Solution: Technology

Talent Trends: 2024 In Review 

Posted on by akessler

At the start of 2024, we highlighted eight key areas that would impact how companies attract, retain and develop talent. As the year comes to a close, we’re revisiting these critical topics to examine what transpired in the talent landscape and explore what may be on the horizon for 2025.  

This year brought a complex mix of challenges and opportunities for HR leaders. Economic uncertainty forced many to re-evaluate talent acquisition strategies, with approaches like modular talent solutions and direct sourcing gaining traction. The ongoing skills gap, intensified by business transformation and the rise of new technologies like AI, highlighted the need for upskilling, reskilling and proactive talent pipelining. Meanwhile, employees continued to reevaluate their relationship with work, demanding greater flexibility, wellbeing support and personalized experiences. Navigating these shifts required HR leaders to become more agile, data-driven and employee-centric, often relying on technology to streamline processes, enhance the candidate experience and gain valuable talent market intelligence. 

In the following review, we trace how our 2024 predictions played out and offer insights for the path ahead. 

1. New Models Help Organizations Ride the Economic Waves 

What We Said:

Talent acquisition teams have experienced significant fluctuations over the past few years—from pandemic-driven downsizing to rapid growth and recent cutbacks—making it critical for talent acquisition leaders to develop strategies for managing through economic uncertainty. Rather than continuing the cycle of boom and bust, organizations should adopt agile approaches to workforce planning, with flexible RPO solutions offering stability during unpredictable times. 

What We Saw:  

Market conditions shifted the recruitment landscape to favor employers in 2024. Year-over-year hiring rates are stabilizing, with a moderation in the hiring slowdown, especially in the tech industry. While hiring rates across many industries were down, healthcare and energy sectors saw continued strength despite the general economic downturn. With continued labor shortages, shifting skills requirements and changing employee expectations, immense pressure remains on employers and their talent strategies.   

Modular talent solutions are gaining traction as a strategic response to economic uncertainty, providing a flexible approach to workforce management that allows employers to adapt to fluctuating demand and optimize costs. As 91% of hiring managers say they’re experiencing hiring challenges, and 45% indicate they’re struggling to find qualified workers for open roles, Modular RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) has proven to be a cost-effective strategy for augmenting internal recruitment capabilities. 

Employers also turned to direct sourcing as a key strategy for tackling staffing shortages. According to Everest Group, 46% of enterprises are actively exploring ways to combine approaches for contingent and permanent talent acquisition management, and 74% see direct sourcing as the best strategy for doing so. By building a talent pool of qualified candidates—including independent contractors, freelancers and other contingent workers—companies can hire faster, reduce costs and fill specific skills gaps within their organization. Leveraging contingent labor helps organizations gain the flexibility and scalability necessary in today’s dynamic market. 

As you consider implementing direct sourcing in your organization, remember that technology is a crucial enabler, and the human touch remains invaluable. Partnering with an RPO provider can provide you with AI-powered, cutting-edge technology, backed by expert talent curation and engagement strategies.  

2. Focus on Internal Mobility 

What We Said: 

Employee retention will remain a top priority for HR professionals in 2024, with 36% identifying it as crucial, leading to an increased focus on internal mobility and skill development. Following the labor hoarding trend of 2023, organizations are emphasizing the transformation of existing workers’ skills to prepare for future needs. Career paths are becoming more fluid, moving away from traditional linear progression to cross-departmental moves, which requires hiring managers to evaluate candidates based on their overall organizational value rather than just role-specific fit. 

What We Saw:   

Internal mobility is on the rise as hiring rates stabilize. According to LinkedIn, internal mobility has increased 6% year-over-year as companies discover how leveraging internal hiring can accelerate organizational agility, employee engagement and retention, and career development. According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report, 41% of companies plan to fill more than 30% of their open roles with internal talent. Internal mobility does more than help employers fill critical gaps—93% of employees stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development, and internal hires reach competency 20% faster than external hires.  

Internal mobility programs are more successful when combined with upskilling and reskilling initiatives. As business needs evolve, internal mobility allows employees to move into new roles, and upskilling and reskilling provide the necessary training to close skills gaps and ensure employees are successful in their new roles. By offering these development opportunities, employers expand the pool of qualified internal candidates while boosting employee engagement. 
 
By effectively integrating upskilling and reskilling with internal mobility programs, companies can create a more engaged, agile and resilient workforce, helping them overcome current and future hiring challenges in a dynamic business environment. An RPO partner can help create a robust internal mobility program that leverages best practices to support continuous learning, career growth and workforce planning to retain top talent and swiftly adapt to changing business needs.  

3. AI Becomes a Reality…Slowly 

What We Said: 

While talent acquisition continues to evolve with the growth of new technologies like Generative AI (GenAI)—particularly in streamlining tasks from screening to interview scheduling—organizations are advised to take a measured, principled approach to AI implementation. The key is to start with small projects to identify where AI can add genuine value while maintaining human oversight—which remains central to recruitment processes. 

What We Saw:  

Following the widespread discussion tools like ChatGPT, we thought we’d see organizations move beyond ethical debates to actively integrate GenAI into their talent acquisition strategies. Indeed, eight in 10 global executives see at least one way GenAI will help their employees, yet only one in 10 organizations have “broad leadership alignment, comprehensive tools and strong processes in place for GenAI adoption.” 

While adoption rates vary, AI is transforming talent acquisition. We’ve seen increased use of AI tools for résumé screening and initial candidate assessment, driving recruiter efficiencies, reducing potential unconscious bias and improving quality of hire. Natural language processing tools can ingest thousands of résumés and CVs, and analyze the content, context and trends across the talent pool within seconds. AI tools can be trained to recognize specific skills, experiences and competencies that are required for open roles and then score and rank applicants automatically. 

Some employers have integrated AI-powered chatbots into their recruitment process to create a conversational experience for candidates using natural language processing, offering candidates support 24/7. These mobile-friendly, text interview tools automatically screen candidates using predetermined questions that gauge their interest and qualifications. Based on the responses, the chatbot can instantly determine the next step for each specific candidate. This frees up recruiters to focus on more strategic tasks. 

Adoption of AI-powered skills assessment platforms has also increased, providing an objective and accurate evaluation of candidates’ abilities through data-driven insights. New tech platforms test and measure candidates for skills mastery, personality traits and cognitive abilities. As with all AI-powered efficiencies, the tech-enabled assessments should augment, not replace human expertise.  

Partnering with an RPO provider is an excellent way to ensure careful, diligent and compliant use of AI tools throughout your recruitment process. Above all, AI should not be seen as a replacement for the talent acquisition strategy you’ve already built, but rather a set of tools to make your teams better at tasks both mundane and meaningful. 

4. Business Transformation Impacts Workforce Planning 

What We Said: 

The demand for new types of jobs, particularly in areas like data analytics, software development and green skills (which saw a 677% increase from 2019 to 2023), has grown significantly, with McKinsey noting that one-third of new U.S. jobs created in the past 25 years were previously non-existent roles. While this transformation creates exciting opportunities, organizations face a critical challenge as workforce development systems struggle to keep pace with rapidly changing skill requirements, resulting in a shortage of qualified talent. To address this gap, talent acquisition leaders must focus on proactive workforce planning and employee development.  

