The way hiring works is changing rapidly. At the heart of this shift? Trust.
In today’s market, trust is no longer just an advantage—it is a necessity. Candidates, like consumers, rely on social proof—the psychological principle that people look to others to validate their decisions. This is why employee referrals, alumni rehires, and internal mobility are becoming the most effective hiring strategies.
The evidence supports this. Referred candidates are not only hired faster—they stay longer as well (LinkedIn Talent Trends). When someone recommends an organisation, new hires already have a level of trust in the culture and expectations.
There is also a growing boomerang effect, where former employees are returning in record numbers. Organisations are recognising that when an individual chooses to come back, it is a strong endorsement of the company’s credibility (Gartner Research). A great workplace is not just one that attracts new talent—it is one that people actively want to return to.
Industry thought leaders, including Josh Bersin, have noted this trend. The most effective hiring teams are no longer solely focused on sourcing external candidates—they are investing in high-trust networks because referrals, alumni hires, and internal mobility lead to stronger hiring outcomes at a lower cost.
What is driving this shift? Two key factors: the power of social proof and a declining trust in traditional hiring methods.
The Social Proof Effect: Why People Trust People More Than Brands
We are living in an age of influence, but not in the way social media suggests. Influence today is not just about follower counts or carefully curated employer branding campaigns—it is about authentic, human credibility.
People trust people, not brands – A referral from a trusted colleague is not just a recommendation; it is proof that an organisation is worth considering.
Referrals reduce uncertainty – Changing jobs is a major decision. When someone you respect endorses an opportunity, it immediately feels more credible.
Boomerang hires strengthen employer reputation – When former employees return, it sends a strong signal: this is an organisation worth working for. Gartner research shows that organisations investing in alumni engagement achieve higher rehire rates and stronger reputations.
AI-generated outreach lacks social proof – Candidates can easily identify when a LinkedIn message has been rinsed and repeated by a bot after receiving the same template 10 times. Without human connection, it feels impersonal and unconvincing.
And this is not just theory—organisations are seeing tangible results.
One global technology company recently overhauled its alumni hiring strategy and experienced a 40% increase in rehires over two years. Why? Because trust was already established. These former employees were not taking a risk—they had direct experience with the culture, leadership, and business operations. That trust led to faster onboarding, higher engagement, and a stronger commitment to success.
This is the power of social proof—it builds trust, accelerates hiring, and improves retention.
Why Offboarding and Redeployment Are Essential to a Strong Talent Ecosystem
However, alumni networks and boomerang hiring only succeed if organisations handle offboarding and redeployment effectively.
Poor offboarding damages brand loyalty – If an employee has a negative departure experience, they are unlikely to refer others or return. Research from Workday shows that organisations with structured, positive offboarding programmes are twice as likely to rehire former employees.
Negative offboarding experiences harm employer brand – A poorly managed exit process often results in negative Glassdoor reviews and reputational damage, which discourages future referrals.
Redeployment prevents unnecessary talent loss – Organisations that actively support employees in transitioning to new internal roles rather than defaulting to redundancies retain institutional knowledge and sustain trust.
Best and Worst Practices in Offboarding
Some organisations treat offboarding as a transaction rather than an opportunity. Impersonal redundancies, delivered through mass emails or pre-recorded video messages, with no transition support or career assistance, leave departing employees feeling undervalued. This approach damages trust, erodes employer reputation, and often leads top talent to join competitors instead of returning later.
In contrast, leading organisations take a long-term view of offboarding. Rather than severing ties completely, they provide structured alumni programmes, networking events, and even career coaching for departing employees, ensuring that relationships remain strong. Organisations that adopt well-managed exit strategies experience higher alumni engagement, stronger employer branding, and an increase in boomerang hires.
Organisations investing in structured offboarding and alumni engagement see up to a 20% increase in rehires (Harvard Business Review).
Redeployment strategies that prioritise internal mobility reduce turnover by 41% and strengthen employee trust (LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report).
The Pitfalls of High-Trust Networks: The Risk of Reinforcing Bias
While referrals and alumni hiring can be highly effective, there is an important risk to address: they can reduce diversity and reinforce bias if not actively managed.
