HR Digital Transformation Series: 3 Techniques to Attract Top Talent

Hiring and retention are a big part of any HR organization’s focus. The right people accelerate a company’s ability to meet goals and deliver outcomes. However, finding the right people, top talent, is not always easy. 

McKinsey noted, “A recent study of more than 600,000 researchers, entertainers, politicians, and athletes found that high performers are 400 percent more productive than average ones.  Studies of businesses not only show similar results but also reveal that the gap rises with a job’s complexity. In highly complex occupations—the information- and interaction-intensive work of managers, software developers, and the like—high performers are an astounding 800 percent more productive.”

If top talent is significantly more productive than average talent, spending the time up front to attract these high-performers to your organization is worth the effort and energy. In the past, HR organizations often looked at how quickly they could bring in a new candidate to fill an open role.  This is not a bad measurement, but as with many different processes, HR digital transformation has led companies to uplevel their recruitment process to make sure attracting top talent is a main focus for recruiters and hiring managers. 

Here are three easy ways to accelerate the HR digital transformation process by attracting top talent—with some expert advice from HR leadership at our partner organizations.  

Job seekers, including top talent, have a lot of hurdles to overcome. Many candidates are under financial pressure, emotional stress, and time constraints. They’re looking to make the best decision for their unique circumstances as quickly as possible. “Candidates need transparency right now. Pay really close attention to it during the recruiting process,” Sarah Wilson, Head of People at SmartRecruiters, remarks. “This signals to the candidate that you care about their time and that they are not just another application!” Give candidates a thorough and accurate depiction of the role, your company, the qualifications, and the benefits. Convey trust with each candidate by transparently communicating the good and the bad as it relates to your company and the open role. Give you candidates an opportunity to voice their questions, concerns, opinions, and excitement.  

Applying for a job online can often feel like sending your resume into a black-hole. Candidates often don’t hear back or don’t know how to reach the hiring team. Top talent will want to make sure their application is seen and be as ready for an interview as possible. Make sure your hiring team is approachable for questions and is ready to communicate thoroughly with candidates to set them up for success. “Engage candidates through SMS text messaging all the way through the recruiting process— from initial application to being hired. Using a solution that sends automated text reminders to candidates to complete an application or attend a scheduled interview can help increase application flow and also reduce interview ghosting,” said Derek Williamson, CEO of HigherMe. “Using a channel and communication method that is familiar and comfortable to candidates shows that your company is modern and approachable while also reducing barriers in the application process.”

Attracting top talent actually starts with your current employees. Your current team can and will help recruit candidates if they enjoy working for your company. Making sure your employees trust your organization and would recommend it to their own network goes a long way. Jaci Sanchez, People Operations Manager at Fountain commented, “It is important to have a strong message about who you are as a company, and invest in your employer branding strategy. Candidates want to work for a company that cares about employees. Connecting meaningfully, earning trust and engagement of your talent is key to attracting more talent and retaining great teams. Having advocates of your culture leave reviews on Glassdoor or interviewing them for an employee spotlight and sharing on social media are a couple great ways to market your company culture.” Make sure to invest in your current team so they speak highly of your organization is an important starting point when thinking about how to attract top talent. 

Digital transformation in the HR department is not an easy shift, but small changes can make a big impact.  Each positive process change to how you communicate with candidates will help your organization recruit top talent. 

If you are interested in learning more about HR digital transformation, be sure to check out the first post in this series on “3 Paper Processes HR Needs To Digitize.”