In today’s fast-paced world, the final step of any journey often defines the entire experience – whether it’s receiving a package or stepping into a new role.
In the e-commerce industry, this is known as the last mile – the final stretch where a package makes it from a warehouse to a customer’s doorstep. In the world of talent acquisition, the last mile is the onboarding process for new hires – the crucial transition from candidate to employee.
While these two functions may seem worlds apart, they share more than just operational significance – a fundamental truth: they both represent make-or-break moments that directly shape long-term satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
The last mile is often the final and most memorable point of contact – for consumers and new hires alike.
The Amazon Paradigm: What Can We Learn from Logistics
Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, was among the first to obsess over the last mile. He recognized that even a perfect ordering experience would be forgotten if the delivery fails. His emphasis on speed, accuracy, and reliability in the last mile helped shape Amazon into the gold standard of e-commerce. According to McKinsey, 85% of customers will abandon a brand after having a poor delivery experience (1).
Bezos’ logic was simple yet powerful: the final impression is the lasting impression. And to dominate a market, you must control the moment closest to the customer’s memory. Amazon didn’t just win on product range or price – it won on follow-through.
This same logic applies with even greater emotional weight in the talent space. A candidate journey that starts strong but ends with chaos or confusion during onboarding leaves a lasting negative impact to the employer brand.
Onboarding: The Human Last Mile
In talent acquisition, onboarding functions in a similar way to logistics. It is not just an administrative step – it is a critical brand experience. A seamless recruitment process can be quickly undone by disjointed onboarding:
Filling out the same information multiple times due to non-integrated vendor platforms
Being asked to locate noncritical documentation for outdated background checks
Experiencing multiple start date changes due to delays in provisioning or compliance
These frictions create unnecessary stress, confusion, and disengagement. And when new hires show up on Day One with no laptop ready for them, no access, no training plan, and no one expecting them, it’s the equivalent of a package marked “delivered” that never arrived.
Unfortunately, such experiences are more common than we might think. According to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree that their organization does a great job onboarding new hires (2). This means that nearly 9 in 10 people are walking into new roles with uncertainty or unmet expectations.
The Impact of a Broken Last Mile
This failure to invest in onboarding doesn’t just impact employee sentiment – it directly affects business outcomes. The onboarding phase plays a critical role in shaping:
Time to productivity
Early-stage attrition
Long-term engagement and loyalty
According to SHRM, organizations with a structured onboarding process found employees are 58% more likely to stay with a company for at least 3 years and are 50% more productive (3). These aren’t marginal improvements – they’re strategic outcomes.
Companies can quantify this for themselves by comparing early turnover or in job performance among employees who experienced start date delays, system errors, or compliance issues, versus those who entered the organization seamlessly. This kind of post-hire analytics is still underutilized but offers powerful insights into where experience gaps are damaging long-term value creation.
Further, research by Josh Bersin reinforces that effective onboarding programs are critical to long-term employee success, engagement, and retention. They must go beyond forms and checklists to include early feedback loops, immediate manager involvement, peer connections, and digital enablement.
And companies that do this well – dramatically increase engagement scores and reduce first-year turn-over (4).
Onboarding Is Experience, Not Administration
Organizations that treat onboarding as a compliance checkpoint or IT provisioning workflow are missing the point. Today’s candidates expect an onboarding experience that matches the consumer-grade interactions they’ve come to expect in daily life – from ride-hailing apps to real-time delivery updates.
The most successful onboarding strategies borrow tactics from logistics, e.g.:
Route optimization: for TA, this means leveraging integrated platforms that sync HR, IT, security, and background check vendors into one seamless workflow. Manual handoffs are where most delays happen.
Real-time tracking: just as customers can track a package in transit, new hires want to track their onboarding progress: completed steps, upcoming actions, required documents. This transparency reduces uncertainty and improves satisfaction.
Flexible delivery options: onboarding should be customizable, mobile-friendly, and intuitive. Candidates want to complete tasks from their phone, on their schedule, with clear deadlines and reminders – not clunky emails and PDFs.
When onboarding is reimagined as an experience rather than a checklist, it transforms into a powerful driver of culture, confidence, and clarity.
Reframing Onboarding as a Strategic Function
When organizations treat onboarding as a strategic differentiator, the results follow. Much like Amazon’s investment in last-mile logistics unlocked market leadership, organizations that invest in onboarding see:
Lower voluntary turnover within the first 12 months
Faster ramp-up in performance
Higher engagement and cultural alignment
Stronger advocacy and employee referrals
At a time when employer brand, agility, and retention are more important than ever, this is not a luxury investment – it’s a business imperative.
