Category: Talent Acquisition Strategy

Keeping Your Recruiting Team Engaged in the Midst of Uncertainty

Posted on by edyson

In the face of uncertainty, the very best employees and managers often confront issues head-on and come forward with bold solutions. As global uncertainty rises during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, now is the time for talent acquisition and HR leaders to keep their teams engaged.

If your team has planned to learn more about emerging talent acquisitions strategies to attract new talent, now may be an excellent time. You do not have to be an expert on each new recruiting technology or channel, but you do need to understand what is at available in the marketplace. Here are some tips to keeping your recruiting team engaged and provide value to your organization amidst these challenging times.

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Five Tips for Leading Teams Through Crisis

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Redefine Your Approach to Recruiting the Next Generation of Talent

Millennials, and up-and-coming younger generations, it almost goes without saying, have an entirely different approach to searching for jobs than previous generations. By extension, using the latest talent tech tools, recruitment marketing, social media platforms and mobile recruiting to attract and hire the next generation of talent is a must.

Experimenting with a new tech tool to see what may, or may not work, for your organization’s needs, reviewing job application procedures to be sure you are not limiting the flow of qualified, but non-traditional, candidates into your pipeline, or perhaps partnering with your colleagues in the marketing department for help in refreshing your employment brand are all good uses of your team’s time. By looking at recruitment challenges from different perspectives, you may uncover fresh new solutions.

Develop Your Current Employees

There may be no better way of addressing uncertainty than recognizing the potential of your current employees. Their experience and capacity to learn are valuable assets. When resources do not allow for adding new headcount, it’s even more vital to develop your current workforce so they can adapt to and fill your organization’s evolving needs during a crisis.

What’s more, losing a top performer during uncertain times can mean significant headaches as the loss of productivity and knowledge may be hard to regain. Making your existing workforce more agile and resilient to changes in the environment can help your organization thrive in uncertain times.

Be Creative When Keeping Your Recruiting Team Engaged

In a time of uncertainty, candidates may not always respond to traditional recruiting tactics, so you may need to be more proactive and creative in the ways your team connects with them.

Have your team think of some out-of-the-box, creative recruitment campaigns or ways to interact in a unique way with candidates. Perhaps consider expanding your use of video or images on your career site or reevaluate your use of language in job descriptions to capture the imagination of candidates.

Recruiters and their wealth of knowledge play a big role in uncertain times. With their unique perspective — on both the candidate’s and organization’s needs, your recruiting team can help right the ship in the middle of the storm. This knowledge is paramount for any climate, especially when organizations need to navigate uncertainty and crisis. By keeping your recruiting team engaged, you are investing in your organizations future and building resilience.

COVID-19 Series: Building a Modern Business Continuity Plan

Posted on by nfuqua

As organizations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re creating a series with our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

We are focused on the safety of our employees and clients, friends, families and loved ones. However, it is important for many organizations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organizations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, we are sharing insights from PeopleScout Global Leader of Business Operations Cindy Cutaia on building modern business continuity plans.

Cindy brings more than 12 years of leadership and 20 years of industry experience in partnering with global organizations to build and deliver strategic, scalable talent acquisition solutions with a focus on operational and process excellence. In her current role, she is accountable for enabling operational effectiveness to support PeopleScout’s unparalleled commitment to clients, including supporting the execution of the strategic business plan and governance of the operational goals and priorities. Cindy’s role also includes executive leadership of PeopleScout’s global delivery centers in India.

Advice for Keeping Employees Engaged During a Crisis with Andrea Brogger

Posted on by jpatel

As organizations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re creating a mini-series with our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

Andrea Brogger is TrueBlue’s Leader of the Global Human Resources team, responsible for the overall HR strategy at PeopleScout, PeopleManagement and PeopleReady, including leadership development, diversity and inclusion, employee development, training and much more. She has more than 17 years of human resources experience and has changed the function, culture and impact of HR across TrueBlue to support its business goals and strategies, as well as the needs and aspirations of its 5,000 employees around the globe. Andrea is passionate about talent management, engagement and development programs that ensure that we have the right talent in the right roles at the right time. She holds a master’s degree in Business Administration as well as her executive master’s degree in Human Resources Management from Cornell University.