The “Like-Me” Effect – Research shows that employees tend to refer individuals who share similar backgrounds, education, and demographics (Harvard Business Review). If organisations are not intentional, referral programmes can result in homogeneous talent pools.
Alumni Networks Reflect Past Hiring Gaps – If an organisation’s workforce lacked diversity in previous years, its alumni pool will mirror those representation gaps. Over-reliance on alumni hiring can reinforce historical imbalances.
Over-Reliance on Known Talent Can Limit Innovation – While trust is crucial, excessive dependence on referrals and alumni hires can reduce fresh perspectives and new ideas.
AI Bias in Referral Matching – If AI-driven talent recommendations are not designed with diversity safeguards, they can replicate existing hiring patterns rather than broaden talent pools (Gartner).
How to Mitigate These Risks
Forward-thinking organisations are already implementing solutions to ensure high-trust hiring networks remain inclusive and diverse:
Diversifying Referral Incentives – Some organisations now offer increased referral bonuses for underrepresented candidates, ensuring that referrals contribute to a broader talent pool (LinkedIn Hiring Trends).
Expanding Alumni Networks Beyond Full-Time Employees – Progressive organisations include former interns, contractors, and contingent workers in alumni networks, widening the scope of potential rehires.
Balancing Referrals with Inclusive Hiring Strategies – Industry leaders have embedded structured diversity hiring initiatives alongside referral programmes to create more balanced sourcing strategies.
The Bottom Line: The Social Proof Revolution Is Here
Hiring in 2025 will not be about volume-based recruiting or relying solely on AI-generated outreach. The most successful organisations will strike the right balance—using technology to enhance trust-driven hiring, not replace human relationships.
The future belongs to companies that integrate AI intelligently—leveraging automation for efficiency, predictive analytics for smarter decision-making, and digital platforms to scale high-trust networks—while ensuring that human engagement remains at the centre of hiring.
Some organisations are already ahead of the curve. They are moving beyond transactional recruitment models and instead building dynamic, trust-based talent ecosystems where AI supports, rather than substitutes, authentic human connections. These companies are strengthening employee advocacy, deepening alumni engagement, and expanding high-trust hiring channels to secure the best talent.
The real question is: Will your organisation use technology to reinforce trust—or allow automation to dilute it?
In the future of hiring, social proof will be the strongest currency—trust built through referrals, alumni networks, and human connections will outperform cold outreach and AI-driven automation on its own
Did you know that there is a significant gender divide when it comes to AI usage and adoption?
Forbes writes: “Artificial intelligence has a gender issue, and it’s not just about the images it creates or the biases that models may include”.
Overwhelming statistical research shows that women use generative artificial intelligence tools less than men do. Surprisingly the gap is biggest among the youngest workers, a new survey from Slack finds. It includes results from a survey of more than 10,000 “desk workers” and found that Gen Z men are 25% more likely to have tried AI tools compared to Gen Z women.
The Kenan Institute has established that nearly 80 per cent of today’s female workers are in jobs exposed to automation via generative AI, compared with 58 per cent of men. These jobs will not be replaced by artificial intelligence, but by people who have mastered AI. And in the current landscape, that means men.
Lack of diversity in AI development
Another factor gives cause for even greater concern. According to a training expert on the Coursera platform, women are underrepresented in the development of AI-related skills. In fact, three times as many men as women sign up for the most popular AI training courses on this platform.
This is not breaking news – a BBC article at the end of 2023 addressed this very issue. They interviewed AI expert Jodie Cook who says there are deeper, more ingrained reasons why women are not embracing the technology as much as men.
“Stem fields have traditionally been dominated by males,” says Ms Cook, who is the founder of Coachvox.ai, an app that allows business leaders to create AI clones of themselves.
“The current trend in the adoption of AI tools appears to mirror this disparity, as the skills required for AI are rooted in Stem disciplines.”
And then there’s the matter of the low representation of women in senior management positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and consequently, in AI.
“This is something that we should be keeping an eye on,” says Christina Janzer, head of Slack’s Workforce Lab. “My hypothesis is that the people who are using it today are the people who are going to help shape the future of it. We want those people to be representative of our entire population. That’s not what we’re seeing today. This is a big opportunity for leaders to understand that and to course-correct.”
Psychologist Lee Chambers says that typically female thinking and behaviour may be holding some women back from embracing AI.
