Current Areas of Need for New Hires in Higher Education

Higher education is shifting dramatically, and this transition is making quality talent more elusive. Lagging government funding and the constantly growing demand for higher education have created numerous areas of need.

Per a Chronicle of Higher Education survey, about 50% of colleges and universities need the right organizational structure to lead a modern workforce.

The report also reveals the following:

• 78% of respondents recorded fewer applications for open jobs
• 79% recorded more vacancies than the previous year
• 78% received fewer qualified applications

But despite the hurdles, HR teams still strive to achieve fulfilling staff experiences. The key is identifying the recruitment aspects that need work and implementing the appropriate remediation. 

The Growing Challenges Facing New Hires in Higher Education

The following setbacks limit higher learning institutions from accessing and retaining talented professionals:

Budget Challenges

This challenge is common for HR professionals across various organizational settings. Typically, most institutions’ budgets entail a comprehensive list of expenses that necessitate fair allocation of funds. Labor costs, particularly employee compensation, are a primary concern in the budgeting process. Lumina Foundation recently underscored the magnitude of this issue, revealing that wages take up 60% to 70% of total expenditures for universities and colleges.

These numbers are significant, considering higher learning institutions have other expenses to cater to. 

Competition For Talent

Higher education administrators face an ongoing challenge of securing and recruiting top talent ahead of other universities. With the competitive talent market, relying solely on institutional prestige is no longer enough to attract standout candidates.

The solution is for savvy institutions to create a compelling employer brand. This approach can go a long way in today’s job market, where considerations extend beyond salary and remuneration. A solid employer brand ensures a seamless, consumer-grade journey from job advertisements to screening, interviewing, and onboarding.

Recruiting and Supporting Multiple Cohorts

Your institution’s workforce comprises diverse cohorts, including full-time academic staff, contingent faculty, casual contractors, and non-academic staff. Each of these has unique motivations and needs, and the challenge lies in supporting them using distinct yet streamlined processes that acknowledge these differences.

You can avoid this hurdle by adopting tailored talent management processes. Consider leveraging contingent hiring solutions designed for visibility, consistency, and separation. This is particularly crucial for large workforces.

Paper-Based Processes

Many institutions haven’t updated their talent management processes despite industry shifts and an increased focus on the employee experience. If you’re relying on cumbersome paper-based methods for new hires in higher education, your HR practitioners may bypass procedures to complete tasks.

Collaborating with higher education HR professionals has revealed that automating processes reduces errors and enhances compliance. Our higher education clients at nextSource benefit from a user-friendly interface that enables leaders to participate in recruitment, expedite approvals, and ensure full transparency.

Internal Silos

Silos occur when an organization’s departments operate independently, resulting in communication barriers, inefficiency, reduced employee morale, and even conflict. It’s even worse for universities with unconsolidated talent management frameworks due to the vague processes and approvals. 

Lack of transparency can make HR tasks bureaucratic. Your best chance at dismantling silos lies in:

• Identifying the silos
• Encouraging interpersonal communication
• Fostering cross-departmental collaboration
• Establishing a shared vision
• Rewarding collaborative efforts
• Organizing regular team-building activities
• Utilizing collaboration tools

Leveraging a Talent Community to Fill Those Talent Gaps 

Savvy institutions are pushing through the challenges of higher education HR using talent communities. Talent communities are a set of resources with pre-established qualifications available for your institution when you have an opening for a particular skill. The resources enhance the development of a talent “pipeline” by engaging in thoughtful, purposeful, and sustained communication with community members.

You can derive numerous benefits from online talent communities, but remaining abreast of industry trends and advancements is the primary advantage. These platforms allow you to glean insights from field experts and influencers and stay informed about emerging trends, technologies, skills, and openings. You’ll also enhance your institution’s reputation as an informed recruiter and broaden your professional network.

You can establish your authority by contributing valuable content, initiating and participating in helpful discussions, extending assistance, hosting events, and launching thought leadership projects. Moreover, building connections with potential candidates, clients, and partners within these communities may bring valuable referrals or collaborative opportunities.

You’re in Safe Hands with nextSource

nextSource is a personalized talent community offering institutions on-demand access to new hires in higher education. Our service establishes a community of qualified individuals per your institution’s needs. Additionally, we maintain engagement through career guidance, regular updates, networking, and check-ins during assignments, all this while emphasizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Our Higher Education Group addresses the growing need for specialized professionals in academia. The expert team effectively identifies, locates, and manages talent while facilitating nationwide searches for contingent workers. Furthermore, we ensure compliance through an Employee of Record solution.

Building your private talent community with nextSource can enhance your brand and grant you access to engaged talent familiar with your institution. You also achieve higher assignment completion rates and benefit from our efficient placement of candidates knowledgeable about your culture.

Of course, building a community takes time. However, our approach beats the hurdles by fostering rapport through personalized communication, polls, knowledge-sharing, and tips. You’ll find our talent communities particularly helpful for roles such as:

• Adjunct professors and assistants
• Teaching and course assistants
• Course designers
• Content and learning strategists
• Instructional designers
• E-learning developers

Begin Building Your Talent Community Today

The areas of need for new hires in higher education continue to grow by the day. But our Higher Education Group can provide Direct Sourcing, Managed Services, Employee of Record, and other tailored solutions. All these guarantee agility, flexibility, and other vital elements for ramping up your higher learning institution’s HR ecosystem, identifying hidden talent, and filling specialty positions.Now’s the right time to start working on our talent community with nextSource. Contact our Higher Education Group expert today by calling 612-615-1202 or filling out our contact form, and a knowledgeable professional will get back to you. So don’t wait—discuss your needs with us and learn how our team can help your institution access remarkable candidates.