Dear HR Managers and Business Owners,

No doubt about it - the battle for talent is heating up. More companies are hiring, especially at the middle manager level. And more people who already have jobs are looking for new ones. According to a recent survey by Salary.com, a startling 80% of employees are either actively job hunting or open to better offers from elsewhere.

In the Feb 2006 issue of Fortune Magazine a broad cross-section of executives were asked who they believe has an edge when it comes to recruiting talent. The top 10 companies had three things in common:

First, the communication up and down the ranks in these companies was more open, and more frequent, than in other companies. Top management is more accessible, which makes employees at all levels feel engaged in meeting the company's goals.

Second, these employers expect excellence from everybody. They challenge their people early and often, and move them around more than in most companies, not wanting anybody to get too comfortable in one job.

That plays directly into the third strength these companies share: Instead of grooming only so-called high-potential workers for bigger opportunities, they offer plenty of chances for every employee to learn and grow - which means that when they need talent, they can find it in-house.

Food for thought as many BC Business sectors continue to search for top talent.

Cheers,