Andrea shared her insights on keeping employees engaged when things are difficult from her home in Las Vegas.

Why are engagement strategies so important right now?

In our current environment, we’re seeing a record number of people working from home, which seemed to happen almost overnight. And when people are working from home, they may start to feel disconnected or a little bit out of the loop. We’ve all heard the old adage, “out of sight, out of mind,” which can be a very real concern for people who work from home or who work in satellite offices. This feeling of isolation can impact engagement, which directly impacts productivity.

Which engagement strategies are most important today for keeping employees engaged?

There are a few simple things we can all do to help keep the lines of communication open and keep our teams productive and closely aligned with one another. When we think about communication in this new working environment, it’s important to share your preferences and styles with your team. Do you prefer email, Skype, Yammer, phone calls, texting? Let your team know your preference and be sure you’re asking them theirs.

In a situation like we’re all facing right now, priorities and areas of focus may shift daily, or even hourly, so regular calls can help you address those items with your team. When you do communicate with your team, be sure you’re taking their feedback into consideration. Also, make sure you’re scheduling regular meetings both individually and as a group. This can help make sure everyone stays up to speed on what’s going on within the organization.

It’s also important to set aside time in your agenda to foster opportunities for small talk with your team. Encourage your teams to chat with one another, share photos and tips for things they’ve uncovered are successful in working from home. Maybe they’ve uncovered a fun new way to keep their kids engaged who are also stuck at home. All these things can go a long way in keeping your teams engaged and connected with you, with one another and with the company.

How can you help employees with the stress and anxiety they may be feeling during this difficult time?

There’s so much uncertainty both inside and outside of our work lives right now, which can cause people to feel uneasy about what they do and don’t know. It’s important to remember these feelings are completely normal, and it’s up to us as leaders to help stay connected with our teams and to talk openly with them about these anxieties.

However, in the absence of information, it’s human nature for people to fill in the blanks or to make their own assumptions — which isn’t productive for them or for the organization. We owe it to our teams to be open, honest and consistent. There’s nothing wrong with telling your team you don’t have all the answers or that you aren’t able to share all information at this time. The communication and open dialogue they have with you will help reassure them and keep the trust they have in you.

Keeping Employees Engaged: Andrea’s Crisis Communication Do’s and Don’ts

Do

  • Focus on what you and your team are in control of. While there’s a lot that might feel uncertain right now, there are many things we can control. Focus there, as well as on your routines, and stay positive.
  • Share your own concerns. You validate how other people are feeling by sharing your own vulnerability. Listen to what others are sharing and be empathetic.
  • Stay in constant contact with your team. When in doubt, overcommunicate. Your team will appreciate regular check-ins and knowing that their leader cares. So, when communicating with your team, go above and beyond.
  • Take care of yourself. When working from home, it can be easy to put in a lot of extra hours, skip breaks or even meals. Model self-care behavior and encourage your team to follow suit.

Don’t

  • Don’t let uncertainty impact you and your team’s ability to get work done. Don’t dwell. It’s important to acknowledge how people are feeling but try not to get stuck at the negative.
  • Don’t be afraid to try new things with your team. Experiment and find out what works for you and your team. Maybe you want to take a virtual lunch break with your team on video to make sure you’re all stepping away and getting the breaks you need. This can be a fun way to break up the day as well as stay connected with your team.

What advice do you have for teams who are transitioning to work from home for the first time?

Remember that you’re part of a team and you’re not the only one feeling this way. Many of us are working from home with spouses, children or others around due to various closures. Be sensitive to the fact that there may be distractions and noises outside of people’s control. Recognize that we’re all adapting to a new normal, and ensure your team knows what their priorities are and what they’re being held accountable for.

