Get Smart About Staff

Recruitment can be a lottery for business if it isn't handled correctly - astute employers use a strategic approach to attract talented people, employ innovative recruitment measures, and promote a strong employer brand, writes Charisse Gray.

There is light in the skills shortage tunnel for employers who think laterally and use the raft of technological advances that have created new and diverse ways to find the right people. But what is ‘right’ for your business, and have you developed an employer brand that is ‘right’ for you?

The contest among employers to attract and retain talented employees is occurring against a backdrop of fierce competitiveness in a tight labour market and increasingly fast technological advances. And where, in many industries, candidates are picking and choosing between organisations and roles.

These forces are driving widespread change in recruitment patterns. Savvy employers are thinking strategically and long term, understanding that retention must be treated as a tactical issue that can deliver considerable benefits to the bottom line.

They realise the importance of implementing robust, structured recruitment processes, superior interviewing techniques, and careful skills-matching processes, to ensure that individuals are selected for the skills needed for the role and that they will be a good cultural fit for the organisation. They appreciate that these employees will be more likely to succeed and stay with the organisation longer.

Helen Bermingham, HR general manager, NSW Business Chamber, has had plenty of experience in finding talent for a wide range of positions and sectors. She believes behavioural interview questioning—identifying competencies that are aligned with the core organisational values, then developing questions that assess these values—is imperative.