In today’s competitive environment, attracting, developing, and retaining top procurement talent is crucial for success. Moreover, today’s procurement professionals prioritize a sense of purpose and meaning in their work, a positive work-life balance, and a workplace that aligns with their values while offering opportunities for growth and development. At the same time, the future of staffing and recruiting is evolving rapidly due to emerging technologies, economic instability, and a shifting workforce mindset.
Against this backdrop, in our Future of Procurement Talent Insights series, we expand on the concepts set forth in the recently published ProcureAbility’s Five Bold Procurement Predictions for 2030. Throughout this four-part blog series, we specifically focus on exploring topics related to forward-looking insights for staffing and recruiting. Additionally, we highlight how these best practices can help organizations attract top talent, hire the right people, and ultimately fuel a procurement organization’s long-term growth..
Attracting Top Procurement Talent:
Key Strategies to Appeal to a New Talent Pool
Differentiating a Firm as the Employer of Choice
To attract top candidates, employers must first clearly communicate their company culture. Furthermore, they should highlight innovative benefits, social responsibility initiatives, and opportunities for growth and development. At the same time, organizations need to understand what employees value and tailor their strategies accordingly. By focusing on these areas and consistently sharing them through a strong employer brand, companies can stand out in supply chain and procurement. Consequently, this approach not only attracts the right talent but also supports long-term retention and fosters a positive work environment. Below are key focus areas that drive better candidate experiences and stronger employee retention.
Employees today are prioritizing factors beyond just financial compensation when seeking an ideal workplace. According to a recent study from Glassdoor4 showed that:
Other elements including opportunities for professional growth and development, and a positive workplace environment with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion are also significant factors that contribute to a company’s appeal. Highlighting how the company excels in these areas can be effectively done by communicating the hiring firm as the employer of choice.
Communicating a Firm as the Employer of Choice
An employer brand reflects a company’s reputation, making it essential to maintain a positive image in the marketplace. Seventy-nine percent of job applicants use social media to search for opportunities. Potential candidates research companies online, and review sites like Glassdoor can shape perceptions—positively or negatively—having a significant impact on the employer brand.
Employer branding can also provide cost savings within recruiting. According to a survey by LinkedIn, companies with strong employer brands have a 50% lower cost-per-hire and can hire candidates two times faster than their competitors.6 Notably, companies with poor branding pay their employees 10% more.7
Examples of vehicles through which a firm can build and communicate their brand include:
Finding the Right Procurement Talent Partner
Recruiting top talent in procurement is more important—and competitive—than ever. By personally engaging with candidates, employers showcase their company culture and unique offerings. Through strong employer branding, they can attract individuals who share the company’s values, align with its mission, and contribute to organizational success.
Finding the right partner in this effort is essential to ensuring the firm stands out among the sea of possibilities for the industry’s top talent. That’s why ProcureAbility partners with procurement organizations to help find, recruit, and place high-quality resources—whether the need is for staff augmentation support or direct hire recruitment. Furttermore, we serve as a resource for providing sustainable ways for our clients to improve upon their ability to hire. Building on this, in part two of ProcureAbility’s ‘Future of Procurement Talent’ Insights series, we explore how to develop a procurement team by leveraging employees’ unique strengths and needs. Additionally, we examine strategies to drive collaboration and efficiency, positioning the team as strategic contributors to the business.
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