What We Saw:  

The demand for tech talent, particularly in areas like AI, machine learning, cybersecurity and software development continued to outpace supply in 2024. The transition to sustainable practices and renewable energy sources also fuelled growth of green jobs in areas like environmental engineering, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy technologies. Across industries, the ability to collect, analyze and interpret data became critical for decision-making, leading to higher demand for data analysts, scientists and engineers.  

The World Economic Forum predicts that 23% of global jobs will change in the next five years due to industry transformation, including AI. According to LinkedIn, employees skilled at using GAI are 5x more likely than others to develop skills like creative ideation, design thinking and emotional intelligence. So, with 79% of CEOs accelerating their post-crisis business strategy, the pressure is on HR leaders to achieve the vision of a tech savvy workforce.  

HR leaders must take an active approach in the C-Suite to achieve strategic business outcomes with an edge in human capital by assessing the current state of the workforce and developing a roadmap for optimizing employee value and identifying hidden potential to close skills gaps. Yet, according to Gartner, while 87% of HR leaders agree that shifting business needs requires continuous HR transformation, only 28% say that the HR strategic planning process is fully integrated with the business planning process. 

Collaboration between the C-Suite and HR is essential for successful talent acquisition in today’s dynamic business environment. HR must be deeply involved in business discussions to understand the organization’s goals to anticipate future needs, identify potential skills gaps and develop proactive strategies to attract and grow the right talent. 

5. Growth in Skills-Based Practices  

What We Said: 

Organizations are adopting a comprehensive approach to workforce adaptation by investing in upskilling programs and partnering with RPO providers to secure talent with future-proof skills. The trend is moving towards skills-based recruitment, with companies like Google leading the way by eliminating degree requirements, which not only expands candidate pools but also promotes workplace diversity and inclusion. Companies are shifting their assessment practices to focus on actual skills rather than traditional credentials, recognizing this as a more effective way to identify qualified candidates in today’s evolving job market. 

What We Saw:  

In adapting to the changing skills landscape, employers are rightly focusing on specific skills rather than traditional credentials and talent leaders are increasingly recognizing the value of experience and learnability over degrees. Alternative credentials like certifications, badges, micro-credentials and other qualifications earned outside of traditional degree programs are also gaining acceptance, as they often focus on specific skills or knowledge areas, a natural fit for skills-based hiring strategies. Recognizing these credentials helps employers expand their talent pools, hire faster and improve quality of hire.  

Recent estimates of the impact of large language models (LLMs) by the International Labour Organization estimate that 24% of clerical tasks should be considered highly exposed to automation effects with an additional 58% having medium-level exposure, while another report suggests that 80% of U.S. workers could see at least 10% of their tasks automated. The International Monetary Fund estimates that AI would affect 40% of jobs and worsen inequality, while Goldman Sachs predicts that up to 25% of the work currently done by humans could soon be automated by generative AI.  

As AI increasingly takes on the less complex, more repeatable tasks being done by the workforce, companies will need to hire talent with broader, uniquely human skills. Skills like problem-solving, adaptability, and collaboration—all skills that spur organizational agility—will continue to rise in demand. In fact, 69% of U.S. executives say they plan to prioritize hiring candidates with soft skills, especially transferrable skills that will allow candidates to move nimbly across roles. 

While making the shift to skills-based hiring practices takes time and effort, an RPO provider can accelerate your transition by offering strategic guidance around talent assessment design to embed skills at the core of your talent practice and build a future-fit workforce. 

6. Stalled Momentum in HR Tech Upgrades  

What We Said: 

As the HR technology market grows ever bigger, 2024 is set to be a pivotal year for recruitment technology upgrades, with organizations increasingly leveraging AI-powered features to automate routine tasks and enhance the candidate experience. Talent acquisition leaders are focusing on using technology to augment human interactions and analyze data for more agile resource management, while simultaneously proving their ability to deliver digital transformation and demonstrate clear ROI on these investments. This push towards technological advancement presents an opportunity for TA leaders to dispel past criticisms about HR’s ability to drive meaningful technological change. 

What We Saw:   

Economic uncertainty impacted our predictions for HR tech upgrades in 2024. While the drive for technological advancements in HR remained strong, budgetary constraints and cautious spending impacted the pace of adoption. According to Gartner, when asked about priorities and expected challenges in 2025, 55% of HR leaders say their current technology solutions do not cover current and future business needs. HR leaders are increasingly seeking tools to gather and analyze data to inform their talent strategies and enhance the candidate experience. Uncertainty about the economic outlook led some companies to postpone major HR tech implementation, opting for smaller-scale upgrades or maximizing the value of existing systems.  

The shift to cloud-based HR systems continued, offering scalability and flexibility despite budget constraints. Companies also focused on integrating their existing HR systems to improve data flow and drive efficiencies. Under budget scrutiny, a greater emphasis was placed on demonstrated ROI of HR tech solutions.  

A Gartner survey identified HR technology as the top priority for HR investment for three consecutive years. So, while economic challenges may persist, there’s reason to be optimistic that HR tech investments will increase in 2025 as companies recognize the long-term benefits of building the ultimate tech stack. One of the biggest value-adds an RPO partnership brings is experience with and access to the latest in talent technology. An RPO provider can help you assess your current solutions, show you how emerging technologies like AI, machine learning and predictive analytics can boost your ability to attract top talent and customize a technology ecosystem to meet your needs now and into the future.  

7. Employee Expectations of Work Have Changed 

What We Said:

Talent acquisition leaders must act as strategic market listeners, continuously adapting their employer value proposition (EVP) to align with evolving candidate expectations. As employees increasingly demand more personalized experiences, organizations need to move beyond traditional one-size-fits-all EVP approaches to embrace a human-centric strategy that acknowledges employees’ full personhood. This more holistic approach, focusing on creating exceptional life experiences and positive emotional connections, will be crucial for both attracting top talent and improving retention rates in 2024. 

What We Saw:   

2024 saw a significant shift in how employees view their work, requiring employers to adapt. While compensation remains important, employees are increasingly prioritizing work-life balance, flexibility, purpose and wellbeing, and are seeking employers with a demonstrated concern for their employees—The Executive Development Network reports that 86% of employees would leave their current job if there was no obvious support for employee wellbeing.  

While many companies expanded flexible work options, including remote work, hybrid models and flexible schedules, return-to-office mandates were still prevalent with the likes of Amazon doubling down on their in-person stance. The power play between employers and employees is expected continue into 2025, and not just regarding hybrid work. Employers will continue to face increased pressure to integrate wellbeing into the workplace, as 62% of candidates say they only apply for jobs that meet the majority of their EVP requirements according to Gartner’s Q2 2024 Voice of the Candidate Survey.  

To attract and retain top talent, employers will need to actively listen to their employees’ needs and preferences to create a human-centric workplace and prioritize authenticity and transparency in communicating their values with candidates and employees. As the relationship between employers and employees will continue to evolve, organizations can benefit from leveraging data and analytics to understand employee behavior to tailor their experiences, and utilizing technology to support flexible work, personalize benefits and offer wellbeing programs. 

8. Data Remains Key 

What We Said:

The labor market faces significant challenges due to Baby Boomers’ retirement creating a brain drain, coupled with a smaller upcoming workforce that lacks certain soft skills and the growing impact of long-term illness, including COVID-19 complications, which has sidelined over 2.5 million people in the UK alone. To combat this talent scarcity, organizations must focus on attracting and training Gen Z while leveraging data analytics as a strategic tool. Talent acquisition leaders need to elevate talent intelligence to the C-Suite level, using data-driven insights to understand talent pools and optimize recruitment and retention strategies for maximum ROI. 