“It’s the confidence gap – women tend to want to have a high level of competence in something before they start using it, ” he says. “Whereas men tend to be happy to go into something without much competence.”
Mr Chambers also says that women may fear having their ability questioned, if they use AI tools.
“Women are already discredited, and have their ideas taken by men and passed off as their own, so having people knowing that you use an AI might also play into that narrative that you’re not qualified enough. It’s just another thing that’s debasing your skills, your competence, your value.”
I was interested to see what AI itself had to say on the matter. I asked Copilot “why are women less likely to use AI”? This was the response:
Trust and Reliability Concerns: Some women may find AI tools less reliable or trustworthy. For instance, errors in AI outputs can lead to skepticism about their accuracy.
Perception of Competence: Women often feel the need to emphasize their credentials more to demonstrate their expertise. Using AI might be perceived as undermining their qualifications.
Safety and Ethical Concerns: Women tend to be more concerned about the ethical implications and safety issues related to AI, such as biases in AI algorithms and the potential misuse of AI-generated content.
Personalization and Authenticity: Many women prefer to maintain a personal touch in their work, feeling that AI might strip away the authenticity and personalization they value.
Lack of Awareness or Training: There might be less exposure or training opportunities for women in AI, leading to lower adoption rates.
Then I asked, “What can be done to encourage more women to use AI”? Its response was:
Encouraging more women to use AI involves a multifaceted approach. Here are some effective strategies:
Early Education and Outreach: Introducing AI concepts and technology to girls at a young age through educational programs, workshops, and coding classes can ignite interest and build confidence.
Role Models and Mentorship: Highlighting successful women in AI and providing mentorship programs can inspire and guide aspiring female AI professionals. Seeing relatable role models can make a significant difference.
Inclusive Work Environments: Promoting inclusive and supportive work environments where women feel valued and respected is crucial. This includes addressing biases and ensuring equal opportunities for advancement.
Upskilling and Training Programs: Offering upskilling programs, internships, and gamified challenges can help women develop the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in AI.
Community and Networking: Creating communities and networks for women in AI can provide support, resources, and opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Addressing Stereotypes and Bias: Challenging stereotypes and biases that discourage women from pursuing AI is essential. This can be done through awareness campaigns and by promoting positive narratives about women in tech.
There are several successful initiatives aimed at promoting women in AI – AI4ALL; IBM’s Women Leaders in AI; Women in AI (WAI); Algorithmic Justice League; and Women in Machine Learning (WiML) but more must be done.
So why is it important?
Who develops AI, and what kind of data it is trained on, has gender implications for AI-powered solutions. It mirrors the biases that are present in our society and that manifest in AI training data. In a rapidly advancing AI industry, the lack of gender perspectives, data, and decision-making can perpetuate profound inequality for years to come.
Sola Mahfouz, a quantum computing researcher at Tufts University – “When technology is developed with just one perspective, it’s like looking at the world half-blind,”
As an opportunity, one of the most interesting aspects of the gen-Ai ‘revolution’ is the recognized requirement for a range of soft skills in employees within the field. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it.
Qualities like creativity, persistence and decision-making will grow more and more important as AI and the very nature of the professional world continues to evolve. While technical skills will always prove important, intangibles like these can often make the difference between two equally skilled candidates.
In conclusion, the AI field needs more women, and that requires enabling and increasing girls’ and women’s access to and leadership in STEM and ICT education and careers. Understanding and bridging the AI gender gap is essential for ensuring equitable access and representation in the burgeoning AI landscape.
AI itself says “By implementing these strategies, we can create a more inclusive and diverse AI ecosystem”.
Budgets are tight across the world right now, but technology is making huge advancements and nowhere more than in the Gen AI arena. It feels like functionality, accessibility and opportunities are changing daily and businesses are under pressure to ensure they are not left behind their competitors. With the projected worth of the AI market expected to reach £160 billion by 2025, its adoption is now a crucial element for businesses across diverse sectors.
So how do you identify the right route, platform, process, or even company-wide strategy to benefit the most but also keep abreast of the tech, and all without breaking the bank?
