One of the most prevalent questions that hiring leaders ask my team is something to the effect of, “What talent technologies should we use?” When probing a bit further, the question usually turns to how to decrease cost, increase speed, drive efficiencies, improve speed to productivity, and/or increase quality.
Ultimately, the underlying question is, “How can we create better hiring experiences that result in significantly better business outcomes?”
Historically, we may have said that HR, and more specifically Talent Acquisition, is a laggard when it comes to having access to great technology compared to other parts of an organization. That’s no longer the case. The technology exists, but the lag now is in putting the right solutions together and orchestrating the experiences. This means that we can now lead the hiring experience design, particularly in high-volume hiring, based on technology first.
Instead of trying to determine what recruiting teams will do and then plugging in enabling technologies based on gaps or manual tasks, lead with the technology and then determine where and how people should be activated into the experience to achieve better outcomes.
If we look at the common challenges in high-volume hiring, they are generally around high no-show rates, low retention, and a mismatch of candidate and company expectations. So, what roles should exist in a high-volume recruitment team if you already have a technology-led experience that enables application to offer in a matter of minutes?
Insights and Success Project Managers: Team members that are looking at sentiment analysis and performance metrics across all personas in the hiring process, identifying early indicators, and creating action plans. These roles would be highly skilled in using AI and insights-based data and analytics to develop systematized action plans that guide Brand and Attraction Strategists, Digital Experience Analysts, Recruiters, and other team members on where to focus. Think about these individuals as having a Scrum Master-like role.
Brand, Content, and Campaign Strategists: Team members that deeply understand personas and localized nuances, focusing on leveraging the company’s EVP to develop and execute content and marketing strategies through multi-channel approaches. These roles are highly skilled in leveraging technologies such as content management systems, programmatic advertising, and social listening.
Digital Experience Analysts and System Administrators: Individuals who focus on creating the experience and optimizing digital interactions while also ensuring the core recruiting platforms are configured in a way that optimally supports the process. These individuals will collaborate cross-functionally with Employer Brand/Recruitment Marketing, Recruiters, Analysts, TA leaders, and TA technology partners to evolve the experience, perform system configuration, develop prototypes for evolved experiences, and provide overall project management to execute iterative changes.
Experience Agents: Experience agents are team members that ensure candidates do not get stuck or slip through the cracks. While Digital Experience Analysts will undoubtedly focus on ensuring candidates are cared for through strong technology configuration and design, there may be times when a candidate needs an off-ramp, or a person needs to step in. These roles are like customer service representatives that we may experience in our consumer life when the self-serve or digital assistant just can’t quite resolve the situation for us.
Recruiters: I hope you did not think I was going to say that Recruiters do not have a role in technology-first high-volume hiring! At the end of the day, we are all people who crave human interaction, including the most introverted individuals. Even with the best technology, there is a level of trust and encouragement that only human-to-human interaction can deliver. Recruiters have a critical role in high-volume hiring to have consultative conversations with managers and handle the important touchpoints that it may take to convert and retain candidates in an organization.
Now the roles may not be labeled exactly as these titles or there will be some nuances in the skills and roles for your specific business. When you have successfully designed and activated a technology-first high volume solution, you likely will not need as many people.
However, the roles and type of the work being done by people is increased in strategic value and, overall, the solution should yield materially improved business outcomes. These outcomes should be measured through sentiment analysis, time, quality, and speed, as well as linked to overall business outcomes such as productivity and sales metrics.
In this episode of the ‘Ask the Expert’ podcast with Jeff Nugent, Co-Founder of the Contingent Workforce Institute, we delve deep into different approaches to contingent workforce strategies.
During our conversation, I shared insights on how harnessing an organization’s brand can revolutionize the recruitment process for contingent labor. We also examine the parallels between RPO and Direct Sourcing discussing our collective view that Direct Sourcing should be viewed as Contingent Recruitment Process Outsourcing (CRPO), as well as the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of such programs.
Additionally, we reflected on the lessons learned from decades of experience in this field.