What We Saw:   

Effective use of data remains crucial in navigating talent scarcity and building a future-ready workforce. Savvy talent leaders are using real-time market intelligence such as salary trends, skills demand and competitor activity to make informed decisions about their recruitment and retention strategies.  

With increased adoption of AI tools across the recruitment process, machine learning models are providing predictive and prescriptive hiring insights. AI can assess candidate interest, motivations, likelihood to accept an offer and even predicted tenure, empowering recruiters to prioritize and personalize their outreach efforts. When it comes to early careers recruitment, data revealing the preferences, values and career aspirations of Gen Z is essential in developing recruitment strategies that resonate with these jobseekers.  

A key benefit to partnering with an RPO provider is the comprehensive reporting tools and data insights they can provide. PeopleScout’s Affinix® Analytics business intelligence suite offers a holistic view into the recruiting process—from job seeker data and operational metrics to campaign analytics and market intelligence.   

These insights will remain paramount in 2025—armed with the right data, employers can proactively identify and attract top talent ahead of their competitors and drive business outcomes. 

The Future is Bright with the Right Talent Partner  

The future of work holds exciting potential, but also some uncertainty. However, while individual trends are difficult to predict, TA leaders that embrace agility, skills practices and tech innovation will find themselves in a strong position to prove their value in driving business performance. As your talent partner, PeopleScout will be ready to support, challenge and inspire you for whatever lies ahead.  

By staying on top of key shifts like these and working with an expert talent solutions provider like PeopleScout, companies can build workforces with the skills, mindsets and diversity of experiences to thrive in the next era of business. 

Home Health Staffing: Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent

Posted on by akessler

The home healthcare sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by an aging population and a growing preference for receiving medical care in the comfort of one’s own home. As the demand for home healthcare continues to surge, so does the need for qualified and compassionate healthcare professionals to provide these essential services. However, home health staffing presents unique challenges that require innovative and effective strategies to overcome. 

In this article, we will explore comprehensive strategies for successful home health hiring. By addressing these challenges head-on and implementing innovative solutions, organizations can meet their staffing needs and improve the quality of care provided to patients in their homes. 

Understanding the Home Health Recruiting Landscape 

The home healthcare landscape is diverse, encompassing a wide range of roles from home health aides and personal care assistants to skilled nurses and therapists. The nature of home healthcare work—which often involves working remotely and independently in patients’ homes—requires trust, reliability and adaptability.  

Home health recruiting is about more than filling positions; it’s about finding individuals who can rise to these ideals, maintaining professional standards and contributing to the overall well-being of patients.  

Several trends within home healthcare are impacting recruitment within the sector, including: 

  • Rapid Growth: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in home healthcare services will grow by 33% by 2030, making home health staffing shortages a challenge for the sector. 
  • Shift from Institutional Care: There’s a growing preference for receiving care at home rather than in hospitals or nursing homes, which is driving demand for home healthcare services. 
  • Technology is Changing Skill Sets: The adoption of telehealth and remote monitoring technologies is changing the skill sets required for home healthcare workers. 
  • Focus on Specialized Care: There’s a growing need for home healthcare workers with complex medical conditions. Recruiting home healthcare aides will become more complicated as the need to upskill to keep pace with modern healthcare requirements becomes more crucial. 
  • Cultural Competence: There’s an increasing demand for care workers who represent their diverse community and who can communicate effectively with patients from various backgrounds. 

Given these trends, the need for qualified home healthcare professionals is expected to continue growing. However, with high turnover rates and competition from other healthcare sectors, recruiters are struggling to reach the right talent. Next, we’ll explore how to identify ideal candidates for home healthcare roles. 

5 Strategies to Overcome Home Health Staffing Challenges 

By addressing home health recruiting issues head-on, organizations can improve their recruitment outcomes and build a more stable workforce. 

1. Create Competitive Offers 

While the opportunity for meaningful one-on-one patient care and diverse experiences will attract talent for home health hiring, home healthcare providers must differentiate their positions to compete with other healthcare sectors for talent. Leverage market intelligence to understand which organizations in your area are hiring for similar skills and average salary ranges by experience level to craft offers that will entice quality talent.  

Remember, not all parts of an offer are material. Flexible scheduling options, including part-time and job-sharing arrangements, are sought-after in the healthcare sector because they provide better work-life balance compared to traditional hospital settings.  

2. Address High Turnover in Home Healthcare 

High turnover is putting pressure on healthcare recruitment and home health is no exception. There are strategies organizations can use in the recruitment phase to find candidates who are likely to thrive in these roles long-term. Predictive analytics tools use historical data to predict which candidates are most likely to succeed in specific roles. 

You can also use the recruitment process to showcase your organization’s commitment to employee development, highlighting real-life examples of career advancement paths and recognition programs that reward exceptional performance. By emphasizing these retention-focused initiatives upfront, you can attract candidates with the temperament and intrinsic motivations that align with the unique demands of home healthcare, building a more stable and engaged workforce to provide outstanding patient care. 

3. Showcase Your Support Systems 

Turnover in the healthcare sector has been primarily driven by employee burnout since the start of the pandemic. Caring for patients who are sick, elderly or even dying can take an emotional toll on home health workers. Plus, home healthcare workers often work alone in patients’ homes, which can present safety concerns and feelings of isolation.  

Showing candidates that you have well-established safety protocols for various situations they might encounter in the role will reassure them you have their best interest in mind. Recruitment content should emphasize the support structures you have in place from regular supervisor check-ins to mentorship programs and peer support groups where employees share experiences and receive advice.  

4. Leverage Technology in Home Health Staffing 

Talent technology can significantly enhance home health recruiting efforts, especially when it comes to creating a mobile-first candidate experience. This is crucial for recruiting home health aides who work “on the road” visiting various patients. Another tech-enabled process enhancement to consider is recorded video interviews, in which candidates record responses to preset questions. For talent with variable schedules and movable workplaces, this lets them record at their convenience, reducing drop off rates. 

AI-powered candidate sourcing and matching tools can further streamline the process, automatically surfacing the most suitable talent based on their profiles and job requirements. However, it’s crucial that organizations strike the right balance, using technology to enhance but not replace the human elements of recruitment. Assessing soft skills and establishing personal connections remain vital, especially in a field as inherently people-oriented as home healthcare. 

5. Partnering with an RPO for Home Health Recruiting 

Partnering with a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) provider can be a game-changer for home healthcare organizations seeking the right talent. RPO partners bring specialized expertise and access to a wider talent pool that can be difficult for individual organizations to match on their own. By tapping into an RPO partner’s advanced recruitment technology, data-driven insights and dedicated sourcing teams, home healthcare providers can elevate their recruitment capabilities, fill open roles fast, and build a more stable, engaged workforce primed to deliver exceptional patient care. 

Critically, an RPO partner will understand the unique challenges of home health staffing and can customize their approach to address high turnover, competition from other healthcare organizations, and the need for flexible, remote-friendly hiring. With an RPO partner serving as an extension of your organization, internal talent teams are free to focus on assessing cultural fit and building meaningful relationships with employees.  

