CALIFORNIA BRIEFING

Working in talent acquisition is demanding no matter where you are located.

However, those tasked with attracting and retaining talent in California face

even bigger challenges, especially when Millennials—the generation that now

represents the largest workforce segment—are the target audience. Here’s

how to succeed in the Golden State’s unique environment.

Attracting and Retaining California’s Millennial Workforce

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19 W College Ave, Yardley, PA 19067215.693.1122contact@gr8people.com

19 W College Ave, Yardley, PA 19067215.693.1122contact@gr8people.com

THE ONE-EXPERIENCE TALENT PLATFORM

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ GETS A WAKE-UP CALL

In some ways, California’s challenges are the result of its unprecedented success. For decades, generations of Americans headed West, lured by the promise of opportunity and being rewarded for hard work. An ideal climate and stunning natural beauty also helped the cause, furthering California’s reputation as the Golden State.

Today, California still holds tremendous appeal, but, as any recruiter can attest, attracting and retaining talent has grown increasingly difficult. As the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) notes in a recent report, “Recruiting Difficulty and Skills Shortages in California,” the state is grappling with hiring challenges similar to those seen nationwide in that highly skilled medical professionals, engineers, scientists and mathematicians are hardest to find. But California is more likely than the nation to report difficulty filling business, management and HR positions as well. Domestic migration trends are further compounding California’s situation.

THE GOLDEN STATE’S RECRUITING DILEMMA: MASS MIGRATION

Unlike its neighbors to the north and to the east, California continues to witness declines in net domestic migration with higher numbers of people leaving than arriving. UnitedVan Lines’ most recent analysis of its moving data reveals that 54.4% of California’s total moves in 2018 were amongthose leaving the state.

The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer’s “Special Report: California” confirms the moving data, finding that 53% of Californians say they are thinking of moving to another state due to the high cost of living, and Millennials represent the greatest risk—63% of Millennials say they’re thinking of moving out of state. Yet there is a silver lining among the migration trends. An analysis of American Community Survey data conducted by the state’s Legislative Analysts’ Office (LAO) finds that college-educated Americans between the ages of 18 and 35 led the “way among those moving to California from its top feeder states (New York, Illinois and New Jersey).”

Forget the Magic 8Ball, Californians areturning to Google forthe answer to “Should I move out?” An analysisof Google Trends databy AT&T reveals thatthis was the most popular “Should I” search question amongCalifornians in 2018.

FOUR WAYS TO STRIKE GOLD

While overall domestic migration patterns are working against California’s employers, there are strategies talent acquisition can use to mitigate the effects and improve hiring and retention outcomes. More specifically, they can succeed in attracting and retaining Millennial employees by tailoring work arrangements appropriately, identifying the right talent pools to focus on, and communicating with the target audience based on an understanding of their career motivations and needs. Here’s how:

OFFER OUT-OF-STATE REMOTE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

While this may involve some logistical considerations and additional HR paperwork, the payoff can be significant. You’ll be able to broaden your talent pools substantially, hiring great talent that fits your organization but isn’t willing or able to relocate. You’ll also be able to hold on to current employees that are seeking to relocate to another state for personal reasons. Don’t forget that the overall success of the arrangement will depend on the type of work the role requires, the manager’s ability to effectively engage the worker remotely and, of course, the individual’s propensity for a work-at-home arrangement.

TARGET GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY SOURCES OF MILLENNIALS NEW TO THE STATE

Here, you want to take advantage of the trends identified by the LAO, which means focusing on the large metro regions of Chicago and New York. These regions offer access to highly-educated talent pools and candidates who won’t get sticker shock when they see what it costs to live there. Plan for a big push in the winter, when California’s warm, sunny alternative will be even more appealing to candidates in these target regions.

OFFER OUT-OF-STATE REMOTE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

TARGET GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY SOURCES OF MILLENNIALS NEW TO THE STATE

IMPLEMENT A STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM BENEFIT

While the number of employers offering student loan repayment benefits remains small—SHRM found only 4% of U.S. companies were offering these programs in 2018—the potential is certainly there. An American Student Assistance survey finds that "86 percent of employees would commit to a company for five years if the employer helped pay back their student loans." Most of these employees are Millennials, too, given that 65% of the $1.5 trillion currently owed in student loans belongs to people under the age of 40.

LOOK TO DISTINCT MESSAGING THAT GIVES YOU AN EDGE WITH IN-STATE CANDIDATES

Among the interesting findings from the Edelman report is the value Californian’s place on companies that “do the right thing.” In this context, these are companies that both accept responsibility for their role in local issues (traffic, housing, environmental, societal, etc.) and do something about it, such as donate money, time or other resources to help address local community issues. Nearly six-in-10 respondents indicate they trust a company more when the organization accepts responsibility, as well as when it does something to improve conditions. If your organization is aligned with these values on a local level, shape your employer brand messaging to reflect this, but make sure you do so in ways that are authentic and credible.

None of the recommendations outlined above is a quick fix, but in today’s extremely competitive hiring environment, there are no quick fixes. However, with some ingenuity and hard work—the very attributes that are so strongly associated with California’s history—talent acquisition and recruiting leaders can overcome the unique challenges that influence the state’s hiring climate today.

GR8PEOPLE.COM

19 W College Ave, Yardley, PA 19067215.693.1122contact@gr8people.com

19 W College Ave, Yardley, PA 19067215.693.1122contact@gr8people.com