Dealing with skilled candidate shortages and the "Great Resignation"

Written by Celia Jones, Director of Recruitment Services and Rona Horsfall, Principal Consultant Recruitment

Dealing with Skilled Candidate Shortages and the "Great Resignation"

Councils have always had to compete hard to attract skilled candidates and with immigration settings unlikely to be changed in the short term it means that the current environment will only deteriorate as infrastructure/service demands grow and skill sets get tighter. So how are councils best placed to deal with candidate shortages and what should executive and recruitment teams be mindful of?

Firstly, the best way to avoid this problem is to retain your staff. 

Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has led many people to reconsider what’s important in their lives, from family and free time, to working for an employer that rewards and recognizes them as an individual. And with some economies and jobs opening up, many employees have begun seeking new opportunities, in search of better compensation, more meaningful work, or the flexibility to work in a way that accommodates their lifestyle. Many media outlets are referring to this trend of people leaving their jobs voluntarily post pandemic as “The Great Resignation.” 

With thousands of workers rethinking what work means to them and how they want to be valued by their employers, the Great Resignation trend could just be getting started — beyond the initial waves of record-setting turnover reported in some industries and regions. According to research on this topic, many people may harbor a pent-up desire to leave their current jobs. Why? Employees have been willing to stay in their current roles for nearly twice as long during the pandemic — despite scoring behaviours that indicate they were planning to leave. This reluctance to leave, however, may not last. 

According to Business Insider Australia, the Future Forum Pulse remote work survey from messaging platform Slack, three in five Australian professionals are open to a new role within the next year.1 

Employees remain enthusiastic about remote work and operating at non-traditional times of the day despite reports of burnout and overwork, with flexibility a key driver when job seeking.

David Adams, Business Insider (Oct 6, 2022)

How can councils attract and retain talent in this fast-evolving world of work?

It’s essential they listen to what their employees want. By asking the right question, to the right person, at the right time, companies can unlock the power of real-time employee feedback and surface deeper truths, to create a more agile and adaptable company culture. It is important Manager don’t assume they know what if going through their employees’ heads and it is important to remember staff will not necessarily trust an employee survey for sharing this information.

If you do find yourself in the position where you must recruit staff, there are a particular set of behaviours employers must engage in. It is now time to ramp up the ‘War for Talent “a well-used phrase coined by McKinsey Consultant Steve Hankin in 1997. The lessons still ring true. Great talent is more productive and will take less time managing so everything an organisation can do to set up a recruitment campaign that sells the organisation and promotes the candidate experience will be critical now.

When setting up advertising and attraction campaign it is imperative organisation convey to their candidate audience what their Employee Value Proposition is. Even for the most remote organisation there are aspects of employment which may appeal to specific sections of the market. If you are a major council close to Brisbane, you can highlight the excitement of a forthcoming Olympics and being part of a growth region, which can provide benefits to a potential employee such as career growth and working towards growing services in an environment which will have the focus of the world. If you are in a remote or rural location, benefits can include affordable real estate and the ability to access an outdoor lifestyle with a myriad of activities to engage a family. If you have a vibrant and happy culture, then be sure to make sure you highlight the various aspects or what makes you organisation a great place to work including employee benefits 

Fast and effective campaigns are important now more than ever as employees have choice. Employers must be ready to engage with candidate base as quickly as possible and not draw out the process or candidates will withdraw their interest. Make sure you communicate with your recruiter or the candidate base directly particularly for those who have applied who are of interest. Strong communication at this part of the process and making a candidate feel valued will help their decision-making process when they have choice in front of them. Show the candidate you mean what your say. If you promise to get back to them in a certain time frame, then make sure you do even if it is to say no decision has been made. 

Queensland still has a lot to offer and with real estate growth, a forthcoming Olympics and an enviable climate, there are still many reasons why employees will want to stay or move here. Running good retention and attraction processes will ensure that the challenges of a skill shortage will be kept to the minimum over what is a difficult employment market.

To discuss recruitment, talent and attraction strategies, please contact a member of our Recruitment team:

Celia Jones, phone 0409 119 561, email cjones@wearepeak.com.au  

Rona Horsfall, phone 0438 943 854, email rhorsfall@wearepeak.com.au  

1 Business Insider Australia https://www.businessinsider.com.au/slack-great-resignation-remote-work-data