Conclusion 

The ability to attract and retain qualified, compassionate professionals has become mission-critical for the home healthcare sector. By addressing common home health staffing challenges head-on, leveraging the power of technology and forging strategic RPO partnerships, home healthcare providers can build a stable, engaged workforce prepared to deliver exceptional patient care. Ultimately, hiring decisions made today will shape the quality of care and quality of life for countless individuals seeking medical support in the comfort of their own homes. 

Aged Care Recruitment: 5 Strategies for Building a Compassionate Workforce 

Posted on by akessler

The aged care sector stands at a critical juncture, facing unprecedented demand as global populations continue to age. According to the United Nations, the proportion of individuals aged 65 and over is expected to increase from 10% in 2022 to 16% by 2050. This demographic shift has placed immense pressure on aged care services, highlighting the urgent need for effective aged care recruitment strategies to meet the growing demand for qualified caregivers. 

The challenges in aged care recruitment are multifaceted, ranging from a shortage of skilled workers to high turnover rates and a competitive job market. This article aims to explore these challenges and provide actionable strategies for improving recruitment in the aged care sector. By addressing these issues head-on, you can ensure high-quality care for the elderly in your community while creating rewarding career opportunities for caregivers. 

Understanding the Aged Care Sector 

Before delving into aged care recruitment strategies, it’s crucial to understand the diverse landscape of the aged care workforce. The sector encompasses a wide range of care options, including: 

  • Residential aged care facilities (nursing homes) 
  • Home care services 
  • Assisted living communities 
  • Respite care centers
  • Palliative care services 

Within these various settings, comprehensive care requires a variety of essential roles, from nurses to physiotherapists to administrative staff. Whether it’s for nursing home hiring or home health recruiting, each role requires a unique set of skills and qualifications. While some positions, such as RNs, demand extensive formal education and licensing, others like activity coordinators may not require certification. Regardless of the specific role, recruiters must assess all aged care workers for interpersonal skills, empathy, patience and a genuine passion for working with older adults. 

Current Aged Care Recruitment Challenges 

The aged care sector faces several significant recruitment challenges: 

  • Shortage of Qualified Staff: Many countries are experiencing a severe shortage of trained aged care workers and home healthcare workers. This shortage is exacerbated by growing demand for health services, including home health services, long-term care and aged care. 
  • High Turnover Rates: The aged care sector struggles with high turnover rates, often due to burnout, emotional stress and physically demanding work conditions. This level of churn creates a cycle of recruitment and training that strains resources. 
  • Competitive Job Market: With the expansion of healthcare services, aged care providers often find themselves competing for talent with hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities that may offer more attractive compensation packages or work environments. 
  • Changing Demographics of the Aged Care Workforce: As the current workforce ages, there’s a need to attract younger generations to aged care roles. However, many younger workers have different career expectations and may not initially consider aged care as a viable career path. 

5 Strategies for Effective Aged Care Recruitment 

To address these challenges, aged care providers must adopt innovative and comprehensive recruitment strategies. 

1. Develop a Strong Employer Brand 

Creating a compelling employer brand is crucial for attracting top talent for aged care staffing. This involves crafting a narrative that highlights your organization’s mission, values and the meaningful impact of aged care work on individuals and communities. Use various channels such as your website, social media and recruitment advertising to help your organization stand out as an employer of choice. 

To attract younger workers, develop a strong social media presence that showcases success stories of real employees, emphasizing personal growth, job satisfaction and the rewarding nature of caring for older adults through engaging content such as videos, employee testimonials and facility tours. Highlight career progression opportunities within your organization, demonstrating that aged care can offer long-term, fulfilling career paths.  

2. Update Recruitment Technology Platforms 

In today’s digital age, investing in your recruitment tech stack is essential for reaching a wide pool of potential candidates in aged care recruitment. Yet, many aged care providers are grappling with outdated recruitment systems that are ill-equipped to meet the demands of modern recruitment. Updating your tech stack can significantly enhance agility, streamline processes and provide the seamless candidate experience that today’s aged care professionals have come to expect.  

AI-powered sourcing tools can swiftly identify the most promising talent for various aged care roles, from nurses to physiotherapists, in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, advanced analytics equip recruitment teams with valuable data to refine strategies, allowing you to target the right candidates more effectively and improve retention rates in the challenging aged care sector.  

3. Implement Employee Referral Programs 

Employee referral programs can be a powerful tool for recruiting high-quality candidates to your aged care roles. When employees refer qualified friends, family members or professional contacts to open positions, hiring processes are often faster, recruitment costs are lower and retention rates are higher, as referred employees tend to have a more realistic understanding of the job and organization before joining. 

When implementing an employee referral program, it’s important to communicate the details of the program clearly to all employees and make the referral process as simple and straightforward as possible. Offer incentives for successful referrals, such as monetary bonuses, extra paid time off or other perks. Plan ways to regularly celebrate successful referrals to maintain enthusiasm for the program.  

4. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits 

Offering competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits packages is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent in this competitive space. Develop a comprehensive benefits package that addresses the diverse needs of your workforce, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. Consider adding perks that can set you apart as an employer. Flexible scheduling options, wellness programs, professional development opportunities or tuition reimbursement for continuing education can go a long way to enticing talent to aged care. 

Regularly benchmark your salary offerings against industry standards to ensure you remain competitive. Beyond base salary, consider offering bonuses to motivate and reward exceptional performance. Remember that investing in your employees through competitive compensation and benefits can lead to higher job satisfaction, improved performance and lower turnover rates in the long run. 

5. Engage an RPO Partner for Aged Care Recruitment 

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) has emerged as a strategic aged care staffing solution for providers facing persistent recruitment challenges. For aged care organizations, RPO leads to faster hiring times, improved quality of hires and a more streamlined recruitment process overall.  

One of the key advantages of RPO in aged care recruitment is its scalability and flexibility, allowing organizations to quickly ramp up or down their recruitment efforts as needed. RPO providers in healthcare often bring a data-driven approach, offering valuable insights into recruitment metrics and market trends specific to the aged care sector. An RPO partner can also help develop your employer brand strategy, ensuring that your values and culture are effectively communicated to potential candidates. 

Choose an RPO partner with a deep understanding of the aged care sector’s unique challenges and requirements. When considering RPO, think about the level of outsourcing that best suits your needs, whether it’s a full-scale solution or a project-based approach for specific roles. With clear communication and well-defined performance metrics, RPO can be a powerful tool for aged care providers to enhance their recruitment capabilities and ensure they have the skilled workforce needed to provide high-quality care. 

Conclusion 

Effective aged care recruitment is not just about filling positions; it’s about building a sustainable, skilled and passionate workforce capable of providing high-quality care to our aging population. By implementing comprehensive recruitment strategies, embracing tech innovations, and collaborating with an RPO partner, you can address the current challenges and prepare for future demands. By embracing these strategies, aged care organizations can elevate the perception of aged care work, attract talented individuals to the field, and ensure that our elderly receive the compassionate, skilled care they deserve.  

Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

Posted on by akessler
Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

Internal Mobility by PeopleScout

Redeployment Revolution: AI-Driven Internal Mobility for an APAC Government Agency

A massive redeployment initiative with this long-term government client demanded a new approach to identifying, developing and mobilizing internal talent. We implemented our tech-powered Internal Mobility solution and in doing so, deepened our partnership, transforming our role from technology provider to a trusted talent advisor.