Our discussion sheds light on the importance of strategic workforce planning and the significant impact it can have on an organization’s ability to succeed in today’s dynamic business environment.
To learn more about Integrating contingent labor into strategic talent planning, click here.
To explore Contingent Process Outsourcing, click here.
According to the UK Government’s 2023 State of the Nation report, adults with lower working-class parents are about 3 times as likely – 30% against 11% – to be in a working-class occupation compared to adults with higher professional parents. In education, people whose parents had degrees are far more likely – 64% against 18% – to get a degree than those whose parents had no qualifications.
Social mobility, officially recognized as an area of diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) thanks to the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission, is linked to equality of opportunity: the extent to which people have the same chances to do well in life regardless of the socio-economic background of their parents, their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, birthplace, or other circumstances beyond their control.
According to a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK social mobility is at its worst in over 50 years. Now is the time for businesses to fulfill their social and ethical obligations by promoting social mobility in the workplace.
According to the Sutton Trust, enhancing social mobility within UK businesses to align with the average level seen in Western Europe could potentially lead to a 9% boost in GDP. This increase is equivalent to £2,620 per person, or a total of £170 billion added to the UK economy annually.
What is Social Mobility?
Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, or other social units between positions of varying advantage in the system of social stratification of a society. (International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001).
Many sociologists have traditionally concentrated on examining mobility between occupational classes, specifically the types of jobs individuals hold. In contrast, economists have more recently shifted their focus toward analysing income mobility.
Social mobility and equality of opportunity can be measured in terms of occupation, income, or ‘social class’, but can also encompass other measurements of social well-being such as health and education.
When an individual experiences a shift in their position, particularly in their occupation, without a change in social class, it is referred to as “horizontal mobility.” On the other hand, if the transition results in a change in social class, it is known as “vertical mobility,” which can manifest as either “upward mobility” or “downward mobility.”
The key markers of social mobility are health, education, housing, income, race, and gender.
In the workplace, social mobility pertains to an individual’s capacity to ascend or descend within the hierarchy or structure of a company or organization. It encompasses the progression a person’s career and enhancement of their job role, salary, and overall professional standing within their current workplace.
“This class pay gap is not just an indictment of professional employers. It is morally unjust and economically illiterate.” Alan Milburn, Social Mobility Foundation chair
Why is social mobility important?
People from disadvantaged backgrounds have fewer opportunities to climb the socio-economic ladder. The current economic situation in the UK is likely to exacerbate the UK’s social divides, limiting the career prospects of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Social mobility plays a crucial role in the health of the economy.
In 2021, services industries in the UK contributed £1.7bn in gross value to the economy, 80% of the total figure. A recent report by the Law Society highlighted the importance of social mobility in the professional services sector, stating that a lack of it poses a significant threat to Britain’s competitiveness and productivity.
According to the World Economic Forum, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by rapid globalization and technological advancements, has resulted in a rise in inequality. For instance, the Forum highlights that the top 1% of earners in the United States saw their income increase by 158% between 1979 and 2018, while the bottom 90% experienced only a 24% increase. This disparity underscores the widening gap between the wealthiest individuals and the majority of the population, highlighting the urgent need for policies that address income inequality and promote economic inclusivity.
“As the hiring demands for tech skills in the UK continues to rise, organisations are finding it challenging to access the talent they need to innovate and progress. The UK government recognises the importance of the tech sector and tech skills for improving the UK economy, but also acknowledges there is a significant shortage of available candidates in the market.” Mel Barnett, managing director, Public Sector Resourcing
PwC’s Future of Government research asked 4,000 people across the UK about their concerns around social mobility and the actions that they think government and businesses should take in response. The polling revealed that business has a vital role to play in improving the social mobility of younger generations, with calls from the public for better access to opportunities, work experience, and career pathways, and greater investment in apprenticeships and skills.