Onboarding is no longer just a transition between recruitment and operations. It’s the first real test of organizational credibility. The candidate is now your employee, and they’re watching to see if the brand promise becomes their lived reality.
So the next time you marvel at the speed and precision of a package delivery, ask yourself:
Are your new employees receiving that same level of care and clarity?
Because just like Amazon’s customers, employees remember their first experience – and it defines whether they stay for the long haul.
References:
McKinsey & Company “Digitizing mid- and last-mile logistics handovers to reduce waste”
Gallup “Creating an exceptional onboarding journey for new employees”
SHRM “Onboarding: The Key to Elevating Your Company Culture”
Josh Bersin “The Employee Experience: It’s Trickier (and more important) Than You Thought”
After months of meticulous planning, we delivered our annual DEIB Week last week — and what a week it was.
I’ll admit, I always begin with a few nerves. Have we chosen the right topics? Will our external speakers resonate? Will colleagues show up, engage, and lean in?
I needn’t have worried.
We ran 10 sessions across the week, with over 6,000 colleagues joining from around the world. The timing couldn’t have been better. Against a backdrop of growing scepticism and backlash towards DEIB, our people showed up ready — ready for bold, challenging conversations, to share lived experiences, and to connect across borders.
Here are five reflections that stood out most:
Be bold. Always. We didn’t hold back — and nor did our colleagues. A standout session on Religious, Faith & Spirituality Inclusion explored both what unites us and what can divide. The richness of discussion proved that when we open the door to complexity, colleagues walk through with courage and curiosity.
Global DEIB isn’t one-size-fits-all. In Belonging Beyond Borders, we unpacked how cultural context shapes the way belonging is understood across our 120-country footprint. It was a powerful reminder that regional nuance must be central to any global DEIB strategy.
If you don’t have an age strategy, you don’t have a growth strategy. That line from our Rethinking Over 50s session really stuck. The link between DEIB and business value was front and centre — and age inclusion is still too often overlooked.
We all have the power to be ChangeMakers. Sal Naseem opened the week with a moving reminder that real change starts with each of us. Through storytelling and lived experience, he showed how we can all step into action — calling out discrimination wherever we see it.
Courageous conversations can’t wait. Gisele Marcus wrapped up the week with a challenge: what difficult conversations are we avoiding? If something doesn’t feel right, it’s on us to call it in — with empathy and conviction.
It was an energising, inspiring week. And most of all, it showed what’s possible when DEIB is not a side conversation, but a business-critical one.
I’d love to hear how others are engaging colleagues in meaningful DEIB conversations — and connecting that work to commercial impact.
Why AI Literacy Is the Next Strategic Skill for TA
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in the hiring process, many organisations are asking the same questions: What role will AI play in recruitment, and what does it mean for the people behind the process?
While headlines often focus on automation replacing human effort, the reality is more nuanced. The next chapter of talent acquisition isn’t about replacing people, it’s about redefining their contribution. Those who understand how to leverage AI as a tool, rather than view it as a threat, will be the ones who continue to create value.
But AI literacy in TA doesn’t happen by accident. It requires new skills, new mindsets, and a clear understanding of where AI can meaningfully support the recruiting lifecycle. It also demands an honest look at how different roles, sourcers, coordinators, advisors, and strategic partners, will be impacted differently.
AI Has Entered the TA Workflow, But Capability Gaps Remain
Recent data from LinkedIn shows that 74% of talent professionals are optimistic about AI’s impact on recruitment, yet only a small percentage feel equipped to use these tools effectively. Many organisations are still navigating early-stage experimentation, often lacking a framework for how to roll out AI responsibly and practically.
The challenge isn’t just technology, it’s people readiness. Adoption is uneven, often slowed by fear of redundancy, tool fatigue, or a lack of clarity on where AI actually adds value.
That’s why leading TA teams are shifting their focus from surface-level adoption to deeper capability-building. TA professionals need to understand how to use AI tools not just functionally, but strategically. That means asking smarter questions, engaging with data more fluently, and knowing when to apply AI-generated insights versus when to rely on experience and judgment.
From Tool Usage to Strategic Enablement: The AI Maturity Curve
A growing number of TA leaders are mapping out an AI capability journey that moves through several stages:
Exploration – Piloting tools in isolated workflows, often with individual enthusiasm leading the charge.
Enablement – Upskilling teams in prompt engineering and basic data interpretation, often with measurable time savings.
Integration – Embedding AI into core systems (ATS, CRM, sourcing stacks) to support consistent workflows.
Augmentation – Using AI to inform strategic decisions, shape job architecture, and advise hiring managers at a consultative level.
