PeopleScout’s talent acquisition technology suite, Affinix™, is a mobile-first, cloud-based platform that creates a consumer-like candidate experience and streamlines the sourcing process.
By Patti Woods, Sr. Implementation Training Manager, & Chad Getchell, Director of Technical Solutions Architecture & Tech Implementation Ready or not, AI is coming for the recruiting world. A whopping 81% of HR leaders are already exploring or implementing AI in their processes according to Gartner. That’s a lot of companies jumping on the train…
PeopleScout’s talent acquisition technology suite, Affinix™, is a mobile-first, cloud-based platform that creates a consumer-like candidate experience and streamlines the sourcing process. The Affinix Analytics module provides customizable dashboards that show job seeker analytics and operational metrics to help you understand your end-to-end recruitment process.
By Patti Woods, Sr. Implementation Training Manager, & Chad Getchell, Director of Technical Solutions Architecture & Tech Implementation Ready or not, AI is coming for the recruiting world. A whopping 81% of HR leaders are already exploring or implementing AI in their processes according to Gartner. That’s a lot of companies jumping on the train…
The U.S. economy gained 49,000 jobs in January. The modest growth follows December’s drop in employment, and suggests growth remains sluggish. The economy is still more than nine million jobs short of pre-pandemic levels. The unemployment rate fell to 6.3%. Year-over-year wage growth was at 5.4%.
The Numbers
49,000: The U.S. economy added 49,000 jobs in 2021
6.3%: The unemployment rate fell to 6.3%.
5.4%: Wages rose 5.4% over the past year.
The Good
Though the numbers in January’s jobs report reveal little to celebrate, the addition of 49,000 jobs averts a second straight month of losses, as the New York Times reports some economists expected. The most significant gains were made in the business and professional services sector, with more modest gains in financial services.
The Bad
As the Washington Post reports, the jobs report reveals that the economy finished 2020 even weaker than originally indicated. November’s jobs gains were adjusted down 72,000 from the original estimates, and revised estimates now show a decrease of 227,000 jobs in December, rather than the 140,000 initially reported.
Some of the most significant losses came in leisure and hospitality as restaurants continued to struggle. The retail sector also shed jobs after boosted hiring during the holiday season. Even transportation and warehousing, which had previously remained a bright spot, reported a loss of nearly 28,000 jobs.
Though the decrease in the unemployment rate may initially seem like good news, the Wall Street Journal reports that the drop is largely because many workers dropped out of the labor force and were no longer actively looking for jobs.
The Unknown
January’s jobs report comes as coronavirus vaccinations continue around the country and as congress moves forward with President Biden’s $1.9 trillion aid package. Economists will be watching the impact of the additional federal aid and the rising number of vaccinated Americans.
In this episode of Talking Talent, we’re continuing our look at 2021 and what it holds for talent leaders. This time, we’re looking at technology.
We know that talent tech is going to play a large role in the upcoming recovery, and employers that implement and use the right technology are going to have an advantage.
So, what are the biggest technology opportunities for 2021? And what has the past year changed about our relationship with technology?
Joining us to talk about these questions is Anna Turner, PeopleScout’s new Vice President of Product. Anna is responsible for leading the vision, strategy and roadmap for PeopleScout’s product and service portfolio.
Anna joins PeopleScout from HR software and payroll solutions provider UKG—formerly Ultimate Software. At UKG, Anna was responsible for product development strategy, delivering new features and products to the market, and setting organizational practices and standards for product excellence.
She has deep B2B software product management leadership experience, with previous roles at high-growth tech companies, and she is also a recognized expert on HR technology, serving on the national SHRM expertise panel for Technology and HR Management since 2016.
In this episode, Anna talks about the biggest challenges and opportunities in talent technology over the upcoming year, including the role tech will play in the upcoming “great rehire,” how our growing comfort with new technologies will impact talent acquisition going forward and ways the technology landscape will continue to evolve.