I’d also advise that you reach out and stay connected to your teams. When working from home, I find the days go by so quickly that the week is often over before I know it! So, to make sure I’m not missing out on quality connections with my team, I make sure I’m scheduling one-on-ones and team meetings. these are great ways for keeping employees engaged. I leverage my calendar to set reminders to help make sure I’m checking in with my team on a more casual and friendly basis.

We know not everybody is able to work from home, and there are some people who need to be in offices, essentially by themselves. How can you support those people?

I think as we all work through some significant changes right now, it’s always important to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and to be human. If I was in a nearly empty office without my usual support system, I think I would feel lonely, anxious and vulnerable. I’d probably wonder why other people had the opportunity to work from home and I didn’t. I might ask myself, why am I more important or less important?

When somebody is feeling this way, the power of recognition and appreciation really comes into play. Make sure you’re taking the time to thank those team members for their support. Let them know you appreciate that you can count on them to help keep normal business operations going. Your appreciation is really going to hit home with them if you tie their role back to the goals of the organization and remind them why they are so important. Recognition and appreciation are always important, especially during tough times. Don’t underestimate the power of gratitude.

To learn more about ways employers are keeping employees engaged outbreak, visit our Resource Center.

COVID-19 Series: Keeping Candidates and Employees Safe with a Virtual Hiring Solution

Posted on by nfuqua

As organizations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re creating a miniseries with our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

We are focused on the safety of our employees and clients, friends, families and loved ones. However, it is important for many organizations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organizations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, in this podcast, we share insights from PeopleScout Global Leader of Affinix Client Success and Strategy Allison Brigden on transitioning to a virtual talent acquisition solution.

Allison has been with PeopleScout since 1995 and has served in roles related to implementing and managing complex RPO programs as well as operations and technology. In her current role, Allison focuses on leveraging technology to elevate the talent strategy and client success through Affinix, PeopleScout’s proprietary talent technology platform. Allison leads an Affinix Client Success Team and our strategic technology partnerships. The Affinix Client Success Team is focused on understanding our clients’ objectives with Affinix and creating positive outcomes. She also possesses a deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, with an emphasis on military veteran advocacy. Allison holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah.

At PeopleScout, we’re all dealing with the same changes—working from home and recording these podcasts from a distance, so things may sound a bit different than you’re used to hearing.

PeopleScout U.S. Jobs Report Analysis — February 2020

Posted on by nfuqua

The Labor Department released its February 2020 jobs report which shows that U.S. employers added 273,000 jobs in February, which beat analyst expectations. The unemployment rate fell to 3.5%. The labor force participation rate remained at 63.4%. Year-over-year wage growth fell to 3.0%. U.S. employers have now added to the payrolls for 113 straight months, extending the longest continuous jobs expansion on record.

U.S. Jobs Report February 2020

The Good

The headline numbers in the February jobs report are good news. According to MarketWatch, analysts had expected just 165,000 new jobs—far below the 273,000 added last month. The strongest gains came in healthcare, restaurants, construction and government jobs. Healthcare providers alone added 57,000 positions. This provides a strong baseline for the economy as concerns over the coronavirus grow.

The Bad

Despite the strong numbers, the New York Times reports that there are vulnerabilities in the economy. Business investment and wage growth have been sluggish for months. Hiring in manufacturing is also slowing. Analysts expect job creation as a whole to slow in 2020.

The Unknown

The biggest concern—the novel coronavirus—has yet to make an impact on the jobs report. The numbers in the February report come from the week of February 12—before the U.S. saw an uptick in coronavirus cases or deaths. Experts say the February report demonstrates a strong baseline against which they can monitor the impact of the virus in the U.S.

