"The world has changed - it will never go back to normal - and that's what you have to love!"
All companies are facing this changed world. Buzzwords such as digitalization, flexibilization, globalization, competitive corporate management, communication at eye level, change in values and culture - to name just a few - are being bandied about in all departments.
In order to cope with the complexity of these issues, a new "mindset" in the heads of company management and HR departments is absolutely essential.
The process of change on the labor market has been noticeable for years - demographic change has been around for some time. There will be a shortage of 6 million people by 2020 - due to the low birth rates in the 70s and 80s. Closely linked to this is the ageing of society. This poses just as great a challenge for companies. These facts should shake up all companies, because it means that those who do not act now, who do not change their "mindset" now, will lose a decisive competitive advantage within the next three to five years: people, plus the opportunity to find and develop them for a company.
The age of "post & pray" is long gone - it has been a long time since the usual job advertisements received the desired number of applications. It is therefore imperative to break new ground - one of many options is the development of strategic talent relationship management. This can also be summarized in one sentence:
"Know tomorrow's talents today."
But how? This is exactly where "out of the box" thinking comes in: Finding the talent - and this really means all potential candidates, whether active or passive - where they are. Surely you are not on any online job advertisement platforms. Finding talent doesn't mean spending all day online / at your desk. It means going out, visiting trade fairs, actively networking, being active on the market, attending events, etc.
"Be courageous and creative."
Go to where the talent is. For example, with the help of a "talent scout". Where can you find young innovative fashion designers, for example? The best place is at the various fashion fairs in Berlin, Amsterdam, etc. The talent scout's sole task is to approach these talents directly on site and establish contact - not to approach them for a specific position. His task is to build a long-term / strategic relationship - to get the talent excited about the company today so that when a suitable position becomes vacant, he can offer it to this talent. However, it also means that intensive contact with the talent should be built up over time. A one-off birthday card is not enough - you have to stand out and stay in touch with the talent individually. With such measures, it should never be forgotten that the necessary acceptance for the position of talent scout must be in place from the top of the company in order to build and maintain a strategic talent relationship pool. It is equally important that the underlying processes of a talent relationship management pool are supported in the best possible way with a well-functioning tool, e.g. embedded in an existing applicant management system.
Establishing strategic talent relationship management takes time - but saves money in the long term, as it results in tailor-made recruitment.
Now is the time to break new ground, implement it and thereby generate an absolute competitive advantage.
About the author
Petra Carl is a fully qualified lawyer specializing in employment law. She has been working in human resources for 20 years and has learned her trade from the ground up. She has managed the HR department in various companies and has consistently developed it in line with the challenges of the labor market in recent years. As a long-standing HR manager in the fashion and lifestyle industry, she has in-depth knowledge of HR processes. Her expertise covers the entire employee life cycle.
The five focal points of its further development are employer branding, candidate journey, social media-based active sourcing, direct approach and strategic talent relationship management.
At Senator Executive Search Partners, Petra Carl is responsible for HR process optimization. She offers you the following for your HR department:
- Customized, forward-looking HR solutions
- Supporting and guiding the transformation of your current HR system into a state-of-the-art one
- Development of 'HR 4.0', particularly with regard to its five focal points
