Direct Sourcing Archives - Page 5 of 15 - The Future of Work Exchange

The Rising Tide of AI in Talent Acquisition

Events by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/24/2023

Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research points to artificial intelligence (AI) as a key outlet of innovation in the evolving world of work and talent. From automating mundane tasks and reformulating tactical operations to serving as a proactive source of predictive analysis, AI has become a ubiquitous attribute of the Future of Work movement. Artificial intelligence has catalyzed a new era of bespoke, on-demand, and industry-shifting technology that has the potential to benefit candidates, recruiters, hiring managers business professionals, and executive leaders. Simply put: the advent of AI can drive value to a wide spectrum of enterprise stakeholders.

As new strategies, such as skills-based hiring and omni-channel talent acquisition, become transformational ways to revamp hiring initiatives, artificial intelligence is a conduit to disrupting and changing the ways enterprises evaluate and source talent.

Join Opptly, Ardent, and the Future of Work Exchange for an exclusive webcast that will highlight the many roles of AI in a candidate-centric workforce market that prioritizes the depth and impact of talent. I will join Opptly’s Lori Hock, CEO, and Rebecca Valladares, Head of Operations, to discuss:

How AI can be leveraged to drive efficiency, accuracy, speed, and deeper, data-driven decision-making.
Why AI will become the de-facto tool for recruiters and talent acquisition professionals.
How AI can revolutionize new strategies such as skills-based hiring and predictive analytics, and;
The future of AI-led tools (such as ChatGPT) and their responsible use as they become more entwined with everyday business processes.

Click here or on the image below to register for next month’s exclusive webinar. Looking forward to seeing you there!

A New Era of Innovation, Part II: Inside the Workforce Technology Revolution

Contingent Workforce Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/17/2023

Last week, the Future of Work Exchange featured a discussion about the technological revolution happening within the greater world of talent and work. In a world combining economic uncertainty, a candidate-centric focus, and continued evolutionary change in a post-pandemic business landscape, an organization’s workforce solution reliance is often what sets it apart from the competition.

Today, we focus on perhaps the most mature of all workforce solutions: Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

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Scalability, Sustainability, and Direct Sourcing

Direct Sourcing by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/12/2023

This month, Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange will publish its landmark Direct Sourcing 2023: Scalable Processes, Sustainable Talent research study. Today’s article is a sneak peek of the report, which is sponsored by Opptly and WorkLLama.

The phrase “sustainability” typically elicits thoughts of an enterprise operating in a manner that positively affects the environment, general community, or society. In the workforce arena, however, sustainability translates into the ability for businesses to sustain their own ecosystem of talent through the agile utilization of dynamic talent sources and channels. Direct sourcing and its many inner workings fit firmly into this concept of talent sustainability.

By utilizing direct sourcing methods and technology (and, subsequently, executing consistent maintenance of internal talent communities/pools), businesses are able to build a more seamless bridge to talent sustainability. By leveraging workforce solutions (such as extended workforce technology, VMS, etc.), direct sourcing channels, and both private and public talent communities, etc., self-sustaining outlets of talent allow enterprises to

Better align evolving skills requirements across the enterprise given product development and the progression of the greater organization.
Enhance the ways existing expertise and skillsets across the enterprise can be leveraged for real-time utilization, and;
Allow hiring managers and other HR/staffing executives to leverage nurture and candidate experience strategies to ensure that all networked workers are amiable and open to reengagement for new and/or continued projects and initiatives.

With the frequent occurrences of major skills gaps or a lack of high-impact expertise, the notion of talent sustainability can assist organizations in generating self-sustaining ecosystems of candidates who can be leveraged in an agile and on-demand manner to meet the evolving needs of global business.

Scalability is often a goal for many modern enterprise functions, as businesses that can scale processes and strategies reap much value. In the world of talent acquisition and human capital management, scalability takes on new meaning… considering that a worldwide health crisis launched many organizations into the new and uncharted territory of aligning workforce depth with fast-shifting market dynamics.

Regarding direct sourcing, scalability translates into two distinct ideas:

Amplifying and enhancing direct sourcing processes via harmonious internal synergies and end-to-end automation so the strategy can be applied to hiring initiatives across the greater organization
Harnessing the undeniable value of direct sourcing to effectively scale the workforce as internal and external factors dictate
When properly implemented and utilized, direct sourcing has an impact on both FTE and non-employee hiring, meaning that businesses can leverage talent communities and talent pools, as well as deep talent nurture capabilities, to quickly scale their workforce as they see fit.