However, the Wall Street Journal reports that companies are starting to feel the effects. Airlines and hotels are reporting a decrease in business—with some airlines cutting back on the number of flights and announcing hiring freezes. Experts also expect the virus to have a large impact on restaurants, entertainment and retail. At the same time, there has already been increased growth in the healthcare and science sectors.

So far, the New York Times reports that the manufacturing sector is seeing mixed impacts from the virus. Those who depend on parts from China may be experiencing supply issues. However, some U.S. based manufacturers are seeing increased demand from companies that previously relied on overseas suppliers. Over the next few months, economists will be watching the impact closely.

Talking Talent Leadership Profile: Jon Porter

Posted on by nfuqua

Jon Porter doesn’t have a typical recruiting background. He started out as an accountant with KPMG and made his way through the advertising sector before finally landing as the Managing Director of PeopleScout in the UK and Head of EMEA Operational Delivery. Along the way, he was lucky enough to work with many organizations with diverse recruiting challenges – from the British Army and the Metropolitan Police to Diageo. So, when Jon looks at talent challenges, he doesn’t just look at them as a recruiter; he views them through the wide-angle lens of the entire business, and he sees them as a storyteller.

Jon shared his story from PeopleScout’s London offices. He explained how the unique and ever-evolving challenges and opportunities in the UK and Europe will influence talent acquisition leaders around the globe.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing the UK and Europe in talent acquisition right now?

The biggest challenge has been the uncertainty around Brexit since the referendum in 2016. Organizations have not had certainty around the future, and this has influenced decision-making around how to potentially invest and grow a business. The focus of government around the normal investment programs has also been affected, as much of parliamentary time was focused on the many Brexit bills progressing through both Houses. It almost felt that the UK was on pause and we just needed to press the play button. After the election result of December 12, 2019, it now looks like some of that uncertainty has been removed. The newly formed government, now with a working majority, is pushing for a conclusion of the Brexit debate by the end of 2020.

What are the talent acquisition trends you’re seeing in the UK and Europe today?

There are some clear trends in the marketplace. The obvious one is technology. There is a fragmented and hugely diverse technology landscape in the UK and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and leaders are looking at how to better navigate that landscape. How do they make the most of it – to drive efficiency, cost savings and better-quality candidates – and optimize the way they do things?

There is also a trend of organizations looking at multi-country programs, with a focus around EMEA. Organizations seem to be looking at talent more globally and around the concept that talent isn’t limited by traditional country boundaries or geography, or even technology. It’s fast-becoming a boundary-less environment.

How is the introduction of Affinix™ to Europe fitting into and changing the conversation about technology in the region?

I think that our timing couldn’t be better. We’ve had loads of great feedback on Affinix since our September launch at our Resourcing 2025 event at the London Science Museum, and I think it’s because it provides a flexible solution at a time when organizations are still a bit cautious about how they’re going to evolve their technology solutions. Because Affinix is a middleware, it affords our clients the opportunity to get the great technology of the now, but also it provides them with security for the future. It’s a manifestation of now to next.

How do you tell a cohesive and relevant story when recruiting across borders?

Finding “space” in a busy talent marketplace is hard; differentiating one company offer from another requires a deep understanding of brand and channel. Developing target personas, and understanding how they live their lives and how to create a one-to-one dialogue is essential. At PeopleScout, this approach and understanding is in our DNA. It’s how we think.    

When looking at cross-border campaigns, we first consider the message – the employer brand promise; the value exchange between the organization and the candidate – the deal. This message needs to be authentic across all borders. It needs to reflect the lived experience of employees within the organization. It can be aspirational; however, it can’t be an exaggeration of the truth. That can only lead to unfulfilled expectations, reduced engagement and increased attrition.

The art of the storyteller is to deliver a consistent, overarching message while accommodating the nuances of the countries in which it needs to be delivered. The language, tone, imagery and cultural touchpoints may change, but the essence of the promise remains consistent. Good recruiters understand how to bring the story to life in conversation with candidates and yet remain true to the organizational narrative.