Implementing a social mobility strategy is not only an ethical decision, but it also plays a crucial role in shaping a more skilled and prepared workforce for the future. It not only expands the talent pool for an organization, but also enhances its appeal to potential recruits, especially the influential Generation Z, who will soon comprise the majority of the workforce. It not only fosters growth and improves local economies where an organisation operates, but it also contributes to the development of more equitable and cohesive communities.
Promoting socio-economic inclusivity is also a strategic business decision. Diverse workforces have been proven to be more innovative, productive, and better equipped to navigate the challenges of the future. By embracing inclusivity, organizations can unlock new perspectives, ideas, and talents that drive success and growth.
PwC’s global 2022 Hopes and Fears survey revealed that employees expect their employer to have strong ESG credentials; three-quarters say that they want to work for an organisation that makes a positive contribution to society, and 54% say that transparency around diversity in their employer is extremely or very important to them.
Prospective employees and clients are increasingly seeking out companies that prioritize purpose, not just profit. By championing the social mobility agenda, businesses can effectively balance their commercial interests with making a positive impact and preparing their workforce for the future.
Where compares with the UK?
The social mobility geographical patterns in the UK are striking. People of a working-class background who grew up in Outer London (West and North) had a 46% chance of becoming professionals, while those growing up in Northern Ireland had only a 28% chance.
The first round of the government’s Levelling Up funding saw £1.7bn distributed among 105 UK towns and cities, with further plans to invest in skills training, in some of the UK’s most deprived areas.
Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies suggested that on a wide variety of measures, regional disparities in the UK are greater than in most comparable countries.
In a study conducted by Wilkinson and Pickett, the results of which were initially published in 2009, an in-depth analysis of social mobility in developed countries was carried out. Among the eight countries examined – Canada, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, the UK, and the US – it was found that the US exhibited the highest level of economic inequality and the lowest level of economic mobility. Further research has consistently shown that the US has notably low mobility for individuals at the bottom of the socioeconomic hierarchy, with mobility gradually improving as one ascends the ladder.
Research comparing social mobility across developed nations has shown that Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Canada have the lowest intergenerational income elasticity, indicating higher levels of social mobility. In these countries, less than 20% of the advantages of having a high-income parent are passed on to their children.
In countries like India, it is common for educated women not to use their education to move up the social ladder due to cultural and traditional customs.
Chile and Brazil, two countries characterized by high levels of inequality, also exhibit some of the lowest levels of social mobility.
Who are the key players?
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC)exists to create a United Kingdom where the circumstances of birth do not determine outcomes in life. The SMC’s State of the Nationreport, is an annual report on social mobility in the UK, which sets out their views on the progress made towards improving social mobility in United Kingdom.
The Social Mobility Index is a framework for measuring social mobility in the UK. It enables a systematic look at social mobility outcomes, as well as the drivers behind social mobility. It sets out a long-term vision for measuring and monitoring social mobility outcomes over the next 30 years across the UK.
The Social Mobility Foundation is a UK-based non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the social mobility agenda, by directly supporting young people through their Aspiring Professionals Programme and influencing employers to support people with potential in their professional progression. The foundation’s Employer Indexis the leading national study analysing the efforts of employers to improve social mobility within the workplace.
The Sutton Trustchampions social mobility through programmes, research, and policy influence through key priority areas; early years, schools, higher education, access to the workplace, and apprenticeships. According to the Sutton Trust, enhancing social mobility within UK businesses to align with the average level seen in Western Europe could potentially lead to a 9% boost in GDP. This increase is equivalent to £2,620 per person, or a total of £170 billion added to the UK economy on an annual basis.
The Global Social Mobility Index was created by the World Economic Forum in 2020 in response to the impact of globalization and technological advancements on social mobility worldwide. 82 countries were measured on five key metrics: education, access to technology, healthcare, social protection, and employment opportunities. The top 10 countries with the highest social mobility index scores are located in Europe, with the majority of those being Nordic Countries. Nordic countries lead the index for several reasons, including excellent job opportunities, social safety nets and high-quality education programmes.
The highest possible score a country could receive was 100.
