Strategies for Effective Talent Pipelining by Harrier

• Senior leaders must proactively build a robust talent pipeline by identifying and engaging with potential candidates for future roles
• Talent pipelining should be a collaborative effort with business leaders to define and prioritise critical roles, aligning talent acquisition with strategic goals through workshops or meetings
• Establishing talent communities as interactive platforms allows organisations to share insights, foster belonging, and enhance their profile as industry leaders

Talent Pipelining provides a strategic approach for organisations to identify and engage hard-to-find talent for specific roles, enhancing their capability to quickly fill critical positions and support long-term business objectives. This strategy is especially vital for roles that are scarce and highly critical to an organisation's success, however, Talent Pipelining should be developed across all departments as a strategic imperative to help future-proof the business. Recognising when to prioritise talent pipelining requires a nuanced understanding of your organisation's needs and the broader market dynamics. Below we outline some critical factors to consider when factoring talent pipelining into your strategic plan.

 When to prioritise Talent Pipelining

Scarcity of Talent: The first indicator that you need to prioritise talent pipelining is the scarcity of skills needed for critical roles within your organisation. In sectors like technology, engineering, and healthcare, where the demand for specialised skills often outstrips supply, it's imperative to anticipate needs and build relationships with potential candidates well in advance. For instance, cybersecurity roles in Australia have seen a surge in demand but suffer from a notable skills shortage. In such cases, establishing a talent pipeline ensures you have a ready pool of candidates when a vacancy arises.

Criticality to the Organisation: Not all roles are created equal. Some positions are pivotal to the organisation's ability to achieve its objectives and require a specific set of skills or knowledge that is not easily replaced. These roles could range from senior leadership positions to specialised technical roles. The criticality of these positions means that vacancies can have a significant impact on the organisation's performance and strategic direction. By prioritising these roles in your talent pipelining efforts, you can mitigate the risks associated with unexpected vacancies.

The Process of Identifying Critical Roles

Identifying and agreeing on the organisation’s critical roles is not an isolated activity. It demands a collaborative approach with business leaders and key stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s strategic objectives. This collaboration might involve workshops or meetings to map out future projects and the talent required to deliver them. For example, if your organisation plans to launch a digital transformation project in the next two years, identifying roles essential for its success and beginning to pipeline talent for those positions is a strategic move.

The Unique Angle: Talent Communities

A distinctive approach to talent pipelining involves the creation and nurturing of talent communities. Unlike traditional recruitment databases, talent communities are dynamic, engaging spaces where potential candidates, industry professionals, and your organisation can interact. These communities offer valuable insights into your company culture, upcoming projects, and career opportunities, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement even before any formal recruitment process begins.

Consider a tech firm facing difficulties in sourcing software developers with expertise in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence or blockchain. By establishing a talent community focused on these technologies, the firm can host webinars, share industry news, and facilitate discussions that not only keep potential candidates engaged but also position the firm as a thought leader in the space.

Conclusion

Talent pipelining is a strategic necessity in today’s competitive job market, particularly for roles that are scarce and of high value to the organisation. By understanding when to prioritise talent pipelining and adopting innovative approaches like talent communities, organisations can secure a competitive advantage. The key lies in collaboration with business leaders and stakeholders to identify critical roles and in leveraging unique strategies to attract and nurture potential candidates. Through these efforts, your organisation will not only fill vacancies more effectively but also build a strong employer brand that attracts the best talent in the industry.