Beat Brain Drain: Boost Your Talent Pool

How can businesses avoid being hit hard by a skills shortage even more pressing than the one the world is already facing?

Peter Sanborn

August 5, 2016

Overview Shifting demographics are starting to reshape the workforce. As baby boomers retire, in most developed markets there will simply be fewer people of working age to fill positions. Not only is the pool of locally available replacement talent shrinking, but competition for their talent is on the rise. The people shortage is exacerbated by the lack of growth in graduates with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees. This is happening at a time when, because of rapid advances in technology, the demand for these skills in the workplace is on the rise. At the same time, businesses are also finding that the leadership and experience of the baby boomers are being sorely missed. As they leave the workforce, baby boomers are taking decades of knowledge with them, while younger generations often have yet to build up the experience and leadership skills needed to maintain successful businesses. So how can businesses respond to this confluence of demographic and training challenges to avoid being hit hard by a skills shortage that could be even more pressing than the one the world is already facing? With an emerging challenge this great, this is not just an HR issue – it’s core to future business strategy. In-Depth How are business leaders coping with the rising demographic, technological and human resource challenges they face as experienced staff retire and new technologies disrupt industries and require new skillsets? The first step in addressing these challenges is to understand staffing as part of a holistic business strategy. Organizations need to identify the critical skills and roles needed to support overall goals and objectives and build a sustainable talent pipeline. Aligning talent strategy to business strategy in this time of rapid change requires taking a long-term view. It’s not just about hiring for the positions you need today but about identifying the critical skills needed to help your business adapt over the long term. How to Tackle an Emerging Talent Shortage At a time of increasing competition for qualified people, what many of the firms are focused on now is creating a culture that is attractive for people to join and stay with. With as many as a third of employees thinking about leaving their current job within a year, according to Aon’s latest Workforce Mindset Study, this isn’t just about attracting new staff — it could be about preventing existing employees from being lured away by a competitor. Both mature and fast-growing industries are focusing on developing a culture to help them compete for scarce talent and become more attractive to their current and future workforce. When it comes to culture, here are a few things organizations can do:

Develop leaders who are engaging and serve as role models — With corporate leaders increasingly high-profile (and with leaders as a top driver of employee engagement), select and develop people who can act as internal and external role models and create an environment in which people are appreciated and motivated.
Establish a clear employee value proposition — To stand out from the employer crowd, think about how to make your corporate culture feel more distinctive and attractive by offering support in career development and continual training, as well as competitive compensation and benefits.
Develop and articulate a sense of purpose — With workers increasingly wanting employment that means something beyond just making money, explaining what your business stands for can be a powerful tool to attract like-minded talent and drive long-term employee engagement.

In addition to culture-building, planning for tomorrow’s workforce is key. Talent shortages are likely to remain a feature for years to come. Ensure your business has the qualified staff and skill sets needed by adopting a long-term program for attracting, training and developing the people who will drive its success over the long term — not just for this year’s needs, but for five to 10 years. There are a few things organizations should consider doing to help with their long-term talent needs:

Establish apprenticeships — Not only does on-the-job training help you cultivate the skills your business will need, it can help promote loyalty and long-term engagement. With training and career development opportunities as strong pull factors for modern workers — especially from younger generations. Making training a continuing part of your business from the early stages of employees’ careers can be a powerful proof point in your commitment to employee development.
Work with schools — Encourage changes in the educational system that support the development of needed skill sets in the long term. Ensure students are made aware of career opportunities in your industry and of the true value and potential a career with your organization can bring.
Commit to workforce diversity — Women and minorities still have significant under-representation within the managerial ranks of many industries. Organizations should be reaching out to qualified minorities, not just because practicing equality in the workplace reaffirms your business’ commitment to fairness, but because diverse workforces are a proven driver of innovation. Not only have organizations with greater gender equality proven to perform better, but being seen as promoting gender equality in the workplace can be a powerful attractor for talent.
Globalize your hiring — Developing countries around the world are producing well-qualified staffing for accounting, data analysis and other financial services, while in healthcare a majority of newly qualified healthcare professionals (including nurses and general practitioners) are graduating from schools in these countries. In a globalized world, the competition for talent is also increasingly global, so you increasingly need to look where the talent is, not just where you would like it to be.

Talking Points “Rather than focusing on salaries alone as the cure-all for attracting employees, corporations would be wise to look closely at the wider expectations and demands of their candidates, if they are to draw in the best talent. … While increasing the flexibility of the job offer can provide an effective short-term solution to draw in the best candidates, ultimately even these measures won’t resolve systemic talent gaps that have a significant impact on the long-term health of the business.” – Tara Sinclair, chief economist, Indeed “The struggle to fill vacancies is holding back growth and opportunities for business, and it is essential that both government and industry work together quickly to identify ways to plug this gap.” – Mike Hawes, chief executive, Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders “Companies looking for sophisticated skillsets are starting to look to foster skills and relationships with future employees among high school age students.… If you’re not already thinking five to ten years ahead for your talent needs, you need to.” – Usha Mirchandani, partner, talent analytics, Aon Hewitt Further Reading