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How AI is (really)

changing talent acquisition

December 8, 2023, Cleveland, OH —AMS, the global talent solutions business responds to latest US Bureau of Labor Market statistics. In November, the US economy added 199,000 new jobs, with the unemployment rate dipping down to 3.7 percent, showing steady growth heading into 2024.

Commenting on the latest statistics Nicky Hancock, Managing Director, Americas Region at AMS said: “As we close out 2023 and head into a new year, AMS is preparing for the innovation that the next 12 months will bring to talent professionals.  While the world of talent is still experiencing both transformational changes and economic impacts, it is promising to see organizations looking to leveraging skills and AI on their roadmap to attracting new hires.

We are seeing ongoing momentum particularly in the areas of technology and automation for industries such as professional services, industrial, retail and consumer sectors. As the discussion around AI evolves, there will be more focus on how companies can use AI, what they should be doing regarding regulations and how they should be using it to drive efficiency.

We have seen a lot of discussion around talent pipelining and scalability with talent teams wanting to be responsive to hiring fluctuation. In addition, we have seen a focus around recognizing gaps in talent technology and when and where to augment products. Moving forward into 2024, it will be of key focus for talent acquisition departments leveraging RPOs to keep up with a more modernized and tech-forward hiring experience to benefit both candidates and their internal teams.”

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21 November 2023 — Global talent solutions business, AMS, is celebrating winning the RPO/MSP/Talent Solutions Company of the Year award at the annual TIARA Recruitment Awards ANZ 2023. The judges praised AMS for its depth of knowledge and expertise which is clearly visible across all areas of the talent sector.

In the ceremony which took place on 16th November 2023, the judging panel made up of talent experts from a variety of industries awarded AMS the “RPO/MSP/Talent Solutions Company of the Year”. The TIARAs (Talint International Annual Recruitment Awards), are distinguished by the rigour and quality of its judging and set a new standard of excellence for the recruitment community which recognises innovation and best practice in the industry across the ANZ region.

Roop Kaistha, Regional Managing Director for APAC at AMS, commented: “We’re incredibly honoured to have walked away with the prestigious ‘RPO/MSP/Talent Solutions Company of the Year’ prize at this year’s TIARA Recruitment Awards ANZ. AMS thrives on innovation and the solutions we deliver are focused on best-in-class experiences which are tailored towards our client’s business needs. In addition, the continued global investments in our technology and digital solutions leave us well placed to further assist our diverse array of clients in developing and executing a strategic approach to talent enabling us to unlock further opportunities in 2024. I’d like to congratulate every member of the winning team for achieving such a fantastic acknowledgement of the work they deliver throughout the region every day.”

November 3, 2023, Cleveland, OH — AMS, the global talent solutions business responds to latest US Bureau of Labor Market statistics. In September, the US economy added 150,000 new jobs against the forecasted growth of 170,000 jobs as the market continues to evolve with macro-economic challenges and sustained talent challenges.

Commenting on the latest statistics Nicky Hancock, Managing Director, Americas Region at AMS said: “In the final months of the year, while hiring continues to be in a state of change, it is an important area of focus and opportunity for many businesses heading into 2024. Some organizations are experiencing less job openings, while others continue to expect demand.”

“For example, in the Investment Banking sector, volumes are forecasted to return in the second half of 2024. And as companies are treading lightly with recruiting, many are asking us to prepare models to scale for them and to help reduce costs, once hiring accelerates.”

“The Life Sciences sector has seen less job openings than average. Nonetheless, talent remains in short supply. Contingent labor is steady and we expect demand for professional contractors to reduce in line with typical seasonal norms as we near the holiday period which is historically a quieter period.”

“In this unpredictable talent acquisition environment, there are still key areas organizations are researching and capitalizing on. As companies prepare for what’s next in their talent acquisition, topics of interest include candidate quality, exploring AI and skills-based hiring as well as looking at recruitment solutions with a tech-enabled lens.”

