I had the pleasure of hosting a panel discussion with three of our AMS clients, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and GSK at the 2024 Institute of Student Employers Global Conference last week.
Our panel are tenured Global Early Careers Leads and run recruitment campaigns and programmes across EMEA, the Americas, APAC and India. It was fascinating to get under the skin of some of the benefits, challenges and regional complexities.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of running programmes globally?
My first question to the panel was around the benefits and disadvantages of running Early Careers programmes globally.
We heard about how a global Early Careers programme can provide the c-suite with a global lens on skills, diversity, and other key business drivers. Bringing in an annual intake to pivot on skills shortages can provide strategic advantage and boost workforce planning efforts. Different regions and locations bring different skills and the ability to leverage multiple regions and feeding this knowledge into the bigger picture is transformational. For example, the growing trend of recruiting apprentices in the UK across back and now front office investment banking roles, and the strong growth of technology hubs in India.
We know Generation Z are globally mobile and expect to be treated like consumers so selling a global product and introducing them to a global network resonates. There are also cost efficiencies around managing partnerships globally, streamlining resources more effectively and using tools and technology at a greater scale.
Disadvantages mentioned were the time spent on the internal politics and complexity. HR will drive for global consistency, but the business will often want the opposite so finding that ‘glocal’ approach can be a challenge. Additionally establishing a global footprint will come with global risk exposure, particularly in the finance sector where managing risk is critical. This can be time consuming to get right and consistent governance and controls will need to be in place and regulated.
From a marketing perspective, within countries, global brands can be diluted, for example the top ten organisations regularly appearing in the highfliers research are often those with a strong in country focus such as the big 4, NHS and BBC. A brand will have different levels of employee attractiveness across the regions.
What are the operational challenges?
I then asked the panel about the operational challenges of running a global early careers campaign. We covered off multiple factors. The fact that different universities have different approaches. For example, some of the legalities in EMEA where universities can dictate salaries to be paid and the complexity of how campus recruiting works in India in conjunction with the campus placement officers.
Assessment also is different per region so establishing a one size fits all is often not possible. For example, online testing in the US comes with its own legal complexities. Another challenge is the ease of hiring and retaining the campus recruiter skill set in some countries where is has not been delivered as a specialism previously.
Furthermore, with the number of stakeholders involved and the interconnection required, it can be complicated to get stakeholders to align and to make decisions. Data is one of the key benefits of a global campaign but agreeing what to measure can be a complex and needs to have some consistency across an often-divergent process.
The final challenge discussed was around diversity, equity and inclusion which has different meanings in different countries. We discussed the focus in India, on gender and disability which is different to the US and UK so trying to find alignment in focus and reporting can be involved.
What advice would you give to organisations looking to set up a global campaign?
The third question I asked the panel was about advice they would offer for organisations who are looking to set up a global campaign. And the main advice was that no one size fits all. Consequently, it is key to focus on where your organisation want to be consistent and where it need to be different. Bringing local embedded subject matter experts together as a global team with a common purpose will be a great starting point. Matrix ownership can be beneficial i.e., the US regional lead also manages attraction globally, the APAC regional lead also looks after data.
Alignment is of course valuable, but it is not necessary to shoe-horn countries into a global approach e.g. diversity will always need to be regionally sensitive. Also, a reminder not to under-estimate the basics e.g. time zones for meetings, and networking events. We also talked about the importance of working through the balance between cohort hiring and ad hoc hiring as you gradually create some cohesion across the global offering.
As ever in the world of talent acquisition it is a challenge to balance the needs of the business and what works in recruitment however bringing early careers hires together in centrally managed cohorts rather than on an ad hoc basis does provide the ability to space hiring out. Moreover, creating greater definition across the application process start dates and deadlines will come with benefits as we increasingly see early careers recruitment stretching across the whole year.
I would like to reiterate my gratitude to our panel members for spending time with us and helping grow our knowledge around global early careers programmes.
At AMS we support over 30 early careers and campus programmes, some global and some regional and have supported with over 28,000 hires this season. If you would like to talk to us about how we can support you, contact us.