Diversity, inclusion and equity are top of mind for many talent leaders and professionals. While much progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. Women and people of color are underrepresented in leadership positions, certain job categories, and entire industries. The wage gap is narrowing, but is not expected to close for quite some time. And for many, persistent injustices and systematic issues impact their lives far beyond the workplace.
Every employer has a responsibility to do their part to right these wrongs, and there is certainly no shortage of actions that could be taken right now to make an impact. We can start by building a more diverse talent pipeline that will feed into our workforce and provide more opportunities for people from underrepresented groups.
Many companies in several different industries still struggle to source diverse talent. One problem that persists is the lack of diverse professionals in the talent pipeline. Many fields suffer from their own version of the pipeline problem that has plagued the tech industry. A workforce that is diverse is more creative and innovative, research suggests.
Companies without a diverse pipeline will continue to hire the same groups of people, which will inhibit growth, progression and their competitive advantage. Being able to diagnose some of the causes of this problem can help organizations overcome this issue to create a more diverse workplace. What’s more, having a diverse set of employees can also attract a wider or untapped customer base, making your organization more profitable. In this article, we will cover strategies and best practices for sourcing diverse candidates.
Start with a Diversity Sourcing Audit
With any process or procedural changes, you need a sound business case for changing your approach. That is why it is always worth looking at your organization as a whole (job functions, processes, departments, markets) to find concrete ways in which bringing on board a more diverse workforce is likely to make a positive impact.
A diversity sourcing audit can help you in the following ways:
It informs which areas to prioritize. You have a general goal of diversifying your workforce across the board. Yet at the same time, you’ve identified that more diversity could be especially welcome in your customer service and marketing departments. Over in your technical department meanwhile, you are struggling to find suitably skilled people to fill key roles. These departments might be prime areas to focus your efforts.
It avoids you adopting a “quotas for quotas sake” approach. If you focus on how and why greater diversity in your workforce might benefit your business, it becomes possible to go about it in a way that benefits everyone.
It makes it easier to achieve buy-in. Establishing a strong organization-specific case for greater workplace diversity makes it more likely that key players within the organization (the board, departmental heads, all those involved in the selection and interviewing process) will take it seriously.
Diversity Sourcing and Institutions
Often, when organization’s begin a diversity sourcing program the easiest thing for many organizations is to source talent from local colleges and universities. While this strategy could save time, money and resources, it may result in a homogenous group of candidates in the talent pool. Expanding the search to more diverse colleges and universities can expand and widen the pool and increase the likelihood of finding candidates with a skill set that matches the open positions that must be filled.
Employee Referrals Are Key in Recruiting Diverse Candidates
Enlisting your employees through an employee referral program is a great way to source diverse talent. If you notice a lack of underrepresented groups in your talent pipeline, seek assistance from your diverse employees. For example, a woman in the STEM space is likely to know other women in STEM, and may also help your recruiters gain inroads into professional organizations representing women in STEM.
Employee referrals can also help lower your recruitment costs and may increase employee engagement. Because it’s so easy for an employee referral system to lead to preferential treatment and unconscious bias, particular attention and emphasis should be placed on identifying individuals from underrepresented groups.
Recruiters, Sourcing Tools and Hiring for Diversity
For instance, if you find that there’s a large drop in minority candidates moving between the onsite interview and skill assessment, unconscious bias training may be in order. Follow your data closely so you can make more informed decisions and continue making progress on your organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. What’s more, you should also build a team of recruiters who hail from a wide range of backgrounds.
Once you have a slate of diverse candidates, it is time to restructure your candidate engagement strategies to make them more diversity-friendly. With diverse candidates, you want to ensure that you can strike a chord that resonates with them by sending highly personalized and creative messages.
When looking for candidates, try to dig deep into their experience and their interests instead of just skimming through it. Looking for recognizable names of schools and companies won’t help you learn more about each individual candidate. You are looking for what they have done, not where they have done it.
You want to start looking through the different projects that they might have owned or contributed to, or the various levels of responsibility that they have in their current role. Remember, tenure does not always equate to impact. Also, don’t forget other clues beyond their resume. Dig into the different areas of the business they might have impacted through their organization’s social media or blog presence.
