It's normal to look at a rival's workforce and pinpoint those who could help your business advance. Is it right to go in and coax - or just outright steal - them away?
The poaching of a highly talented member of staff can be very damaging for your business. Is there really anything you can do about it?
TALENT POACHING: THE BEGINNING
Talent poaching is on the rise these days thanks to the expanding global marketplace and possible skills shortages. In this knowledge-driven economy, the demand for highly-skilled workers is always on the up and up.
A FIVE POINT TALENT POACHING SOLUTION
If you're not feeling like going the Google/Facebook/Apple route with an anti-poaching agreement, you need to look at what's in your control when it comes to keeping your workforce.
How is your employee retention strategy? Chances are, if your staff are being swiped, it's not so great. Have a long think about ways to re-boot your employee recognition programme - a little thank you goes a long way, remember - and get back on the right track.
The following is the five point solution suggested by McKinsey and Company all the way back in 2001 when they coined the term "war for talent":
- Develop a talent mindset at all levels in the organisation
- Create a winning Employee Value Proposition
- Recruit great talent continuously
- Grow leaders • Differentiate and affirm trust and loyalty.
What's interesting about this is that according to these recommendations, talent poaching can be safeguarded against by creating a work environment that your employees love and through implementing steps we suggested in our employee retention guidelines.
Have you yourself been poached away from your former employer? What was it like? Let us know in the comments!