(Source: World Population Review)
“When it comes to social mobility and sustainability, if we can support our customers’ goals in these areas, it’s a win/win. In the public sector, social value is a crucial factor, so being able to demonstrate our work in this area is incredibly important and we have a real responsibility to do the right thing.” Anna Crowe, client operations director, AMS
How can we promote social mobility?
How businesses address social mobility will play a pivotal role in fostering a thriving and prosperous UK. Developing an effective social mobility strategy is not a straightforward task. It necessitates a shift in mindset, wherein the entire organization re-evaluates its approach to talent acquisition and recruitment. Both public and private sector organisations have a role to play in advancing the social mobility agenda.
Our recommendations for organisations looking to advance social mobility
Start with the data. Historically, organizations have neglected to collect socio-economic data on their workforce, resulting in significant gaps in knowledge regarding key challenges, effective solution targeting, and potential areas of impact. This oversight has also contributed to a lack of insight into the extent of socio-economic diversity within the workforce and the identification of potential barriers. For instance, it remains unclear whether these barriers manifest at various stages of the employee lifecycle (from recruitment to advancement), within specific business locations or functions, or in conjunction with other demographic factors like ethnicity and gender. Addressing these gaps in data collection and analysis is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace environment.
Increase upskilling and reskilling. Access to upskilling and reskilling opportunities is not evenly distributed. Leaders must establish inclusive opportunities by providing training and work experience to their employees as well as the broader community. This can be achieved through partnerships with educational institutions and charitable organizations.
Broaden your talent pool. Many businesses continue to view universities as their main source of talent, whether consciously or unconsciously, limiting their talent pool. PwC’s research indicates that 83% of the general public views access to local employment opportunities as a significant obstacle to achieving social mobility. Businesses have the opportunity to leverage virtual work arrangements to offer valuable work experience opportunities and expand their talent pool through targeted recruitment campaigns.
Review end-to-end recruitment process. Organizations should thoroughly review and analyze each step in the hiring process. This includes assessing job posting language to ensure it is inclusive and free from biases, expanding outreach efforts to reach a more diverse pool of candidates, implementing blind resume screening practices to remove any unconscious biases, providing equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of their background or education level, and setting clear diversity goals for hiring managers to follow. By taking a comprehensive approach to enhancing social mobility in recruitment, organizations can create a more equitable and diverse workforce that reflects the values of inclusivity and equal opportunity.
Reassess procurement. This entails considering how vendor selection criteria can be adjusted to provide opportunities for historically marginalized groups, such as minority-owned businesses or those led by women or individuals with disabilities. By deliberately seeking out suppliers who prioritize social responsibility and promote workforce diversity, companies can not only make a positive impact on society but also benefit from a wider range of perspectives and expertise. Additionally, implementing measures such as supplier diversity programs or mentorship initiatives can help level the playing field and create pathways for underrepresented businesses to thrive in the marketplace. Through conscious efforts to reevaluate procurement practices, organizations can contribute to creating a more equitable and inclusive business environment while driving innovation and success.
Develop a strategy in line with your business and ESG objectives. Integrating social mobility efforts into ESG objectives demonstrates a commitment to addressing systemic inequalities and promoting sustainable practices. As businesses continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in their operations, developing a tailored social mobility strategy is crucial in driving positive social impact while also achieving long-term business success. This may involve implementing initiatives such as mentorship programs, skills training opportunities, or flexible work arrangements to support employees from all backgrounds in advancing within the company.
“Social mobility is a key strategic enabler for AMS. Our business is all about talent and having a fair and level playing field which is open to all, including those of us who may be from lower socio-economic backgrounds.” Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo sponsor for Social Mobility, AMS
Top tips to enhance social mobility through recruitment:
1. Collaborate with schools and community organizations to provide internship opportunities and develop talent pipelines that can help bridge the gap for underprivileged individuals seeking employment opportunities.
2. When evaluating entry-level candidates, contextualise their academic achievements to create a more level playing field for all applicants.