Recruiting technology tools like PeopleScout’s Affinix, allow you to build automated workflows so that your candidates receive scheduled messages from members of your recruiting team, sharing more information about your opportunity.
What’s more, Diversity and inclusion programs provide companies with the opportunity to tap into the strengths of their workforce. According to a survey conducted by Glassdoor, 67% of job seekers said a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers and 57% of employees think their companies should be more diverse. This means that companies that implement a diversity and inclusion program are more likely to attract top talent.
Conclusion
Diversifying your pipeline is not an easy feat, but by taking actionable steps, you can fill your candidate pipeline is with diverse candidates. By setting measurable milestones on your sourcing initiatives, you will ensure that you are progressing forward, and if you’re not, you can easily recognize it and adjust your strategies.
Sourcing a diverse slate of candidates is only one part of building a more diverse and inclusive workplace. You must be intentional in your efforts to evaluate candidates fairly, so you are not unintentionally weeding out great talent at each stage of the pipeline. It can be helpful to leverage sourcing tools to track conversion rates between these stages to understand where you should focus your attention.
The changes being brought about by the IR35 reforms will have a significant impact on both employers and freelance workers. Yet, it seems that organisations are failing to communicate with contractors about the shift. As an award-winning RPO, MSP and Talent Advisory company, PeopleScout lives and breathes the importance of internal and external candidate and employee communications.
A Brief Summary of IR35
IR35 is a set of tax laws designed to combat tax avoidance by freelance or contract workers and the organisations using their services (i.e., the end-client). These workers are typically self-employed and engaged by organisations through an intermediary rather than on an employment contract.
Determining whether a contract would be categorised as employment, in which IR35 applies, or as business-to-business services, in which IR35 would not apply, is complicated. If the legislation applies, a contractor could be significantly impacted financially as they would have to pay income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) as if they were a full- or part-time employee. Employers would also be on the hook for taxes and NICs.
This off-payroll legislation was introduced to the public sector in 2017 and is now being extended to the private sector.
The Employer’s Responsibilities Under IR35
The responsibility of determining whether a contract sits within IR35 is not just up to the contractor. Both the contractor and end-client are equally accountable, and any unpaid tax can be collected from both parties if an error is made.
Yet, contract workers are largely uninformed about what their end-clients are doing to prepare for IR35. A recent survey of over 1,400 contractors who will be affected by IR35 reform revealed:
57% have not been contacted by their end-client about IR35 reform.
Only 15% have received a Status Determination Statement (SDS), outlining their perceived IR35 position.
Of those who have had their contract assessed, 56% have been determined as outside IR35, with 44% deemed inside the legislation.
28% have been informed of their end-client’s strategy for the changes but are yet to be issued with an SDS.
Given that IR35 in the private sector has already been postponed from April 2020 due to COVID-19, it’s surprising that companies, contractors and agencies are not better prepared.
The Importance of Communication About Compliance
Most companies are going to be affected in one way or another by IR35 reform. It’s imperative that you prioritise preparation for IR35 to ensure compliance, especially if you have contingent workers with hard-to-find specialist skills and knowledge.
As with any change, communication is key. Your contractors want to be kept informed about what you’re doing to ensure compliance, and if they don’t receive that reassurance they will move on to other projects or opportunities where the strategy is clear.
The last thing you need is to lose talent. This could impact your ability to service customers, to achieve strategic milestones and fulfil financial objectives. Contingent workers are an important part of your workforce, and communicating about your IR35 plans will keep them engaged and productive.
While mental health in the workplace has become a hot topic in recent years, there’s no doubt some stigma still exists around discussing mental health in a professional setting. That said, with the ongoing effects of the pandemic, increased remote and flexible work arrangements, and a global blurring of lines between what constitutes home and work life, addressing mental health in the workplace has shifted from a question of “if” to “how.”
