Tech Talents – HR must change its approach to attracting and retaining talents

Layoffs have changed the hiring equation for tech talent. Here’s what HR teams in traditional organizations can do to bring top tech talent into the fold.

HR and technology leaders can experiment with new approaches to sourcing, supporting, and scaling up technology expertise.

• Sourcing. HR and technology leaders should emphasize skills, rather than pedigree, when trying to fill critical technology roles. They should take time to understand which roles create the most value for the organization and then target the skills required for those roles. After all, McKinsey’s research and experience in the field shows that the top 25 to 50 roles can create the bulk of a company’s potential value.1 HR leaders must look inside the company as well as outside; sometimes the highest-potential employees can be found in the fields or functions furthest away from the tech stack or the data center.
• Supporting. As they source and onboard technology talent, HR and technology leaders should themselves use digitization wherever possible to empower people and streamline processes. Digital tools and approaches, such as psychometrics and generative AI, can help to accelerate hiring processes and, once offers have been accepted, bring new employees up to speed on critical tasks and organizational objectives. Such digital tools and approaches are not just for new technology hires; they can also help HR and technology leaders assess the existing talent pool and make matches between tenured employees and new opportunities. Or they can help HR and technology leaders propose specific trainings an individual might need ahead of a specific meeting with customers or suppliers or in anticipation of an internal process change.
• Scaling. The job is not done, of course, once people are hired. To sustain a skills-based working model, HR and technology leaders need to ensure continual upskilling and reskilling.2 It’s the only way to ensure that the organization is meeting individuals’ ever-evolving development needs and keeping up as new tools and technologies emerge.

Source: HR must change its approach to attracting and retaining top tech talent | McKinsey