3. Eliminate bias in the hiring process by implementing blind recruitment practices and ensuring that all candidates are evaluated solely based on their qualifications and merit.
4. Offer mentorship programs and professional development opportunities to help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds navigate the corporate world more successfully and advance in their careers.
5. Transition away from competency-based models that solely focus on candidates demonstrating specific skills, which can be influenced by their access to extracurricular activities or job opportunities. Instead, consider adopting strength-based models that incorporate interviews and scenario testing to assess an individual’s abilities and potential more effectively. This shift will allow for a more comprehensive evaluation of candidates, leading to better hiring decisions and improved organizational outcomes.
6. Provide additional job opportunities in areas outside of major cities to reduce the burden on candidates who may be reluctant to relocate. Leveraging remote or hybrid working is key.
7. Creating employee resource groups around social mobility. Establishing employee resource groups focused on social mobility is essential for promoting socioeconomic inclusion and ensuring a diverse representation of the communities we serve. These groups aim to support the professional advancement of employees from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
8. Relax the requirements for bachelor’s degrees where possible. This could potentially open up more opportunities for individuals seeking to advance their education and career prospects. By re-evaluating the criteria for earning a bachelor’s degree, we can create a more inclusive and accessible educational system that benefits a wider range of individuals.
The Social Mobility agenda at AMS
We are honoured to be recognised as a top 75 employer in the Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Index.
In September 2023, we 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.
Measures taken by AMS in recent years include 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.
AMSTalent Lab, provides expert training to help organisations turn people with the right potential and aptitude into people with the right skills. Whether it is upskilling or reskilling existing tech talent or developing a recruiter team from scratch. Every element of Talent Lab is designed to enhance social mobility, tapping into the potential that exists in all corners of our society, from attraction to assessment, training, and ongoing support. AMS Talent Lab enables organisations to gain a competitive edge and benefit from a diverse viewpoint.
AMS’s Public Sector Resourcing (PSR) service provides more than 19,000 skilled workers across the UK government at any one time, meeting contingent resourcing demands on large projects including Brexit and the pandemic. PSR formed its Social Value Model and strategy to align with the challenges facing the public sector and works collaboratively with clients.
The Social Value Model was built to address five key themes that include Equal Opportunity, Tackling Economic Inequality and Fighting Climate Change each with subsequent policy outcomes. On the PSR framework we have projects and programmes aligned to each of these areas to drive positive change, as well as repurposing initiatives already in place at AMS to make them applicable to our public sector customers.
We introduced a new service line in PSR, called ‘Recruit, Train, Deploy’, to bring in trainees from under-represented or those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, upskill them and then place them in a client organisation, providing both commercial and social value. Our partnerships with inclusive recruiters likeRecruit for Spouses, Auticon, and Bridge of Hope help to provide opportunities to individuals who might not think public sector roles are for them.
“Since its inception in 1996, social mobility has been part of AMS’s DNA. 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.” Matthew Rodger, Chief Growth & Commercial Officer and ExCo sponsor for Social Mobility , AMS
AMS is committed to driving the dial forward on social mobility and championing change to level the playing field for the world of work.
Interested in learning more about how your organisation can advance social mobility?
Contact Fionuala Goritsas, Head of Analyst Relations & Global Co-Chair for Social Mobility, or myself.
Figuring out what your next 6-12 month hiring roadmap looks like can be daunting. So many variables to consider, so many new technologies, you might feel pulled in various directions. The key is not to become overwhelmed by the array of twists and turns in the HR arena, but rather to lean-in to where you see your workforce in the future and plot the steps to get there.
With every industry showing unique needs and changes, here’s a snapshot of some of the interesting directions companies are headed in the coming months.
Energy, Engineering and Industrials
With a shift towards green energy, new legislation in this sector will promote more green skills as workforces evolves to become sustainable and decarbonized.
Investment Banking
As banks consider their internal structure, they are analyzing how technology will provide more agility to their hiring decision making. In highly regulated environments there is more of a hesitation around new technologies like AI. But some are interested in piloting technology and new tools to drive efficiencies where it is seamless to do so.