We have made it through the first few months of 2024! And as many industries have had to make changes and find new cost cutting measures in their hiring, we’ve seen momentum in employment numbers across various parts of the world. There is a common consensus around one thing – the way companies are hiring is changing. Flexibility is becoming the name of the game. In my recent catch-ups with various talent leaders – versatility, flexibility and adaptability have been commonly discussed. Here are some of the things I’ve heard in my travels through the talent backroads:
Adapting to market swings, but increasing productivity: In banking and tech, and especially in big cities, the pendulum is swinging back to the employer in terms of hiring strength. With ups and downs in the market there is an increased focus on how to respond to this and still accelerate productivity. Companies are discussing how to collaborate intelligently to increase output.
Remaining flexible to ever-changing roles: With the great “skills mismatch” still a hot topic, there is still a shortage of tech roles. But, in some areas there is a surplus of talent. There are gaps, as well as layoffs. Understanding what roles, by industry and field, are available or limited is of increasing importance.
Employee workplace locations are versatile: With talent having settled into remote work situations, there is still a desire for adjustable location requirements and candidates are willing to move for anything that makes a difference. There are situations where super commuting is occurring – employees live in one location and fly in for a few days and return home. As an employer, understanding what hires want – especially location wise – and balancing that with your strategic needs will be the sweet spot.
Adjusting to a changing qualifications environment: Out with just resumes and in with personality. The new normal will continue to look like a blend of background meets soft skills. Diverse talent, past life experience, transferrable skills, internal mobility will all count in the future of hiring.
Preference is a big driver for success: Pairing well with soft skills, an employee’s interest in a role also counts now. With the move to skills-based hiring companies have a greater ability to assess candidate interests in tandem with capabilities to fulfil a role.
Talent pool volume, but quality reigns supreme: Finding the right person in a pool of applicants full of increasing needs, wants, and asks, can feel like a whirlwind. How will this boost my career? What kind of culture do you have? What values can speak to? It can sometimes feel like a hiring manager is caught in an intricate web of demands between the employer and the candidates. But, quality and pinpointing the ideal fit for a role is going to be made more possible with technology. Hiring managers are remaining agile while determined to find quality talent.
As the year ramps up, we look forward to an interesting next 6 months in talent. We are excited about how companies will digitally evolve to maximize on their opportunity to hire great talent across a range of sectors and skills.
The highlight of my month came last week when I teamed up with Jamie Pirie, AMS Client Solutions Director,and Debra Sparshot, Talent Industry Expert & Analyst from TALiNT Partners, to host a virtual roundtable focusing on the most important topics for early career leaders and organisations across EMEA. It was a great chance to step away from the day-to-day and share insights on key considerations for 2024 when hiring and nurturing early talent.
The roundtable attendees were a fantastic blend of TA professionals, some with highly strategic, well established early career programmes and others at the start of their journey to elevate early careers within their organization. This mix of experience made for a rich discussion across many topics, from authentic attraction methods, diversity, new routes for early talent into organisations, nurturing talent pipelines, hiring for skills and potential and how to bring the business along for the ride!
My key takeaways:
Assessing for skills and potential allows you to remove traditional methods of assessment that can have adverse impact on certain diverse groups, and coupled with educating the business on the benefits and considerations around this change, as well as having a method for reviewing and refining your approach, can lead to strong outcomes that help build your future talent pipelines.
The competition for talent is increasing and early talent candidates are looking for authentic messaging and storytelling to help them decide where to apply. Utilizing existing early talent employees and ambassadors to create meaningful day-in-the-life insights for candidates to get a true picture (the good and the bad) of what it is like to work for your organization can open doors for talent that wouldn’t have previously considered applying and increase the retention of your new hires; ‘shiny’ imagery that paints a perfect picture no longer resonates and leads to disappointment once the candidate joins.
Retention of early talent during, and post-program, is an ongoing challenge that employers must prioritize through robust development, progression and retention strategies. Being clear in your attraction on the possible career pathways, again through real examples and authentic storytelling, as well as the development a person will receive, is something that candidates today are definitely looking out for.
