A CHRO's guide to attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent

In the bustling corridors of corporations, pursuing exceptional talent is akin to a treasure hunt.

CHROs know firsthand the transformative power that top-tier talent can wield within an organization.

Unfortunately, it’s not just as simple as filling positions. Instead, it’s about finding the right people to propel the mission and purpose of the organization to new heights while sustaining a world-class workplace and a prideful contribution to employees’ careers.

Let’s take you through some of the essential tips to tell the story of how we as leaders in HR and talent acquisition attract, hire, and retain the crème de la crème of the workforce.

Recognizing the need for top talent

This journey begins with a simple yet profound realization: the heartbeat of any organization is its people. People are your greatest asset. The decisions we make about our people every day have a direct impact on an organization’s productivity and profitability.

Many organizations focus heavily on candidates’ education, skills, knowledge, and experience as indicators of top talent during hiring. While these factors are essential for specific roles, we often overlook a crucial element of an individual’s success—their natural talent. Natural talent is the employee’s innate attributes or potential.

Crafting an attractive employer brand

Picture this: a prospective candidate scrolling through LinkedIn, bombarded with job postings. What makes our listing stand out?

To attract the right talent, we must start by building a magnetic employer brand to attract the game-changers. Our story, culture, promise of a fulfilling career, competitive compensation packages, and other valuable components make up the employee value proposition.

The value proposition is essential to show the candidates that the employee-employer relationship is not a transaction and is more than a paycheck!

1. Defining the company culture: Take pride in your collaborative and inclusive cultures, emphasizing core values like integrity, innovation, and community. These are the principles all leaders should live by. Your mission is to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered with the authority to make decisions.
2. Showcasing employee stories: Share stories, for example, about employees who started as interns and now lead significant projects. These narratives resonate deeply with potential hires, showing them that your company is a place where they can thrive.
3. Offering competitive benefits: Reimagine compensation packages to ensure they are competitive, comprehensive, and fair.
4. Employee wellbeing: Beyond just salaries, consider sustaining flexible work schedules, remote work options, and wellness programs. These benefits highlight your commitment to employee wellbeing.

Remember that the candidates are your brand ambassadors and future employees. Do your best to create an outstanding candidate experience. This can be done through candidate experience surveys and investing in effectively training recruiters on how to communicate with candidates.

Leveraging technology in recruitment

Nowadays, it is crucial to embrace the digital revolution in HR, especially in recruitment practices. Traditional methods alone wouldn’t suffice in a world driven by technology.

1. Applicant tracking systems (ATS): Implementing an ATS may transform recruitment and improve the candidate experience. An ATS helps manage job postings, track applications, and communicate with candidates seamlessly. This efficiency can free up time for more personalized candidate interactions.
2. AI and machine learning: Offering recruiters access to AI-driven tools can help them to sift through thousands of resumes, pinpointing candidates who match organizational criteria. This will speed up the process and ensure you don’t miss out on hidden gems.
3. Social media and online platforms: Your presence on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed must become more robust. Actively engaging with potential candidates, sharing insights into our work culture, and showcasing your achievements will widen your reach, attracting diverse applicants.

Candidates are your brand ambassadors and future employees

Implementing a rigorous selection process

The next step is to ensure that you select the best candidates through a meticulous process.

1. Structured interviews: Develop a structured interview format with standardized questions to assess technical skills and cultural fit. This consistency will help you make a fair and informed decision. The best organizations study their top employees and then formulate questions on a baseline of top talent.
2. Assessment tools: Utilizing psychometric tests and skill assessments provides you with deeper insights into candidates’ abilities and tendencies. It is not just about qualifications on paper; you should seek individuals whose talents align with the job demands.
3. Panel interviews: Involving multiple stakeholders in the interview process, bringing diverse perspectives. This collaborative approach ensured a well-rounded evaluation of each candidate aimed at excellence.

Retaining top talent

Retaining talent is just as important as attracting and hiring talent. Companies need to focus on their internal talent before focusing on external talent. It is crucial to create a memorable employee experience. The employee journey within an organization starts with the onboarding stage. It is our responsibility to make it as seamless and smooth as possible.

1. Continuous development: We invested in our employees’ growth through training programs, mentorship, and clear career advancement paths. Personal and professional development became cornerstones of our retention strategy.
2. Recognition and rewards: Regularly recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions fostered a culture of appreciation. Whether through bonuses, promotions, or public acknowledgment, we ensured our team felt valued.
3. Work-Life balance: Understanding the importance of work-life balance, we offered flexible working hours, remote work options, and wellness programs. This holistic approach to employee wellbeing reduced burnout and increased job satisfaction.

It is essential to listen to employees and assess their engagement level. Companies can show their employees they care by launching an annual employee engagement survey. This allows the employees to voice their opinions and helps the organization gauge employee engagement.

In short…

The journey to hiring exceptional talent is continuous. As CHROs and leaders of people, our role is to weave a narrative that attracts, engages, and retains the best minds. By crafting an appealing employer brand, leveraging technology, implementing a rigorous selection process, fostering diversity, building a talent pipeline, and focusing on retention, we can create a workplace that not only attracts top talent but also enables them to flourish.

Our journey doesn’t end here. It evolves with each hire, each success story, and each step we take toward a more dynamic and innovative future. Together, we can unlock our organizations’ full potential, fostering an environment where creativity and excellence thrive.

Adam Hickman PhD is the VP of L&D and Organizational Development at Partners Federal Credit Union, a Walt Disney company affiliate.

Rania AlGhamd is the Director of Talent Learning & Potential at John Hopkins Aramco Healthcare.