Introduction

The 12 key focus areas

of talent acquisition.

Foreword:

Despite widespread acknowledgement of the pivotal role talent acquisition (TA) plays in organisations, there’s often
a disconnect between rhetoric and action.

CEOs are concerned about talent, yet investments frequently fall short.

We know that TA is indispensable; it can offer insights into the pulse of a business and act as a strategic partner in problem solving. However, it often operates in a tactical mode, constrained by short-term budget cycles, which makes it hard to be future focused.

Firefighting and operations can mean there’s little opportunity to gain a broader perspective on excellence in the field.

Our research emphasises the need for transformative action, recognising TA as a central strategy. This is a call to move beyond discussions and create tangible change by recognising TA as a strategic force— empowering teams and aligning goals with long- term talent strategies.

Richard Bradley

Vice President, KellyOCG^®

12 key focus areas of talent acquisition.

In today’s dynamic business environment, talent is the golden thread that weaves success into every organisation. As a business evolves, attracting and retaining the best talent becomes crucial for growth and sustainability.

But businesses are struggling.

of executives we surveyed in 2023, said that difficulty sourcing the right talent is leading to missed business opportunities.

said they find it challenging to understand how to attract the talent they need.

Although the importance of TA is acknowledged by both C-suite and HR leaders, many organisations grapple with understanding the maturity and effectiveness of their own resourcing functions.

12 key focus areas.

Although there are many aspects of TA that are important, we’ve pinpointed 12 key focus areas that are prevalent in top performing organisations and consistently represent the essential components of an evolved and effective TA process. They provide a roadmap to help you not only attract, but also nurture and retain talent to drive your business forward.

1.

Aligning Business & Recruitment Strategy

2.

Workforce Planning

3.

Talent Attraction

4.

Sourcing & Channel Management

5.

Market Perception

6.

Employer Brand

7.

Organisational
Design

8.

Assessment & Selection

9.

Offer & Onboarding

10.

Learning &
Development

11.

Technology & Data

12.

Innovation & Forward Thinking

Talent Acquisition Maturity Matrix.

Our research focused on 100 organisations across each of these 12 key focus areas, and identified four primary categories that reflect how well TA is aligned with business goals. We call this our Talent Acquisition Maturity Matrix.