Talent Centric
across Medtronic’s 160 operating countries,
Pflanz and the team decided on a degree
of outsourcing. “From a recruitment
standpoint, the biggest challenge I have
always found is being able to have a talent
acquisition function that can work with the
business when needed and not be dragged
on cost if, for certain reasons, recruitment
needs are diminishing, for example. We
came to the conclusion that recruitment
process outsourcing (RPO) would give us
the scalability and flexibility we needed to
respond to business challenges effectively.”
Implementation of RPO with global talent
acquisition and management provider
Alexander Mann Solutions was staggered
across Medtronic’s regions from July
2016 to March 2017. Pflanz is clear that
implementing an outsourced solution allows
the talent acquisition function to respond
quickly to the need for flexibility and
scalability in the business.
“Our future lies in innovation, and at the
heart of achieving this is our ability to attract
and retain the right talent at the right time,”
he says, adding that his own role is to ensure
Medtronic’s global capability is translated
into continued benefit for the business.
THREE STEPS
TO BUILDING A
GLOBAL TALENT
ACQUISITION
FUNCTION:
1
Create a clear framework.
Start by setting rules and
expectations about what has
to be global and what can be
regional. We call this “freedom
in the frame”. Define the
non-negotiables.
2
Be wary of averages
when analysing and
designing your future recruitment
model. It needs to make sense
and add value in every country
and across every part of the
business. It is not feasible to
design a ‘one-size-fits-all’
recruitment delivery model
from the centre, when really it
only makes sense broadly at
a regional or even global level.
and that people comply with the
defined systems. If they didn’t, they
would generate data that adds little
value. This is why we’ve introduced
globally designed key performance
indicators, which are vital to getting
the right information.”
As a result, talent acquisition
conversations are now commonplace
at the most senior leadership levels
of Medtronic, which is pleasing to
Pflanz. “Talent management has a
standing slot at quarterly Executive
Committee meetings. Diversity is
a key issue; there is keen interest
in building a greater talent pool,
particularly around females and US
ethnic diversity in leadership roles,
and early career talent. We are lucky
to have focus on those topics and
support from leaders; it’s not just
about ticking a box.”
Future-proofing the function
Globalisation is a key growth
strategy for Medtronic, which Pflanz
attributes, in part, to the growth
of the middle-classes in various
developing countries in recent years.
A need for global standards
“We are now tasked with providing
Generating data which demonstrates
services to those who may have been
the cost and performance of recruitment
unable to afford healthcare before,”
activity on a monthly basis, identifying
he explains.
trends and, in turn, creating predictive
Coupled with an increase in new
Build your case on facts.
analytics around talent, means Pflanz’s team
competitors and a heavy focus on
Any redesign of a talent
can build more robust and effective talent
effectiveness and efficiency, it is
acquisition function must
pipelines. “Rather than ‘post and pray’, we
more important than ever for the
begin by establishing factual
can decrease our time-to-fill and translate
company to position itself as an
information about its status
that into money which the business will
employer of choice in a competitive
quo. Establishing a baseline
understand,” says Pflanz.
talent market.
of ‘cost and service’ is key to
However, he is keen to point out that it’s
In Pflanz’s view, being able to react
evaluating the value-add of the
not all about data. “We have around 190
and
adapt to market conditions, and
redesigned talent acquisition
recruiters and sourcers worldwide touching
in turn, enable continued business
delivery model.
our Applicant Tracking System, so it’s
transformation and growth, is a
crucial that we have harmonious processes
critical part of any successful talent
acquisition function. “Over the past decade,
there has been so much disruption that the
times of 5-10 year plans are long gone,” he
says. “We are future-proofing our function by
“Our Mission, which is
having the ability to support the business by
integral to our day-to-day decision
responding more cost consciously and creating
new ways to think and partner. If talent
making, has remained constant since
acquisition functions can work with variable
1960: to alleviate pain, restore
costs, scaling up or down rapidly as necessary,
health and extend life”
you can effectively serve a business which
operates in the same way by being reactive.”
3
Issue 1 - 2017
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