Laurie Padua , AMS ’ s Managing Director of Talent Advisory Services , profiles four of the biggest global talent trends in recruitment .
To create business solutions that have a lasting impact , you need to understand how your decisions impact every part of your business ecosystem . At AMS , our multidisciplinary global advisory team provides a sophisticated holistic perspective on talent challenges from specific acquisition issues right through to entire function redesign . Here are four trends our advisory team are seeing among clients .
Digital transformation
The pandemic has caused significant disruption to all businesses , but for many it has also been a catalyst which has provided a window of opportunity where positive change has been embraced . For example , as the pandemic continues to play out , we have seen very high numbers of both local and global programmes looking at how they can enhance the technology offering and enablement of their HR functions .
This can be anything from how to attract , retain and deploy talent , digital interviewing and onboarding all the way through to basic hygiene factors such as e-signatures and submitting offers online .
A good example of how our advisory business can help with digital transformation was the launch of our digital internship programme . Previously , as was the case with most internship programmes globally , our early careers attraction took place on-site but lockdowns and remote work stopped in-person events . Such circumstances allowed us to create a digital platform that enabled interns to still gain the insights and experience from employers in a virtual environment – at a time when it was most vital .
Organisations are thinking more seriously about how they can map skills across roles and support those who require reskilling
Recruiting models and skills development
COVID-19 has given organisations a sharp focus on the challenges of having recruiting teams with little flexibility and scale . When COVID-19 hit , a lot of recruiting was put on hold and businesses had no way of reducing team size in the moment . Unfortunately , and as a direct consequence of the pandemic , they were in situations where they had to make people redundant . This has led organisations to reflect and to look at recruiting models within talent acquisition with a different lens . Now , it ’ s about creating more variability and sustainability within recruiting models .
Coming out of the pandemic , there may be roles that are no longer required , but the skills within them are . How can you map those skills to roles you may have in the future ? That skills piece is going to be central to our industry from a macro perspective . For years , HR has mapped job roles to job families , looking at competencies and how someone would functionally do a job rather than thinking about the skills needed to do a job . We see cognitive agility as a key focus for the future .
With COVID-19 , many organisations had to let thousands of people go as demand for services and products dropped to an all-time low . Now , as global markets reopen , we are witnessing unprecedented levels of job opportunities with the additional requirement of new and enhanced skills . Organisations globally are thinking more seriously about how they can map skills across roles and support those who require reskilling and upskilling .
How do you assess skills and identify how they can be transferable ? There is plenty of excellent hidden talent out there but it is incumbent upon leaders to put in place the right processes to help find the right talent , whatever their background , experience or skills .
We advise organisations truly looking to improve diversity to start with a diagnostic
Above geo-hiring
Historically , if an organisation had a role in New York , the hire had to be in New York . If the skills didn ’ t exist there , the feedback would be to look harder for them . Now , hiring managers might say “ this role can be based anywhere . Where is the best talent based ?”.
High-performing teams don ’ t have to be located in the same destination . ‘ Above geography ’ hiring is about using data and analysis to find where the best talent for the job is located . This isn ’ t just about working remotely ; it ’ s the next step up from that . It ’ s about using insights and analysis to find the best talent dependent on supply and demand , tenure and cost as opposed to all fishing in the same pond where there is high demand .
It ’ s about hiring the best talent in the marketplace , as opposed to the only talent in the marketplace that happens to be in a certain location .
Diagnostics on diversity to aid strategy
Diversity , equity and inclusion ( DEI ) has always been deeply important to organisations , but it ’ s now – rightly – at the forefront of business strategy . Whether conscious or unintentional , some groups face more barriers in their careers than others . Consequently , organisations are now putting more time and effort into driving an agenda that isn ’ t just about quotas and targets , but about really fostering an inclusive way of working , as it ’ s good for business commercially and is the right thing to do .
We advise organisations truly looking to improve diversity to start with a diagnostic . We help them to find out where their organisation sits and how they are currently performing . How do candidates view the recruitment journey ? There is little point hiring more diverse talent only to make them feel alone , because they will just leave – and that ’ s a bad experience for everyone . The key is to be strategic . Find the barriers , remove them and design talent processes that are equitable and inclusive .