Stewart Jackson and Andy Jenkins takes us through what 2021 could look like for your company’s talent acquisition, retention and satisfaction programme.

As we approach 12 months since the pandemic drastically changed the way we live and work, many predict that as we enter into spring and summer there could be a significant increase in attrition, at the exact moment when many organisations will need stability and consistency to be able to provide excellent customer service.

What does a return to ‘normal’ look like?

As we gradually begin to reach a new status quo, concerns around the stability of the job market will begin to disappear. Additionally, the desire for many companies to return to the ‘old normal’ could be a significant impetus for many people to make a change.

Similarly, one of the many impacts of Covid-19 was a flow of labour away from sectors such as hospitality and non-essential retail, and into other growth sectors. Once these sectors begin to open up, we should expect to see significant migration back into those sectors once again.

Addressing the needs of your customers – and your people.

Customers across many different sectors were forced to change and adapt to online interactions in 2020. In 2021, many of them will want to continue with the new model. In addition, many of the colleagues who will be dealing with these customers have also adapted, and grown accustomed to very different ways of working.

Those ways of working that became commonplace in 2020 as a necessity – home working and flexible hours - will, for many, become a prerequisite to joining a company. Smart organisations will place greater priority on the physical, social and mental wellbeing of their colleagues in 2021. Similarly, building a solid working relationship with trusted outsourcing partners can ensure your recruitment model has the agility necessary to deal with sudden shifts in requirements.

These are the primary concerns businesses will need to confront in 2021 and beyond in order to minimise attrition, and performance disruption. But where to start?

To address these concerns, we’ve developed an effective retention framework, composed of four key pillars -

Knowing – what resources and skills do you need, now and in the future? And what do your recruits and potential recruits expect from you?

Attracting – how do you efficiently recruit the best talent? How do you best make use of available data and AI technology to provide the best recruitment and onboarding experiences possible?

Retaining – how can you ensure your people are engaged and satisfied in their role? How can you set them up for success, from the day they start?

Growing – what’s your approach to developing your talent? This can include Career Progression and Leadership Development Programs, in addition to necessary upskilling.

The potential to return to the old ways of working is gone. The quickest way for your business to keep hold of your best people, in a different future, and different job market, is to adapt to the new model, and implement long-term, meaningful changes.

Download our latest paper below, if you’d like to go into more depth and see our recommendations for creating a solid working model for addressing these concerns.