Where a TA function sits on this curve should inform its investment priorities. Skipping stages leads to poor adoption, fragmented workflows, and wasted spend.
What Skills Are Emerging for the AI-Enabled TA Professional?
Forward-thinking talent teams are investing in capability development that goes well beyond basic tool adoption. Some of the key skills being prioritised include:
1. Prompt Engineering
Learning how to write effective, targeted prompts has quickly become essential. This skill allows TA professionals to extract better results from generative AI tools, whether it’s drafting a job description, building Boolean search logic, or personalising outreach messages based on candidate motivations.
Training in prompt engineering is already underway in several enterprise environments. These programmes focus on secure platforms like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT Enterprise, teaching TA teams how to apply AI in daily workflows while remaining compliant with data and privacy standards.
2. Predictive Analytics for Strategic Demand Planning
As organisations mature their workforce planning efforts, AI offers an opportunity to improve how TA professionals anticipate and prepare for complex hiring needs. Predictive analytics helps teams interpret demand plans with greater precision, identifying potential bottlenecks, forecasting sourcing difficulty, and prioritising critical roles before requisitions hit the system.
Rather than reacting to intake meetings, AI-enabled TA professionals can proactively partner with talent intelligence and workforce planning teams. By surfacing patterns in hiring volume, geography, and skill clustering, they help design sourcing strategies that are more aligned to business timing, risk tolerance, and labour market constraints.
This shift moves TA from execution to orchestration.
3. Advanced Market and Role Research
In parallel, TA professionals are using AI to enhance their ability to conduct strategic market research. This includes analysing adjacent skill sets, identifying alternative career paths into hard-to-fill roles, or benchmarking similar positions across peer organisations and industries.
These insights help reshape job design, adjust expectations, and open up more inclusive or innovative talent pipelines. When combined with recruiter experience and hiring manager consultation, it enables more agile and data-informed decision-making.
Used well, these research capabilities strengthen the TA team’s role as an advisor, not just a delivery function.
4. Experimentation and Peer Learning
Perhaps most powerful is the rise of shared experimentation. A growing number of talent functions are creating internal “AI labs” or learning communities where teams test new workflows, explore niche sourcing challenges, and share what works (and what doesn’t). These environments are critical for building capability and trust.
A common use case emerging from these labs is forensic sourcing: using AI tools to convert vague job specs into structured search logic, sometimes across multiple geographies or languages. Over time, these experiments build institutional knowledge that scales beyond individuals.
Infrastructure Still Matters: Data and Integration Are Make-or-Break
One of the most overlooked blockers to AI impact is infrastructure. Even the best AI tools won’t deliver value if the underlying systems, ATS, CRM, and talent data, are fragmented or outdated. TA teams need to partner closely with HRIT and data governance to ensure they have a stable foundation for scale.
What Should TA Leaders Be Doing Now?
For TA leaders and CHROs, the focus should be on structured readiness, not reactive adoption. That doesn’t mean rolling out every new tool or jumping on hype trends. It means thinking strategically about where AI can support core goals like improving workflow efficiency, enhancing candidate experience, or surfacing underrepresented talent.
Here are a few actions that progressive leaders are already taking:
Define clear use cases where AI can add value, starting with sourcing, scheduling, and candidate communications.
Invest in TA professional upskilling, especially around prompt engineering, predictive analytics, and ethical reasoning.
Encourage safe experimentation through structured learning spaces, team jams, or AI hackathons.
Choose secure platforms that support responsible use and align with company risk policies.
Track outcomes like time savings, response rates, and TA professional satisfaction, not just cost reduction.
Procurement with Purpose: Avoiding the Shiny Tool Trap
With so many AI vendors flooding the market, discernment is critical. Teams should look past flashy demos and ask tougher questions:
What data is the model trained on?
Is the algorithm explainable and auditable?
How does it integrate into existing TA workflows?
Can we govern this tool in alignment with company risk policies?
The most sophisticated teams aren’t just buying tools, they’re evaluating partners.
Responsible AI: From Ethics to Governance
As AI tools evolve, so do the risks. Algorithms trained on biased data can reinforce inequity. Black-box models may produce impressive outputs without transparency. The responsibility for maintaining fairness, inclusivity, and data security still sits with humans.
TA teams should implement clear policies on responsible AI use, including:
Oversight committees involving TA, Legal, DEI, and Data Governance
Review checkpoints in the workflow for all AI-generated recommendations
Documentation of how decisions were made, especially in high-impact hiring situations
Final Thought: A More Human, More Strategic TA Function
The best TA professionals will always be those who build trust, influence hiring decisions, and spot potential others might miss. AI doesn’t replace those qualities, it amplifies them. It gives professionals back the time and insight they need to operate at a higher level.