66,000 + employees empowered to find internal opportunities across 40 departments
800 employees within a healthcare department successfully redeployed
5,000 candidates added to talent pools

Situation 

This federal government organization has been a PeopleScout client for more than ten years. Until recently, we served primarily as a talent technology partner—the client leveraged our talent technology suite Affinix™ to manage the job posting and application process for positions within their healthcare arm.

Because the government and public sector client had no visibility of the skills and talent across departments, talent scarcity issues—due to rapid technology advancements, widening skills gaps and shifting demographics—were exacerbated. Without a central view of the workforce, each department was managing their talent acquisition activities independently, some with the support of recruitment technology, and some without. Additionally, employees lacked visibility into cross-department opportunities with no easy way to explore openings.

To support an immediate need, the client asked PeopleScout to develop a redeployment solution within two weeks for 800 healthcare employees. In addition, they asked us to create a long-term internal mobility program to support ongoing talent initiatives.

Solution 

PeopleScout’s Internal Mobility solution leverages AI to automatically match employees with open positions, tapping into a talent pool of qualified and engaged candidates to expedite hiring and create a culture of growth and retention. Leveraging their Affinix suite, we helped streamline the client’s internal sourcing processes and created a comprehensive view of employee skills and competencies to effectively redeploy 800 employees within the healthcare department.

We also developed an internal mobility portal to proactively support ongoing redeployment across the entire government organization, thereby creating a more agile workforce where employees can quickly and seamlessly be reassigned to areas of greatest need. Our custom solution included four key modules:

  • Internal Career Portal: We created a Workforce Mobility Hub to support surge, temporary and long-term redeployments. This custom branded, user-friendly platform enables employees to search for cross-department opportunities, self-manage their professional profiles and sign up for custom job alerts.
  • Employee Expression of Interest: Candidates who want to be considered for short- or long-term internal opportunities complete expression of interest forms, which automatically adds them to talent pools.
  • AI Matching and Search: Affinix AI technology automatically searches the employee database to match candidates to roles based on their skills, experience and preferences. Hiring managers use our AI-talent matching tool to create talent pools of workers which they then target directly using automated email campaigns in Affinix. Since its inception, over 5,000 employees have been added to a talent pool. 
  • Skills-Based Assessments: Affinix integrates with best-in-breed screening and assessment platforms to evaluate employees’ skills and experience against the requirements of the role, ensuring candidate fit and promoting long-term career growth.

Results 

Our tech-powered Internal Mobility solution successfully supported not only the redeployment of 800 healthcare employees, but it also supports ongoing internal mobility initiatives across the entire organization. In fact, we empower their 66,0000 full-time employees to mobilize across 40 departments, future-proofing the organization with a skilled and agile workforce.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Federal government agency in APAC
  • INDUSTRY
    Government & Public Sector
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Affinix
  • ANNUAL HIRES
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5 Signs Your Organization Needs RPO 

Posted on by akessler

Your workforce is crucial for organizational success. However, many companies find themselves struggling with the complexities and challenges of modern recruitment. That’s where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) comes in—a strategic solution that can transform how organizations approach hiring.  

So, is RPO is right for your company?  

This article explores five key indicators that it’s time to consider RPO, and why it could be a game-changer for your talent acquisition strategy. 

1. You Lack Internal Recruiting Expertise 

Many organizations, especially small to medium-sized businesses or those in niche industries, may not have the luxury of a full-fledged, experienced recruiting team. This gap in expertise can lead to longer time-to-fill rates and potential mismatches between candidates and roles.  

RPO providers bring a wealth of recruiting knowledge gained across various industries and job functions. They stay up to date with the latest labor market trends, recruiting tools and techniques, and best practices.  

This expertise extends beyond just finding candidates. It includes employer branding, talent consulting, internal mobility and more. By tapping into this external expertise, you can elevate your entire recruitment function without the need to build and maintain this capability in-house.  

2. Your Recruitment Tech Stack is Lacking or Outdated 

If your organization is still relying on manual processes, spreadsheets or legacy talent technology, you’re falling behind. These outdated methods not only slow down your hiring process but also limit your reach and ability to engage with candidates.  

Modern candidates expect a seamless, digital-first experience throughout their recruitment journey, and failing to provide this can result in candidate drop-off and a damaged employer brand. Additionally, the lack of advanced analytics and reporting capabilities in older systems makes it difficult to gain insights into your recruitment performance and make data-driven decisions. 

Leading RPO providers offer a suite of cutting-edge recruitment technologies that can revolutionize your hiring process. These may include AI-powered candidate matching, automated screening tools and comprehensive analytics. By partnering with an RPO, you gain access to these technologies without the need for significant upfront investment or ongoing maintenance costs. This technological upgrade can lead to faster time-to-hire, improved candidate quality, and a more efficient overall recruitment process.  

3. Your Hiring Processes are Inconsistent or Inefficient  

A disjointed or inconsistent recruitment process can be a significant drain on an organization’s resources and effectiveness. It you’re struggling with long time-to-fill rates, high candidate drop-off rates or frequent complaints from hiring managers about the recruitment process, RPO can help.  

Your RPO partner can help you to implement standardized, streamlined processes that address these issues. They bring tried-and-tested methodologies that can be customized to fit your organization’s unique needs. This might include implementing consistent interview structures, standardizing assessment methods, or creating automated workflows through new technologies. This also has the knock-on effect of boosting fairness in your recruitment process. 

4. You’re Struggling to Remain Agile 

Many businesses experience significant fluctuations in their hiring needs, whether due to seasonal variations, project-based work or unpredictable market conditions. These fluctuations can make it challenging to maintain an appropriately sized in-house recruiting team. During peak periods, the team may be overwhelmed, leading to delays and potentially missed opportunities. Conversely, during slower periods, the team may be underutilized, representing an unnecessary fixed cost.  

One of the most significant benefits of RPO is its scalability. RPO providers can quickly ramp up resources during high-demand periods and scale back during lulls, ensuring that the recruitment capabilities match the needs of the business. With this kind of flexibility, you maintain hiring efficiency and quality regardless of volume. Plus, you optimize costs by only paying for the resources you actually need.  

5. Your Recruitment Costs are Too High 

Recruitment can be a significant expense for many organizations, especially when considering the full cost of maintaining an in-house team—including salaries, benefits, training—and technology investments. Additional costs can come from agency fees for hard-to-fill positions, job board subscriptions and employer branding initiatives. When these costs start to balloon, it’s a strong indicator that RPO might be a more cost-effective solution.  

RPO providers can often achieve economies of scale by spreading costs across multiple clients and leveraging their existing infrastructure and relationships. They may have preferential rates with job boards and assessment providers, and their efficient processes can reduce time-to-fill, thereby lowering your overall cost per hire.  

Ready to Explore RPO? 

If you recognize one or more of these signs in your company, why not explore RPO? Effective recruitment is not just about filling positions; it’s about finding the right talent to drive your organization forward. By leveraging the expertise, resources and flexibility of an RPO provider, you can turn your recruitment function from a challenge into a competitive advantage. 

If you’re ready to explore how RPO can help your business, let’s connect! 

Internal Mobility

Posted on by akessler

Internal Mobility by PeopleScout

Powered by AI, our Internal Mobility solution streamlines the process for recruiters and automatically matches employees with open positions, ensuring the right fit and maximizing productivity. The result? A talent pool that’s engaged, roles that are filled faster, and a culture of growth and retention.

Download this fact sheet to learn more.