One thing to consider is how you plan to implement AI. Not necessarily just focusing on using it. Recently Google ran into some issues when Gemini (it’s viral chatbot with ChatGPT) generated World War 2 images that were historically inaccurate. Moving forward it’s worth asking who will act as responsible and an architect for this technology and who can take AI and input it into a business process to reduce risk and drive the efficiency in your teams.
Is outsourcing your AI computation the right move? Nimbleness will help you to stay on top of governmental changes and flexibility is important. An in-house model could pose risk and you may need to evaluate who is going to support you as new legislations unfold and technology advances.
Is your company equipped with the right skillsets to absorb the information coming from AI and to provide clarity? It’s unlikely that the talent you have in-house have both the technical and so-called ‘soft’ skills, that can help to drive successful AI practices. The technology moves so quickly there are no existing parameters or full-scale expertise, and unlikely to be so. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it. And even more simply than that, do your team members feel open to testing and learning in the AI space?
Have you considered how to roll out the technology to your teams, how to cultivate AI-based work habits and how to prioritize AI training? The AI industry value is projected to increase by 13 times over the next seven years. However, the technology in this field is moving faster than the talent which the UK is generating to deliver it. There is a significant talent gap, and the demand for qualified AI professionals — contractors included — far exceeds the supply. It’s therefore vitally important to look at internal mobility.
Do you or some employees not fit into a “typical” AI leader stereotype? This can be an area some people feel a lack of confidence or voice around the subject matter due to certain groups of people having more experience or daringness than others. That is why it is even more important to ensure you have a seat at table, and that the table is full of all types of people to help reduce bias and evolve a more inclusive framework around delivering AI.
There is no way to truly know how AI will impact global jobs, but at the minute, it will benefit those of us in the TA space to learn as much as we can, become comfortable in the space, keep reading, and keep growing. Soon we will be hiring for new skillsets in the AI environment and our internal processes will be leveraging new technology – yes it’s all going to look a little different.
What you're witnessing... is why there will still need to be a human in the loop for any system where the output is relied upon as ground truth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68412620
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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Four out of five (80%) of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are struggling with skills mismatches.
Life sciences has some significant challenges at the moment. As Deloitte says, we’re going from doing digital to being digital. We have all these roles to fill that two years ago didn’t exist. We also know that in five years’ time, there will be more jobs to fill that we currently have no idea about.
So where do we find the people needed to fill these roles?
I spoke with Georgia Pink, an analyst and senior event producer at Hanson Wade, which curates the LEAP HR’s Life Sciences global conferences. We explored artificial intelligence, strategies for growth, employer branding, skills-based hiring, internal mobility, data analysis growing talent pools and being optimisitic about the future.
I had the incredible opportunity to present at the SHRM Inclusion Conference this week, and I can’t express how grateful and inspired I felt by the entire experience.
During my presentation, I shared insights on Inclusive Recruitment and Internal Mobility strategies to ensure talent from underrepresented communities has equitable opportunities. I was humbled by the enthusiastic response from the audience.
Supporting DEI Peers After my presentation, it became evident that providing support and encouragement to fellow DEI and HR colleagues engaged in this crucial work is vital. Many attendees expressed appreciation for the practical tips offered and discussed the challenges they encounter when addressing complex DEI issues. They often feel isolated when tackling the intricate challenges related to advancing DEI within their company.
The demand for essential support, including staff, funding, and leadership commitment, was a recurrent theme. Many DEI professionals expressed challenges in acquiring the necessary resources to address the intricate issues tied to systemic, process, and behavioral transformation essential for fostering equity and inclusion within their organizations.
Emphasizing Workplace Civility A conference highlight of mine was the panel discussion featuring Melonie Parker, CDO at Google, on the importance of civility as the foundation of workplace culture. Through empathy and respect, we can create a culture of belonging, a concept that resonates with my approach to DEI.
Challenging Conventional Strategies The conference encouraged us to challenge conventional strategies, urging us not to “play it safe” and reminding us to question the status quo and, when necessary, venture into uncharted territory to champion unique perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
It was an honor to present and engage with great professionals at this event. I’m humbled by the opportunity to connect with like-minded colleagues who share dedication to meaningful change. #SHRM #Inclusion #DEI #Equity #WorkplaceInclusion
Through empathy and respect, we can create a culture of belonging.
Talent shortages and skill gaps continue to have a huge impact on the talent climate and finding the right people to fill crucial roles is still a struggle for businesses across EMEA.