What are some of the lessons from the UK and Europe that leaders in other regions should be paying attention to?

Many organizations have a structured view around their approach to talent and where they think hires might come from – whether it’s specific geographies, sectors or universities. I think one of the things that we’re doing in Europe – which does seem to be a message that’s landing elsewhere – is that we need to be more open-minded and a bit more conscious around things like social mobility and inclusivity.

Organizations are looking past the barriers of geography, society and technology. They’re seeing that talent is going to be pivotal to the evolution of business. That’s driving a mentality of embracing talent without any boundaries and taking a more progressive and equitable view of talent.

What are you most excited about for the future of talent acquisition?

The speed of change in talent acquisition is going to accelerate. Technology is absolutely going to fuel that acceleration. Clients are going to have greater and greater expectations, requiring more dynamic talent acquisition strategies. That will be driven by the fact that talent will be even more of a differentiator for organizations.

We’re also going to see employer brands and employer value propositions (EVPs) play an even greater role in the hiring process. The EVP is going to become the cornerstone of the people agenda – so, not just recruiting, but also learning and development, organizational design and more. How does the EVP play into the culture and behaviors of the organization?

Additionally, the vast majority of jobs that will be created five to 10 years from now probably don’t even exist today. So, there will be the evolution of new job roles, new technologies, new demands from organizations and new challenges in the world and political landscapes. This makes talent acquisition an exciting place to be.

Talking Talent: Transforming Talent Acquisition with Jeff Scott from BMO

Posted on by nfuqua

In this episode of Talking Talent, we’re talking about how talent acquisition is transforming to become more strategic and drive business results.

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Traditionally, talent acquisition has operated reactively and administratively, buried in the HR business function. But with a tight talent market and increasing competition for the best workers, recruiters at market-leading companies are starting to work as advisory partners and talent acquisition is driving change rather than simply responding to it.

Joining us to talk about the transformation is a guest who is leading it at his own organization — Jeff Scott, Managing Director of Talent Acquisition for North America at BMO Financial Group.

Throughout his nearly 25-year career at BMO, Jeff has been known as a fixer, a change agent who has led enterprise transformation and refined North American operations in diverse areas such as technology development, procurement, learning, and now Talent Acquisition.

In his role at BMO, Jeff is leading an aggressive growth agenda to attract the best talent, create the highest caliber recruiting experience in the marketplace and to position BMO to “be the best, attracting the best.” Jeff is passionate about disrupting the status quo and loves to ask the question “Why not?”, apply a little common sense and bring everyone along for the ride.

In this episode, Jeff looks back at what the role of the recruiter has traditionally looked like and looks forward to how a talent advisor needs to function to drive recruiting success. He shares some specific steps he’s put in place at BMO to drive the change at his organization. He also gives advice for leaders who want to make the shift at their own organizations and explains how technology and RPO partnerships fit into best-in-class talent programs.

3 Economic Trends That Will Affect Talent Acquisition in 2020

Posted on by skatz

Every talent acquisition professional is kind of an economic expert. In the process of filling positions, you become aware of local unemployment levels, current rates of compensation, and the competitive landscape in the sectors and markets in which you work. And, while understanding these specific conditions may be essential aspects of successful talent strategies, there are always larger economic forces at work. In this article, we cover three of economic trends and their impact on Talent Acquisition in 2020.

Understanding these economic trends can help develop an effective workforce strategy. To illustrate this point, PeopleScout has identified three economic trends that will affect talent acquisition and workforce management in 2020 – and potential ways to respond to the challenges and opportunities they bring.

Trade Disruption & Uncertainty

Uncertainty over trade due to Brexit, ongoing trade disputes between the U.S. and key trading partners, and other global commerce issues dominated the headlines in 2019. How will these yet-to-be-resolved issues affect talent acquisition?