According to a report by Oracle, 76% of workers believe their company should be doing more to support the mental health of their workforce. However, while many organizations want to help employees constructively address mental health in the workplace, they often don’t know where to start.
In this article, we share tips for creating a healthy work culture, highlight warning signs to look for in employees who may be dealing with underlying mental health conditions and outline some helpful coping mechanisms. In addition, we provide resources that can be shared with employees to aid them as they continue to deal with mental stressors.
Set Guidelines to Enable Healthy Work Culture
With the rapid increase in flexible work arrangements, home and work life have seemingly blended into one, and it can be easy to forget the line where the workday ends and personal life begins. With so many employees working from home, organizations have seen an increase in worker burnout, leading to lower productivity and reduced overall satisfaction with work. So, how can leaders prevent burnout and keep employee morale high?
Practice self-care: By taking much-needed time to manage stress, leaders will be setting a strong example for employees, leading to improved working conditions overall. Encourage your team to take plenty of breaks, eat regularly, meditate or pursue other activities they enjoy.
Consider tone: A kind tone in an email or message can go a long way during a time of uncertainty and doubt. Without it, employees may feel discouraged to reach out when they need help.
Communicate often: Meet with your employees regularly to check-in not only on work, but on how they are doing in general. Simply asking an employee if there’s anything they need can be extremely impactful in showing you care, especially for employees who are more hesitant to ask for help.
Remain flexible: Remember that employees are dealing with a variety of stressors outside the bounds of work. If certain deadlines are flexible, that can be a huge relief on an employee who may be working through external factors that are taking a toll on their mental health.
Prioritize work-life balance: Set up a designated work area away from the place you spend your downtime, set boundaries and a time you log off work for the day. Being a model for healthy work-life balance and encouraging employees to do the same is an important way to combat burnout.
Encourage Team Support
An important part of a healthy work culture is a team that supports one another. In a time where many employees are feeling overwhelmed about the same daily stressors, working together as a team to destress can prove helpful. As a leader, you can encourage teams to participate in group exercises to reduce stress. Forbes offers some suggested activities for remote teams, including group wellness programs, goal setting sessions and “Mindful Mondays.”
Additionally, to help people feel connected when physically distanced by virtual or remote work, leaders can organize team-building activities and opportunities for virtual socialization, such as:
Even with a sound work culture in place, some employees will still struggle with underlying mental health conditions. So, how can employees, coworkers and leaders recognize the warning signs? When should employees ask for help? When should leaders offer support? Consider these assessments to take an account of current mental health states—for yourself and your colleagues.
Mental Health Assessment
If you notice some of the following warning signs in an employee or coworker, you may want to reach out and start a conversation on their mental health.
Work Habits: Have you noticed a sudden change in an employee’s work habits? Poor productivity, minimal motivation and trouble concentrating can often be the result of a mental health concern.
Overall Demeanor: If you notice a dramatic change in an employee’s personality, such as sudden irritability, nervousness, restlessness or other unusual behavior, this could be a sign they are struggling with their mental health.
Increased Absenteeism: Is an employee frequently missing meetings, calling in sick or starting work late when they typically always start on time? Excessive fatigue, physical aches and overall lethargy could be associated with depression and anxiety.
Sudden Outbursts: Employees who seem unable to control their emotions, leading to mood swings, outbursts and disruptive behavior, may be experiencing mental health concerns.
Social Withdrawal:If an employee seems unwilling to communicate with others, avoids social interaction with other team members and purposely imposes self-isolation, this could indicate an underlying mental health concern.
Sleep or appetite changes: Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care
Mood changes: Rapid or dramatic shifts in emotions or depressed feelings
Withdrawal: Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
Drop in functioning: An unusual drop in functioning, at school, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in school or difficulty performing familiar tasks
Problems thinking: Problems with concentration, memory or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain
Increased sensitivity: Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations
Apathy: Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity
Feeling disconnected: A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality
Illogical thinking: Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult
Nervousness: Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling
After noticing an employee may be experiencing some warning signs of a mental health issue, or after an employee approaches you for help regarding their mental health, you’ll want to approach the subject with care. Most importantly, show empathy when having conversations around mental health in the workplace. Your employee is likely feeling overwhelmed and maybe a little anxious talking in a professional setting about such a personal topic. It’s important that your employee feels comfortable sharing what they’re feeling and that you reassure them you are willing to listen and help with no fear of judgement or risk of a negative impact on their professional reputation.