1 November 2023 — The seventh annual Social Mobility Employer Index, published earlier this week, shows AMS moving up to 39th place, rising through its ranks for the second year.  The Index is the UK’s leading authority on employer-led social mobility and the bellwether of best practice within the social mobility space for UK businesses.

The Index shows how employers perform on eight key areas of employer led social mobility, including their work with young people, routes into the employer, how they attract talent, recruitment and selection, data collection, progression, culture and experienced hire, as well as advocacy and engagement. This year 143 employers across the private, public and voluntary sectors, employing over one million people (1,082,348) were considered for the Top 75 rankings.  The accompanying Index report also features best practice and practical steps all employers can take to improve social mobility.

Measures taken by AMS throughout 2023 have included increasing partnerships and collaboration with key social enterprises, charities, and small businesses as well as a renewed focus on data collection allowing AMS to understand the socio-economic makeup of their colleagues based in the UK&I region.

Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo lead for Social Mobility at AMS commented: “We are honoured to be recognised again as a top 75 employer in the Social Mobility Foundations Employer Index.  This is the second time AMS has entered the Index and to have moved up 4 places further solidifies our commitment to social mobility.  The rationale that lies behind the Index is that the workplace is as important as the classroom in creating social mobility.  Such clarity of focus and belief lies at the heart of AMS’s social mobility strategy and talks to our desire to champion change and level the playing field for the world of work.    Although only 2 years into our social mobility programme of change, we are mindful that we are on a journey and in truth we still have much to do.  Congratulations to all the organisations on this list – AMS is proud to share this platform with you as together we can make significant change.”

Sarah Atkinson, CEO, The Social Mobility Foundation went on to add: “Congratulations to AMS for placing in the Top 75 in this year’s Social Mobility Employer Index again.  This shows continued commitment to ensuring people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds get in, get on and belong in your organisation. Taking action on social mobility is the right thing to do – it’s also the smart thing to do. By accessing and progressing talent from all backgrounds, firms like AMS will benefit from better decision-making, higher productivity and engagement and more innovating thinking.”

31 October 2023 — David Leigh, CEO and Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer of the global talent solutions business, AMS, have again been named in the Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) Staffing 100 Europe List.

Now in its tenth year, this influential list identifies leaders and entrepreneurs who have helped to shape not only their organisation but that of the wider talent industry, both globally and within Europe.  Representing over a dozen countries, the individuals featured in 2023’s list lead an estimated €206 billion market.

David Leigh comments: “I am delighted to be featured on the SIA Staffing 100 Europe list again this year. AMS continues to be well positioned to help our clients navigate the ever-changing complexities of the global talent market and to support their talent technology requirements through advisory tools such as AMS Verified.  In addition, AMS has further enhanced its technology leadership position by supporting clients to deliver better, faster and fairer talent acquisition through our proprietary RPO Operating System, AMS One.”

Matthew Rodger, who has featured in the list for the last 5 consecutive years went on to add: “I am very pleased to be included on this distinguished list of influencers and innovators once again.  Despite the uncertainty in the wider macro-economic environment, AMS has continued to demonstrate strategic growth, having closed out several significant wins across all regions.  Future gazing to 2024, we remain positive that AMS is well positioned for sustained growth, and we will continue to build on our leadership position in the talent technology landscape enabling us to further assist clients in developing and executing their strategic approach to talent.”

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26 October 2023, Cleveland, OH — AMS’s recently released ‘The State of Hourly & High Volume Hiring in 2023’ report found that there are more challenges than ever in hiring hourly and high-volume talent, with 54% of workers quitting in the first few weeks and 45% of candidates “ghosting” recruiters. Despite reduced budgets, competitive labor market and shortages of qualified talent, TA teams have found methods for improving the effectiveness of the hiring process.

Pertinent report data findings include:

  • The top three challenges for sourcing and attracting qualified candidates are wages (53%), skill gaps (33%), and work schedules (32%)
  • Almost half (46%) of participants need 1 to 4 weeks longer to fill hourly and high-volume roles compared to a year ago, with 10% needing more than a month extra
  • The top five technologies for TA teams to improve hiring processes are: Interview scheduling systems — 31%; Applicant tracking systems (ATS) — 26%; Mobile texting — 24%; Candidate relationship management systems (CRM) — 23%; Candidate sourcing systems — 23%

The report dives into recruiting and hiring results by participant level, company size, top challenges, goals, time-to-fill, applicant volume, candidate experience, and more.