As a partner to many organisations navigating this shift, we’re seeing that AI success doesn’t come from tools alone. It comes from mindset change, capability building, and cultural integration. There’s no one-size-fits-all playbook, but there is a clear opportunity to rethink what great recruitment looks like in the age of AI.
Reframing workforce disruption in the age of AI
No one really knows what the future of work looks like right now. Not with certainty. Not really.
We don’t know what jobs will exist five years from now, what skills will define success, or what careers our kids will be preparing for. Roles are dissolving, industries are mutating, and the whole idea of a ‘career path’ is being rewritten in real time.
It’s unsettling—and if we’re honest, a bit disorienting. But it’s also wide open and so, so exciting!
And that’s the bit we sometimes forget: the future isn’t just happening to us—it’s something we get to help shape.
That’s the opportunity. It’s right there, hiding in plain sight. Ours to influence—as teams, as talent professionals, as humans.
“If you’re waiting for clarity, you’re already behind.”
It’s a line I’ve caught myself repeating lately—to clients, in team calls, and honestly, in my own head. Because let’s face it, the AI conversation is messy. There’s excitement, confusion, panic. Every other headline feels like it’s predicting the end of work as we know it.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth that no one’s really saying out loud: this isn’t an AI problem—it’s a wake-up call for all of us.
We’ve been talking about disruption for years. Digital transformation. Agile. Remote work. The metaverse. Take your pick. But AI feels different, doesn’t it? Not because it’s more dangerous—but because it’s exposing things we’ve maybe avoided for a while. The reality that our org structures, hiring habits, and a lot of our business logic were built for a different era.
This isn’t a moment of replacement—it’s a moment of recalibration. Treat it like a threat and you’ll stall. Treat it like an opening and you might just help shape what’s next.
Let’s bust a myth right up front: AI is not here to wipe out the workforce.
According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workforce Report, while 80% of jobs globally will be impacted by AI in some way, only 7% are at risk of being fully automated. That’s not an extinction event—it’s a shift in how work gets done.
And if we zoom in, it’s actually pretty exciting. What’s going away isn’t human value—it’s repetition. Redundancy. The stuff no one really enjoyed doing in the first place.
Josh Bersin’s research hits the nail on the head: AI is accelerating the shift away from rigid job titles and towards capability-based thinking. The question is no longer “What role do we need to fill?” but “What outcomes do we need to drive—and what human strengths will get us there?”
It’s less about someone’s CV, and more about how fast they can learn. Less about where they’ve been, more about how they adapt.
So what’s being disrupted here? Not people. Not even work, really.
It’s how we frame value. And that requires a different kind of leadership—from all of us.
Gartner recently shared that only 24% of HR leaders believe their organisations are truly ready for a workforce that blends AI and human capability. That’s not a failure—it’s a signal. One that tells us we’re in a moment of leadership transition, not crisis.
And honestly? That’s fair. For years, transformation was something we planned for. We mapped it out, scoped the budget, ran the comms plan. But AI doesn’t play by those rules—it’s unpredictable, evolving daily. Which means we need to show up differently.
Leadership now isn’t about control—it’s about curiosity. It’s about asking better questions, being okay with ambiguity, and rethinking how we define performance and potential.
The shift is already happening. Now it’s about how we choose to respond.
The organisations getting this right aren’t scrambling. They’re designing.
They’re moving beyond job titles and investing in dynamic skill architectures. Everest Group highlights this in its research—high-performing businesses are prioritising ecosystems of capability over static roles.
They’re also recognising that Talent Acquisition isn’t just about hiring anymore—it’s about navigating the future. TA leaders are getting pulled into conversations around workforce design, internal mobility, and AI literacy—because how we find and grow people is business adaptability.
And yes, that means hiring differently. The most agile teams are recruiting for curiosity. For humility. For learning velocity.
They’re embedding AI fluency across departments—not just in tech teams. They’re working closely with L&D to make upskilling part of the everyday employee experience.
LinkedIn’s latest Talent Trends report backs this up—internal talent marketplaces are gaining traction, helping match people to projects in real time. It’s not just smart retention—it’s smart risk management. A way to build capability that actually sticks.
Now, let’s bring it back to the humans. Because even with all this talk of tech, they’re still the centre of the story.
But the bar is shifting. The future doesn’t need humans who can repeat tasks. It needs humans who can reimagine them.
People who ask “what if?” more than “what now?” People who are endlessly curious. Who get comfortable with discomfort. Who adapt—not because they have to, but because they want to.
