Did you know, that according to McKinsey, a whopping 82% of Fortune 500 executives don't believe their organization is attracting top tier talent.
In today’s challenging marketplace, finding top talent seems to be the issue everyone is struggling with. And while attracting top talent is a primary concern, the problem goes much deeper than that. Understanding how to attract top talent is only the first step, and unfortunately, it is not nearly enough.
If you want to succeed in today’s marketplace, you have to create a team that not only shows up to work, but one that is passionate, engaged and committed at least as much as you are to the growth of your business and/or organization.
Everyone seems to think the biggest issues with attracting today’s top talent seems to lie in our generational differences– like there is something wrong with this younger generation. And while there are always challenges among the generations, the issues with today’s workforce are not about our differences.
We are living in a world where everyone, including you, the leader, and most especially today’s employees feel a lack of control and some level of fear. Think about it – nothing is certain in today’s world - and when things are uncertain, the one thing you want is certainty.
Now, I do not have all the answers for making the challenges of today’s marketplace magically go away. But I can help you understand how to attract top talent by providing a little control and a little certainty for the people you are recruiting. And if you can provide a culture where they feel heard, important, and in some level of control, you create an environment where they can express passion, get engaged, and completely commit.
So, what’s the trick to making that happen? It’s understanding that today’s employees want to know what is expected of them, what they can do to further their careers, and what they can to help your organization succeed. This is the key to attracting top talent.
The answer – develop your criteria for advancement.
Attracting Top Talent: A Criteria For Advancement
This is your agreement with employees that if they commit, they will advance, and their roadmap for how to take charge and advance their own career.
Everyone has a role:
- Leadership – You work as a team to develop the top five or six characteristics, qualities, or skills you are looking for in your future leaders. Make the list clear, and fully articulate the definitions. Give every employee on your team, from brand new to long-time team members, a copy of this criteria. Then live to the criteria – only reward, recognize, and promote those employees who MOST exemplify these qualities.
- Employee – Employees need to accept and take ownership of this criteria. They need to understand that in order to advance, they have to meet these criteria, and that if others on the team outperform them in these areas, those team members may advance ahead of them.
What Does A Criteria For Advancement Look Like?
Criteria For Advancement
- Exceptional Performance – Shows not only a consistent ability to meet or surpass goals, but has a strong work ethic and commit to excellence.
- Solution Oriented – Uses critical thinking skills to solve problems, and approaches challenges with ideas and ownership around solutions. Does not pass the buck.
- Communication – Takes responsibility to communicate and connect with others to make information flow run more smoothly between departments and on projects.
- Team Player – Committed to the success of their department and the entire organization as much as they are to their own.
- Professional Improvement – Has a natural curiosity and pursues learning and development both inside and outside of the organization.
- Development Of Others – Has a track record of being someone others can turn to for help and support. Actively pursues opportunities to seek out and develop others.
So, are you ready? Block some time on your calendar right now, and get together with your leadership team to create your criteria, and then execute on the plan. Give your employees a little control over their future and their careers, and they will pay you back with passion, engagement and commitment.
