The skills shortage is an issue that worries both employers and employees. In fact, just last year research suggested that chief executives were more concerned about the skills shortage in 2016 than at any point in previous recent years. Undoubtedly the shortage of skilled workers, especially in the IT and technology industry, is having a negative knock-on effect for many organisations as more and more companies look to digitise their business processes. Equally, prospective employees are becoming less sure about what skills they need to bring to the table in order to be of most value to a company.

So, what measures can employers take when talent supply isn’t meeting the demand for skilled workers? Here are a few ways to help companies stay afloat while navigating their way through the current skills shortage:

1. Training and Mentoring

One effective way to tackle the skills shortage is to offer training and mentoring programmes internally for current employees. Companies may find that rather than having to hire new workers, an employee in your business who has been given training and development may be well, or even better, suited to a vacant position.

Offering IT and software courses for employees, for example, is a very effective way for companies to streamline their processes and reduce the need to hire externally. Internal staff development can negate the need for costly and time-consuming hiring processes.

2. Look Abroad

As an employer, it’s always important to broaden your horizons when it comes to hiring. Irish employers should look for top talent across the EU and take advantage of the freedom of movement and work for all EU citizens. The geographic distance between employer and prospective employee shouldn’t put a company off hiring foreign talent – the process can be easily conducted over social media, email and/or video call. Finally, many employees may be attracted by the idea of working abroad and can bring different perspectives and knowledge bases to your company.

3. Outsource
 
When a company needs a specific job done quickly and effectively, often outsourcing can be the best option. Outsourcing talent allows for a relatively speedy on boarding process and if you do it right, the contractors should already have all of the necessary skills for the task at hand. While it is not advised in all situations, outsourcing can be vital for a company to quickly increase its manpower, again without going through the expensive, lengthy and often difficult hiring process.

4. Don’t ignore Millennials
 
Let’s face it, there can be a stigma when it comes to millennials. They don’t get out of bed in the morning, they are too distracted by their smartphones, they need constant gratification – these are all examples of stereotypes that give millennials a bad reputation. However, it is crucially important that employers don’t overlook the talent and ability of millennials in the workplace, especially when it comes to tech and IT. Ignoring one demographic of workers because of unfounded stereotypes would be very wrong. I say take advantage of the skills of the youth – you may find they bring more to your company than you expected.

5. Outreach 
 
With a huge skills shortage and the war for talent raging on, reaching out and communicating with prospective employees has never been more important. Luckily, with social media it’s becoming more and more simple to keep in touch with top talent. That’s not to say companies should be constantly on the lookout to poach employees, but keeping in the loop and up-to-date with the best in the industry might just pay dividends in the long run.
 
6. Remain Optimistic
 
Finally, just like recessions, skills shortages come and go. While times may be tough at the moment, keeping a cool head, making the most of your current employees and keeping a keen eye out for new ways to attract talent are sure fire ways to help a company through the current skills shortage. As an employer, remember that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel – and make sure your staff can see it too.
 
For more helpful HR tips and advice, CLICK HERE to sign up to our newsletter.

The 2017 Great Place to Work HR Trends Survey has revealed that HR professionals are moving more and more towards leadership roles within their companies. A massive 82% of people surveyed contested that HR influence in the leadership team had increased and three-quarters agreed that the HR function and HR Analytics played a key role in an organisation.

So, this begs the question: In what ways can HR professionals positively influence leadership roles and increase the HR function within an organisation?

1. Employer Branding
 
HR professionals need to recognise and understand their crucial role in employer branding. Gone are the days when attracting talent was left solely to the marketing team. Creating a consistent employer brand image, which ultimately draws in desirable talent, relies on inputs from all of an organisation’s departments, not least the HR department.

It is essential for HR to ensure employer branding is in line with the values of the company. Should this not be the case, organisations could find talent retention decreasing as employees may jump ship if there isn’t brand cohesion throughout the company. 

2. Mentor line managers in HR practice

That being said, while employer branding might get new talent through the door, managers have a duty to ensure employees are content and working effectively and efficiently. This will, in turn, lead to an increase in talent retention.
 
As Helen Rosethorn, CEO of Bernard Hodes explains, ‘people join brands and leave managers.’ Therefore a vital role of HR is to mentor line managers on how best to treat an organisation’s employees. This may sound slightly condescending, however, there are many aspects of the workplace which not all managers are necessarily well versed in. How to deal with a quarrel on the office floor, giving positive and negative feedback when required, managing workers of varying age groups and providing performance reviews – these are all examples of areas where HR advice to line managers is invaluable.
 