There were so many other takeaways and I look forward to continuing the conversation in further roundtables and conversations. Thank you to all of the participants for an engaging and open discussion and to Debra for another expertly facilitated session. If you would like to be part of future roundtables or want to discuss your early careers talent strategy with myself or other AMS experts please reach out to me at [email protected]
When speaking to clients over the last several months, one of the common themes has been “the market is going to turn soon, will people stay at my company?” It’s an important question, and a prime reason why our team is focusing on Talent, not just TA. Employees are tired and burned out from taking on more responsibility as colleagues are laid off; negotiating with employers over WFH vs remote work; figuring out how to use an influx of new technology seemingly every single day. Those clients that are focused on reskilling, internal mobility and employee engagement, will have the best retention success.
As a leader of people, creating a partnership with your HR organization and focusing on Talent not just talent acquisition, will help your business. Take time to understand how your employees want to grow. Understand what opportunities are available in other parts of the business and what skills are needed for the future success of your company. Encourage your employees to network internal and learn ways to add new value to the organization. Taking the time to hone your skills as a manager, will be a good return on investment for your people.
As the job market has cooled and companies are cutting costs, overworked and underserved employees can start to feel disconnected from the company’s mission or don’t see internal career growth on the horizon.
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As many organizations think about how they are going to evolve the skill of prompt engineering in order to maximize the potential of generative AI, it may start with something as simple as identifying who in the organization has a strong skill of facilitation, active listening, and probing skills.
Working in the consulting space, a difference between a star consultant and an average consultant may not always be differences in deep subject matter expertise, but rather the ability to obtain and convey the right information at the right time to the right people. If we were as thoughtful and structured in how we communicate when interacting with one another as we are when structuring an AI conversation, we might just reach our end goals and outcomes more efficiently and effectively.
I’m not suggesting we become robotic, after all, I think we all enjoy a little humor and play whether we’re interacting with AI or humans!
None of the above will come to fruition if you fail to be a good, active listener. This is crucial. By demonstrating genuine interest and engagement in what stakeholders are saying you can put stakeholders at ease and encourage them to share information and insights.
The days when a manager could succeed by a weekly team meeting and counting employee output have long passed. We now live in a world where employees are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work and to integrate personal life into business life. As a result, we get to know each other better, we care for each other more and our work benefits from both. This change also means that topics once hidden under dark of night, are now discussed between manager and employee.
This Harvard Business Review article makes a strong case for companies to proactively support employees experiencing menopause. By employers getting ahead of health conditions, including menopause, the employee base feels supported, knows where to go for resources and is able to stay healthier and therefore more productive.
So the answer? Yes, you can talk about menopause at work, and as a leader you should learn how to create a successful conversation.
When the workforce has improved physical and mental health, everyone wins.
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For Parts 1, 2, and 3 of this series, visit here – Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
Pillars of Resilience 4: Structures
Having examined three key pillars of organisational resilience, we arrive at the fourth and final pillar. After attitudes, beliefs, and agility, structures are the final major component whose embedding into a business ensures it emerges stronger from times of crisis.
An Example: Talent Structures
Robust talent structures are often highlighted for the pivotal role they play in resilience, particularly following the Great Resignation and accompanying ‘War for Talent’ in which many businesses are caught. The Great Resignation, otherwise known as the Great Attrition or even the Great Reshuffle, is an economic trend that has, since the start of 2021, seen unprecedented numbers of employees resigning from their posts. Major motivations include poor company culture, lack of growth opportunities, inadequate flexible working models, childcare issues, and low salaries. Perhaps not too surprisingly, surveys have revealed that those who have found new employment are experiencing improved pay, opportunities, flexibility, and work-life balance than they had been offered by their previous post.
The message from PwC’s latest Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey is clear; the Great Resignation is not over. 26% of the global workforce intends to resign in the next 12 months, compared to 19% last year, with employees feeling stifled and unfulfilled. Albeit that, as we saw earlier in this series, many global CEOs are anticipating a five-day return to offices, the data point in the opposing direction, towards the need for reinvention and the cooperant energy and support of the workforce.
The War for Talent is an intertwined subject, referring to the increasingly competitive climate in which organisations are trying to retain and recruit employees. The most significant predictor of industry-adjusted attrition is toxic corporate culture, with job insecurity and failure to recognise employee performance among the top five. Interestingly, very high levels of innovation are counted as a dissuasive factor for employees, suggesting that innovation must not come at the expense of culture; business leaders must find a healthy medium.
