Talent Attraction is Tougher – Is that a Good Thing?

Rail and Transport recruitment has reached boiling point. The Great Resignation saw senior teams and entire departments redrawn, with rail and transport being no exception

The unprecedented appetite for change is showing little sign of slowing.

Even now, mostly free from the pandemic's grip, millions continue to reassess their job satisfaction and coursecorrect their career trajectories.

In many ways, The Great Resignation is textbook supply and demand: more vacancies, more demand, more choice for talent. In theory, organisations offering a quality package should be able to hire the cream of the crop – fizzing with enthusiasm and poised for a challenge.

Yet, that’s not happening. Quite the opposite is true. The rail and transport sector (along with every other) is struggling to recruit skilled people who are a culture fit, a culture add, and willing to stick around.

And that’s more than a major headache for HR. That’s a mission-critical problem that should concern every leader.

So, that brings us to the burning question. Why are seemingly quality packages no longer cutting it? From our experience working with Transport organisations and leadership candidates throughout this tumult, it comes down to three words.

Employer Value Proposition, otherwise known as your EVP, the give-get value exchange between employer and employee and a precursor to interviews and offer acceptance. In the old world, EVPs centred heavily on financial incentives – if they even existed. But today, candidates emphasise workplace culture, wellbeing and values alignment over salary. EVPs must reflect that reality.

In short, what good looks like looks very different. And the numbers tell a fascinating story that permanently changes perspectives on talent attraction. In 2021, two-thirds of people who left their jobs did so because they did not feel included, valued, respected and trusted. In a recent survey asking candidates what matters most, 63 per cent said work-life balance, 40 per cent said colleagues and culture, and 60 per cent said compensation and other workplace benefits.

The reasons are debated, but the evidence is clear: it’s a candidate's market, and many aren’t buying what employers are selling.

New attitudes to value have redefined the relationship between candidates and employers. As a result, people are more deliberate and uncompromising. This shift has, inevitably, made engaging with talent more difficult. But it's not all doom and gloom – as EVP-centric organisations will tell you.

Those who prioritise their EVP, rebuilding its pillars and placing it front and centre in job adverts and interviewing processes, are enjoying success, even in a climate of red-hot competition. But putting your EVP first isn’t just about surviving. It’s about thriving.

It can’t be denied. Talent attraction has become tougher for Rail and Transport. But the headhunting experts say that’s a good thing. ‘Those who embrace the challenges of today’s candidate market will be rewarded in spades’ says Nina Lockwood, Founder of Intuitive Talent Solutions and specialist senior leadership recruiter for Transport.

‘The long and short of it is, when you’re a values-led organisation with your EVP at the heart of the recruitment process, you attract and hire the best talent for your business’ Nina explains. ‘You’ll secure your most effective talent faster, and they'll stay with you longer.’

With Transport still recovering from the pandemic and facing generationdefining challenges like end-to-end digital transformation and Net Zero, the sector cannot waste time hiring leaders. Taking a strategic, people-centric EVP approach could be the remedy.

Nina sees the advantages for her clients. ‘For Intuitive, talent attraction is about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We get to know leadership candidates as people and place them in values-led Transport organisations where we know there’s a strong culture fit and culture add.’

For Nina, this approach is a commercial no-brainer. For example: ‘80 per cent of our placements remain in post twelve months on; we place 50 per cent more female leaders than the national average. We’re also seeing increases in senior leadership roles going to those from diverse cultural and career backgrounds’ Nina adds.

‘In today’s candidate market, it's hard to imagine those numbers without value, culture and belonging being a fundamental part of the package.’

Serious groundwork goes into developing a powerful EVP that evolves with candidate expectations. As Nina puts it: ‘Your EVP is more than what you say. It’s who you are, how you work, where you’re heading. Candidates want to feel your authenticity from the first interaction, picture your vision and imagine their leadership impact.’

So, while talent attraction may be tougher, there’s a massive opportunity for Rail and Transport to recruit better. By focusing on a culture-centric EVP, organisations can draw in ideal CVs, recruit faster without reducing hiring standards, and begin winning in the War for Talent.

When an EVP is culture-focused and highly visible, it attracts decisive, intentional candidates that instantly gel and bring value to the table. ‘To remain relevant in a candidate’s market, Rail and Transport organisations may consider redefining their

EVP’ Nina explains. ‘At Intuitive, we advise our clients to follow a five-step approach in the first instance.’

Here are five ways to stay relevant in a changing world:

• Practical pillars – Compare what candidates value with strategic organisational roadmaps. Establish a balance between the EVP pillars (package, opportunities, contribution and culture).

• ED&I at the heart – Progressive leaders have ideas and plans for championing ED&I and its benefits. To attract them, organisations must wear their commitment on their sleeves.

• Wellbeing emphasis – Blend personal and professional priorities, establish multigenerational appeal and respect that every candidate has a different idea of job satisfaction.

• Hybrid value – Hybrid working remains in high demand. Have remote options and sell the office as a value-generation destination, focusing on inclusion and contribution.

• Embed everywhere – To attract talent in today's intense vacancy market, incorporate an EVP at every phase of the recruitment process: job adverts, communications, interview techniques and negotiations.

Although talent attraction is undoubtedly more challenging for Rail and Transport, those who embrace the shift to a values-based recruitment approach can and will succeed –even when competition is this fierce.

As transport leadership recruitment specialists for over ten years, Intuitive Talent Solutions knows how to connect high-performing, diverse talent to permanent and interim senior roles. They work tirelessly and authentically to find a match and proudly place ED&I at the heart of their strategic, people-driven process.

Intuitive has delivered exceptional talent to names including Abellio, First Group, Arriva and Rail Delivery Group and was recently awarded Executive Recruitment Agency of the Year award at the prestigious British Recruitment Awards 2022. Learn about their inclusive approach to talent consultancy at intuitiverecruitment.com