PM Network - May 2016

Poach-Proof Top Talent

High-performing project talent is a hot commodity. But top team members aren’t just selling their skills to the highest bidder—they want to work for an organization that has their interest at heart.

These three treat-them-well strategies will help keep poachers at bay without breaking the bank:

LIGHT THE PATH FORWARD.
Defined career paths show project
professionals they’re an important
part of the organization, and can
help improve retention in a com-
petitive job market, says LaDonna
Tucker, director of talent acquisition
and mobility in North America, Schnei-
der Electric, Carrollton, Texas, USA. High-
performing organizations—those that
complete at least 80 percent of their
projects on time and budget and within
scope—are significantly more likely to
provide a defined project management
career path, according to PMI’s 2015
Pulse of the Profession® report.

KEEP THEM IN TERES TED. Boost
job satisfaction by providing men-
torship programs, ongoing training
and the opportunity to work on
stretch projects. One in three peo-
ple who are highly satisfied in their
current position say feeling challenged is
a main driver of their satisfaction, accord-
ing to a CareerBuilder survey.

SHOW MORE THAN THE MONEY.

Offer creative compensation, such
as schedule flexibility or additional
paid time off. For instance, 42 per-
cent of U.S. employees say having
workplace flexibility reduces the likeli-
hood that they’ll look for another job,
according to a 2015 survey by the Society
for Human Resource Management.

Ms. Gance encourages employees to hand out the business cards to any potential candidate they encounter. Last year, as a way to solicit passive candidates or unearth hidden talent gems, she customized her business card to include an o;er for a 20-minute interview to anyone who’s interested—no strings attached. So far, the busi-ness-card o;er has led to several interviews and potential candidates.

“;ey might not be looking now, but
if they’re at all curious, they can
come interview,” she says. “I
may not hire them right
away, but they may
make a great future
hire. Talking with
passive candi-
dates plants the
seed for future
cultivation.”
At eWave,
the management
team encour-
ages everyone at
the organization to
make talent acquisi-
tion a responsibility.

When there’s a project opening, the hiring manager makes sure everyone understands exactly what the position entails and what type of cultural ;t the company is looking for.

“The best performers always know other good performers,” Mr. Mylnikov says. “We’ll ask our customers, colleagues, supporters, suppliers: Who are the best people you know and have worked with? Then we get in touch. In the absolute majority of cases, the best hires we’ve done are through our networks and connections of our connections.” PM