The Direct Sourcing 2023: Scalable Processes, Sustainable Talent market research study publishes later this month.

A New Era of Innovation: Inside the Workforce Technology Revolution (Part One)

Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/10/2023

It may be difficult to share this perception, given the fact that we’re still mired in an uncertain economic climate, but businesses today are in a rosier position than they ever were before regarding how they find and manage talent (and the ways they address how work is done). The Future of Work Exchange (and the nearly 17 years’ worth of research within its foundation) has often stated that talent is an enterprise’s top competitive differentiator. Throw in a global pandemic that ushered in a new era of work, along with a reimagining of the talent acquisition function, and what we have is a business market that will, probably forever, be laser-focused on the skillsets and expertise required to thrive on a truly global scale.

This, of course, places the utmost significance on a key arena within the typical enterprise: its utilization of workforce management technology, which includes extended workforce management, talent acquisition, talent intelligence, remote/hybrid workplace augmentation, direct sourcing, compliance and risk mitigation, and more.

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The Future of Work Exchange Podcast, Episode 707: A Conversation With Kevin Leete, Senior Director of Sales at WorkLLama

Podcast by Christopher J. Dwyer on 06/07/2023

An all-new episode of the Future of Work Exchange podcast features a conversation with Kevin Leete, Senior Director of Sales at WorkLLama. Kevin and I discuss the power of omni-channel talent acquisition, the importance of the candidate experience, the continued impact of direct sourcing, and much more.

The “FOWX Live” Executive Roundtable Is Back…Join Us In Boston on June 13

Uncategorized by Christopher J. Dwyer on 05/15/2023

Last year, the Ardent Partners team hosted the inaugural Future of Work Exchange LIVE (“FOWX Live”) executive roundtable event, which saw executives from around the globe connect, converse, and network around topics such as the extended workforce, remote and hybrid work, the evolution of talent acquisition, services procurement, etc.

The second annual edition of our exclusive executive roundtable series returns on June 13 in Boston at the historic Harvard Club venue. Join us for an engaging and exciting event in the heart of Boston as we discuss the topics that are driving change in the world of work and talent.

This event will bring together thought leaders and industry experts to explore key topics such as the impact of technology, the changing nature of work, and strategies for attracting and retaining top talent. Whether you’re looking to optimize your procurement processes, revamp your talent acquisition strategy, or improve your HR practices, this event is for you.

Don’t miss this opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and gain valuable insights that will help you drive success in your organization. Register now to secure your spot at the Future of Work Exchange LIVE executive roundtable event in Boston on June 13. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Link Between Direct Sourcing and Talent Sustainability

Direct Sourcing Talent by Christopher J. Dwyer on 05/01/2023

In just a few weeks, Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange will publish their Direct Sourcing 2023: Scalable Processes, Sustainable Talent research report. “Talent sustainability” is a key focal area not only for direct sourcing strategies, but greater talent acquisition initiatives, as well. Let’s revisit a critical piece from 2022 on the link between these talent-driven programs.

Many HR, talent acquisition, and contingent workforce program leaders overlook particular phases of direct sourcing, especially talent curation and segmentation, since they have been conditioned to manage their processes within the confines of a traditional contingent workforce management (CWM) initiative that follows more procurement-oriented procedures (i.e., supply management, heavy cost focus, etc.). Even under a centralized CWM program, the most critical direct sourcing strategies and capabilities require more time, focus, and resources than what is typically available with non-employee workforce management.

For example, talent curation is a critical piece to the direct sourcing puzzle and is considered crucial to the entire hierarchy of the process. In a direct sourcing program, recruiting expertise (via an MSP, talent curation partner, etc.) curates talent for the business, ultimately helping its client build a deep talent cloud or community using a series of augmented approaches, including branded job portals, targeted ads and recruitment marketing campaigns, and artificial intelligence-led candidate matching. The solution that is leading the direct sourcing program can also leverage the organization’s brand power to attract potential candidates, as well.

