The five hallmarks of a healthy and engaged talent community

Most organisations have some type of talent community. This could be as simple as an opt-in newsletter for applicants to keep up to date with other roles.

However, with the rise in applicant tracking software and talent community platforms, many companies now buy – or build – comprehensive platforms that offer everything from social networking functions and content production to real-time job boards and dedicated development centres for early careers talent still preparing for the world of work.

At its best, a talent community is a home of back-and-forth interaction between employers and candidates, including discussions around industry best practices, and communication from the company on the latest job updates or skill requirements.

This ensures that when talent acquisition leaders need to fill roles or plan for future succession planning, they can quickly turn to a group of engaged candidates who are up to date on the latest news about the company.

However, plenty of talent communities fall short of this ideal. They lack depth, have no meaningful engagement between parties, and gather dust. But how can companies prevent their talent communities from festering?

Five hallmarks of a health talent community

Yasar Ahmad, Global VP of Mobility, Talent and Rewards, Hello Fresh, argues there are five crucial hallmarks of a healthy talent community.

“Firstly, diversity,” Ahmad begins. “You want diversity not just by the literal definition but also in terms of skillsets. You don’t just want a community for one particular group of people who have a specific skill set.”

To optimise a talent community, companies should be sure to make sure their pool of candidates includes people across a range of skills and backgrounds.

Not only does this lead to more diverse and productive discussions in community events or interactions, but it also helps hiring managers across the entire company find the skills they need to bridge capability gaps.

The second hallmark is active engagement and communication. “Create regular, meaningful communication and collaboration between members and the organisation,” he explains. “Are there opportunities to learn and develop through mentorship programs, networking opportunities, training sessions, webinars, events, resources, tools, and blogs?”

Creating a wide range of formats for information, interaction, and support ensures all candidates are catered for.