This next chapter belongs to the fast-learners. The open-minded. The ones who move before the roadmap is printed. Who are okay with not having all the answers—but aren’t afraid to start asking better questions than the machine can answer.
Being human is no longer the default advantage. It’s a differentiator. But only if we’re willing to evolve.
And for TA leaders?
This really is the moment.
You’ve spent years proving talent isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about building futures. Now, the table has moved—and you’re already sitting at it.
Because when skills are the new currency, the people who understand talent are the people who understand business.
This is also a moment to lead differently.
To partner more boldly. To speak up more often. To help shape—not just support—the future of work.
Because AI isn’t a cost-cutting tool. It’s a spark. And what it lights up will depend on the people—and principles—guiding the change.
We’re not facing a workforce apocalypse. We’re facing a wake-up call.
AI won’t replace people. But it will replace mediocrity. It’ll ask us to think harder about how we lead, how we hire, how we learn—and how we measure value.
The ones waiting for certainty might get left behind. But the ones who embrace a bit of discomfort? They’ll be the ones who build the future.
AI won’t replace people. But it will replace mediocrity.
It’ll force us to rethink how we lead, how we hire, how we learn—and how we measure value.
Last week, I had the absolute privilege of watching our latest Talent Lab cohort, in partnership with AWE, deliver their final presentations following eight weeks of intense project management and project controls training.
We have been partnering with AWE for the last 8 months, with over 50 Associates now deployed, or about to be, and further cohorts about to enter training. This cohort have just finished their PPC training before they are fully inducted into AWE and begin the next step in their journey.
The last 8 weeks have been gearing up to this day and the room was filled with a mixture of nervous energy, pride, and an undeniable sense of achievement. Each Associate, in small groups, stepped forward to present to stakeholders who have followed their journey, some from initial assessment. It was a day that highlighted not just the power of skills and knowledge but the sheer force of dedication, resilience, and potential.
These individuals, many of whom came to us looking for a career change or a fresh start, stood in front of a room of professionals, articulating complex ideas, demonstrating their learning, and proving to themselves and others that they belong in these spaces.
Just eight weeks ago, many of our cohort may have doubted themselves, but were now standing tall, presenting with conviction, and earning the respect of industry leaders.
AMS Talent Lab
Talent Lab exists because we know that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Too often, career paths are determined by networks, privilege, or early academic choices that may not reflect true ability. We are here to change that. This programme is designed for those who are early in their careers or seeking a new direction, providing them with the knowledge, confidence, and industry connections to step into roles they may never have thought possible. Last week, I saw what happens when we remove barriers and replace them with belief.
I must admit, this is my favourite part of the journey for each cohort, it feels like the crescendo to the training, and I could not have been prouder.
To our cohort—you should be incredibly proud. Your hard work, your determination, and your willingness to step out of your comfort zone have been inspiring. You are proof that with the right support, guidance, and opportunity, potential can be transformed into achievement.
To those watching from the side-lines, wondering if they, too, could take that leap—the answer is yes. Talent Lab, and programmes like it, exist to open doors.
As our talented cohort prepares to make a significant impact with AWE, we invite you to join us in championing social mobility while creating your future leaders. Explore partnership opportunities with us and be part of this transformative journey.
If you would like to explore partnership opportunities with us and be part of this journey, contact us today.
Join industry experts from AMS and SAP Fieldglass at a roundtable on Tuesday 14th May in our own offices at London Wall as we dive into challenges and opportunities facing the Transport, Engineering and Construction industries in accessing the skills and talent they need for the short and longer term.
Whether you’re just starting out on your journey , or looking to take your established contingent labour program to the next level, we’ll share the latest insights and industry specific innovation designed to help you optimise your supply chain to:
Access critical skills at speed
Diversify talent pipelines
Achieve workforce compliance, visibility and spend control.
Spaces are limited, so register here to secure your seat!
Our recent roundtable discussion covered how technology can be leveraged to help optimise your non-permanent workforce.
From AI to the evolving role of MSPs, and the importance of presenting a unified business case for tech change within your organisation, here are our 6 key takeaways:
1. AI: A Game-Changer Across the Talent Lifecycle
AI is actively streamlining sourcing and delivery processes, offering opportunities to enhance efficiency and precision. Its adoption, however, has proven much easier within Contingent Workforce Solutions (CWS) compared to permanent hiring scenarios.
AI should and is being deployed in contracting, writing Statements of Work (SoW), defining milestones, and managing supplier performance.
Possible resistance, stemming from job insecurity and uncertainty about AI’s role, was acknowledged. Participants agreed that addressing this resistance through change management and clear communication is essential.