While some enterprises maintain deep pools of talent that are more “general” in scope, these may not be effective from an agile workforce perspective. Organizations typically overlook talent pool segmentation and maintain a single repository of talent pool candidates; this failure to segment is a missed opportunity to build a nimbler approach to finding candidates based on geography, skillset, role, etc. Talent pool segmentation enables enterprises to better “organize” their candidates for easier, faster, and better alignment with future requirements, as well.

A typical first step in talent community segmentation is to conduct due diligence around candidate skillsets, past work history, compensation, proficiency, and overall enterprise hiring alignment. Segmentation is what allows a business to be more dynamic in how it addresses its talent needs. It also answers many current sourcing challenges while fostering relationships with candidates with emerging and new skillsets or expertise.

By spending more time in the initial phases of direct sourcing (and, subsequently, executing consistent maintenance of internal talent communities/pools), businesses are able to build a more seamless bridge to “talent sustainability,” which the Future of Work Exchange defines as a by-product of leveraging workforce solutions (such as extended workforce technology, VMS, etc.), direct sourcing channels, and both private and public talent communities, etc. to build self-sustaining outlets of talent that 1) map to evolving skills requirements across the enterprise given product development and the progression of the greater organization, 2) reflect existing expertise and skillsets across the enterprise that can be leveraged for real-time utilization, and, 3) allow hiring managers and other talent-led executives to leverage nurture and candidate experience strategies to ensure that all networked workers are amiable and open to reengagement for new and/or continued projects and initiatives.

The Great Resignation has become more volatile, and with its wide-sweeping ramifications playing critical roles in how enterprises structure their workforce in the second half of the year, it is crucial that strategies such as direct sourcing contribute to overall talent scalability. Leveraging the power of direct sourcing’s key elements (and associated technology) can assist businesses in maximizing the positive elements of the “Talent Revolution” and parlay them into means of attracting the best-fit, highest-quality talent. Talent sustainability will be the way businesses thrive in the near future…and direct sourcing is a direct link to get them there.

Chatbots and Direct Sourcing — A Natural Fit?

Business Leadership Contingent Workforce Direct Sourcing General Insights HR Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by John Yuva on 05/01/2023

The dial on artificial intelligence (AI) has been turned up to such a degree that anyone can now experiment with the technology. AI tools from ChatGTP to Lensa are putting the power of AI into the hands of everyday folks — with some stunning results. While the consumer side of AI is gaining attention, it’s important not to overlook the applicability and possibility of the technology for direct sourcing and contingent workforce needs.

Today, there are several providers of AI-based tools for optimizing the direct sourcing of contingent workers. One of the most recognizable and popular tools is chatbots. This technology has evolved significantly over the years from a more scripted application to one of conversational AI realization. Through developments in natural language processing, users have a difficult time recognizing whether it’s a human or a bot they’re interacting with.

How are chatbots contributing to efficiencies in direct sourcing efforts? It’s occurring in several ways, allowing HR, business managers, and recruiters to focus on more strategic aspects of total talent management initiatives.

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How Does Direct Sourcing Fit Into Today’s Talent-Driven Environment?

Direct Sourcing Talent Talent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on 04/24/2023

Over the past three years, the talent acquisition landscape has undergone a significant transformation, largely driven by the global pandemic. In the face of economic uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, organizations have realized that attracting and deploying top talent is no longer just an advantage but a critical necessity. As we navigate this new era, the ability to foster innovation, creativity, and drive has become essential to survival and success. It is abundantly clear that the post-pandemic world will reward those who can attract and retain the best talent.

To thrive in the competitive and uncertain labor market, businesses must do whatever it takes to stay ahead of the game. This means expanding their talent pipelines, improving hiring strategies, and scaling talent acquisition in ways that benefit the organization in the long term. While direct sourcing is not a new strategy, it has gained popularity due to its alignment with the direction of the world of work and talent.

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The Future of Work is Now: Five Key Workforce Trends

Events by Christopher J. Dwyer on 04/17/2023

There is no doubt that the way we work continues to change. From remote and hybrid work to major transformations across the business leadership spectrum, the “Future of Work” means many things to today’s forward-thinking organizations.

Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange are excited to team up with Guidant Global for an exclusive webcast on April 26 (11am ET) that will unveil the five key workforce trends that all businesses should prioritize as they look to thrive in 2023…and beyond. I’m excited to speak alongside Guidant’s SVP of Client Relationships, Sara Gordon, and the solution’s Client Solutions Director, Joel Forrester, for what will be a memorable live event. Register now!