The Attraction Game

ecruiting talented employees with newly minted college degrees or industry-related credentials has always had its challenges. As we emerge from a global pandemic, employers are faced with a new set of issues, forcing them to be flexible and creative in retaining and attracting talent. Employees have demanded greater flexibility from employers as they strive to strike a balance between their needs and the needs of their employers.

From a tightening labor market—where jobs are more plentiful than workers and where younger workers want and expect more from their personal and professional lives—the pandemic has, in all likelihood, permanently changed the world of work.

Continuous Learning And Competitive Advantage

Although not a new idea but one that’s being pursued with a renewed emphasis in a post-pandemic world, recruiting prospective employees is a tried-and-true pathway to getting not only the best and brightest, but a way to instill a culture of continuous learning.

“We believe that this not only allows us to bring fresh perspective and new ideas into the company, but it also helps us to cultivate a culture of continuous learning and development,” says Shahnawaz Sadique, editor of Common Stupid Man, a web publication for video gamers. “To support this, we offer extensive training and professional development opportunities for all of our employees, regardless of their level of experience.”

This sentiment is echoed by Michal Suski, the chief product officer and co-founder of Surfer, a global content intelligence company based in Poland, Oregon. “Our approach begins with the recruitment process. We leverage technology to identify, assess and onboard college-educated workers who are a good fit for our organization. We believe that our employees should enjoy their work and that a successful team is one that is continuously learning. To that end, we provide ongoing training and mentorship opportunities that allow our team members to develop their skills and explore new areas of expertise.”

To be sure, front-end recruiting for educated talent is the first step in the attraction game. Step-two is keeping the talent once they’re hired. Organizations should strive to provide meaningful work experiences through continual learning and development initiatives that help employees reach their goals, adds Greven Carl Manuel, a researcher and writer for Australia-based Emojisprout.com, a site devoted to decoding emojis. “Ultimately, organizations must create an environment where talented people want to stay—one where they can thrive professionally while feeling supported personally.”

JOB FLEXIBILITY IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

Coming out of the pandemic, employees are demanding flexibility and want to work in organizations that not only understand the demands of families on their employees but appreciate and support their employees’ interests outside of work. This recognition that there is life outside of the office will lead to happier and better employees in the office. Employers that do not understand this change in thinking will be at a disadvantage in attracting and keeping talented workers.

“With the arrival of Generation Z into the job market, remote and hybrid work will be here to stay,” says Athina Zisi, chief operations officer of Energy Casino, a young iGaming company based in Malta. “If you want to hire recent graduates, you must think about how you will market to them. Gen Z expects to be able to balance their work and personal lives. You must implement an intelligent hybrid or remote work system that does not interfere with their work/life balance while still allowing schedule flexibility.”

Flexibility not only applies to employee scheduling but is an adaptation that corporate managers must have with changing work paradigms. According to financial professional Janet Patterson, the most essential part of attracting a new pool of talent is to break away from the shackles of old methods of work.