Recruiters are in higher demand than ever before with the Great Resignation continuously roiling today’s talent market. Along with all the job openings and talent shortages, recent research shows that recruiters are 115% more likely than average employees to change careers. LinkedIn has more positions open now for recruiters than for software engineers.
Why are recruiters looking to make a move? Because they know firsthand how in-demand their skillsets are right now. It’s become easier than ever for recruiters to get a new job for more money, or to hang out a shingle as independent consultants. Others might be quitting their jobs and leaving the workforce to take a break after two stressful years of pandemic and upheaval.
How can your company compete in this moment of uncertainty and sky-high demand for top recruiting talent? Let’s look at three key strategies to keep your recruiters happy and retain your top HR talent.
Provide True Flexibility
People have come to expect remote-first and “work from anywhere” as the new normal of the knowledge worker lifestyle. Don’t force people to return to the office. Make sure your company is set up to continue supporting people working from home, if they choose.
Work From Home/Work from Anywhere is one of the most valued employee perks, and it’s become the new table stakes for recruiting and retaining top talent. Even some of the biggest brands in corporate America have seen complaints and resignations when they’ve tried to make everyone return to the office.
Along with a remote-first approach, give your recruiters the autonomy to work independently at their own pace. Don’t expect people to always be plugged in to work and replying to emails. Giving recruiters flexibility and space to be productive on their own terms will help keep them engaged and ensure their loyalty.
Build a Culture That Supports Employee Wellness
Along with giving people flexibility and space to do their work, it’s also crucial for your company to have a culture that supports mental and physical wellness outside of work. People have lived through two years of stress, grief and uncertainty during the pandemic. Recruiters are especially vulnerable to these feelings, as their jobs have been especially stressful.
Give valued talent genuine support for their mental, emotional and physical wellness. Offer meeting-free days or “no emails allowed after 6 p.m.” policies. Give people time to run errands, go to appointments, and care for their loved ones outside of work. Make sure people are able to unplug and decompress so they can deal with life and take care of themselves, and they will be more likely to keep working for your company.
Reward Entrepreneurial Energy
Many recruiters are taking advantage of the opportunities of remote work and online collaboration tools to start their own businesses. Why should talented recruiters keep working for your company if they can build their own firm on the side?
Make sure your company has a culture that genuinely rewards entrepreneurial energy. Are you paying recruiters for performance? Are you listening to recruiters’ creative ideas? Are you rewarding initiative?
If your recruiters are really getting rewarded for the value they deliver, if they feel valued and heard, if they feel like the sky’s the limit for what kind of future they can create within your organization. They’ll be more likely to stay. Give people the best of both worlds: entrepreneurial upside, with the stability and resources of working within your company.
Beyond the challenge of retaining top talent, this moment is also a strategic opportunity for HR leaders to reimagine work. Your recruiters can help you with this – not only by sourcing and signing great talent, but by helping chart a course to become even more of an employer of choice.
Show recruiters you value their professional expertise as strategic partners within the organization. Give them a chance to help shape the future of the company, not just their own role.
You don’t have to lose your top recruiters.
Now is the time to rethink your organization’s approach to how you work with top recruiters: give them flexibility, a supportive culture and entrepreneurial upside as strategic leaders within the company.
Don’t take your recruiters for granted. Show them that you value their unique contributions, give them what they need to thrive as people and as professionals. Together, you can build a stronger culture that retains your top talent for years to come.
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