2. Future of MSP and Workforce Ownership
The ownership of non-permanent workforces remains blurred, with Procurement traditionally owning Services Procurement/SoW while HR increasingly seeks visibility and influence in this domain.
Unified governance, combining input from HR, Procurement, and Finance, was seen as the solution to enforcing meaningful change.
3. Vendor Management Systems (VMS): Opportunities and Challenges
Smaller businesses often face difficulties with VMS implementation due to the complexities of vendor relationships and lack of accountability for results. While larger solutions offer robust governance, start-ups can be a cost-effective first step away from basic spreadsheets.
The importance of identifying a strong tech owner and fostering real accountability emerged as critical to successful VMS management.
It was agreed that despite impressive demos, many VMS platform implementations and adoption falter in real-world scenarios without the right partner to ensure success.
4. Technology Maturity and Incremental Change
Discussions on the technology maturity model revealed variations among businesses. Most participants identified themselves at levels 1 and 2.
Over-reliance on incremental change was flagged as a potential risk, leading to inconsistencies and complexity, a strategic partner is vital to help businesses navigate this.
5. Building a Robust Business Case
CFO alignment and early Finance involvement are critical when it comes to obtaining buy-in for technology change and implementation. Market insights and ROI analysis can further strengthen the case for investment.
Being clear on the key business drivers for the change, the benefits it will enable and the roadmap to implementation are all crucial factors to consider. Improvement in the time-to-hire metric may be a component along with an emphasis on achieving “more for less”, enhancing efficiency Linking strategic objectives to measurable outcomes will also foster stakeholder support.
6. AI-Powered Tools and the Road Ahead
Generative AI was recognised as a powerful ally in reducing the time-intensive burden of administrative tasks. Many VMS providers are releasing tools, supplementing their platforms such as SAP Fieldglass Joule which assist in:
Automating the creation of business cases, significantly minimizing the manual effort required from managers.
Generating standardised documents such as Job Descriptions (JDs) with precision and speed, allowing HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.
This ability to simplify routine processes is not only streamlining operations but also creating opportunities to redirect human talent towards more value-adding activities. In addition, tools that support with the visibility of the total work force are increasingly popular for key hiring approaches such as skills-based hiring and determining the best route to market, empowering organisations to align talent strategies with business goals effectively.
The next roundtable in our series will be held in May 2025. You can also read our last article in this series, 6 smart strategies for reducing costs through your non-permanent workforce here.
What does it take to completely transform Talent Acquisition across 47 countries… during a global pandemic… in just six months?
That’s exactly the story shared last week at the HRCoreLab conference in Barcelona, where Carrier and AMS took to the stage to showcase what true partnership and agility look like in action.
When Carrier spun off from its parent company in 2021, they were starting from a blank sheet. There was no global TA infrastructure. No modern tech stack. No consistent process. Just a pressing need to build a function that could scale rapidly, deliver value, and support the business in a time of global uncertainty.
Originally, the plan was to build an in-house team — until COVID hit. In a matter of weeks, the strategy had to pivot. The hiring plan was pulled. The headcount disappeared. And the CHRO gave a new brief: find a way to build a world-class TA function — without increasing cost, and fast.
That’s where AMS came in.
From complexity to clarity
The TA landscape at Carrier was, in the words of TA leader Dan Fitzpatrick, “a mess.” Fragmented agency spend. Inconsistent processes. No data. No visibility. No candidate experience to speak of. The goal was clear: simplify, standardise, harmonise — and do it all at pace.
Why AMS?
As Dan explained on stage:
“All the RPO providers can offer similar services — sourcing, delivery, tech support. But AMS stood out because they listened. They didn’t just sell a standard solution. They heard what we needed, challenged our thinking, and built something bespoke around our vision.”
It wasn’t just about ticking boxes. It was about partnership with purpose — aligning not only on processes and tools, but on mindset, culture and ambition.
The result? A global transformation at scale.
✔️ A fully integrated TA function covering 47 countries
✔️ Workday Recruiting at the core, supported by a strong tech ecosystem
✔️ 24 languages supported
✔️ Globally standardised processes with local flexibility where it matters
✔️ Less than 10% agency usage
✔️ $21.9 million in savings delivered in just three years (versus a five-year $12 million target)
✔️ And an award-winning programme recognised across the industry
And perhaps most importantly — data-driven hiring
Before the transformation, local hiring managers relied on anecdotal input and invoices from agencies. Now, Carrier has real visibility: funnel metrics, time to hire, conversion rates, market insights — all powering better, smarter talent decisions across the business.
🔄 A repeatable blueprint for success
The success of the EMEA transformation became the blueprint for further rollout across APAC and the Americas — proving that when you get the fundamentals right, global scalability is not just possible — it’s powerful.
