By CHARLIE KIMMEL

Sun Tzu taught us, “Every battle is won before it is fought.” He wasn’t talking about hiring top talent – but he might as well have been. The best way for a company to win the war for talent is by avoiding it altogether. But why is that important, and how can companies do it?

What Causes the War for Talent?

The war for talent is widespread and complex, with multiple causes. Perhaps the most obvious is the ongoing labor shortage. With a limited pool of skilled construction professionals, everyone in the marketplace is competing for the same talent. When you add ongoing challenges related to public health concerns, remote work, rising material costs and economic headwinds, you have all the makings of a contentious, costly and time-consuming war.

Key Battlegrounds – and How to Avoid Them
With an understanding of the major causes of the war for talent, it’s easier to identify some of the key “battlegrounds” – in other words, specific situations where industry leaders find themselves drawn into the war, and how to avoid them.

• High Turnover Rates: When turnover is high, companies are forced to reenter the talent war more often. It’s no secret that losing top talent is financially costly to a company (our research shows that the average cost can be up to 30 percent of the employee’s annual earnings), but beyond the dollars and cents, turnover can also have a negative impact on productivity, time and employee morale.So how do you avoid turnover? Prioritize employee retention. Keeping employees engaged and committed starts even before their first day. In fact, new hires are the most vulnerable to turnover between their hire date and start date, and during their first six months. Transitions are challenging, so implementing a strong, structured onboarding process that spans the interview stage through the first six months of employment can help ensure that new employees feel supported and get acclimated to their new surroundings. Onboarding might include setting realistic goals, giving employees input on their workspace and responsibilities, and inviting their families to company events.

Of course, some turnover is inevitable, but you can minimize its impact by making each employee feel special, building a strong company culture, providing employees at every level with the tools and support they need to be successful and keeping an open line of communication.

• Candidate Turndowns: Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the end of the hiring process and having your top candidate decline an offer. The time and cost of having to start the process over again are staggering, and candidate turndowns can leave hiring managers disappointed, disillusioned and scrambling for solutions.Fortunately, there are ways to help prevent turndowns. First and foremost, hiring managers must act with a sense of urgency during the hiring process. In a competitive market, top candidates have a short shelf life and a high chance of receiving multiple offers. In addition, review and evaluate your interview process and style. For example, The Intimidation Interview, The Group Interview, The Open-Ended Question Interview and The Friendly Interview each have their pros and cons, and each will appeal to some candidates and may be a turnoff to others.

There’s no “right” way to interview – but it is important to understand what the structure and content of your interviews is communicating to the candidates. No matter what your interview style, communicate clearly throughout the hiring process, treat every interviewee with respect, make decisions quickly and efficiently and come out strong with your best offer.

• Market Reputation: In today’s job market, word travels fast, and a company’s reputation can be built or torn down by word of mouth. By the time you engage with a promising candidate, chances are good that they know a lot about your company – from your online presence, from their professional networks and from your general reputation. The best way to avoid “battling” with competitors in this way is to make sure your market reputation is exceptional.Start by making sure your company’s website and social media platforms clearly communicate your culture, values and successes. And remember, every person who walks through your company’s doors is a possible ambassador, for better or worse – from employees to vendors and even the candidates you didn’t hire. All of them can (and often do) share their experiences with your company out in the marketplace – so make sure they have positive experiences and leave feeling respected and valued.

The war for talent is both expensive and exhausting – so the more battles you can avoid, the better. Focus on retention, streamline your hiring process and build a reputation that draws people in. That’s how you win before the battle even begins.

Charlie Kimmel is president and CEO of Kimmel Associates.