So, what’s the solution? Over the last year, some organisations were simply throwing money at the problem, offering inflated salaries to entice new talent to come on board. Whilst in some cases this may have temporarily helped organisations, the pain was then felt by other organisations because of the finite talent pool available. All this amounted to the recycling of existing talent but at higher cost. With the economic outlook on a knife edge, and many businesses cutting back on costs, this approach has proved not to be sustainable.
Those organisations with a more sustainable approach and mindset are looking to increase internal mobility. Instead of looking outside to external hires, they are starting to look inside at the talent they’ve already got and moving people around to fill the gaps.
AMS recently held a roundtable event with some of EMEA’s leading Talent Acquisition (TA) professionals. They discussed the approaches being used to deliver internal mobility in their businesses, and the barriers they currently face.
The bad news
The most common and difficult barrier to achieving internal mobility that all panellists agreed on was keeping up with talent’s salary demands. As one expert said, “People are leaving us for salaries they wouldn’t have achieved with us for 3 to 4 years”.
But many agreed that simply giving out more money isn’t the core solution. It’s a risky approach in today’s economic climate. Wage inflation continues to be an issue, borrowing is becoming more expensive, and companies have less access to credit. Rushing into large salary increases could leave an organisation in a precarious position.
This is where internal mobility arises as a strong alternative. As one panel expert pointed out, “Internal mobility is always top of the agenda, we can’t hire ourselves out of this mess.”
The good news
It was encouraging to hear many roundtable participants say that their internal mobility programmes were performing well. Over 50% of new hires were appointed through an internal process – some as much as 90% in certain markets. So, a lot of businesses are successfully promoting from within.
But how do you follow this lead, and ensure internal mobility is a success? Here are some of the approaches that were being used by some of the panel experts.
Build a common platform
According to the panellists, internal mobility can often falter when businesses are trying to achieve it on a global scale. Even though a global organisation is seen as one brand, it can have many different policies and ways of working. That’s why it’s important to create a unilateral way of thinking.
For internal mobility to thrive, it’s a good idea to build a common platform and create more oversight of open roles within the business. This allows employees to “look over the fence,” at other potential positions – both locally and in other regions. It helps break down geographical barriers to internal mobility and gives people the opportunity to jump out of their comfort zone.
Taking a chance
While encouraging employees to try something different from their usual role may seem risky to some businesses, the roundtable panellists agreed that keeping an open mind on this matter was one of the key ways to achieving internal mobility.
As one of the panel experts said, while an employee may not be the perfect candidate for a specific department to start with, they can join the team for a short period of time to learn the job, develop new skills and sell themselves internally. This is a highly effective way to combat long time-to-hire wait periods searching for an external candidate.
A few of the panellists also spoke about how their organisations promote people into roles early, to mitigate some of the effects of salary inflation with new hires. This was found to be very successful, particularly with more niche, hard-to-fill roles. What’s more, by investing in people’s future, the businesses showed their internal talent that they were committed to career progression, which is also good news for employee retention.
As one expert put it, “If we offer them development and opportunity, they will reconsider the attractive external offers and stay with us”.
Focus on culture
Like any initiative, to make internal mobility a success, everyone needs to be on board. A key factor that all panellists agreed on was that internal mobility needs to be driven from the top down.
In addition to TA and HR, management needs to support in helping internal talent take ownership of their career. This includes encouraging people to have conversations with their supervisor, discussing where they’d like to be in 5 to 10 years, and how to get there. Internal mobility will only become a reality if managers help their teams to move and grow within the business.
What’s more, HR leadership must ensure there is the right amount of operational and strategic governance around internal mobility. For example, they can help ensure that when a role becomes available, the business first looks at what talent they already have, before looking externally.
Delivering better DE&I
Finally, internal mobility is a strong platform for building a diverse workforce. Allowing employees to move around the business and gain internal promotions not only nurtures a culture of personal growth but can also provide opportunities to underrepresented talent who may otherwise have been overlooked for an open role.
As one expert put it, “The ability to grow people and move them into areas that, as an external candidate, we wouldn’t have considered them for, is a really positive strand for the DE&I strategy”.
