This is more of a question than an opinion…

How many organizations are currently living in a false reality when it comes to talent?

Sure… they may currently have access to stellar talent due to the economic climate… but have they prepared for recovery.  Have they prepared for a potential talent exodus?  What happens when the talent pool realizes that they have spent the past 2-3 years underpaid and under appreciated?  What happens then?

I would normally recommend the use of agencies to help fill the gaps… but, there are two problems with this…

First, a whole lot of third-party and corporate recruiters left the industry during the downturn.  They’ve moved on.  Perhaps they can be attracted back… but, it will take time.  The second question is expense.  Reactive recruiting (often the type of recruiting agencies get called to help with) gets very expensive.  With higher demand and fewer third party providers, that will drive prices up.  This isn’t going to be cheap.

So, what’s the solution?

I don’t know how to fix this issue overnight, but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on paying close attention to your current employees’ needs, wants and desires.  There may still be a chance to make things right.

Oh, and if you are the type that sits back and says “Well… I gave them a job!” – you’ve lost your mind.  You are probably the same person that thinks it’s okay to treat employees as numbers instead of as human beings.  Good luck to you when the economy recovers… your people will be more than willing to speak with recruiters about how green the grass really is on the other side.

So… who knows?  What’s the solution?  What steps should employers be taking now to improve their internal employement branding?  What would you like to see more of?  Less of?

Your thoughts are valuable!  Thanks for sharing

Photo Credit, Scumfrog