Depending on the severity of the situation, you may recommend your employee see a mental health professional to talk further about their condition. However, as a starting point, you can suggest healthy coping techniques for some common mental health concerns:
Stress
Stress is a normal biological reaction to a potentially dangerous situation. When you encounter sudden stress, your brain floods your body with chemicals and hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Typically, after the response occurs, your body should relax. However, too much constant stress can have negative effects on your long-term health. (Healthline)
Coping with Stress:
Emphasize work-life balance
Exercise regularly
Eat well
Make time for hobbies
Connect with a support system
Meditate or practice yoga
Get enough sleep
Spend time with a pet/loved one
Anxiety
Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior. Anxiety disorders can cause people to try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance and personal relationships can be affected. (American Psychiatric Association)
Coping with Anxiety:
Practice focused deep breathing
Aromatherapy
Take a walk
Meditate or practice yoga
Write down thoughts
Identify triggers
Depression
Depression negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home. (American Psychiatric Association)
Coping with Depression:
Stay connected with others
Prioritize face-time (even virtually)
Care for a pet
Do things you enjoy (or used to)
Try to get enough sleep
Exercise
Don’t skip meals
Take a walk in the sunlight
Challenge negative thoughts
Read a good book/watch a funny movie
Grief
Grief is the natural reaction to loss. Grief is both a universal and a personal experience. Individual experiences of grief vary and are influenced by the nature of the loss. Some examples of loss include the death of a loved one, the ending of an important relationship, job loss, loss through theft or the loss of independence through disability. (Mayo Clinic)
The tips and techniques outlined in this article are not comprehensive, but they offer a starting point for organizations who may not know how to approach the topic of mental health in the workplace—especially during such a challenging time. In addition to the strategies, assessments and coping techniques outlined above, we encourage you to share additional mental health resources with your employees, such as:
In our first episode of 2021, we’re looking ahead at the new year. It’s one talent leaders are facing with a mix of hope and continued uncertainty. We expect the vaccine distribution, economic recovery and more changes to the way we work. But as we’ve seen in 2020, there will be issues and challenges we can’t predict.
One phrase you’ve probably started to hear is “the great rehire.” We know it’s coming. We have some idea of what it will look like, and we know that talent leaders need to prepare.
Joining us to talk about what that great rehire will look like is PeopleScout President Brannon Lacey.
In this episode, Brannon talks about the biggest issues facing talent leaders and the role HR outsourcing, like RPO, MSP and total workforce solutions, will play in the upcoming recovery.
Right now, according to SIA, 83% of all deals are still RPO only and 7% are blended RPO and MSP. Brannon discusses how these numbers fit into the discussion of total workforce solutions.
He also digs into the future of talent programs–sharing insights about talent technology and the biggest tech priorities of PeopleScout clients.
Looking at recent jobs numbers, Brannon explains what the disproportionate job losses in 2020 among women and people of color mean for ongoing discussions of diversity and inclusion.
Listen now for Brannon’s biggest take aways for 2021.
The U.S. economy shed 140,000 jobs in December. This is the first monthly decrease in employment numbers since the recovery began. In 2020, the economy lost more than 9 million jobs. The unemployment rate remained at 6.7%. Year-over-year wage growth was at 5.1%.
The Numbers
-140,000: The U.S. economy shed 140,000 jobs in December.
6.7%: The unemployment rate remained at 6.7%.
5.1%: Wages rose 5.1% over the past year.
The Good
In the jobs report with the first losses in seven months, you have to look closely to see any good news. As Bloomberg reports, the job losses are in specific sectors, with other areas of the economy holding up. There were job gains in retail, professional and business services, construction and manufacturing, despite significant losses in other sectors.