As Dan said:
“The RPO only works if you lead it well, empowering it and enabling its success — it’s about creating one team, one mission, one standard. That’s how you win.”
Huge thanks to Dan Fitzpatrick and the team at Carrier for sharing this incredible journey so openly on stage — and for being such a fantastic partner.
This is what great TA transformation looks like:
🔹 Vision
🔹 Pace
🔹 Challenge
🔹 Collaboration
🔹 And a partner who truly listens.
If you’re thinking about how to elevate your own Talent Acquisition strategy — we’d love to talk.
Every business experiences hiring peaks – periods of rapid surge when extra work demands additional talent to deliver results. However, finding this talent quickly is becoming increasingly challenging each day.
Sourcing an additional 200 or 1,000 employees for a specific project or period can be a real challenge and takes up precious internal resources. Moreover, in a constantly evolving market, talent demands can change quickly. The ability to scale up at speed is vital, as success in business hinges on agility.
Organisations in the APAC region are beginning to reassess the traditional ways of talent sourcing and are looking to outsourcing to fill the gaps. However, outsourcing can seem like a big leap, often requiring significant commitment and investment. Many business leaders also express concerns about relinquishing control of their talent function when outsourcing.
Fortunately, that need not be the case. There is a simple, less daunting step businesses can take before committing to outsourcing: Resource Augmentation (RA).
Isn’t RA the same as RPO?
There is a common misconception that RA is the same as Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO). While both provide outsourcing support from an external partner and involve resources who become fully immersed in your organization’s talent team and culture, they differ in terms of both resource management and scope.
With RPO, you have the flexibility to outsource either specific elements of your TA function that require support or the entire end-to-end recruitment process to an outsourcing partner. The extent of outsourcing depends on your specific business needs. However, regardless of the scope, an RPO partner takes on the management and accountability of the resources they provide.
With RA, you gain the specific resources needed, whether they are sourcers, recruiters, or other roles. The management of these resources remains with your own team, allowing you to retain control of the project and its direction while benefitting from the additional support. RA is typically deployed for short-term projects, focusing on specific skills and roles that are needed promptly.
Fundamentally, RA offers outsourcing with less commitment and reduced costs, while ensuring organizations can retain full control of their recruitment process.
Why should I consider RA?
Opting for a RA solution offers many benefits, which are driving more and more organizations to take their first step into outsourcing:
Expertise – Gain access to a group of talent professionals with deep knowledge of the market.
Scalability – Adapt quickly to fluctuating demands in the ever-changing market conditions while avoiding high talent attrition rates, which can negatively impact employer brand.
Control – Seamlessly integrate external talent with your existing TA function, while retaining control over the whole process.
Convenience – Require less commitment than a more holistic, multi-faceted RPO service, and is ideal for short-term needs.
Gain access to the best recruiting talent
The benefits of RA extend beyond businesses.
In today’s job market, many candidates are not merely looking for roles, they are searching for security. This can pose challenges in attracting top recruiting talent when offering short-term contracts.
That is where RA can make a difference. Most RA partner organizations provide future job opportunities for candidates when their initial contract comes to an end. This added job security enables them to attract the best people for your needs.
Resource Augmentation that goes further
While choosing RA to address your talent needs is a significant step, selecting the right partner to deliver it will truly set you on the right path.
AMS’ unmatched expertise enables us to provide resources that are tailored to your business needs. Partnering with AMS means having access to our deep knowledge bank built on decades of experience in the APAC talent market. We have worked with a wide range of organizations and industries, ensuring that we can meet your unique needs effectively.
Furthermore, our talent pool is constantly evolving.
AMS sets itself apart as a RA service provider by equipping its teams with exclusive access to our proprietary expert learning models. This innovative approach ensures that our teams are continually upskilled, enabling them to stay at the forefront of industry trends and advancements. Unlike traditional staffing organizations, AMS prioritizes ongoing learning and development, empowering our partners with the specialized skills necessary to effectively address and overcome the complex challenges of today’s dynamic business environment.
Our RA solution offers a simple, cost-effective, and convenient way to meet your short-term recruitment needs.
Take your first steps toward outsourcing today. Speak to AMS.
The Tech & Digital Contractor market is an ever evolving one, much like the skills required to work within it.
Recently it has been a challenging environment with all the ups and downs of the fairground, culminating in the last 12 months with a scarcity of opportunity and stagnant day rates. KPMG’s CEO said hirers face a “fiscally restrained” Spring Statement 2025, but there are some aptly timed ‘green shoots’ appearing.
