There’s no sign of competition for talent letting up this year as shortages of people with in-demand skill sets collide with cost-of-living pressures. We’re all operating in an employment environment where the best talent is in great demand - 2023 will be another year where leaders battle hard to retain, acquire, and develop people to achieve business success. But there are things that leaders can do to help win through and achieve the competitive advantage the very best teams deliver.

The best leaders are always authentic

COVID-19 was a huge test for leaders, and now a new generation of leaders are entering a downturn for which they were mid-level managers in 2008. Teams will need support on how to manage through this; communication in an empathetic manner and authenticity will be important - not everyone has to agree with you, but people deserve to understand the ’what, why, why now, what this means for me' during a period of change management.

Open your mind (and practices) to where talent can come from

Employers are going to need to be broader, and braver, in thinking about talent. Very prescriptive approaches to talent are a thing of the past. If we are to increase diversity in the industry, and if employers want truly to disrupt, differentiate, and gain an advantage, the key will be thinking about talent differently. It’s not about finding the right person to fit the role as written in its current state; it’s about finding someone who can successfully rewrite the role with the future in mind. Despite the uncertainty experienced on a global scale, there is the opportunity to be brave and innovate. Our advice is to be open to making lateral hires from outside your sector and create supportive landing spaces for external industry talent to succeed and help you gain competitive advantage.

Invest everything you can in your employer brand and promote it hard

It will be imperative that you continue building your organisations’ team culture and focus on how you enhance your employer brand. Every leader should be continually building an environment where people can be their best and promote this to the wider industry. Initiatives such as All In, run by the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA are recognising companies leading the way on inclusion through awards of All In Champion status. Think about these and how you can demonstrate strong culture and staff loyalty - the employee brand experience – as this is vital to differentiate and elevate your job opportunities beyond just levels of financial remuneration. 

Make sure people’s experience of work is fun and rewarding

The challenge for leaders, but particularly those in agencies, is to ensure we remain an attractive industry for young people. This is about employee well-being, work-life balance and opportunities for progression and experience. It is also, quite simply, about being a fun place to be - a world where creatively minded up-and-coming talent can thrive. Bring the experience of working at your company to life and use your social media channels to full positive effect.

Ensure your talent is equipped to meet the new pressures

Economic pressure will mean CMOs make budget cuts in 2023, and brands will need to be more creative to deliver sales and growth. Shopper behaviour will continue to evolve with consumers seeking out ever more personal experiences. So, the new economy business models (subscription, personalisation) will continue to thrive, and consumer brands need talent who can successfully support that transformation. This means experience and knowledge of how to use first party data, produce dynamic content, and deal with technology at the core of business models to ensure success. 

Champion positive action in the drive to tackle climate change

As if navigating economic turbulence wasn’t enough, the biggest challenge is leading a team that knows it is working for a company which genuinely cares about the planet’s future and is doing all it can to be sustainable. Research by the Advertising Association has shown 71% of people working in the advertising and marketing industry are worried about its negative impact on the environment while 91% agreed that knowing their organisation was taking positive climate action would improve their job satisfaction.  Your action on sustainability will be critical in both attracting and retaining talent.

Every leader’s to-do list must begin with clear actions on how to nurture, invest and develop your team

Business success depends on getting this right and, despite the intense competition, it can be done - through authenticity, inclusive retention and recruitment practices, investment in, and promotion of, your employer brand, consistent development of skills that recognise the commercial pressures and taking powerful action on the biggest issues that impact us all. 

Get this mix right and you’ll find the battle to recruit and retain people just that little bit easier to win.