Internal mobility can be a way to bring new perspectives into internal teams. As one panellist said, “It’s opening up positions for different people, trialling people out, and allowing employees and teams to work with different people in terms of skill sets and personality”.
Need help in solving your talent shortages? Speak to one of our experts about how AMS can help build the right internal mobility programme for your business. Contact Us – AMS (weareams.com)
Last month AMS joined a roundtable with global HR industry analyst, Josh Bersin, and senior talent representatives from six major multinationals. The discussion was centered on key trends in the talent landscape, and how they’re changing the market and powering success.
Here are the five key things we learnt:
1. The future is skills-based
The trend away from the traditional, role-based hiring model to a skills-based approach continues. Some roundtable participants had already begun taking on skills-based hiring projects and pilots. The group started their discussion by focusing on some of the most common teething problems. As with all major transformations, getting used to doing things differently takes time.
Scaling up skills-based hiring away from project-based skills hiring is proving to be a challenge. Moving away from role taxonomies to skills architecture is a huge undertaking.
Most organisations don’t yet have a handle on the skills that exist in the workforce, nor do they fully understand what the critical skills for their organisation in the future are. Getting agreement on the key skills and finding a way to track hidden and transferrable skills in their workforce is a significant feat. For example, how do you know what skills specific employees have without relying on employees for their own input?
A change of mindset is also needed with hiring managers and recruiters. Moving away from ‘experience’ to ‘skills’ requires stepping out of comfort zones. Learning to value ‘power’ skills (such as curiosity and life-long learning) is key.
2. The role of the recruiter is changing
The role of the recruiter is changing, and ‘talent advisory’ is increasingly in demand.
recruiters need to use data to demonstrate the availability of skills, to hiring managers and to provide alternative approaches to hiring that are cost effective and sustainable”. To exploit new technologies, they need to be data interpreters and move away from opportunistic sales to consultative insight. Sourcing like this is giving definition to TA careers, boosting the reputation of the industry to new talent, and powering internal change.
“Alongside skill-based hiring, there’s a need to upskill the recruiting role,” explained Bersin. “Skills-based hiring requires recruiters to become talent advisors,” and TA needs to recognise and get ahead of that shift.
“People often have overly high expectations of what a skills project will do for them – it is important but not just a technical solution,” explained Bersin. “Skills hiring is being manifested in tools and AI to help recruiters. But, as you know, finding the right person for the right job is a ‘human’ problem.”
3. A focus on skills will help retain early career talent
The sparkle of drawn-out graduate programmes has gone. Jobs lasting more than two years are no longer the norm, and early careers Gen Z talent expect and plan to move around. A skills-based approach aligns with this shift.
Fostering transferable skills allows organisations to satisfy their employees’ thirst for change and to embed internal mobility in place of a culture of movement outside of organisations. It also allows companies to train their people for those critical roles, outside the structures of graduate/traditional pathways.
4. TA has a seat at the table and is influencing change
“When executives are focussed on recruiting and put TA in a strategic position, that leads to success,” explained Josh Bersin.
This was one of the strongest areas of agreement around the table: Talent leaders need to stay connected to business strategy because they’re best placed to advance it when the market improves.
Businesses should avoid making their talent acquisition teams a victim during recessions. Instead, they should apply the transferrable-skills model and transition their teams into other areas of the business, such as research advisory or AI technologies. So when hiring starts again, businesses have retained their key people.
5. AI is changing the game, but we’re still the players
“AI is a phenomenon picking up speed like a snowball,” said Bersin. Online, mobile, cloud technologies, and AI are changing everything. But AI needs to be demystified to increase uptake and encourage meaningful deployment.
Businesses need to move towards AI technology, not fear it. And this comes from top-down leadership.
As with other industries, AI is enabling valuable efficiencies and offering keen insights, but human instinct and experience remains crucial in recruitment decision-making. TA teams need to reposition themselves around the skills agenda, not hand over responsibility to algorithms.
So, is your TA team set up for success?
To speak to AMS about how to progress skills-based hiring in your organisation, embed transformative AI, streamline hiring strategies, and upskill your talent teams, get in touch today.
People often have overly high expectations of what a skills project will do for them – it is important but not just a technical solution,” explained Bersin. “Skills hiring is being manifested in tools and AI to help recruiters. But, as you know, finding the right person for the right job is a 'human' problem.”
