Despite the slowdown in the economy, unemployment remains low and the ‘war for talent’ is accelerating due to deepening skill shortages. Industries such as IT and engineering regularly encounter shortages, and companies need to do whatever is required to attract and retain individuals with the attitudes and experience that are in short supply. However, in other sectors less well known for skill shortages such as retail and hospitality, employees need to be kept engaged; a failure to do so will impact on productivity, customer service and profit.

The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) believes that talent includes individuals who make a difference to organisational performance, either through their immediate contribution or in the longer term by demonstrating the highest levels of potential. They go on to define talent management as the systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement, retention and deployment of those individuals.

Talent management is sometimes only associated with senior individuals. Chief Executives and Finance Directors have a considerable impact on the fortunes of a business. However, it is more sustainable to also manage home-grown talent at a lower level of experience, focusing on gaps that emerge from the vagaries of supply and demand.

How does a C++ software engineer differ from an ADA software engineer?

What exactly does a stress engineer do?

Where is the next red-hot web developer working right now?

If you do not know the answer to these questions, the chances are that such individuals are not on your radar. However, if you are working in these or related fields, then the trials and tribulations of hiring and retaining these sorts of people will be ongoing challenge.
So what is there to do?


Snappy advertising, fancy offices and/or being a Best Company To Work For is not sufficient. Being able to engage and retain great talent is a key differentiator: Get to know them as individuals, understand their motivations, offer them a work-life balance that suits their interests and provide processes to aid their personnel and professional development goals. Support for talent management needs to come from the very heart of your organisation, with directors, departmental heads and line managers engaged and targeting individuals from an early stage.


The public sector sometimes finds it difficult to attract fresh young talent, as they are often based in peripheral locations and unable to pay competitive salaries. Their ability to attract talent has long been courtesy of their flexible working practices and generous pensions, and some, but not all young people rate these highly when deciding where to join for their first job. However, many private sector organisations fishing in the same talent pond are also offering attractive packages that feature even more flexibility. As a result, a sizeable number of public sector organisations face succession problems, as long serving employees reach retirement age.

To address these problems, organisations that recognise the need for talent management and then adopt both informal and formal approaches will be best able to fight the ‘war on talent’.


The post of Chief Talent Scout does not exist in many organisations. Forward-thinking employers are appointing individuals to engage senior management to explain the significance of holding onto the best talent. It is tempting to focus management time on tackling problem individuals, but time needs be balanced so the development of the best is encouraged.


Internal hires will never be sufficient for all vacancies, hence some organisations identify the best recruiters and develop a long-lasting win-win relationship with them. Rather than waiting for a specific vacancy to arise, some employers operating in industries with acute experiences of the ‘war on talent’ have permanent headhunt assignments in place.


To be most efficient, the Chief Talent Scout needs to be close to the team deciding on the strategic direction the company, to be able to provide the necessary human capital at the right time. Part of this role is the management of people out of the business, or to move people into new roles, once their usefulness has come to an end. The challenge is for them to do this in a way that people continue to talk positively about the organisation and would consider returning in the future.


Quality employers know the answers to the following two questions:

 

  1. Who do we want to keep irrespective of the cost?
  2. Who do we want to buy when a vacancy arises or when they become available?

This requires a dedicated database being established of target companies and individuals, obtained from existing employees, customers, suppliers, the web, trade directories, exhibitions, conferences and press releases.

 

Only when this is in place should contact be made with target individuals, conducting informal discussions in hotel reception areas and other neutral venues out of working hours. This is not an interview; they should be made aware that no CV is necessary, which in some ways is a form of flattery. The objective is to create a favourable impression whilst obtaining the following information:

  • Reason they might leave
  • Ideal job
  • Future ambitions
  • Preferred location
  • Salary and benefits required
  • Notice period
  • Other opportunities pending

 

Promoting diversity is a necessary consideration for the Chief Talent Scout.
To be competitive, the organisation needs to appeal to all sections of the community as talent manifests itself equally amongst men and women, young and old, black and white.


The Chief Talent Scout must have as an awareness of the legal requirements relating to discrimination, but as importantly recognises that a proactive approach is most likely to be needed. This may involve a long term strategy reaching out to schools, or by raising the companies profile in the community, through colleges, community groups, charities and government departments. It is all well and good saying that there is no discrimination when it comes to recruitment, but until the workforce better matches the make-up of the local catchment area there is still work to be done.

Does your organisation need a Chief Talent Scout?

Could it be you? Taking control could make your work life a whole lot easier.

 

 
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PREPARE – prepare all relevant materials, performance records, disciplinary and grievance proceedings, absence records, customer complaints, praise from customers, incidents, reports etc - anything that relates to performance and achievement. Have a current job description and person specification to hand plus the last performance appraisal document...
  
  Despite the slowdown in the economy, unemployment remains low and the ‘war for talent’ is accelerating due to deepening skill shortages. Industries, such as IT and engineering, encounter shortages and companies need to do whatever is required to attract and retain individuals with the attitudes and experience that are in short supply. However, in other sectors less well known for skill shortages, such as retail and hospitality, employees need to be kept engaged; a failure to do so will impact on productivity, customer service and profit.