Outside the box: Laws of attraction

Q: How can I attract the people I need into my team?

A: Skills and talent are in short supply. Even those with deep pockets are struggling to find the people they want now and will need in future. This is true in all sectors and regions, but it is particularly critical in the case of skills that have always been scarce and are needed in many different organisations and roles.

Internal audit is nothing without its people, so it is essential to think broadly about where new people will come from and whether you are fully developing and using the people you already have. The pandemic has fundamentally changed the marketplace – more employees are requesting (and expecting) to work flexibly, and many of those who are now accustomed to working remotely are finding that they can apply online and find an employer outside their local region willing to offer generous packages. It is a candidate’s market.

Meanwhile, soaring inflation and energy bills make it likely that current team members will expect pay rises to continue doing the work they do today – let alone take on new challenges. This will make the talent shortage even more acute for those unable to pay higher salaries.

However, as in all crises, there are also opportunities. Money isn’t everything even in the hard, cold light of employment. Recruitment consultants are warning that people who feel they were treated badly, or neglected, during the pandemic will be the first to leave as soon as they get an opportunity. However, the opposite is also true – the past couple of years have been tough, but they have enabled organisations and managers to demonstrate how much they value their people. Shared crises often pull a good team closer together.

It’s nothing new, but people really do want to be valued and to work at something they believe in with people they like. Human relationships and opportunities will often trump the best pay packet – and, conversely, it’s still rarely the best option to try to hang on to someone who wants to leave by simply offering them more money, unless this is a holding operation until you find their replacement.

So now is the time to assess what a job in your team really offers existing members and the people you need to attract in future. What training and development opportunities are there? What is the team atmosphere and culture like? Are people generally happy – and what would they tell a friend or relative who was thinking of applying for a role with you?

It may also help to question things you take for granted. Can you offer more flexible conditions without affecting the quality of your work or the workload on other members of the team? If you’ve previously thought some work patterns – from job shares to part-time managerial posts or unpaid sabbaticals – were impossible in your team, is it time to reassess this?

And what reputation does your team have within the business? Do others know what internal audit does, and would they see internal audit as a good career move? If not, could you do more to promote this as an option and would your organisation support internal applications if this left gaps elsewhere? Similarly, are you happy to encourage your own star players to transfer elsewhere in the business if it helps their career?

Looking further afield, what is the reputation of your business in the wider world? When employees can pick and choose, they tend to look for organisations they’ve heard of and can trust, or for brands they believe are exciting. Increasingly, recruiters say that candidates also look for employers they perceive as ethical, socially responsible and who demonstrate care for their staff; those who are seen to live the values they put on their glossy adverts.

All internal audit leaders must identify the skills and knowledge that their teams need to work effectively in a changing world, but many of these can be taught. Securing the right people must come first, and personal attributes such as curiosity, initiative, empathy and imagination are needed in many careers, not just internal audit. Don’t wait for these people to come to you. If you’re not actively seeking them, and promoting your team as a desirable destination, you risk finding yourself on the wrong side of the skills gap.