To attract top performers, companies are focusing more on their brand, and turning to talent analytic tools and data to screen for candidate fit. And for many employers, that combination is working.

This is but one of the highlights of The Randstad Sourceright 2015 Talent Trends Report, developed by asking a series of questions about recruiting and employment trends of 350 hiring professionals from global companies.

Branding stood out as a powerful tool to support talent acquisition. When asked whether building a brand in the marketplace led to top talent acquisition, 57 percent of respondents said that was the case. A strong brand was identified as one of the top three factors in acquiring the right people for the job, along with a strong compensation package and “industry appeal.”

To identify talent, more companies are turning to analytic tools to assist them — 56 percent said they use such tools. That may be one reason why workforce planning, for better or worse, is still done on a relatively short timeline. Nearly 80 percent said they plan a year or less in advance for their talent needs.

This short timeline may not be a negative, however, because of the availability of talent analytics tools. When asked how such tools augmented talent acquisition, Randstad got these responses:

  • 73 percent said the data facilitates more efficient workforce planning;

  • 69 percent said the tools help them map and address talent gaps;

  • 65 percent said the data produces a stronger candidate list;

  • 64 percent said it delivers a better alignment between candidates and company strategy;

  • 55 percent said it helps them align performance with compensation.

With the economy now healthy again, employers are boldly going after coveted talent employed elsewhere rather than looking within for tomorrow’s leaders. When asked if they were hiring more for mid-and-top-level talent from outside than they did five years ago, 62 percent responded in the affirmative.

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.

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