8SEPTEMBER 2022IN MY OPINIONIN MY OPINIONIN MY OPINIONFIVE TIPS FOR TACKLING THE TALENT CRUNCHBy Marcus Knuth, Vice President-Enterprise Technology, Acuity InsuranceEverywhere you go, "Help Wanted" and "Now Hiring" signs have become commonplace. Notices on the doors of local businesses ask patrons for their patience or announce limited hours due to being short staffed. Each new report of labor statistics shows that the worker shortage is unrelenting, with job openings outpacing available employees by the millions.Studies of IT leaders confirm this as well. The Society for Human Resource Management recently highlighted several reports showing that the demand for technology will remain high in 2022 and beyond, but that IT workers will be hard to find--and keep. CIOs are working more closely than ever with their HR departments to address the problem.Tackling the talent crunch isn't easy, but it is necessary for forward-focused IT departments and the CIOs that lead them. Here are five tips for talent recruiting and retention that have proven to be successful at Acuity.1. Recognize that talent pipeline starts earlyCampus recruiting has always been a key component of the talent pipeline. However, the effort needs to go far beyond job fairs that target soon-to-graduate students--it needs to start earlier and be ongoing. Acuity begins outreach to the next generation of workers at the middle- and high-school level, introducing students to our company and the insurance industry through tours of our headquarters and sponsorship of many educational events. We also work continually to maintain strong relationships with dozens of colleges and universities across several states. One of the most effective features of our outreach program is inviting IT professors to take an in-depth tour of our technology operations at our Sheboygan, Wisconsin, headquarters. We have collaborative discussions, share what Acuity can offer graduates, and obtain feedback on what students are looking for from us as an employer.The program has been a huge success in recruiting. In fact, one professor tells his students, "If you do well enough in my class, I will let you apply at Acuity." Of course, that's not actually a prerequisite to applying at Acuity, but it shows professors value what we offer and our relationship with them. Likewise, recommendations from those professors carry weight in our hiring process. 2. Invest in partnerships Outreach to schools is important but only part of the effort--backing it up with tangible investment is the other. Whether it's creating the Acuity Technology Center at UW Sheboygan-Green Bay or sponsoring the Acuity Cyber Defense Range at UW-Whitewater, we show our support for the future of tech. This effort is important because, let's face it, insurance isn't the first industry that comes to mind for IT graduates looking to start their career or experienced IT professionals in other industries looking to make a change. It's important to build your own brand as a tech leader and insurance industry disruptor. 3. Support and encourage personal development We do hire experienced IT staff for specific skills where needed, but as a company we emphasize developing internal talent. It begins with onboarding and training and continues with ongoing career development, including support for advanced coursework both within the tech space and the insurance industry. We have an effective mentorship program and focus not only on building technical skills, but also "soft skill" development at a team level, department level, and company level.For instance, we have regular sessions of our "Quad Squad," which involves IT, Business Consulting, Marketing, and Actuarial departments. Sessions provide training on diverse soft skill topics from conflict resolution and decision-making to team building and more.4. Capitalize on the virtual workforce There's been a lot of buzz in the media about companies starting to require employees to come back into the office, either full time or several days per week. This has surprised
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