Manpower, an international staffing firm, completed a worldwide annual survey of 32000 employers of all sizes (at least 1000 in the US). The survey looked at companies in many industries came to some startling conclusions.

First of all, the days when you could extend a job offer and offer someone two choices (take it; leave it) are over for now. More and more firms are noticing something that I have been warning people about for the past year—labor shortages are now a part of the corporate landscape.

• 45% of employers are finding it difficult to locate engineers, nurses and accountants.
• 38% of firms are already paying higher salaries.
• 29% are finding it extremely difficult to find talent (not just the categories above).
• 25% are already paying higher wages than they were a year ago.

If you expect me to advise you to raise wage scales, well, frankly, wages are only one part of the equation when individuals are evaluating companies.

How well are managers interviewing for jobs they need to hire for? I don’t simply mean do they ask a bunch of questions and decide but do they have a clear idea of what they are looking for and have a clear sense of the questions they want to ask to assess someone?

What is the impression that human resources is creating as they evaluate someone? Is someone being greeted by a disinterested receptionist who places a form on a clip board. Will someone greet a job applicant as though the potential new hire might matter?

Will the job seeker “be sold to” about how wonderful your company is to work for, even if you aren’t interested in hiring them?

Does anyone speak about the potential of a future with your company or are you flinging job offers at people with the belief that if it isn’t this one, another will come along?
As you know, having a successful enterprise involves working with exceptional and motivated people. Treat each person as valuable when they are met with and they will feel a difference from your organization that help you attract and retain talent longer than your competition.