Construction, Healthcare, Retail
In high volume, hourly hiring – such as in the construction industry – there is a focus on leveraging a skills-based approach to determine the best fits for roles. Quality of hire remains supreme in this area of sourcing and recruiting.
Organizations will be looking to hire more contingent labor workers as they bounce back from lower hiring volumes. A continued uncertain economic landscape across many sectors is creating a greater focus on creating flexibility in their employee make-up.
Food and Hospitality
In California there has been a new minimum wage applied to the fast food sector, now at $20 per hour. An interesting development that will likely have consequences to other sectors and parts of the country. This presents an additional layer of complexity to an already evolving talent acquisition landscape.
Technology
Companies are exploring how to source talent for supporting and driving AI technologies. There has been an increasing interest in looking into the architect and planner roles involved in implementing and setting the stage for new AI technologies. Establishing a gameplan ahead of AI usage is a strategic step that is critical to ensure compliance is met and tools are utilized properly.
Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences
Organizations are looking to their location strategy to reduce cost and drive scalability/agility – with India being an area of interest for some employers.
An important thing to think about on your talent road ahead is what your destination will look like. With every hiring destination looking a little different, each industry is going to require different TA needs and will need to adjust to the changing economic and technological landscape differently.
Talent community engagement and the use of CRM technology within talent acquisition is nothing new, but it is something that many organisations struggle to do well. Why?
All too often the business case for the CRM tech is approved and a shiny new tool is purchased, but what it takes to establish, engage and nurture talent communities is not fully considered. The result? The tool becomes a holding pen for candidates and a tumbleweed of generic newsletters follows, potentially leaving that talent with a tainted perception of the company’s employer brand.
Something needs to change… enter the Content Strategist and the Content Creators. Wait, what? This is TA not TikTok. No this, in fact, is Talent Marketing.
To drive the potentially unrealised value in CRM, employers must not only invest in the right tech solution but also the right creative skillsets to bring their employer brand to life in a way that is meaningful and personalised to each talent community.
But let’s start at the beginning…
What is a CRM?
CRM systems serve as a vital tool for automating engagement workflows, effectively segmenting candidates, and tracking candidate interactions. This leads to increased efficiency in the recruitment process; saving time and resources. It’s a win-win!
In parallel, the creation of a vibrant talent community can provide a readily available pool of interested candidates – expediting the hiring process and contributing to more efficient recruitment.
Sounds good, but where does content come in?
Beyond the technical aspects, developing a compelling content strategy is critical for engaging these talent communities. Content that resonates with potential employees can instill a sense of community and connection.
A robust content strategy can also enhance the company’s employer brand and reputation. Sharing insightful content that showcases the company culture, values, and opportunities can attract a diversified talent pool. This leads to an improved candidate experience, as potential employees can gain a deeper understanding of the company before applying. Furthermore, engaging content increases candidate engagement levels, making them more likely to apply and stay connected with the company.
Not only that, a well considered and well executed content strategy can help when engaging critical skills talent or under-represented groups.
How is it achieved?
Essentially, any effective CRM implementation needs to make provision for content strategy and content creation. Those skillsets can sit in-house or can be outsourced, but will require a strong partnership between TA, Employer Branding, HR, Marketing and Comms. From defining the strategy, identifying the stories, creating the content, managing the campaigns, analysing the effectiveness and refining the strategy over time.
How will we know it’s working?
Done well, your investment talent pool engagement will significantly improve hiring outcomes and foster long-term loyalty towards an employer brand.
Don’t believe us?
Ask our Financial Services client who’ve been able to reduce their external media spend by 90% by investing in talent community engagement over several years. In 2023, one blog article featured in a newsletter achieved more apply clicks than any other external piece of paid or social media.
When it comes to investing in CRM, think tech and content as two sides of the same coin. Only then will you realise the benefits.