Commenting on the state of the hiring in this challenging labor market, Chip Holmes, Managing Director, Client Services stated: “While we cannot control the dynamic nature of the labor market, companies can proactively react to the current environment and gain a competitive talent advantage by integrating proven hiring processes, such as leveraging technologies, services, sources and channels to deliver a great candidate experience. However, it’s important to realize the importance of continually improving the hiring process given the two million people in the U.S. who have still not returned to work after The Great Resignation.”

 

Visit The state of hourly and high volume hiring 2023 for the full whitepaper.

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October 12, 2023, Cleveland, OH — AMS, the global talent solutions business, has announced the findings of its first ‘Talent Leaders’ Attitudes Towards AI’ survey. The survey, part of AMS’s Tech Translated series, investigates the attitudes to using AI in talent acquisition across industries. Results show that despite 70% of talent leaders already embracing AI for simple tasks, only 20% use it for talent acquisition, with 50% remaining cautious due to the impact regulation will have on future AI use.

The survey demonstrates that the full capabilities of new tools to drive talent strategies are not yet being embraced as leaders grapple with integration and policy, despite widespread positive attitudes towards the potential for AI-powered technologies. 30% of talent leaders are ‘extremely enthusiastic’ towards AI and a further 40% rate themselves as ‘optimistic,’ with none saying they are opposed to its implementation in their businesses.

Additionally, 20% of respondents said that AI is having a profound impact on their talent acquisition strategies, with a further 35% acknowledging it could affect their strategy in future.

Commenting on the statistics and the state of AI in talent acquisition, Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director, Tech Strategy and Partnerships stated:

“We’ve only scratched the surface of AI’s capabilities. While the technology is going to get better and easier to manage, companies need to prepare their people and processes for its integration, research local laws and regulations around AI compliance, and determine the next logical step for them in defining how AI can support in solving some of their business problems.”

You can read more on the AMS response to the survey in Tech Translated: What does Artificial Intelligence mean for the talent world?

10 October 2023 —In September, AMS officially launched its partnership with Movement to Work (MtW), a not-for-profit coalition of UK employers, youth-outreach organisations, training providers and government – all aiming to level the playing field for young people, aged 16-30, who are not in employment, education or training. MtW works with employers, free of charge, to design and create vocational workplace opportunities and work experience placements either in-house or through its recommended training providers. MtW counts some of the biggest UK employers among its members including Accenture, BAE Systems, Tesco, BT, Barclays, M&S, Marriott, The Department of Work and Pensions and the British Army.

Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo sponsor for Social Mobility commented: “Since its inception in 1996, social mobility has been part of AMS’s DNA. By officially partnering with MtW, we believe that we can further help ourselves and our clients who wish to diversify their talent pipeline by creating opportunities for candidates from underrepresented talent groups and if needed training them with in-demand skills. With hundreds of organisational members, The Movement has a proven track record of driving social mobility delivering more than 160,000 opportunities to date in the UK. This partnership builds on AMS’s commitment to champion social mobility and helps equip young people with experience and skills they need to achieve their full potential regardless of their early life experience.”

Gillian Churchill, CEO, Movement to Work said: “I am delighted to welcome AMS to the Movement. They are joining a network of like-minded organisations who are committed to helping young people who face barriers to work into quality employment, tapping into fresh and diverse talent which we know delivers significant business benefits. We look forward to developing our partnership and working together to provide more life-changing opportunities for young people across the country.”

October 6, 2023, Cleveland, OH — AMS, the global talent solutions business responds to latest US Bureau of Labor Market statistics. In September, the US economy added 336,000 new jobs against the forecasted growth of 170,000 jobs as interest rates and talent competition both continue to rise, putting pressure on organizations and business models.