The Life Sciences industry is not a neutral party in the War for Talent; while it has always experienced attrition, there is today a higher proportion of talent migrating out of the sector altogether, forcing business leaders to rethink talent strategies that address not just attrition but an ever-widening skills gap. 80% of pharmaceutical companies reports a skills mismatch, indicating that, particularly in this climate, senior leaders need to re-evaluate recruitment and prioritise upskilling.
Equipping leadership
Executive education
Similarly to what we have seen in regard to the first three pillars, executive education programmes can help to develop senior management as they embed certain structures and frameworks into their organisations. A course like Mastering Talent Management: Hiring, Engaging, and Rewarding A+ Talent offered by Wharton equips talent leaders with methods, strategies, and tools for employee engagement, increased people analytics competency, and knowledge of incentive and reward frameworks. However, structures for resilience are by no means limited to talent. The Asian Institute of Management offered the course Crisis Leadership in November 2023, which aimed to empower learners to build crisis management structures into their leadership and businesses, including frameworks for situational assessment and crisis communication plans.
Rotational assignments
In the last instalment, I highlighted how rotational assignments can play a part in furnishing leaders and emerging leaders with cognitive agility. Indeed, a survey of 143 CHROs, conducted by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, found that providing rotational assignments for emerging leaders ranked highly for importance as a practice for developing future C-Suite, higher even than leadership development programmes or mentoring. The extent of their perceived importance is likely down to the truly empirical insight such assignments offer into different business areas, locations, project types, and indeed structures. Rotational assignments within business units and their varying working models and structures enhances a leader or aspirant leader’s comprehension of the entire organisation and equips her to then create and tailor the right frameworks for resilience.
Do you want to discuss your leadership talent strategy, or need help identifying and attracting the right leaders for your business?
A collaboration with AMS Executive Search means an holistic and nuanced approach to securing the best individuals for your life sciences organisation, from Drug Programme Leaders to Chief Commercial Officers. To have a conversation, please get in touch via LinkedIn or email.
The month of October has acknowledged a number of milestones moments with UK Black History Month, World Mental Health Day, World Menopause Day and National Parents Week. We also acknowledged National Domestic Abuse Awareness Month in October which could possibly be seen as unusual to observe in a professional setting. However, it’s something that we need to raise further awareness of given the impact employment can have for Domestic Abuse Survivors.
At AMS, we have partnered with EIDA, Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse, which brings together a network of employers to build awareness, share best practice and champion change to take effective action on Domestic Abuse in the UK.
The below article in the Guardian highlights why employers need to take action, and unavoidable stats include:
56% of employees said that domestic abuse led to absenteeism
54% said that it caused the quality of their work to suffer
£66billion is the economic cost of domestic abuses in England & Wales in 2016/17
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime
This month, AMS & EIDA delivered a joint session to nearly 190 UK&I colleagues to raise awareness of Domestic Abuse, spot signs and support colleagues. We have built a Domestic Abuse Resource hub and hope to continue the momentum from the initiatives this month, prioritising wellbeing and offering a safe and supportive environment that won’t tolerate domestic abuse in any form.
Not long ago, the idea that domestic abuse could be talked about in the workplace would have seemed incongruous, even shocking.
In the ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace, the recognition and accommodation of neurodiversity have gained momentum. Neurodiversity acknowledges that neurological differences are a natural part of human diversity, and it champions the idea that individuals with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more bring unique strengths to the table. One interesting field at the intersection of neuroscience and workplace design, known as neuroergonomics, is playing a pivotal role in promoting neurodiversity considerations in the workplace. By tailoring work environments and practices to better suit the cognitive and sensory needs of neurodivergent individuals, neuroergonomics is fostering a more inclusive and productive workforce.
Neuroergonomics, as a scientific discipline, explores the interface between human cognition, sensory perception, and the physical work environment. It seeks to understand how the design of workspaces, tools, and processes can influence an individual’s cognitive performance and overall well-being. This emerging field takes into account a broad spectrum of cognitive abilities, sensory preferences, and neurodiversity characteristics, thereby contributing to an inclusive and supportive work environment.
