3 Essentials for Battle in the Talent Wars

The single biggest constraint in our economy presently is labor (or people in general) at all levels.

Right now, the battle is not who can have the lowest costs, or be the most innovative, or offer the best service. It’s simply who has people to build products and deliver services.

The first part of winning any game is understanding what strengths, resources, and capabilities are needed. Winning the war for talent requires effective recruiting, a good first experience for the employee, and creating a culture that people want to be a part of.  

1. Recruiting

Post-and-hope is not a broad enough recruitment strategy in the current market. People react to relationships and respond to personal invitations from people they know. Relationship-based recruiting strategies that involve personal reach outs are challenging and costly, but they work.

And by the way, you still have to post.

2. Orientation & Onboarding

First impressions are lasting impressions. How can you make the “first-day” experience a good one?

A quick review of benefits and work rules will not leave a new hire warm and fuzzy.

Meeting nice people feels good. Getting basic questions answered diminishes the trepidation of starting something new, like where do we park? When do we get paid? What do we do for lunch? Where’s the bathroom? Who’s the boss and where’s their office?

You can’t afford for someone to have a negative first impression and risk that it taints their experience going forward. It’s too easy to find something else if it does.

→ How O’Neal Steel used Team Engine to automate & standardize their 6-month onboarding program

3. Employee Training

Training dignifies people and dignifies the work. It’s more than sharing knowledge and skills, it’s pouring something into the lives of people to build their capabilities. Do it well, do it often, make it fun, and use training events to echo the cornerstones of your culture.

People stay at an organization when they make friends, have a boss they can follow, experience some success, and feel the organization is fair and respectful.

We are in a war for talent. Winning companies are the ones that provide these things for their workforce.

The battle’s on; are you armed for the fight?