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Internal Mobility

Internal Mobility by PeopleScout Powered by AI, our Internal Mobility solution streamlines the process for recruiters and automatically matches employees with open positions, ensuring the right fit and maximizing productivity. The result? A talent pool that’s engaged, roles that are filled faster, and a culture of growth and retention. Download this fact sheet to learn…

Nurse Recruitment Strategies to Address the Nursing Shortage

Posted on by akessler

The healthcare industry is facing a severe shortage of nurses and other frontline clinical staff, creating unprecedented challenges for medical facilities across the nation. This crisis, exacerbated by an aging population and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatens the quality, accessibility and continuity of patient care. Whether healthcare organizations require the recruitment of registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners (NPs), or certified nursing assistants (CNAs), the need for innovative nurse recruitment strategies has never been more critical.  

The shortage spans all levels of nursing, from entry-level positions to advanced practice roles. Hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and home health agencies are all feeling the pinch as they struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels. This scarcity of nursing professionals not only strains existing staff but also impacts patient outcomes, increases wait times, and can lead to the reduction or elimination of certain services. 

This article explores the depth of the nursing shortage, its root causes, recruiting strategies for nurses for today’s competitive landscape. 

The Nursing Shortage: A Growing Crisis 

The current state of the nursing workforce paints a concerning picture for the future of healthcare. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the United States will face a shortage of 195,400 nurses by 2031. There are not enough nurses joining the field, which is not for lack of interested and qualified applicants. As many as 80,000 qualified applicants get turned away from nursing colleges because there are not enough nursing faculty, clinical sites, and resources to support larger class sizes. 

Driven by the strain of the pandemic and a shrinking workforce, many healthcare workers are choosing to the leave the field due to burnout. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the rates of RN turnover in the United States have ticked up over recent years, growing from 17% in 2017 to 26% by 2021. More than a quarter of RNs report they plan to retire or leave nursing over the next five years. 

With nationwide labor shortages and inflation, healthcare organizations face rising costs for salaries, benefits and contract staffing which strains budgets. Hospitals and health systems are paying an additional $24 billion per year for clinical labor than they were before the pandemic. In general, modern employees require more competitive compensation, benefits and perks to be enticed. This is even more crucial in rural settings where healthcare staff often must be convinced to relocate. 

In order to keep patient care standards high amidst staffing shortages, the U.S. healthcare system relies heavily on costly contract and travel nurses which further drives up labor costs for hospitals. According to  the American Hospital Association, the portion of nurse labor expenses going to contract travel nurses has grown from 4.7% in 2019 to 38.6% in January 2022.  

While travel nurses accounted for 23% of total nurse hours in January 2022, they represented nearly 40% of all nursing labor costs for hospitals. Plus, relying on traveling nurses can be bad for morale as staff nurses realize how much more money travel nurses are making—thus exacerbating retention challenges. 

nurse recruitment strategies

7 Best Practices in Nurse Recruitment 

Traditional approaches to nursing recruiting are no longer sufficient in this high-demand environment. Healthcare providers must reimagine their recruitment processes, workplace cultures and career development opportunities to attract and retain top nursing talent across all specialties and experience levels. To address the shortage, healthcare organizations should consider these best practices in nurse recruitment. 

1. Modernize Recruitment Technology 

Often healthcare organizations are struggling with legacy recruitment technology that is no longer fit for purpose when it comes to modern healthcare recruitment. Investing in your recruitment tech stack helps you gain agility, streamline your processes and access a world-class candidate experience that today’s nurses have come to expect.  

AI-powered sourcing tools can help identify the most promising healthcare talent in a matter of minutes.  Plus, advanced analytics arm you with the data you need to hone your recruitment strategy.  

2. Expand Nurse Recruitment Channels 

Expanding recruitment channels is essential in today’s competitive market. Partnering with nursing schools for early careers recruitment opportunities can help secure a pipeline of emerging talent. Utilizing social media platforms effectively can reach nursing candidates where they spend much of their time. Attendance at both virtual and in-person job fairs for healthcare recruitment can also yield positive results. 

3. Offer Competitive Compensation and Benefits 

Offering competitive compensation and benefits is more important than ever for clinical recruitment. Regular salary benchmarking ensures that pay rates remain attractive in a rapidly changing market. Comprehensive benefits packages, including perks like student loan repayment benefits and robust mental health support, can set an organization apart. For hard-to-fill positions, sign-on bonuses may be necessary to secure top talent over your competition. 

4. Create Clear Career Advancement Pathways 

Creating clear career advancement pathways is crucial for both recruitment and retention—but don’t just promote it to existing employees. Before joining, nurses want to know that there’s an established path to promotion to assure them there’s room to grow their skills and earning potential.  

Use your CRM to share content with nursing candidates throughout the recruitment journey that showcases mentorship programs for new nurses or leadership tracks for more experienced nurses. No matter where they are in their careers, nursing candidates want to know their employer will offer support and guidance throughout their careers.  

5. Emphasize Work-Life Balance 

In today’s workforce, emphasizing work-life balance is non-negotiable, regardless of industry. But with burnout among nurses higher than ever, it’s important to show nursing candidates upfront that you’re committed to work-life balance.  

Offering roles with flexible schedules, including part-time and job-sharing opportunities, can attract a wider pool of candidates. Ensure your job descriptions address paid time off and promotes your well-being perks and benefits.  

6. Diversify Your Nursing Workforce 

Diversity in nursing is not only an ethical imperative but also a practical necessity in serving increasingly diverse patient populations and supporting multilingual patient care. Developing targeted recruitment strategies for nurses from underrepresented groups can broaden the talent pool.

👉 Check out our DE&I Resource Center for information to help guide you on your diversity, equity and inclusion journey. 

7. Engage a Healthcare RPO Partner 

To overcome recruiting roadblocks, healthcare organizations can partner with a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner to supplement internal recruiting teams and create sustainable talent acquisition strategies. When implemented correctly, a healthcare RPO program enhances recruiting effectiveness, attracts top talent and reduces cost, providing healthcare organizations with a competitive advantage. 

The RPO Advantage for Nurse Recruitment 

The nursing shortage is a complex challenge that requires a multifaceted approach. A growing number of forward-thinking healthcare talent acquisition and HR leaders have partnered with an RPO partner to stay ahead of the competition. An RPO program can help your organization implement these nurse recruitment best practices and position you as an employer of choice for nurses. 

Discover how RPO can revolutionize your healthcare organization’s talent acquisition strategy with our ebook, Revolutionizing Healthcare Staffing: The RPO Advantage.   

7 Direct Sourcing Best Practices in Talent Acquisition

Posted on by akessler

Direct sourcing is a pivotal strategy in talent acquisition that empowers organizations to proactively identify, attract and engage top talent. With the growth of the gig economy and blurring of lines between full-time and temporary employment, workers who traditionally seek full-time employment are increasingly willing to take up temporary placements—and vice versa. Organizations that create and nurture blended talent pools of both permanent and contingent workers through direct sourcing best practices can bypass traditional recruitment channels and connect with top talent in a more personalized and efficient manner.  

Here are seven direct sourcing best practices to successfully implement direct sourcing as part of your talent acquisition strategy: 

1. Focus on Your Employer Brand 

    A strong employer brand showcases what makes your company unique and appealing, serving as a powerful magnet for skilled professionals seeking temporary, project-based and full-time work. Investing in your employer brand pays dividends in direct sourcing by reducing time-to-hire, improving the quality of candidates and enhancing candidate engagement. Moreover, it helps build trust and credibility with potential workers, making them more likely to choose your organization over competitors. 

