Creating a road map for inclusion and diversity talent through acquisition
How has AMS partnered with Staples , Inc . to develop through talent acquisition ?
A strategic engagement through a talent advisory diagnostic . A chance to validate existing best practices , troubleshoot obstacles and identify opportunities to further Staples , Inc .’ s corporate goals . An opportunity to supply the basis of a road map for sustainable , scalable and long-term success .
The opportunity
Staples , Inc ., which provides organisations with the unique products , solutions , services and value customers need to consistently get the job done , and done right , was doing a lot of things well when it came to fostering an inclusive culture and diverse workforce .
The company had a clear vision , championed by its CEO and senior leadership team , and that passion was clear throughout the rest of the organisation .
They understood that inclusion and diversity is never ‘ solved ’, but rather a continuing conversation which requires adjusting as the landscape changes over time – and they were willing to do that work .
By early 2020 , tensions were especially high around race and racial prejudice in the US . Staples , Inc . knew it needed to accelerate its existing inclusion and diversity plans to truly show commitment to improving outcomes for its teams , customers and the communities it serves . Recognising the changes going on nationwide , the company wanted to take a guiding role in driving positive change at the operational level to build upon and harness the strong internal culture it had already developed .
The company had a clear inclusion and diversity vision , championed by its CEO and senior leadership team
The desire to accelerate was clear , but the question of exactly how to do that remained .
Staples , Inc . understood the value of outside perspective , broad multisector expertise and market data , to ensure they were identifying every opportunity to improve and taking the right actions in the right ways . It welcomed learnings from outside of its own experiences and from multiple sectors and geographies .
The company also wanted the structure and certainty that came with a strategic three-year plan , but didn ’ t want to wait three years to make a significant and positive impact .
The solution
Using a tailored diagnostic methodology , AMS ’ s talent acquisition strategy practice , within our advisory function , partnered with Staples , Inc . on an end-to-end review of its talent acquisition operations , policies and procedures to identify obstacles and opportunities to help it reach its inclusion and diversity goals .
Over the course of 10 weeks , the team engaged in an extensive discovery programme , including :
● Comprehensive market and competitor research to outline the corporate context of inclusion and diversity for companies such as Staples , Inc ., providing a market lens from which to build .
● In-depth interviews with senior leadership to understand their vision for the future and discuss progress to date , missed opportunities and potential prospects .
● Engagement with more than 60 individuals across Staples , Inc .’ s talent acquisition team , HR , hiring manager communities and key stakeholders to juxtapose senior leadership ’ s vision with on-the-ground realities .
● Detailed analysis of the existing employee population , current hiring funnel and other relevant HR data to gain clarity on operational successes , gaps and opportunities .
● Workshops with HR , talent acquisition teams and hiring managers to review processes and technologies in detail to understand where structure and operations are impacting Staples , Inc .’ s ability to attract , engage , assess and hire great diverse and minority talent .
The team then entered the decipher-and-design phases to synthesise the data and lay out a comprehensive three-year plan while also calling out any quick wins that could be executed at once , supporting Staples , Inc .’ s stated ambition to build for the long term while moving quickly .
Staples , Inc . welcomed learnings from outside of its own experiences and from multiple sectors and geographies
The impact
AMS produced a detailed strategic report which outlined the findings from the diagnostic process . This report provided the Staples , Inc . HR leadership team with phased recommendations .
Staples , Inc . engaged AMS to support several of the recommended operational interventions embedded in the plan , including :
● A comprehensive and holistic training programme to support individual recruiters in becoming agents of change across the organisation , recognising their pivotal role as partners to key talent decision-makers .
● Training designed collaboratively with talent acquisition leadership to build a strong inclusion and diversity recruitment capability baseline throughout the talent acquisition team , helping recruiters recognise and capitalise on opportunities to drive better outcomes .
● Tools , tips and methods for recruiters , including sourcing training sessions and peer knowledge sharing , to help them find , access and engage with a wider range of diverse , minority and nontraditional talent .
● Inclusive hiring training for people managers on conscious and unconscious bias to eliminate unintentional obstacles for diverse hiring , help hiring managers recognise their important role within the recruitment process and improve Staples , Inc .’ s ability to attract and hire the best possible talent .
● Development of new job-posting templates that highlight Staples , Inc .’ s strong brand with diverse and inclusive language to drive better quality applicant traffic and ensure shortlists are more representative of the markets in which Staples , Inc . operates , especially for roles that are typically applicant driven .