Recruiting and retaining talent in 2022

Hiring is a difficult art form at the best of times - but with the pandemic-induced “Great Resignation” and rapid technological development added to the mix, it has turned into a downright complex science.

There are so many components to get right during the hiring process - job descriptions, application processes, interviews, selection, verification and screening - that the successful alignment of all these for a single candidate seems like catching lightning in a bottle.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the hiring market and left significant changes in its wake. It has prompted us to more deeply consider what work means to us, what value it brings to our lives, and what we would like our work lives to look like. This re-evaluation of work drove what we now know as “The Great Resignation”, with record numbers of staff ditching their jobs in search of something that aligns more closely with their work values.

So, with all of this roiling change and an unpredictable health crisis still in our midst, how do we hire well and retain top talent in 2022? Here are my top tips for the year - let me know what you think in the comments.

 

Broaden your search

The pandemic has made remote work the norm for many companies that were previously in traditional office spaces. Now that the majority of companies have facilitated the infrastructure and support to allow staff to work from home, it creates the perfect opportunity to consider a broader pool of candidates than ever before. Whether it’s looking to rural locations or internationally, this sudden capacity for remote working can bring a host of benefits like diversity, innovative thinking and a breadth of experience to your workforce.

 

Offer true flexibility

One primary driver of the great resignation is that individuals are realising they can build more flexibility into their working lives than ever before. In order to hire and retain top talent, companies will increasingly need to offer flexibility as standard for all roles. Whether this means a combination of work from home and the office, compressed or part-time hours, job sharing, or additional leave and sabbaticals, flexible work is here to stay and will become an entrenched expectation of top talent who can choose from a plethora of opportunities.

 

Speed up your onboarding

LinkedIn’s Economic Graph data team has published research showing that some industries average as long as 49 days between a candidate’s initial application and their start date at the company. This protracted onboarding process can significantly harm your hiring strategy, particularly for top talent who have many offers on the table. Ensuring your onboarding process and overall candidate experience is as efficient as possible is a vital component to attracting and securing the best candidate for the role.

 

One way in which you can speed up the onboarding process is to outsource certain onboarding components to specialists where it would be more efficient to do so. For example, conducting background screening and verification is a time-consuming and inefficient process for in-house HR teams. Background screening specialists like Sterling RISQ use automated systems that can conduct thorough checks and screening in a fraction of the time.

 

Be realistic and authentic

In a post-pandemic world where individuals have a better understanding of how they wish to work and what they value from working, I recommend being authentic and genuine in all hiring aspects. From the job description to the interview process, be honest about the role you’re offering and genuine about what you expect from the candidate - is it a short-term temporary role or is it a career growth role? What kind of flexibility is available? Is it an entry level role or are you expecting a bit of experience? Being honest about these kinds of aspects can ensure that the candidate is suitable and genuinely interested in the role offered, thereby minimising employee turnover and boosting workforce morale.