Flexible Workforce Planning

Imagine planning a budget without knowing the future costs of goods and services. Due to current uncertainty over trade, this is the dilemma that many enterprises are facing. The imposition of tariffs in the U.S.-China trade dispute has caused shifts in both the price and availability of products, according to The New York Times. Uncertainty over whether Brexit will happen – and, if it does, what the consequences will be on nearly every aspect of the UK economy and other nations – remains uncertain. One way to respond to uncertainty is to make flexibility a key component in workforce planning. Flexible workforce planning can include contingent staffing, sourcing strategies that promote rapid onboarding and employee cross-training in anticipation of potential downsizing.

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Sourcing Candidates from Alternative Talent Pools

While low unemployment still characterizes many of the world’s leading economies, trade disruption has also led to some job losses and displacement. For example, in Great Britain, a number of companies have closed, moved or are planning to, as reported by Metro in the UK. In both the U.S. and the UK, the manufacturing sector has seen job losses due to tariffs and trade uncertainty. Fortunately, many of those who work in manufacturing possess transferrable skills that can be used in other industries. Employers that can identify and attract this newly available source of talent will have a competitive advantage in tight labor markets.

The Migrant Workforce & Shifting Talent Landscape

The era of growing immigration to many advanced economies has been disrupted. The Guardian reports that thousands of European Union nationals have left the UK since the 2016 Brexit referendum, in large part due to the uncertainty over their legal status after an eventual exit from the EU. And, in the U.S., a tightening of available visas and selective immigration bans have caused the number of legal immigrants to plummet. On the other hand, 29% of Australia’s population is foreign-born, but the economic growth in many Asian countries – the source of much of Australia’s immigrant population – has contributed to its decline in net migration in recent years. 

Know the Affected Sectors

One important way for employers to respond to changing immigration patterns is to know which jobs are most affected and to plan accordingly. The reality is that immigrants comprise a significant portion of workers in a range of sectors. For example, nearly one-third of hotel workers in the U.S. are immigrants, and more than one in 10 healthcare workers in the UK are non-British nationals (half of these are from the EU), according to the Office for National Statistics. Understanding the sectors and markets that are affected by the falling rates of available talent from abroad may play an increasingly important role in developing effective talent acquisition strategies.

Talent Without Borders

The pool of available talent is exponentially expanded when work can be done outside of a fixed location. Advances in technology and communications have greatly reduced the need for many processes to take place in brick-and-mortar workplaces. For this reason, recruitment strategies may increasingly include a review of job descriptions to determine which positions can work from virtual locations, including those that are abroad. By doing so, employers can move beyond the constraints of limited talent pools and the wage pressures that tight labor markets generate.

OK, Boomer?

According to Glassdoor’s Chief Economist, Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, baby boomers, born between 1944 and 1964, are now the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. workforce. Dr. Chamberlain notes that “A ‘gray wave’ of senior citizens will be impacting the workforce in coming years, both in the United States and the United Kingdom.” In Canada, the percentage of workers aged 55 and older more than doubled in a little more than two decades; they are now more than one in five of all Canadian workers. Similarly, the number of Australians aged 65 and older who participated in the workforce in 2018 was 13%, compared to only 8% in 2006. And, in New Zealand, 22% of retirement-age people worked in 2016, an 87% increase in just 10 years.

Candidates with a Silver Lining

Given these striking statistics, an increasing number of applications from older candidates should be expected. In addition to the talent that these older candidates bring in their own right, they also help employers adopt a holistic approach to upskilling.

Take the case of a recent college graduate who has strong technical skills, but lacks industry knowledge and even critical soft skills, such as effective communication. These deficiencies can be offset by pairing this new hire with a seasoned industry veteran. The ensuing mentoring can go both ways; a tech-savvy new hire can help an older worker who may be challenged in this area, while the seasoned worker can guide and instruct the younger employee on important industry knowledge and work skills. This symbiotic pairing can also become an important element in an enterprise’s succession planning strategy.

