Lecture 6 Attracting & retaining talent * Introduction ‘recruitment strategies attempt to create a pool of appropriately qualified and experienced people so that selection strategies and decisions can be initiated’ (Nankervis, Compton, Baird & Coffey 2011, p.203) * A typical strategic recruitment process The strategic perspective Recruiting:Creates a pool of appropriately qualified and experienced people Is linked to competencies Needs to consider both internal and external policies Decisions can be dependent on the organisational politics Strategic recruitmentThe business environment calls for a situational approach to attracting employees The recruitment mix will change as the same issues shift to meet the demands of ever-changing global labour markets Consideration of the mix of ‘Baby Boomers’, ‘Generation X’ and ‘Generation Y’ Differences in generation, gender, culture and work–life balance Must be dynamic and flow from the mission statement and strategic objectives Employers of choice and best employersWar for talentAttracting best talentWork/home–life strategiesAutonomous and meaningful workOpportunities for learningFostering internal talent butBe wary of making promises that you cannot keep! Company brandingConvince existing and prospective staff that it is an attractive place to work through:family– and work–life balanceleadership and open communication Co-development of employee value proposition * Recruiting from withinFilling vacancies above entry level through internal promotions and transfersAllows organisations to capitalise on the costs that has been invested in recruiting, selecting and training its current employees * External sources of recruitment * * Internal versus external recruiting Internal versus external recruiting ApplicationsApplications made in person Telephone applications Application forms Résumés Response analysis Retention of key peopleEmphasis was on attracting but moving to retention ‘Attracting key people is only one dimension; the other is keeping them’. (Nankervis et al 2011, p.228) * What are the retention levers?Work–life balance Workplace culture Varied job role Management style Training * International recruitmentIncreasing investment in overseas business markets Multi-cultural workforces Management of expatriates Innovative HRM practices Diversity management Sources of managers for international organisationsHome country nationals (expatriates) Host country nationals (locals) Third country nationals Most multinational enterprises (MNEs) use all three sources Selection ‘Recruiting yields applicants to be assessed against job requirements’ ‘… selection of applicants from within or outside the organisation to fill existing or projected job openings … has far reaching effects on the continued viability of the organisation.’ (Nankervis, Compton & Baird 2008 p. 229) ‘Strategic selection is the link ...

1. Lecture 6
Attracting & retaining talent
*
Introduction
‘recruitment strategies attempt to create a pool of appropriately
qualified and experienced people so that selection strategies and
decisions can be initiated’
(Nankervis, Compton, Baird & Coffey 2011, p.203)
*
A typical strategic recruitment process
The strategic perspective
Recruiting:Creates a pool of appropriately qualified and
experienced people
Is linked to competencies

2. Needs to consider both internal and external policies
Decisions can be dependent on the organisational politics
Strategic recruitmentThe business environment calls for a
situational approach to attracting employees
The recruitment mix will change as the same issues shift to
meet the demands of ever-changing global labour markets
Consideration of the mix of ‘Baby Boomers’, ‘Generation X’
and ‘Generation Y’
Differences in generation, gender, culture and work–life balance
Must be dynamic and flow from the mission statement and
strategic objectives
Employers of choice and
best employersWar for talentAttracting best talentWork/home–
life strategiesAutonomous and meaningful workOpportunities
for learningFostering internal talent
butBe wary of making promises that you cannot keep!
Company brandingConvince existing and prospective staff that
it is an attractive place to work through:family– and work–life
balanceleadership and open communication
Co-development of employee value proposition
*

3. Recruiting from withinFilling vacancies above entry level
through internal promotions and transfersAllows organisations
to capitalise on the costs that has been invested in recruiting,
selecting and training its current employees
*
External sources of recruitment
*
*
Internal versus external recruiting
Internal versus external recruiting

4. ApplicationsApplications made in person
Telephone applications
Application forms
Résumés
Response analysis
Retention of key peopleEmphasis was on attracting but moving
to retention
‘Attracting key people is only one dimension; the other is
keeping them’.
(Nankervis et al 2011, p.228)
*
What are the retention levers?Work–life balance
Workplace culture
Varied job role
Management style
Training
*

5. International recruitmentIncreasing investment in overseas
business markets
Multi-cultural workforces
Management of expatriates
Innovative HRM practices
Diversity management
Sources of managers for international organisationsHome
country nationals (expatriates)
Host country nationals (locals)
Third country nationals
Most multinational enterprises (MNEs) use all three sources
Selection
‘Recruiting yields applicants to be assessed against job
requirements’
‘… selection of applicants from within or outside the
organisation to fill existing or projected job openings … has far
reaching effects on the continued viability of the organisation.’
(Nankervis, Compton & Baird 2008 p. 229)
‘Strategic selection is the linking activities to the organisation’s
business objectives and culture’
(Stone, R. , 2008, p. 211)

6. Matching people and jobsPerson specificationsWhat types of
information need from applicant?What tests?Reduces
stereotypes and differentiates qualified/unqualified
Selection process
SHRM and strategic selection
Obtaining reliable and valid information
Reliability refers to the degree to which interviews, tests, and
other selection procedures yield comparable data over a period
of time.
Validity refers to what a test or other selection procedure
measures, and how well it measures this.

7. Sources of informationOrganisational and individual career life
cycles
Cultural and attitudinal differences among generations
BabyboomersGeneration X Generation YGeneration Z (Nexters)
The employment interview
‘Essential and popular but ‘fraught with potential traps and
legal pitfalls’
(Nankervis et al 2008 p. 237)
Interviewing methods: Non-directive interviewLess structured
Directive interviewHighly structured
Interviewing guidelinesEstablish objectives and scopeReview
job requirementsEstablish and maintain rapportActive
listeningBody languageProvide informationUse questions
effectivelySeparate facts from inferences
Recognise biases and stereotypes
Avoid `beautyism’

8. Avoid halo error
Control the interview
Standardise questions
Keep notes
Interviewing guidelines (cont.)
Employment tests
‘The basic assumption behind such testing is that differences
between individuals can be measured and related to future job
success’.
(Nankervis, Compton, Baird & Coffey 2011, p.264)
Classification of employment and commercially available tests
Custom-made tests
Job knowledge tests
Job sample tests
Reaching a selection decisionSystematic consideration of all
relevant information about the applicant

9. Summary forms and checklists
Rating against selection criteria
Realistic job preview
.
Decision strategyFactors to consider
Approach to be used:ClinicalStatistical
The selection ratio
Cut-off scores
The costs of getting it wrongFurther recruitment, training and
orientation costsBurnout Lost opportunityReduced profit and
competitive advantageImpaired image and reputationReduced
internal statusImpaired recruitment opportunityThreatened
company viabilityLoss of other key staff
The international perspectiveIdentify the job
Tolerance of cultural differences
Need to consider partner’s adjustment and family attitudes
Portable skills and interests
Ongoing support programs

10. SummaryEffective recruitment requires planning. External
sources are used to find special qualifications, avoid excessive
inbreeding and to obtain new ideas and technologyLegal
requirements Globalisation and internationalisationDecision
needs to be systematicGoal is to select for success in the job