In recent years, there has been a perceptible shift in the way organizations perceive and accommodate neurodiversity. Increasingly, companies are recognizing the benefits of a diverse workforce that includes individuals with neurological differences. These individuals often bring unique talents to their roles.
However, supporting neurodiverse workplaces requires more than just recognizing its potential advantages. It involves creating an environment where neurodivergent employees can thrive, and this is where neuroergonomics comes into play.
Neuroergonomics is fundamentally concerned with creating environments that are conducive to optimal cognitive performance. It is particularly relevant in accommodating the sensory and cognitive preferences of neurodivergent individuals. Here are some key considerations:
Sensory-Friendly Workspaces: Neurodivergent individuals may have heightened sensitivities to sensory stimuli. A neuroergonomic approach involves designing workspaces that consider lighting, noise levels, and the layout of the workspace to minimize distractions and sensory overload.
Personalized Workstations: Customizable workstations allow employees to tailor their immediate environment to suit their needs. For example, adjustable desks and chairs, as well as noise-canceling headphones, can help individuals create a workspace that enhances their productivity.
Clear Communication: Visual aids and clear communication strategies can be implemented to help employees better understand tasks, schedules, and expectations.
Structured Work Processes: Providing clear instructions and structuring work processes can help individuals stay organized and focused.
Flexibility and Inclusivity: Accommodating flexible work hours, remote work options, and allowing for alternative communication methods can benefit employees who may have different preferences or challenges.
Mentoring and Support Networks: Encouraging mentorship and support networks within the workplace can help individuals adapt and thrive.
The incorporation of neuroergonomics principles into the workplace has the potential to yield a myriad of benefits, including improved productivity, enhanced wellbeing, innovation, talent attraction & retention, and compliance with legal and ethical standards.
The rise of neuroergonomics represents a significant step forward in supporting neurodiversity in the workplace. By recognizing the unique cognitive and sensory characteristics of neurodiverse individuals and tailoring work environments to accommodate their needs, organizations can unlock the potential of all their employees. A neurodivergent-friendly workplace not only promotes inclusion but also leads to increased productivity, innovation, and employee well-being. As neuroergonomics continues to develop and gain recognition, it offers a promising avenue for creating a more diverse and equitable workforce.
Neuroergonomics, as a scientific discipline, explores the interface between human cognition, sensory perception, and the physical work environment.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) is hugely important to everything we do at AMS.
Recently our DEI EMEA Committee hosted a session on Belonging and the Strengths of Diverse Societies. I was joined by EMEA DEI co-leaders Zuzanna Ananiew and Beejal Pattni as we explored themes on belonging, multiculturalism and how wider societal trends impact our sense of belonging in the workplace.
Belonging and the Strengths of Diverse Societies focused on the importance of fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment at AMS. We are conscious that as a global community, many of our colleagues have diverse and immigrant backgrounds, myself included being based in Germany. We explored various dimensions of belonging, shared insights from our leaders into building inclusive forums, and discussed approaches to leverage the diversity within our workplace for our collective growth and development.
Our session builds upon the past years where EMEA DEI has celebrated UN World Day for Cultural Diversity highlighting the importance of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and development. Over the past 2 years we have hosted very well attended webinar sessions exploring Intercultural Communication and Awareness and Enhancing Cultural Competencies.
I truly believe that diversity makes us all stronger, driving more innovation and engagement, that flows through to great solutions for our clients. One area of strong encouragement is how engaged our people are with our Employee Resource Groups, based on what our people are passionate about. Our ERGs act as critical friends to the business, are hugely committed to driving change and creating a culture of inclusivity for all employees with an engaging calendar of events to which their reach and influence is growing all the time.
All this contributes to enabling us to collectively build a genuine sense of belonging and bring our true, bold, authentic selves to work.
Our on-going success as a global leader in Talent Acquisition will be powered by the life experiences, diverse opinions, and unique skills of all our people across the globe. Importantly, if we cannot individually bring our whole selves to work, then we are only just collectively being present.