ContractorUk.com states “For the first time since August 2024, the numbers on the REC’s index for temporary tech roles last month pointed upwards… The IT contractor jobs market carved out a potential foothold for growth in February 2025.”
Changes to the National Living Wage, Employer’s National Insurance and subsequently, The Employment Rights Bill are contributing to a cautious outlook, but technical advancements aren’t waiting around for anybody.
Organisations are increasingly under pressure to adopt AI functionality to remain competitive and the UK Government has clearly set out their ambition under the AI Opportunities Action Plan. This aims to harness the power of AI to transform various sectors and improve the quality of life for citizens.
Many employers do not currently have the internal talent to scope, lead and deliver in this space and they are likely to look to the contractor population.
Talent in Demand
Unsurprisingly AI skills top the list of those most in demand in the contingent market, closely followed by (and likely in conjunction with) cyber security, all-things data, cloud computing and python development.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: These skills are crucial for developing intelligent algorithms and models that drive automation and predictive analytics. The technology is moving so quickly that there are few true experts in the field; all and any commercial exposure to AI will be in demand.
Data Science and Analytics: With the increasing amount of data being generated, professionals who can analyse and derive insights from data are in high demand.
Cybersecurity: As cyber threats continue to evolve, skills in intrusion detection, risk assessment, and data protection are essential for safeguarding digital assets.
Cloud Computing: Expertise in cloud platforms and services is vital as more companies migrate to cloud-based systems.
DevOps and Automation: These skills help bridge the gap between development and operations, improving efficiency and collaboration.
Blockchain: Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology is being used in various industries for secure and transparent transactions.
In the last year many organisations have evolved to hybrid working models. This has been mandated to permanent employees and therefore frequently includes contractor populations. There will still be some fully remote opportunities, or potential exceptions based on skills v needs – but realistically, most contract opportunities moving forward will require some onsite presence.
Soft Skills Revolution
One of the most interesting aspects of the GenAI ‘revolution’ is the recognised requirement for a range of soft skills in employees within the field. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it.
Qualities like creativity, persistence and decision-making will grow more and more important as AI and the very nature of the professional world continues to evolve. While technical skills will always prove important, intangibles like these can often make the difference between two equally skilled candidates.
Non-Traditional Role Parameters
In the last 12-18 months within the UK Tech & Digital market, there has been an increased demand for candidates with blended skill sets—roles that now often combine expertise in multiple disciplines.
For example, there is an upward trend in full stack development as opposed to front or back-end disciplines; DevOps processes (such as CI/CD, Kubernetes) added to support or development roles; Data aligned roles requiring significant Python or R coding; and most needs requiring diverse levels of cloud storage or security capabilities – stand-alone Cloud Engineers are now a rarity.
Advancements in using AI to streamline hiring processes have also driven a ‘skills-first hiring” trend, led by the Tech Sector and including companies such as Google and Apple. Approximately 50% of technology job postings no longer require degrees and 80% of employers prioritise demonstrated abilities over academic credentials.
Forbes writes the “These organizations recognize that conventional degree requirements often exclude qualified candidates who’ve developed valuable skills—particularly in high-demand areas like machine learning, data science, and automation—through alternative means.”
Legacy Alive & Well
The headlines will always focus on the shiny new toys (not taking away from the leaps forward GenAI has brought to the world) but organisations can’t just wipe their tech estate slate clean and start again.
Financial Services and Public Sector bodies offer contracting opportunities for those underpinning and therefore critical legacy tech stacks, on which new functionality is built. New arrivals into the contracting market will not have these skills, and expertise will become a commodity in demand.
IT Contracting as an Opportunity
Robert Half stipulates that “Contract work will become a significant employment model in 2025, encompassing freelancing, right-to-hire positions, and on-call work. Companies increasingly use contractors to fill critical skill gaps, especially in AI, technology, and marketing, with about 40% of managers planning to use contract professionals for key projects.”
Contingent Tech & Digital offers scope to broaden expertise – no client has the same tech stack – and gain valuable knowledge and differing industry experience. Contractors have always needed to stay relevant and therefore employable: with the speed of technical advancement this is now more common in permanent roles and therefore even more critical. An appetite to evolve, a curiosity to learn, and a willingness to step outside traditional role parameters to gain new skills, will make you stand out from the crowd.
And on that final note (with a nod to the volume of AI generated CVs and applications), to maximise your success, ensure your online persona and/ or CV are representative of skills and clear on capability; if they are technical, include the hobbies and online hangouts evidencing your interests; and build credibility with TA, Recruiters and Hiring Managers and leverage your professional network.
So, the roller coaster may be stomach churning at times, but it is fast, and it is thrilling, and few really want it to end!
