What is The “War for Talent”?

The phrase “war for talent” has been used extensively lately in the staffing industry—what does it mean and how does it affect both employers and employees?

Well, for starters, this concept illustrates the shift from the employer to the contingent worker. In the past, staffing industries used to hard sell their services to buyers and then recruit viable candidates and present them to the company. Now, with “A” players being harder to find, the shift has created a marketing dynamic towards the advantage of contingent work to the candidate. In other words, in the past, candidates have competed for positions, while now, companies are competing to hire the talent.

What does this mean for companies? As more jobs are open than candidates to fill them, recruiters have to sell the company to the talent to make sure that the organization gets a great team member, and that the contingent worker gets the job they want. Since the way your company is perceived by the worker is vital in their ultimate decision, the recruiter becomes a representation and a spokesperson for your organization. Now might be a good time to build your company culture or revamp your brand.

What does this mean for contingent workers? Now more than ever workers have a myriad of choices when it comes to what career path they want to take and where they want to work. This means that a cultural fit can be secured for both the employee and the employer. Staffing Industry Analysts conducted a survey which concluded that temporary workers look for jobs that are flexible, valuable, and have the opportunity to become full-time positions.

All in all, the war on talent is about keeping contingent workers engaged and happy. In the next blog, we’ll be sharing in detail various ways in which a company can attract and engage contingent workers.