How do you win the war for talent?

The phrase ‘war for talent’ was first used in 1997 by McKinsey & Co to describe the increasing competition among businesses to attract and retain the best people. Why did McKinsey highlight this issue? Because talent is considered one of the most valuable assets of an organisation. Having the right people in the right roles can significantly impact its innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. Talent is critical for success.

The global talent marketplace is even more competitive than it was in the 90s. Highly skilled people remain in short supply and demand is high everywhere. And for the ‘hard to abate’ sector – steel, concrete, glass and aluminium – it’s exceptionally hard. The decarbonisation challenge facing the big carbon emitters is immense. More than most, they need bright people to address this challenge.

Partly this is a perception problem – big carbon emitters are viewed as problematic and harmful to society. They don’t fit with Gen Z* values. They are not diverse enough. Few women are visible in management, especially at a senior level. There’s also a lack of awareness regarding the diverse job roles on offer, particularly in areas such as technology and data.

According to LinkedIn, there are an average 40-100 touchpoints with a brand before a hire is made. Organisations need to maximise every platform and opportunity to get their brand in front of the right people. Companies that are succeeding place recruitment and culture at the core of their business. The people they need to attract are front and centre of brand communications.

1. A clear expression of organisational purpose. Organisations that plainly express a purpose beyond profit resonate with more groups.

2. Credible messaging. Being open and honest with your messaging (even if it’s not all good news) builds a stronger bond with all audiences.

3. Rich content. Telling your story through engaging content such as videos, blogs and events will help you to showcase the breadth of workplace experience.

4. Social media savvy. Organisations that understand the power of social media are more likely to connect with younger generations.

5. Early outreach. Establishing your narrative with younger audiences, for example through schools, will pay dividends in later years.

6. A career hub and personal development. Providing an online comprehensive careers hub, instead of basic careers pages, is valued by potential candidates.

7. Candidate support. Offering your interviewees guidance such as interview tips, advice, and opportunities to connect with employees helps build a bond with your future potential employees.

Standing out requires commitment and investment. Being consistent, working hard to provide rich content and regularly refreshing it. Being authentic and relevant means moving away from platitudes and acknowledging and owning the challenges organisations face. Aligning communication with purpose.

Case Study: ArcelorMittal

When the world’s leading steel producer, ArcelorMittal, wanted to improve their talent attraction user experience, we worked with them to make it meaningful, engaging and inclusive. Our starting point was talking to employees, from recent graduate joiners to experienced professionals, to understand what they were looking for. We articulated the company purpose and key messages. Taking ‘an outside in’ perspective we aligned all touchpoints with the main brand. From job platforms, webpages and social media to role descriptions, careers fairs collateral and LinkedIn profiles.

Our aim was to ensure a coherent, consistent experience at every point where people interact with the ArcelorMittal brand. And recognising that attracting good people is everyone’s job, we created a recruitment platform to help brand, communications, and HR work together. Existing internal communications mechanisms were piggybacked to spread the message. Repeat briefings took place to give teams an overview, allow it to sink in and then come back to cover the detail.

Effective talent attraction is purposeful, coherent and consistent. Investing in it to recruit great people will pay off. It will help you grow. It sends a message that a business values its people. It can build your reputation as a great place to work. But it’s a long-term commitment if you want to keep moving forward.

Manasian&Co helps global organisations solve complicated communications challenges working across every aspect of the brand, from strategy to implementation. Contact us at enquiry@manasianandco.com for more information.

* Born between 1997 and 2012, Generation Z – or Gen Z – now makes up to 30% of the world’s population. It’s expected to account for 27% of the workforce by 2025.
How is Gen Z changing the workplace? Zurich Insurance, The future of work, 4 April 2023.