More than a day job
More than a day job
3: Recruit with purpose
Talented employees who lack a sense of purpose at work are re-evaluating their roles and many are leaving them. In the US, for example, 4.3m people left their jobs in August 2021 – representing about 3% of the national workforce.¹
People want to feel a sense of connection with the companies they work for – especially if they are involved in the transformation of the business. Such an affinity is harder to nurture in a hybrid environment, which is one of the factors behind the recent ‘great resignation’.
According to research from McKinsey, the most common reasons why employees resign are that they don’t feel valued by their organisations or their managers, or because they didn’t feel a sense of belonging at work.
So, what can companies do in the face of increasing rates of churn?
Those organisations with a strong sense of mission and values are more likely to retain talent; these elements can serve as the ‘glue’ that bonds teams together and strengthens culture. If company leadership can articulate an unclouded vision and purpose for the business, they will bring along people who can help shape its future.
The companies that win will be those that can offer more than just a job. They must also provide an entrepreneurial environment, in which people want to work, and they must offer people the opportunity to be part of something bigger.”
Jilko Andringa, CEO, Brunel
The companies that win will be those that can offer more than just a job. They must also provide an entrepreneurial environment, in which people want to work, and they must offer people the opportunity to be part of something bigger.”
Jilko Andringa, CEO, Brunel
Purpose and the strength of the employer brand are particularly important for those in technology and digital-transformation roles.
Our research shows that these roles are difficult to hire for and are subject to elevated levels of churn and salary inflation. Hiring managers trying to attract the right talent must engage with an intensely competitive marketplace, so they need to find a point of difference; something to attract individuals to an organisation other than simply the opportunity to fill a technical role appropriate to their skills. Without this, hiring can feel like a one-way street and, for the more discerning modern employee, may look like a dead-end.
Don’t hire on technical skills alone
In our research, we found that the most important attribute leaders look for when hiring roles linked to digital transformation is not technical prowess, but a true understanding of the business.
say that recruiting technical staff who understand their business is the biggest talent challenge related to digital transformation
If team leaders want to create an environment where technical staff are working in harmony with the rest of the organisation, they need to gauge a prospective candidate’s understanding of the business; of the marketplace context in which it operates; and their own potential cultural fit with the organisation.
Make the recruitment process a two-way conversation
Companies looking to recruit for digital transformation have two clear objectives: finding people in the first place and then holding onto them. Looking beyond technical skills is a good first step, but companies also need to initiate a two-way conversation that allows a holistic evaluation of the individual candidate. This should include a discussion of the company’s values and culture to ensure that these are aligned with those of the individual.
Onboarding is also critical in order to maximize the chances of long-term retention. But this communication cannot just take place through induction courses and presentations; there needs to be a people-first approach.
“In the recruitment process, you can tell potential employees what you want and reference proof points that back up your story,” says Louisa Moreton, Partner at consultant Finsbury Glover Hering. “But what happens once they’re inside the organisation? Does the culture live up to the promises made to them at the recruitment stage? Do we give enough support to line managers?”
As Moreton notes, the handover from onboarding to day-to-day life in an organisation is vital, as this can often be the point at which there is a drop-off in metrics such as employee engagement.
“If you set up this great show at the recruitment point and, three months in, an employee is thinking, ‘Nobody else looks like me, nobody listens to me in my meetings, and I can't achieve all the things I [want to],’ then that’s not good,” she says.
Build a culture and brand that makes people proud
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are increasingly important to businesses and their people. Today, success is determined not only by financial performance, but also by engagement with a broader basket of measures and their impact on a wider range of stakeholders. In our research, we found that companies working in the renewable energy sector have fewer recruitment difficulties than those in others, such as Oil and Gas or Mining.
Almost 70% of executives from Mining and mineral companies say they have difficulty filling big-data engineering roles
For Renewables, it is around 52%, Oil and Gas 53% and slightly under half (46%) for Life Sciences
Renewables
Oil and Gas
Life Sciences
The reality is that it is easier for a Renewables company to develop and showcase a mission and purpose that is aligned with sustainability principles than, say, a Mining company. This naturally helps with recruitment and retention. To compete, companies in sectors such as Oil and Gas or Mining need to think carefully about their employer brands and articulate their own visions for long-term sustainability through energy transition or net-zero targets, especially when trying to attract the next generation of workers.
“In the high-capital industries that we serve, like Oil and Gas, Mining, Renewables and Life Sciences, we know that what appeals to potential recruits is the unique intersection between engineering and technology,” says Jilko Andringa, CEO, Brunel. “That is a powerful attraction for talented individuals looking to make a difference, and companies should make sure they present themselves as being part of the solution to global problems.”
In the wake of COP26, and amid rising concerns about climate change among the next generation of talent, companies who lack a defined sense of purpose need to make it clear how they can play a role in supporting wider societal goals. Mining company Integra Resources, for instance, has over the past year put together a culture committee to discuss the company’s core values and clarify what it is trying to achieve.
“We pulled in everyone from our CEO to our core technicians,” says Josh Serfass, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, Integra Resources. “We have three core values that drive the company: act with integrity, care for our community, and continuously innovate. They provide a lot of people with buy-in. They feel like their voice is heard, and that's huge.”
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