The shift from role-based to skills-based recruitment
The competition for talent in the APAC region is at a melting point. More than ever, finding the right candidates is a major challenge. This skills crisis is transforming talent acquisition (TA) strategies, requiring new technology and fresh approaches to meet workforce demands.
Recently, AMS spoke with TA leaders across the region from some of the world’s leading corporations about how recruitment is evolving to secure and retain tomorrow’s talent. Our conversations revolved around the challenges of skills-based recruitment, and how tech tools are becoming more important in enhancing candidate engagement and loyalty.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the session.
The future is uncertain – is demand planning still relevant?
Most of the panel experts agreed they are struggling to deliver a long-term talent plan. So, how are TA leaders putting together their strategy to hire effectively for tomorrow?
One of the panelists spoke candidly about the challenges of navigating this difficult market. Their approach is to have regular conversations with management around future talent pipelining. By challenging management teams early on what’s needed, and how roles are changing, it allows them to be proactive and create a forecast for the next 6 to 12 months. This means TA can start looking for tomorrow’s people, today.
Another talent leader said they were using new technology to stay ahead. AI talent pooling tools are allowing them to be proactive in finding new roles and skillsets that will meet their business needs – even before they come up. In this way, they are focused on looking ahead, so they can quickly adapt as the skills required to drive their organisation forward begin to change.
Other businesses, however, are simply taking a pause. With so much turbulence in the market, they’ve taken time out to understand what skills will be needed in the future before introducing new technologies to support the process. They’re working closely with their wider business to create talent mapping as they realise that skills requirements are changing. This way, they are allowing for more focused and informed decisions about the kinds of talent technology they would eventually like to bring in.
With so much emphasis on skills, many of the businesses on the panel said they are now shifting their recruitment focus to look at skills, rather than jobs, to ensure they are ready for tomorrow’s talent demands.
Shifting the mindset
To enable a business to start looking at hiring processes differently, a change in mindset is crucial. Not just with one department, but across the entire business. Shifting to skills-based recruitment is no easy task. Everyone has different ideas on what essential skills are. If you ask three hiring managers to define critical roles, for example, you may get three very different answers.
To enable a true shift to a skills-based mindset, recruiters and hiring managers must be educated on looking at roles from a different perspective. As one panel expert put it, “hiring managers can get stuck in this role-based view and don’t really understand what is meant by skills. They tend to focus on roles and responsibilities, and not on the core skills that are needed for the role.”
But it’s not just the recruiters that need to adapt, so does the wider business outside of TA. To deliver a change of this magnitude requires buy-in from the top down. Management needs to agree the importance of focusing on skills and understand that day-to-day hiring processes must undergo some change. As one expert put it, “for skills-based to be successful it’s not just the TA team that needs to change, it’s the whole HR eco-system.”
Making skills-based hiring a success
Overall, the panelists agreed that moving towards a skills-based hiring approach was the way forward. The general belief was that “getting stuck in role-based hiring will not bring the right talent for the future”.
But as most businesses have realised, implementing skills-based is a journey, not a switch. And that journey requires small steps rather than big leaps.
For example, many of the panelists in the session had started to slowly introduce skills-based hiring by using a combination of role-based and skills-based approaches, which is working well. Some are shifting to skills-based hiring for some areas of the business where it is clear how those transferable skills are relevant – such as tech. But as skills-based hiring is not a one-size-fits-all approach, other business areas (where the case for change isn’t as obvious) have not yet had the same treatment.
As an alternative view point, one talent expert said they had been using skills-based hiring for only internal mobility. They found this was particularly beneficial, as it gave them the ability to get feedback on the process directly from the employees being moved around the business, and how their skills were being put to use elsewhere.
Driving skills externally
Since making skills-based hiring a success internally is so challenging, some businesses are getting proactive, and taking it beyond their own workplace.
One of the panel experts discussed their focus on talking to colleges and universities about skills-based hiring. They spoke to training institutes about the need for this additional area of education, some of which then implemented new courses to address glaring skills gaps. This was a truly innovative solution to get more future-fit skills taught in the region’s colleges and schools. In this way, the business helped to ensure the right skilled talent would be there when they needed it.