Partnering for Success

Responding to economic trends can be daunting for those under constant pressure to fill positions and manage talent. However, tracking newly available workers due to shifting tariffs and treaties, knowing how to find candidates in unknown and far-flung locations, and navigating the process of recruiting from a broad range of age groups may seem overwhelming to even the best-equipped team of talent professionals. This is precisely why leveraging the expertise and resources of a talent acquisition partner can be the deciding factor for success in a complex and rapidly changing economic environment.

Talking Talent Leadership Profile: Jennifer Mattocks

Posted on by nfuqua

The roles of talent acquisition and HR are changing. When you talk with Jennifer Mattocks, it’s clear that she’s here to lead that change. PeopleScout’s Executive Leader of the Americas, Jennifer is the daughter of an artist and a mathematician – part creative, part analytical and constantly looking for better ways to work.

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Jennifer doesn’t come from a traditional recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) background. With more than 20 years of experience leading enterprise client management and strategic sales teams in HR advisory services and talent assessment, Jennifer has a broad view across the HR function and has seen firsthand the way it’s transforming. She has a deep understanding of not just talent acquisition, but also the full employee lifecycle.

We spoke with Jennifer at our Chicago headquarters about the changes headed for HR, the forces behind that transformation and what organizations should be doing now to be ready for what’s next.

We’re starting a new decade with historically low unemployment and skills shortages, making it more difficult to find and hire the right talent. How should employers approach their workforce planning?

Thinking about the skills shortage, there have been a few statistics that have caught my eye. One is that the World Health Organization predicts that there will be a worldwide shortage of 15 million healthcare workers by 2030. That’s not far away. This is an issue that we need to focus on now. Another is that according to the Department of Labor, 17.4% of workers in the U.S. are now foreign-born, and it’s rising. That means we need to have a global perspective when we’re looking at our workforce.

As it relates to the skills shortage, employers should be thinking about the influence of significant shifts in the talent landscape and how they address them in their workforce planning strategies. Strong talent pipelines will hinge on the idea of the fluid workforce – the idea of non-linear career development – and making sure that we have programs in place to have the right skills at the right time in the right place.

One way to adapt to the challenges that we’re facing in finding the right talent is through a total workforce solution, which allows employers the flexibility to be able to address skills shortages and low unemployment. For some industries, healthcare included, that means we need to look at ways we can find talent with relevant skills through non-traditional channels. Then, by closely tying training and development with talent acquisition, we have the ability to realign talent to roles and responsibilities that fit with their current skills.

How do you see the role of HR transforming to adapt to the changing world of work?

One role of HR is matching people’s skills to work. As HR and talent leaders, we know we cannot assume that when an individual is placed in a role, that is what they will do – or want to do – for the rest of their career. Creating nimble career paths and opportunities for ongoing development will be critical to the success of any HR leader going forward.

An example to illustrate the change we’ll see from HR is through how we approach career pathing. Right now, we have a career ladder that goes from bottom to top. That ladder is going to be flipped on its side – and it already has, to some degree. Individuals are seeking different skillsets or opportunities to develop within the organization, which doesn’t always translate to a linear career progression. Employees also want to have stronger ownership and input into their own career development; we see this characterized by input particularly from the millennial and Gen Z talent, who are just starting to enter the workforce and seek variety in opportunity.

I also anticipate that we’ll see the idea of the external gig economy brought in house. Meaning, HR will serve as a hub that is responsible for moving talent throughout an organization based on individual skillsets, the work that needs to get done and the way talent wants to work. With that, HR as a function will change, and the skills needed to succeed in HR will change, as well.

To this end, I see the need for a much tighter connection, even blending, of talent acquisition and talent development roles. Not only is HR responsible for nimbly fulfilling the talent needs of the business to deliver on the work that needs to get done today, but HR is also responsible for providing structure, resources and tools for the development of talent pools for the future. So, we will see HR marrying those two roles to a degree we haven’t yet seen.

