Benchmark your 2019 talent offering now

With 2019 firmly underway, many business people will want to ring in the new year with change and the manifestation of resolutions.  Hiring more and better people is a common call.  If you are like me and believe in the concept of margin gains, perhaps it is worth investing a few hours and undertaking a basic benchmarking exercise to identify where you need to improve your offering.

To effectively compete for top talent in the Northern Ireland marketplace you need to offer potential new recruits a blend of the following:

Shared vision.

Not all businesses have a lofty purpose that will add to the common good, the truth is you do not have to.  However, you do need to articulate a passionate rationale for your organisation that will, at a minimum pique interest.

Engaged leadership.

Two sayings I never forget are ‘People stand beside leaders and behind managers’ and ‘People leave a manager, not a company’.  Are you able to example how your leaders are inclusive, supportive and available?  Talented, in-demand people will seek out information on the person that will be their leader.

Learning and development.

This is not a ‘nice to have’ this is a ‘must have’.  Top talent expects leading employers to be able to map their progress from day one, until at least the end of year one.  It should not be a newsflash that the best people seek challenges and new roles regularly.

Wellbeing commitments.

2018 was certainly the year that mental health and physical health became entwined as ‘wellbeing’.  Employers that can example their commitment to wellbeing will be advantaged.  And no, it does not mean you need to have head massages and yoga every Friday.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Regardless of your company size, you must seek to become involved in relevant and genuine initiatives that will resonate with your team.  Sponsorship, volunteering or donations money/services are necessary to reinforce the culture and values you espouse.

Total reward.

Basic salary is no longer the key to appointment success, indeed truly in-tune employers figured this out a long time ago.  Building a reward package that is tailored to an individual’s different circumstances is key.  People under 26 do not value Health Cover or Pension contributions as highly as those over 35.

Indicators show that the skills shortage for experienced and qualified professionals will become more acute in 2019, therefore every increment you accrue will be vital.  And don’t forget, now that you have this market-leading offering, ask yourself this simple question.  Is it easy for someone to find all of this information quickly and easily? If not, it’s all for nought.

Justin Rush is Managing Director at the Abacus Talent Group and can be found on [email protected]