CNBC reports the other bright spot is that despite an increase in temporary layoffs, permanent layoffs decreased in December.
The Bad
December’s jobs report indicates that the recovery isn’t just slowing down or stalling, its going in reverse, as the New York Times reports. The leisure and hospitality sector saw the biggest decrease with restaurants and bars cutting 372,000 jobs in December and hotels cutting 24,000 more. Education also saw a smaller decrease with private schools and colleges cutting 60,000 jobs.
Additionally, the losses had the greatest impact on women, and specifically women of color. As CNN reports, women accounted for all of the job losses in December, with 156,000, while men gained 16,000. (These numbers are cumulative, indicating while individual men lost jobs in December, those were offset by gains in men’s employment.) Women have already been disproportionally impacted by pandemic related job losses, with the unemployment rate for Latinas at 9.1%, Black women at 8.4% and white women at 5.7 percent.
The Unknown
Starting a new year, the U.S. economy faces a variety of factors that could impact the recovery. First is the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Surging cases have been blamed for December’s job losses, and new strains recently identified in the UK have shown to be even more contagious.
Additionally, as the Wall Street Journal reports, these job losses come just as the most recent $900 billion coronavirus aid package kicks in, and president-elect Joe Biden has indicated another package could be on the way in early 2021.
Digital Sourcing Strategy and Centralization Reduced Time-to-Hire by 20%
A leading retailer needed to remake its application process, which was long and difficult for candidates. PeopleScout implemented a shortened, mobile-first application process and expanded the client’s sourcing strategy.
6,800annual hires
85%application conversion rate, up from 35%
20%reduction in time-to-hire
Situation
A leading retailer engaged with PeopleScout to improve their application process. Despite having a well-known and well-loved consumer brand, the retailer relied on job boards to bring in candidates. The client’s application took 30 minutes to complete, and could not be completed on a mobile device, alienating or inconveniencing many job candidates.
The client knew it was losing a large portion of applicants because of its cumbersome application process. To apply, candidates needed access to a computer to fill out a 30-question application that took half an hour to complete—even for part-time positions.
The client engaged with PeopleScout, looking for a partner with technology and candidate experience expertise to remake the entire recruitment process in order to place the candidate at the center.
Solution
Expanded Sourcing Strategy
PeopleScout worked with the client to carefully craft an expanded sourcing strategy, including targeted digital recruitment marketing centered on attracting, engaging and converting candidates in online spaces. The strategy was focused on people who have an affinity for the client’s brand but may not be actively looking on job boards. Then, PeopleScout was able to drive those candidates to a quick, easy mobile apply process.
Mobile-first Apply
PeopleScout developed a mobile-first application designed to work easily through a smartphone and reduce candidate fall out. The new application is completed by all candidates, regardless of role.
Shortened Application
The new application includes just 11 questions on one page and takes less than eight minutes to complete. The client worked with PeopleScout to reduce the amount of information asked from candidates during the application stage in order to streamline the process.
Results
Half of Candidates Now Apply on Mobile
Nearly two-thirds (65.9%) of all candidates applying to this client now apply through a mobile device. Before working with PeopleScout, the client was excluding or at the very least inconveniencing a large portion of its talent pipeline.
Application Time Reduced From 30 Minutes to Less Than Eight
Applicants can consistently complete the application in eight minutes or less, with some candidates able to complete it in as little as six minutes.
Application Conversion Rate
The application conversion rate rose to 85% with the new shortened mobile application process. The rate for a traditional application is around 35%.
Broadened Talent Pipeline, Improved Candidate Quality and Shortened Time to Hire
The client no longer relies solely on job boards to build their pipeline and relies on a variety of sourcing strategies. This led to hiring of quality candidates, improving the slate-to-hire to one candidate hired for every 1.3 presented and shortened time-to-hire by more than 20%.
AT A GLANCE
COMPANY: Leading retailer
PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS: Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Affinix
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