Commenting on the latest statistics Nicky Hancock, President, Americas Region at AMS said: “As the market continues to ebb and flow, many industries remain focused on understanding tech strategy, the tech landscape and its impacts to talent acquisition. Overall, high volume hiring has slowed slightly but remains competitive with a push to utilize more technology and outpace competitors.

While businesses are using a measured approach to hiring, there is focus in financial services on how to leverage technology and tech-skilling. Cyber resilience has also become a critical topic as companies seek appropriate talent to fill key security roles. In other industries such as life sciences, hiring continues to slow due to economic headwinds.

From a global location strategy perspective, there is an increasing desire to move core functions to India due to a growing talent pool (recently passing EMEA as the second largest behind the Americas for life sciences and pharma).

In Q3, our contingent labor portfolio saw a general decline in contract positions across industry sectors. As we enter Q4, we are starting to see positive signs that contingent labor vacancies are beginning to fill. We expect this trend to continue as organizations lean on contingent hiring as economic headwinds and uncertainties persist.”

September 13, 2023, Cleveland, Ohio — Latest research by global talent solutions business, AMS and The Josh Bersin Company indicated that global internal hiring rates have slumped over just three years.  With global talent shortages in many sectors and a lack of skills still holding back many organizations, a lack of focus on internal talent is in danger of hindering productivity and growth.

The Talent Climate series, a set of quarterly reports explores the current turbulent world of talent, providing up-to-date and in-depth insights, trends and solutions on how to tackle changing global conditions. The second in the series focuses on global “internal hiring” rates which have slumped from 40% of all hires in 2020 to just 24% in 2022 and a continued downward trend into 2023.

It means that very often companies are losing the talent they have trained, invested in and nurtured and in a cost-conscious market, with time-to-hire rates on the rise, the perfect candidate for that open role, could be right under their noses.

The talent experts at AMS have developed a five-point plan to make the most of that internal hiring strategy.

  1. Map your available skills: use talent intelligence to drive your internal hiring strategy and understand the skills and experience you have within your teams. Find the adjacent skills to your open roles and understand how you can upskill or reskill talent to meet your requirements.
  2. Create a culture of talent mobility: Reward managers that develop and progress talent over those that hoard talent.  Create a culture where internal mobility and internal talent is prized and celebrated.
  3. Empower your TA function: treat your internal talent like external candidates and ensure they have access to open roles and opportunities across functions and teams. Empower your TA function to identify and engage with potential internal talent in the same way that they would for external talent
  4. Invest in your technology: technology is nothing without a clear strategy to drive it but once you know the direction you’re going in, it is invaluable to helping you collate skills, match candidates, understand attrition rates and ultimately retain your expensive and hard-won talent.
  5. Embrace a skills-based approach to hiring: working with hiring managers to help them understand a skills-led over experience-led approach to open roles can be transformative to improving internal hiring rates. Often that institutional knowledge can go a long way to speeding up on-boarding and allowing an individual to find their feet in a role, team or function which is otherwise completely new to them.

Jim Sykes, Global Managing Director of Client Operations at AMS said:  “The latest Talent Climate series data will make challenging reading for many talent acquisition teams who have spent so long bringing great talent into organisations only to see it walk out the door to find new opportunities.

The slump in internal hiring is driven primarily by three factors, a lack of internal technology infrastructure to really help companies map skills and understand career paths, a perception managers “lose” talent from their  teams if individuals move, even internally, and the difficulties many hiring managers have in embracing the advantages of a skills-based hiring approach.

Our five-point plan can help create a strategic internal candidate programme which gets to the heart of driving improvements in culture, retention of key skills, reduction in time-to-hire rates and crucially in this market, cost. Top talent is hard won in this environment and with the skills organizations seek often hidden in their current employee base, internal hiring deserves to move higher up the talent agenda.”

Read the report in full here: The Talent Climate Series - AMS

Join our webinar for further an in-depth discussion with Talent leaders from across industries:
The Talent Climate: Internal Mobility – A Bright Spot in the Storm

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