    To build an effective employer brand, start by developing a compelling employer value proposition (EVP) that highlights the distinct advantages of working with your organization. This should encompass your company’s values, culture and the unique opportunities you offer. Consider factors such as flexible work arrangements, challenging projects and professional development opportunities. Communicate these elements clearly and consistently across your website, social media platforms, email nurture campaigns and other channels to create a cohesive brand image. 

    With 41% of companies expecting to increase their use of contingent workers, it’s important to ensure that your EVP applies to both your temporary and permanent employees. Have you formally defined the value proposition for contractors? Contingent workers are a part of your cultural DNA and deserve the same experience as full-time workers. It may help to shift from using the term EVP, which implies the value is only experienced by those you employ directly, to using Worker Value Proposition (WVP) to make it more inclusive. Direct sourcing can help that drive that connection to the employer brand —regardless of classification. 

    2. Implement Robust Technology 

      Technology forms the second cornerstone of successful direct sourcing, providing the essential infrastructure for implementing and optimizing sourcing strategies. In fact, the effectiveness of most of our direct sourcing best practices hinges on the availability and proper utilization of advanced technology tools.  

      Look for solutions that offer AI-powered matching capabilities, which can dramatically improve the speed and accuracy of candidate selection. For example, PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing is a tech-powered solution that helps you rediscover candidates who are already in your candidate database with the use of AI. Affinix™, our proprietary talent acquisition suite, compares your job description against profiles in your database and identifies a list of the best candidates—whether they’re previous applicants, individuals who have filled out an expression of interest form for the role, or silver/bronze medalists from previous requisitions. You receive a weighted score for each candidate (based on previous job titles and experience, skills profile and management experience) along with a written summary. Your hiring manager can then determine which candidates they want to pursue immediately, and which to add to a talent pool, where they’ll receive additional outreach before being invited to apply.  

      We can also use our AI smart search technology to tap into 1.3 billion candidate profiles across multiple external talent databases. This vastly expands your access to talent by identifying strong candidates within seconds of opening a new job requisition.  

      In addition to outbound channels, PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing offers technology solutions for inbound sourcing channels including custom careers sites, internal job portals, expression of interest forms and programmatic advertising.  

      In addition to sourcing capabilities, prioritize platforms with robust automation to reduce manual tasks and free up your team to focus on strategic initiatives. Don’t forget comprehensive analytics to help you continually refine your sourcing strategies, identify trends and measure your efforts.  

      3. Create Segmented Talent Pools 

        Creating segmented talent pools is a crucial strategy in effective direct sourcing, allowing organizations to target their efforts more precisely and efficiently. By developing and maintaining pools of both permanent and contingent talent based on skills, experience levels and job types, companies can quickly identify and engage the best candidates for specific roles or projects.  

        This targeted approach allows for more personalized engagement strategies, tailored communication and faster matching of candidates to opportunities. Through analytics you can develop an understanding of each talent segment’s unique needs and motivations, allowing you to refine your value proposition for different groups. Ultimately, segmented talent pools build stronger connections with candidates, improving the quality of hires and the efficiency of your direct sourcing program. 

        4. Develop Talent Engagement Strategies 

          Once you’ve established distinct talent segments, it’s essential to develop and implement engagement approaches that resonate with each group’s unique characteristics and preferences. This personalized approach ensures that your communication is relevant, timely and effective, increasing the likelihood of attracting and retaining top talent for your organization. 

          Implement a robust CRM and recruitment marketing engine to streamline and automate these engagement processes, allowing for consistent and personalized interactions at scale. Regularly provide updates, feedback, and relevant information to keep candidates engaged and interested, fostering a sense of connection with your organization even before a specific opportunity arises. Your engagement strategy should also span social media, networking events, relevant online platforms, industry associations and SMS to keep your talent pools informed about opportunities and foster connection. 

          This approach not only helps you cultivate a diverse pool of specialized talent but also positions your organization as an attractive option for skilled professionals. By maintaining active engagement with passive talent, you create a ready pipeline of qualified candidates, enabling you to quickly scale your workforce and access a broad spectrum of skills and expertise when needed. 

          5. Focus on the Candidate Experience 

            In the realm of direct sourcing best practices, a positive candidate experience not only enhances your organization’s reputation but also increases the likelihood of successful placements and repeat engagements. Regardless of whether a candidate is up for a permanent or contingent role, they’ll be expecting a mobile-first, streamlined, informative and engaging process from initial outreach through placement. 

            Focus on transparency and communication throughout the sourcing process. Provide clear, detailed job descriptions and requirements, offer insights into your company culture and set realistic expectations regarding timelines and next steps. A tech-powered solution will feature automation that ensures candidates receive timely responses to their applications and inquiries.  

            By prioritizing a positive candidate experience, you not only improve your chances of securing top talent but also build a strong employer brand that attracts high-quality candidates to your talent pools over time. 

            6. Optimize Direct Sourcing Performance 

              Measuring and optimizing the performance of your direct sourcing program is crucial for long-term success and continuous improvement. To effectively gauge the impact of your efforts, it’s essential to track key metrics that provide insights into various aspects of your sourcing strategy such as time-to-fill, quality of hires, cost per hire, candidate engagement rates and source of hire. Additionally, monitor the size and quality of your talent pools, the effectiveness of your engagement strategies, and the overall satisfaction of both candidates and hiring managers.  

              Regularly analyzing these metrics will provide a comprehensive view of your direct sourcing program’s performance and highlight areas for improvement. For instance, if you notice a particular talent pool consistently yields high-quality candidates with shorter time-to-fill rates, you might allocate more resources to cultivating that segment. Similarly, if certain engagement tactics result in higher response rates, you can refine your communication strategies accordingly.  

              Continuously refining your approach based on performance data ensures that your direct sourcing program remains agile and effective, adapting to changing market conditions and organizational needs. Remember, the goal is not just to collect data, but to translate these insights into improvements. 

              7. Consider Outsourcing to a Talent Partner 

                While implementing a successful direct sourcing strategy can yield a competitive edge, it requires substantial resources, expertise and ongoing management. This is where a total talent solutions partner can be a game-changer for organizations.  

                Outsourced total talent solutions providers who offer recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and managed service programs (MSP) have the advantage of scale and specialization. They continuously invest in the latest sourcing technologies, stay abreast of market trends and refine their strategies based on data from multiple clients across various industries. This expertise enables them to build and manage segmented talent pools more efficiently, implement sophisticated engagement strategies and deliver an outstanding candidate experience.  

                Moreover, a partner brings consultation to a direct sourcing solution. By evaluating the skills gaps in your organization in line with your anticipated demand, a talent partner can help you develop more formal workforce planning to keep you ahead of the curve. Direct sourcing can play a major role in pipelining talent so you can tap into it at the right time. 

                This approach not only saves time and costs from staffing agencies, but it also provides access to a broader and more diverse talent pool, enhances employer branding efforts and improves the quality of hires. Ultimately, partnering with a provider to help execute direct sourcing best practices enables organizations to achieve better results faster, positioning them to combine approaches for contingent and permanent talent acquisition management and take steps toward total workforce management. 

                Why Small and Medium Enterprises Should Consider Recruitment Process Outsourcing

                Posted on by akessler

                Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unique challenges in attracting and retaining top talent. Limited resources, lack of dedicated recruitment teams, and the need for agility in hiring can often put smaller businesses at a disadvantage.  

