Did the ‘Great Resignation’ come as a surprise to you, or your business? One area the pandemic and resulting work-from-home lockdowns affected for certain was in giving people a taste of varying workspace opportunities.
As a result, some businesses are now scrambling to retain and/or acquire new talent. Consequently, many leaders are finding themselves adding talent acquisition to their portfolio. No matter which area they work in.
Solid foundations
Because the business world was shaken to its very foundations, many of those foundations showed up to be weak, with cracks, and not truly supportive of itself, or its people. Many of these businesses have not made it through the pandemic or are struggling now.
With awareness, a business can build a stronger, more sustainable foundation through its leaders. Leadership comes in many guises, but what every good leader should have in common is the ability to keep existing talent, as well as support incoming new talent.
The Making of a Leader
There is a saying ‘leaders aren’t born, they are made’ [Vince Lombardi] Training, guiding, learning and coaching all go into making a great leader.
A great leader, a smart leader, helps guide a business. They excel at giving a renewed sense of purpose, of direction. They often see needs before the need actually exists. These leaders, whatever their level, are worth their weight in gold.
Predicting the Future
These special leaders keep their eyes open for new talent, even if there is currently no need. Because they approach the company holistically, have a sense of strategy and future-proofing, they can in essence predict where, even when, gaps may occur.
Their finger is on the pulse of their niche, area or the whole of the company. They can see and nurture the progression of existing talent, whilst keeping an eye out, or ear to the ground, for future talent to step up and in.
Talent acquisition
Talent acquisition is arguably an art form. Good leaders look for both ‘head’ and ‘heart’ characteristics. Using our Henka Model (below), the ‘head’ or IQ refers to Energising qualities. Heart, or HeartQ, is about empathy and connection abilities.
Finding the right person to fit into your company, or simply the office, is worth taking the time to do well. Hence why predicting the needs before they happen becomes very necessary.
These days of social media access, hiring someone goes beyond the interview and even reference provision. It’s about delving deeper, looking beyond the provided surface layer.
It costs less time and money to take the time to hire the right person than it does to discover someone you have hired lacks the head and heart needed to support and grow the business.
Internal Growth
"A lack of internal growth opportunities is one of the biggest drivers of employee turnover. Even more reason to make talent marketplaces and workforce ecosystems a top priority in 2022.” -Terence Mauri
A sense of potential, the ability to grow, move up, transform, or even change direction are intrinsic these days to keeping talented individuals. Particularly if they are seeing the world as their oyster.
Talent Management
Today’s talent have greater expectations of companies than ever before. They are actively looking for businesses that meet their needs. The competition is fierce in true talent acquisition, and those companies that don’t step up their game will lose out.
It is in a company's interest to develop talent strategies. These strategies consider expanding the view to worldwide, being more diverse, and investing in their employees. This investment could manifest itself in more varied workplaces. Diversity is recognising that talent can come in many forms and backgrounds, each bringing a unique perspective. And with the fast encroaching virtual world, the world is now also a company’s potential oyster.
Leadership Growth
“Fewer than 1-in-3 managers today pass muster. And this deficit in leadership know-how profoundly harms organizational performance, not to mention employee engagement, loyalty and productivity.” - Mark Crowley
"Organisations cannot hold up without people, and if you’re looking for engagement from them and retention of them, then you must take care of their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This is where coaching comes in." [Excerpt from my upcoming book – Register here for notification when available.]
Once a business commits to supporting its leaders, they will see more value in their employees, as well as the value they bring to the company – and be better placed to add talent acquisition to their portfolio.
The Henka methodology can help an organisation's leaders practise the type of care, understanding and support that individuals need today. For more information on supporting your business leaders in today’s modern world, visit: www.HenkaInstitute.com
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