What is the role of technology in the changing world of HR?

HR leaders first need to have a thoughtful strategy, then make sure the technology supports and enables the strategy. With a strategic foundation in place, technology will facilitate the ability of organizations to do three things.

First is to have visibility into and a more comprehensive understanding of the talent that they have in place today, as well as the talent pools that exist both internally and externally. Second, HR leaders can leverage learning and collaboration technology to build up the skillsets that perhaps are missing or need development within the organization. I think we’ll see a lot more innovation to come related to this. And third, HR can utilize technology, AI and analytics to better match individuals at the right time to the work that needs to be done.

Technology will also change the HR roles we see today in a fundamental way. There’s a lot of talk about certain roles being replaced by technology and tasks replaced by automation, but we still need human thought, perspective and ethical input to drive technology to make the right decisions. The human touch will never go away and will increase in importance for organizations to be competitive.

What are you most excited about for the future of talent acquisition?

There are two things. One is that we are at the point in which HR and talent acquisition needs to be prescriptive to drive success. Then, HR needs to deliver on the needs of the business while driving the engagement and productivity of the employees. It’s going to be fun to see that shift start to be more pronounced.

I think the other really exciting shift is one that’s personal to me, given the age of my children, and that’s seeing Gen Z enter the workforce and even start to enter management. This is a generation that more naturally and openly drives inclusivity and values having an ethical decision-making process behind what they do. They really embrace technology in novel ways, and having individuals with those capabilities entering the workforce will be very exciting for talent acquisition. I think it will continue to shape how we hire, promote and develop talent, and I look forward to seeing the positive changes they bring.

PeopleScout U.S. Jobs Report Analysis — January 2020

Posted on by nfuqua

The Labor Department released its January 2020 jobs report which shows that U.S. employers added 225,000 jobs in January, which beat analyst expectations. The unemployment rose to 3.6%. The labor force participation rate rose to 63.4%. Year-over-year wage growth increased to 3.1%. U.S. employers have now added to the payrolls for 112 straight months, extending the longest continuous jobs expansion on record.

jobs report infographic

The Numbers

225,000: The economy added 225,000 jobs in January.

3.6%: The unemployment rate rose to 3.6%.

3.1%: Average hourly wages increased at a rate of 3.1% over the last year.

The Good

The overall jobs numbers for January look strong. The 225,000 jobs added to the economy beat analyst expectations of just 160,000 in the first month of 2020, according to CNN. The growth was strongest in construction, healthcare and transportation and warehousing. Some of that increase could be attributed to a warmer than average January.

While an increasing unemployment rate can sometimes be seen as a downside, in this report, it demonstrates that more sidelined workers are being pulled into a strong economy. The Washington Post reports that the labor participation rate hit a seven-year high of 63.4%.

The Bad

The strong hiring numbers in January didn’t apply across all industries. Manufacturing continued to lose jobs. Marketwatch reports that those losses were caused by the trade war with China. Jobs in retail also dropped.

Additionally, the January report included a few revisions that decreased the number of jobs created in 2019. The overall employment level for March 2019 was decreased by 514,000 jobs. For all of 2019, the number of jobs added to the economy fell by 12,000 to 2.096 million jobs.

The Unknown

Despite strong job growth, the yearly wage growth remains lower than expected. The Wall Street Journal reports that the growing number of people reentering the workforce could be a factor in keeping the rate of wage growth from increasing more quickly. However, the cause of the persistently sluggish wage growth has been debated by economists for the past couple of years.

It is also still unclear what impact the coronavirus will have on U.S. jobs numbers. The easing of the trade war with China was expected to relieve some of the strain on the manufacturing industry. However, increasing concern about the virus could impact that. The data used for the January report was collected before news about the spread of the virus.