                That’s where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) comes in— a versatile strategy that businesses of all sizes can leverage to their advantage.  

                Yes, we’re here to dispel the misconception that RPO is a luxury reserved for large enterprises with deep pockets. By offering scalable, expert-driven talent solutions, RPO providers are leveling the playing field. They bring enterprise-grade hiring practices within reach of SMEs, allowing them to compete for talent on par with larger corporations.  

                Let’s explore how RPO is reshaping the talent landscape for businesses of all sizes. 

                The Shifting Landscape of RPO 

                Data from Everest Group highlights a striking trend: the proportion of new RPO deals involving smaller organizations nearly doubled from 23% in 2017 to 43% in 2022. This significant shift underscores the growing recognition among SMEs of RPO’s value in scaling hiring efforts and navigating an unpredictable labor market. 

                Leading providers are offering more flexible, short-term solutions designed to address immediate needs without the lengthy implementation periods traditionally associated with RPO. For instance, modular solutions like PeopleScout’s Amplifiers™ and our ready-to-go RPO solution, Accelerate™, allow smaller enterprises to harness the power of RPO faster. These innovations are making RPO more accessible and responsive to the dynamic needs of growing businesses, further democratizing access to professional recruitment expertise. 

                Debunking the “Big Business Only” Myth: Why SMEs are Embracing RPO 

                The notion that RPO is exclusive to large enterprises is a myth. In reality, RPO can be particularly effective for SMEs experiencing rapid growth or expanding their geographic reach. Here’s why: 

                • Unmatched Expertise: RPO providers bring a wealth of experience gathered from working with diverse clients across many industries. Smaller companies gain access to seasoned recruiters, best practices and industry insights to help them compete for top talent. Plus, an RPO partner will help you develop and refine your recruitment processes, setting a foundation for sustainable growth. 
                • Scalability and Flexibility: As you scale, an RPO solution will adapt to your fluctuating talent needs. Whether you need to ramp up hiring quickly for a new product launch or scale down during slower periods, RPO offers an agility that you can’t replicate in-house.  
                • Time-Saving Efficiency: By taking on time-consuming tasks like sourcing, interview scheduling and candidate management, RPO partners free up your internal teams—from HR to hiring managers—to focus on strategic priorities and business objectives.  
                • Cost Management: RPO streamlines processes and leverages cutting-edge recruitment technologies, often resulting in significant cost savings and more manageable recruitment spend compared to maintaining a full-time in-house team or relying on traditional staffing agencies.  
                • Access to the Latest Technology: Speaking of technology, leading RPOs have their finger on the pulse of the ever-expanding talent tech marketplace. Look for a partner who offers technology consulting to advise on how to capitalize on your existing recruitment tech stack or to recommend new tools to introduce more automation, analytics and innovation for better candidate experience.  
                • Enhanced Candidate Experience: RPO providers excel at creating a memorable candidate journey, from initial contact through onboarding, ensuring a positive experience that reflects well on your brand.  

                Is RPO Right for Your Business? 

                If you’re a small or medium-sized business looking to scale, improve your hiring processes, or simply manage recruitment more effectively, RPO is worth considering. The key is finding an RPO partner that will take the time to understand your unique needs and will tailor a solution to align with your company’s goals and culture. 

                PeopleScout’s RPO solutions provide value for businesses of all sizes. We’re not just focused on filling positions; we’re here to help you build a talent acquisition strategy that can drive your business forward. Whether you’re a startup looking to make your first key hires or a mid-sized company aiming to optimize your recruitment process, PeopleScout RPO might be just what you need. Let’s connect! 

                Overcoming Healthcare Talent Shortage with Tech-Powered Direct Sourcing

                Posted on by akessler
                Overcoming Healthcare Talent Shortage with Tech-Powered Direct Sourcing

                Direct Sourcing

                Overcoming Healthcare Talent Shortage with Tech-Powered Direct Sourcing

                An Australian radiology network sought PeopleScout’s Direct Sourcing solution after two acquisitions expanded their geographical footprint, making it increasingly difficult to fill critical skilled healthcare roles amidst a talent shortage and an imbalanced distribution of practitioners across regions.

                401 roles filled in just 5 months
                112 roles filled in remote locations
                83 % engagement rate on doctor campaign

                Situation 

                This Australian radiology network operates in 270 clinics, employs over 350 doctors and 4,000 staff and performs over six million patient procedures a year, making them one of the largest medical imaging providers in the world. The organization needed to hire high-volume, critical healthcare roles across both metropolitan and regional locations, but they were struggling because of the talent shortage across their newly expanded regional footprint. In addition to the unique talent challenges facing the healthcare sector globally—including employee burnout, widening skills gaps and rising demand among the aging population—the diagnostic imaging sector in Australia faces the additional challenge of ensuring staff distribution across metropolitan, regional and rural areas is proportionate to the population. Historically, most radiology workers have resided in metropolitan areas, creating a gap in rural locations. 

                Prior to engaging PeopleScout, the client used disparate, short-term solutions and lacked a single view of the skills within their existing workforce. They did not have a talent technology platform, but instead managed requisitions and candidate outreach efforts using Excel spreadsheets. Our team developed a Direct Sourcing solution to help the client overcome the healthcare talent shortage and meet their workforce goals in all locations.  

                Solution 

                PeopleScout augmented the internal recruitment team with Direct Sourcing for both contingent and permanent roles ranging from medical receptionists to radiographers, sonographers to IT personnel, by developing and implementing 360-degree talent sourcing and engagement strategy that included:  

                • Multi-Channel Sourcing: We deployed Smart Search, an Affinix™ tool that simultaneously scours multiple external databases, capturing and saving profiles that match desired skills and experience. 
                • AI-Powered Talent Rediscovery: Using artificial intelligence, we matched job descriptions to all candidates in the platform, generating a list of recommended candidates that were scored for suitability, based on industry experience, skills, previous job titles and management experience. 
                • Cutting-Edge Recruitment Marketing: Leveraging Affinix’s capabilities, we built an internal career site and external job portal. These engagement hubs allowed employees and candidates to explore openings, learn about different roles or submit expression of interest forms for hard-to-fill positions. 
                • Sophisticated Talent Nurturing: Candidates were segmented into talent pools by role and region, then added to customized, automated nurture campaigns. This allowed our client to engage or re-engage with active and passive candidates, alumni and referrals effectively. 
                • Data-Driven Insights: Custom Affinix dashboards provided real-time insights on the most active candidates, enabling the team to build automated drip campaigns that kept jobseekers engaged and interested. 

                Results 

                The impact of our tech-powered Direct Sourcing solution was swift and substantial. In the first five months following program launch, PeopleScout filled 401 roles for the radiology network across 33 locations, including every state and territory where the organization operates.  

                Some campaign messaging was role-specific—the campaign targeting 800 doctors had an engagement rate over 80%.  

                Other messages focused on the benefits of working in the more remote locations, highlighting the “perfect combination of a vibrant city life in a rural setting.” Of the roles filled, 112 were within these regional locations, where recruitment had historically been more difficult.  

                At a Glance

                • COMPANY
                  Radiology network
                • INDUSTRY
                  Healthcare
                • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
                  Total Talent, Affinix
                • LOCATIONS
                  33 locations across Australia and New Zealand
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