The direct sourcing arena is a frequent topic here on the Future of Work Exchange and rightfully so: direct sourcing represents a critical avenue from which businesses can enhance their talent engagement and talent acquisition strategies, especially given the unique circumstances surrounding 2022.
Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research has frequently pointed to direct sourcing as a major catalyst of the Future of Work movement, owed to its ability to bring together (“curated”) known and vetted workers (as well as those opting in via job portals), who are then “nurtured” and engaged in a manner that promotes a positive candidate experience. While some businesses (25%-to-27%) have had a direct sourcing program in place for more than two years, for the most part, the majority of business leaders are just beginning to tap into the relative power of such a strategy (over half of all enterprises plan to implement such a program by the end of 2023).
And this, right here, is where there needs to be a reimagining of how direct sourcing fits into the next great era of work and talent…and that’s by implementing “Direct Sourcing 2.0” capabilities and strategies. The upcoming Ardent/FOWX research study, Direct Sourcing 2.0, points to two attributes that are representative of the next “wave” of direct sourcing: (1) going “beyond the brand” regarding talent attraction and retention, and, (2) mapping candidate “personas” for better project-to-talent fit.
It is no longer enough for a business to simply lead with a prominent brand as it had done in the past. An employer’s brand is important to most talent, but businesses must continually and comprehensively assess their processes, culture, and workplace to define the characteristics of the candidates who will be the best-fit from both a cultural and skills perspective. Which behaviors are the strongest match for the business at-large? Which skillsets will thrive in a specific environment? How will talent pool candidates react to a change in a team or department’s work location strategy (fully-remote, hybrid, or in-office operations)?
Businesses that traditionally defined the skill and experience requirements for a new role or project should expand their definitions to include soft skills, emotional intelligence, empathetic fit, and other modern worker attributes as a way to develop stronger placements and greater success of newly on-boarded candidates, as well as combat the growing risk of talent fraud. The platforms today that can leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other forms of emerging innovation are well-positioned to assist businesses in enabling the most critical pieces of Direct Sourcing 2.0 approaches.
These teams should also analyze how current hiring processes, such as onboarding and training, impact the overall candidate experience, and make any necessary adjustments. A successful Direct Sourcing 2.0 program builds upon its experience and prioritizes the factors that resonate well with current and prospective employees.
