Blog09.07.2024

Spotlight on Data Talent: Attracting, Retaining & Developing Data Leaders Today for Tomorrow

A spotlight on recruitment, retention and development. With a drastic skills shortage in the market, what does it take to hire and reward talent to ensure you can deliver your business objectives?

Demand for data skills continues to grow as the race to become AI ready continues to take pace. Without a strong pipeline of data literate employees, organisations run the risk of falling behind faster than ever before.

Global unemployment rates remain low, yet in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, organisations have been slow to adapt to the changing needs of the workforce whose priorities have shifted significantly and are demanding more from their employers than free fruit and yoga classes.

Where historically large salaries were enough to attract and retain talent, people are increasingly prioritising flexibility, remote working and purpose led organisations who want to do something more than grow revenue numbers year after year.

So what can you do? What practical steps can you take to start moving in the right direction and safeguard your company’s future?

Top Tips for Attracting Talent

Below is a list of practical tips to get you started:

Ask your Existing Team 

  • Conduct a survey and find out your current team's perspective on what they like about working in your organisation and what you can improve on. Elaborate plans cooked up by leadership teams without the involvement of employees are generally doomed to fail.  Its critical that both quantitative and qualitative research is regularly undertaken to keep on top of what matters to your people

  • At The Information Lab Ireland, we send out weekly anonymous pulse surveys to measure employee sentiment and provide an opportunity for people to provide real time feedback in order to adapt in an agile way before anything becomes a bigger issue than it needs to.

Review your Benefits

  • How attractive and competitive is your benefits package? When was it last updated? Benefits packages vary wildly depending on the country you’re in, due to differing employment laws. Healthcare, pension contributions and paid sick leave come as standard in some countries and not in others. Employee demographics play a big role in determining what’s important to people. 

  • At The Information Lab Ireland, we conduct an annual survey and review our offering taking into account our employee feedback. This helps us to keep on top of changing needs and adapt to what matters most to our team.

Review your Remote / Hybrid Working Policy

  • A flexible working policy is an must for any organisation looking to attract talent. The global pandemic has proven teams can work effectively regardless of where they’re based.

  • With many organisations mandating a return to office as compulsory, those companies taking a more flexible approach and showing trust in their people, will come out on top.

  • For this to work effectively, companies need to ensure their teams have the right tools in place to do their jobs and share information easily. 

  • At The Information Lab Ireland, our remote first approach policy has allowed us to find some of the best data talent in the world.  We want to ensure our team is empowered to be able to make the most of their working and personal lives. Happy employees lead to happy clients.

Build an Authentic Employer Brand

  • What do you stand for as an organisation? What are your values? What matters most to you and your people? Why should anyone work for you? Have a clear employee value proposition rooted in real values that everyone understands and believes in that is authentic to who you are and act as an organisation.

  • We focus on employer brand that captures the essence of who we are and practice what we preach.

Succession Planning & Career Development 

  • We believe in tailored learning approaches that are flexible and meet the unique needs of each individual

  • At The Information Lab Ireland, we are committed to the professional growth of our employees. We offer tailored learning and development programs that cater to the individual needs and career aspirations of each team member. By providing flexible and personalised development opportunities, we empower our employees to advance their skills and achieve their full potential, benefiting both their personal growth and our organisational success.

Conclusion

In today's dynamic environment, attracting and retaining top talent requires more than competitive salaries and traditional perks. By actively seeking employee feedback, regularly updating benefits, embracing flexible work policies, and building an authentic employer brand, organisations can meet the changing demands of their employees. Investing in tailored learning and career development programs keeps teams motivated and skilled, ensuring sustained success and competitiveness. 

At The Information Lab Ireland, we have seen firsthand the benefits of these practices, creating a thriving workplace that attracts top talent and fosters long-term growth. By implementing these strategies, your organisation can secure its future, maintain a competitive edge, and build a dedicated, satisfied workforce ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

With over 12 years of HR experience, Dublin Native, Ciara is passionate about growing business and believes people development is integral to business success. She has worked internationally across a variety of industries, including tech, healthcare, government and aesthetics.


Follow: