remote work offers. If you’re trying to attract top talent, remote work opportunities are a decided benefit you can offer in this post-pandemic climate.
Culture of Trust
It’s difficult to associate the pandemic with anything positive, but it did for many companies to inspire more incredible camaraderie, collaboration, and empathy for one another. Many of the companies that weathered the COVID challenges did so by supporting their employees in ways that weren’t typical. By prioritizing employees’ health, safety, and well-being, a shift in workplace culture occurred–a very positive shift. Companies that can maintain their culture of trust and employee-focused policies will attract talent and retain it. The key is to market this positive culture when recruiting to fill positions.
Rely on Technology
The pandemic encouraged businesses to adopt a dizzying array of connectivity tools (cloud, video-conferencing, VOIP, etc.). These tools, driven by advanced technology, supported workforce teams as they worked from home. Now, businesses have a continued opportunity to rely on this and other forms of technology to acquire top talent. Companies should work closely with their HR teams to create new strategies for recruiting by traditional means as well as with the support of technology. Not only can companies use technology platforms for virtual interviews, but they can also use them to measure the success of their recruiting initiatives.
Tap (and Train) Your Internal Talent Pool
Businesses struggling to attract top talent often rely heavily on their current team to complete work associated with open positions. Why not support promising candidates within the company with training so that they can step into top-tier roles? In some cases, this may involve a change in mindset. Companies can adopt a skills-based attitude and, potentially, overlook some formal requirements to move internal candidates into these roles. Having access to promotions can enhance workplace culture, and offering training to internal candidates can undoubtedly be construed as a workplace benefit.
Companies will have to shift gears to attract talent and keep their operations running as smoothly as possible. These times are still dynamic. There are many ups and downs to weather at this time. By relying on these strategies, you may be able to achieve your top talent acquisition goals in this post-pandemic world.
By Octavio Lepe
Director, Executive Search
Octavio is the search practice leader for Sales & Marketing, Agribusiness, and D&I in the Americas.
About Barbachano International
Barbachano International (BIP) is the premier executive search and leadership advisory firm in the Americas (USA, Mexico, Latin America, & Canada) with a focus on diversity and multicultural target markets. Outplacement and Executive Coaching services are provided by our sister allied company Challenger Gray & Christmas. Since 1992, BIP and its affiliates have impacted the profitability of over 50% of Fortune 500 Companies. BIP has been recognized by Forbes as Americas’ Best Executive Search Firms and currently ranks #26 and #3 on the West Coast. Headquartered in San Diego, California with satellite offices in Florida and Mexico. As member-owners of NPAworldwide Recruitment Network, we are supported by partner offices in over 50 countries.
