3 More Recruitment Priorities to Focus on in 2016

This list included improving your quality of hire, growing your talent pipeline, and improving your time to hire. Today, we’re going to round out the list with the remaining 3 priorities recruiters and HR professionals are focusing in over the next year: increasing your retention rate, growing your employer brand, and increasing your focus on passive talent.

4. Increase your Retention Rate

13% of recruiters and HR professionals said that increasing employee retention was a top recruiting priority for the next year. The average employee tenure is short, with 30% of employees staying at their company between 1-3 years, 29% staying 4-6 years, and only 29% staying more than 6 years.

One of the best ways employers can solve the talent shortage is by retaining the talent they already have, so they can focus on filling newer positions rather than backfilling existing positions.

This starts with screening for both skill fit and cultural fit – and many organizations are already focusing on this. 96% of recruiters count on face-to-face interviews to properly screen candidates, while 93% rely on resumes. 87% said previous job experience was important or very important, while 88% said culture fit was important or very important. Retention begins with finding the people who are the right fit for the job and your organization, whatever those may be.

However, you may need to make adjustments your culture if you want to focus on retention. Some companies attract workers who are hungry to learn and make a difference, no matter the cost. Not all candidates need work-life balance, but they may eventually burn out and take their learnings elsewhere.

Organizations could counter-balance this by implementing mentoring, workforce learning, and succession planning to retain employees who are ready for something new.

5. Grow your Employer Brand

10% of recruiters and HR professionals said that growing their employer brand was their top recruiting priority. That number seems shockingly low considering that 56% of recruiters cited a lack of qualified candidates as one of the their top obstacles, while 50% said competition was one of their top obstacles.

There are simply not enough qualified candidates to go around for you and your competitors, but a great employer brand can help you win them for your team.

Top-tier candidates have a choice in where they work, and are researching your organization before they even consider your opportunity – as well as before they accept an offer. Having a well-defined and visible employer brand can help them make the decision to pursue your opportunity over any others.

Recruiters are using multiple channels to make their company brand visible, with 74% using social networks, 63% using career sites, and 37% using marketing and advertising.

Other notable channels are outbound campaigns (like emails and newsletters), mobile career sites, a company blog, and SEO. Get a feel for how your candidates are finding your opportunities by asking during interviews and new hire orientations, and focus on those channels first to make the biggest impact.

6. Increasing your Focus on Passive Talent

5% of recruiters and HR professionals said that increasing their focus on passive talent was their top recruiting priority. If you asked a few years ago, this number may have been higher – but it seems that talent acquisition professionals know that passive talent isn’t necessarily better talent.

Earlier this year, the BLS reported that voluntary quits have increased significantly as the job market loosens up. Many workers have been overworked, under-appreciated, and underpaid, and are actively looking for their next opportunity.

Active candidates are just as qualified as passive talent, but they are actually ready to make a move. With time to hire increasing month-over-month, reaching out to candidates who are actually interested in making a move is a smart choice.

What are your top recruiting priorities in 2016?