What’s more, according to the Trends Survey, managers are highly motivated to learn more in these areas, so it’s down to HR offer up this guidance. The beauty of this? While it may strain resources in the short term, having line managers able to perform HR duties will ultimately take stress and strain off the HR department.

3. Increase Diversity

It is a known fact that women are grossly under represented in leadership roles within organisations in Ireland. A 2016 Survey by 30% Club Ireland found that only 14% of Irish companies have a female chief executive or Head of Operations. Yet, many studies have found that having more women in the top echelons of a business leads to greater productivity, efficiency and profit.
 
HR can and must play a central role in rectifying this lack of diversity in the workplace. Firstly, HR can offer more flexible working conditions which may increase employee satisfaction. Secondly HR can ensure that there is no unconscious bias towards males in the workplace. This unconscious bias could be in things like dress code for example. Finally, the most important thing HR should do is raise awareness of the lack of gender diversity. This leads back to HR creating an employer brand – one that appeals to all cohorts of society and aims to harness gender equality in the workplace.

As organisations change and grow to meet the demands of globalisation, so too does the function of HR. HR is much more than the department that deals with contracts and dismissals. As we have seen there are many other, perhaps under acknowledged roles HR can play in order to maximise efficiency and ensure the smooth running of your organisation. Companies must be aware of these in order to get the best out of their workers.

So there you have it, three important roles HR can play in your business that you may not have thought of before.

For more helpful HR tips and advice, CLICK HERE to sign up to our newsletter.
 

‘Company culture’ is a term that has been bandied about for decades now. Unfortunately, over the years it picked up a reputation for being a bit of a fluffy subject to keep HR professionals occupied when things were a little quiet. However, in recent years, with the talent pool getting smaller, it’s come into the mainstream, as organisations focus on talent acquisition and retention. However, effectively measuring company culture and aligning it with corporate objectives remains a challenge.

So how do you measure this increasingly important set of beliefs, behaviours and actions that define how things get done in your company? While there is no set formula for doing so, by assessing companies with a consistent track record for success, we begin to see a number of shared qualities that can be used as metrics to gauge where the impact culture is having on your organisation.

1.  Communication
Effective communication is perhaps the most glaringly obvious trait among the best companies. In these corporations communication is a two-way street, where employees are encouraged to communicate their ideas and concerns to their bosses, while management clearly communicates any essential information to staff. Analyse your existing communications channels to see how well information is being sent, received and interpreted throughout the company.

2. Innovation
An organisation’s level of innovation can tell you a lot. It tells you how creative the company is; how dynamic it is; how open it is to new ideas and how those ideas are made a reality. Innovation shouldn’t be the prerogative of zany creatives and cool tech start-ups. Innovation is about thinking up ways to do things better, leveraging resources to improve productivity, establishing processes that make the workplace better, identifying new markets to target and a whole lot more. Take a close look at your business and ask just how innovative you are; are you open to new ideas; in what ways do you show your innovativeness.  

3. Wellness
As the saying goes, a happy worker is a good worker, and a healthy employee is productive one. Employee wellness is about investing in your employees’ mental and physical wellbeing. Workplace wellness encompasses the mental and physical health of employees. Multiple studies have shown that companies that run a dedicated employee wellness programme are more productive, have greater employee satisfaction and report fewer sick days. For more information on employee wellness, checkout these 5 Reasons Why Employers Should Promote a Healthy Workforce.

4. Collaboration
As is the case with effective communication and innovation, strong collaboration between employees, teams and departments is a common trait amongst the best companies in the world. The benefits of collaboration are manifold. It helps give workers a better understanding of the role their colleagues play. It may reveal opportunities for them to cross-sell one another’s services/ products. It ensures plans and processes are considered from many different perspectives.  Look to see how much, where and why your teams are collaborating. If the results aren’t great, invest the time in encouraging a more collaborative environment.

5. Responsibility
Believe it or not but many employees want more responsibility. They want to feel that the work they do matters and to take ownership of that function. Greater autonomy also has been shown to speed up decision making processes and streamline company activities, all resulting in greater productivity. Measuring this might seem a bit tricky but it can be done. Look at the ways in which your company promotes autonomy and encourages employees to take more responsibility. Make this part of your performance policy to ensure everyone works towards it.

So there you have it, five metrics to help you start measuring and monitoring your company's culture.

For more helpful HR tips and advice, CLICK HERE to sign up to our monthly newsletter.