One aspect of employee engagement that is getting a lot of attention these days is the concept of ERGs (Employee Resource Groups). Across Europe we have seen momentum gaining around the use of ERG’s in creating more inclusivity and community within progressive organizations. Companies around the world are setting up communities that are beneficial to both the organization and to their employees with an aim to help bridge the gap between work life and personal experiences.
ERG’s have been known to create a sense of belonging for employees but do present a few challenges – such as apprehension around the time commitment, how to get them off the ground and monitor their adoption, value and impact.
But the challenges aren’t reason to stop the progress. A well thought out ERG can be a great way to create a competitive edge, a stronger stance in market but most importantly, to champion employees as unique people and to create a sense of comfort and community in our teams.
Some of the things to consider as you embark on embedding or reintegrating ERGs into your organization in today’s tech-savvy world:
1. Is the choice to implement ERG’s the right fit for your company and company size? There are many ways to create more employee retention in your business. It’s important to ask this question and to thoughtfully consider how this could work.
2. Do you have the budget and resources to support the agenda you want to push? Executive buy-in is a key factor in the decision to roll-out ERGs. The momentum around these programs can get lost if every employee is managing it at the side of their desk. Well-funded, well-resourced, or even just well-thought out and strategically implemented ERGs is proven to be more successful.
3. Have you considered how technology is going to play a role in the design of your ERGs? Inspired by Affirmity’s ERG Tech workbook (noted below), it’s worth thinking about how technology will be incorporated into ERG plans. You could implement the likes of technology like Tableau to track events and participation, forecast and set goals, or use Yammer or alike tools to engage with one another. Or maybe you create online surveys to connect with employee needs or areas of interest, additionally you can look beyond just Zoom and Teams to create inspirational and stimulating ERG’s that draw people in and make them feel secure, connected, motivated and intrigued.
How do you want to evolve as a business for your prospective workforce? How do you want to redefine your employer brand? It all begins with your brand values, the heart of your candidates/employees and staying in line with the modern day tech landscape.
We’re able to leverage those insights to show the organization that our ERGs, and our DE&I efforts more generally, are helping to reduce turnover, attract new talent, and develop talented people. This robust, real-time system of data drawn from all these different systems has been a real game changer for us as an organization. - Walé Soluade, Vice President, DE&I at Centene Corporatio
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]
In today’s fast-paced corporate world, businesses are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Talent acquisition leaders are not exempt from this quest for optimization, particularly when it comes to the cost-intensive recruitment process. One solution that has been historically overlooked or undervalued, but has gained increasing attention over the last few years, is the power of employer branding.
An investment in employer branding can significantly cut down on various expenses such as marketing, advertising, and recruitment costs. In fact, a strong employer brand can reduce a company’s cost per hire by up to 50%, according to a LinkedIn report.
Moreover, active investments in employer branding can potentially decrease company employee turnover by up to 28%. These statistics are a clear indication that employer branding is not just a fancy buzzword, but a strategic investment that can save your company money in the long run.
So, how can talent acquisition leaders develop a business case for an employer brand budget?
1. Highlight the cost savings: Use industry data and reports such as the LinkedIn study mentioned earlier to demonstrate the potential savings on cost per hire and employee turnover.
2. Showcase the competitive advantage: A strong employer brand can give you an edge over competitors in attracting top talent. This can be especially beneficial in industries where skilled talent is scarce.
3. Demonstrate the impact on employee engagement and retention: A positive employer brand can improve employee engagement and retention rates. This not only reduces recruitment costs but also boosts productivity.
4. Capitalize on the potential for increased revenue: A strong employer brand can also drive business performance by attracting high-quality applicants, thus potentially increasing revenue.
Why is now the right time to invest in employer branding, despite economic instability?
Economic uncertainty can actually make employer branding even more crucial. In tough times, businesses that invest in their employer brand can stand out from the crowd, attract top talent, and position themselves effectively for future growth.
Employer branding is an investment that can deliver significant cost savings and competitive advantages. Talent acquisition leaders who recognize the value of a strong employer brand will be well-positioned to lead their companies to success during these turbulent times.