Another panelist highlighted a new way of promoting skills through recruiters themselves. They suggested that recruiters could actively encourage candidates to highlight their skills, and then put them into the assessment notes. This way, when the candidate is applying for roles, the skills they could offer would be available ‘at a glance’.
Better diversity
Another benefit many talent leaders were seeing is that, by making the shift to a skills-based approach, they are able to deliver better against their diversity and inclusion (DEI) ambitions.
Skills-based hiring opens a whole new world of possibilities for talent pools who may have otherwise been overlooked in a focus on role-based hiring. By evaluating candidates (both internal and external) by skillset, rather than by university degrees or specific job experience, this serves to create more opportunities for underrepresented groups in the workforce.
As one expert put it, “just because the person before had 10 years’ experience doesn’t mean the next person requires the same level of experience. When you only focus on the role-based approach you are doing people a disservice.”
It’s time for change
The major takeaway from the webinar session is that everyone is moving towards a skills-based hiring strategy. Some are already far down the road, while others are still on the starting line.
There are many obstacles to overcome – from changing perceptions, to choosing the right initiatives to implement. But one thing was clear, focusing on skills is about mutual ownership and accountability. As one expert said, “It’s not just a TA problem, it’s a joint challenge everyone needs to be involved in.”
Need help in getting the right people for your business? AMS has the expertise to deliver the right long-term talent strategy for your business. Get in touch today.
We live in a competitive and changing business world, with the success of an organization depending heavily on the effectiveness of its employees. My experience in leading people over the past 20 years has taught me that, while providing autonomy and independence is essential, it is equally important for those who lead people to recognize the significance of employee coaching. Coaching employees, as opposed to solely leaving them to perform independently in their roles, is an investment that cultivates a culture of growth, engagement, and continuous improvement. In this article, I explore the reasons why coaching is crucial for unlocking the full potential of employees and driving organizational success.
Coaching plays a pivotal role in honing and developing the skills of employees. Through regular coaching sessions, managers can identify individual strengths and weaknesses, provide constructive feedback, and align appropriate training interventions. By offering guidance and support, leaders empower employees to overcome challenges, enhance their performance, and acquire new skills. This focus on skill development not only improves individual capabilities but also contributes to the overall growth of the organization.
Investing in coaching team members demonstrates a genuine commitment to their growth and professional development. Such investment fosters a sense of engagement, job satisfaction, and loyalty among employees. When employees perceive that their organization is invested in their success, they are more likely to feel valued, motivated, and willing to go the extra mile. Additionally, coaching provides a platform for open communication, where employees can voice their concerns, share ideas, and seek guidance. This collaborative approach strengthens the employee-manager relationship, leading to higher retention ratesand reduced turnover.
In an era of rapid technological advancements and evolving market dynamics, organizations must encourage a culture of continuous learning and adaptability. Coaching serves as a vehicle for knowledge sharing and instills a growth mindset within employees. Leaders who coach can offer insights, share industry trends, and provide resources that help employees stay ahead of the curve. By nurturing a learning environment, organizations can proactively prepare their workforce for new challenges, promote innovation, and ensure long-term sustainability.
Coaching, whether ad hoc or during scheduled meetings provides an opportunity to align individual goals with organizational objectives. Coaches help employees understand how their contributions fit into the bigger picture and guide them towards specific targets. Regular feedback and performance discussions allow for course corrections, ensuring that employees are on track to achieve their goals. This alignment promotes a sense of purpose and direction, enabling employees to work with focus and clarity.
Effective coaching is instrumental in nurturing future leaders within an organization. Through coaching, companies can identify high-potential employees, develop their leadership skills, and create a talent pipeline for future growth. Coaching imparts valuable insights, provides mentorship, and offers guidance that prepares employees for leadership roles big and small. This approach to succession planning minimizes leadership gaps, enhances organizational resilience, and supports long-term success.
Coaching employees is not a luxury; it is an essential investment in their growth and the overall success of an organization. By providing guidance and support though coaching, leaders can unlock the full potential of their employees, foster engagement, and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. Coaching is an ongoing commitment by those who lead individuals, teams and projects, it is a habit that the best leaders possess, and it propels employees and organizations towards excellence.
While providing autonomy and independence is essential, it is equally important for managers and leaders to recognize the significance of employee coaching.
