Recruiting and retaining employees remains a challenge

Recruiting and retaining talent remain top concerns for employers, according to two of the region’s human-resource organizations, and there are no signs these staffing issues are going away any time soon.

In fact, only 59 percent of candidates who recently accepted a job offer would make the same choice, according to a survey released in August by Gartner, Inc., a technological research and consulting firm based in Stamford, Connecticut.

In its June survey of 3,600 candidates, nearly half said they were still open to other job offers, with 1,600 indicating they backed out after an accepting a job, often because they received a better offer elsewhere.

Most candidates cited feeling unappreciated in their current job, better compensation, and feeling burned out as reasons for seeking a new job.

“Competition for talent remains fierce with candidates still coming to the table with multiple offers — one in three candidates have turned down multiple offers during their recent job search,” said Jamie Kohn, director in the Gartner HR practice.

Recruiting and retaining talent in a “dynamic and highly competitive labor market” remains one of the most-pressing HR issues companies are dealing with right now, says Jenna Rosenberg, president of the Southern Tier Association for Human Resources (STAHR) and VP/chief governance & strategy officer at Visions Federal Credit Union.

The issue is especially pressing in the health-care industry, says Leeann Light, president of the Mohawk Valley Society for Human Resource Management (MVSHRM) and director of HR at Community Memorial Hospital. But there are things companies can do about it.

“Try to stand out, market yourself as the employer of choice, think out of the box on how to attract qualified candidates, and use employee testimonials to tell the story of your culture and why they chose to work there,” Light says.

Rosenberg recommends employers look for new and creative ways to connect with and attract talent. “Focus on a positive workplace culture, support HR in research and leading evolution where applicable within the company.” She also suggests companies may want to embrace flexible work models.

Employers need to identify the role of remote work within their organization and then evolve practices and benefits to meet the evolving needs of the workforce, she says.

“Remote work is now an attractive option for many,” Light notes. However, it’s still a new concept for many employers — one first embraced during the pandemic when many people had no choice but to work from home.

According to Gartner, a hybrid work model is often an opportunity for companies and a means to strengthen the workplace culture, a crucial element as 76 percent of employees have indicated culture is important to be effective in their job.

It can be challenging to reinforce and elevate the workplace culture when employees are having fewer in-person interactions and spending less time in employer-controlled spaces, so it’s important that employers clearly define the company’s culture and more sure employees remain connected to that culture by making them aware of the value their role brings to the company, equipping employees to discover the personal value they gain from their work, and auditing work process against the company’s culture to ensure that culture is present in the day-to-day work, according to Gartner.

“Continue to provide staff and resources needed to create and implement a successful people strategy,” Rosenberg says. “Give HR a voice in company strategy.”

The bottom line is that employers need to make sure their organization is an attractive place to work, not just for job candidates, but also for current employees whether they are in the office or work remotely.