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Recruitment

How Opptly Is Reimagining AI in Talent Acquisition

In the greater world of talent and work, there is a convergence at hand. The growing focus on skills-based hiring is merging with business-led utilization of artificial intelligence to present a refreshing means of talent engagement and talent acquisition that promises to cut through the ever-raging “war for talent” that has been encompassing the corporate arena for years.

Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research has found that nearly 75% of enterprises currently struggle with finding the best-aligned skillsets for open positions, an alarming statistic that proves that businesses will continue to grapple with a volatile labor market. The application of AI within the business stratosphere (especially over the past 18 months) has served as a veritable catalyst for recruiters, hiring managers, HR, and talent acquisition leaders to thrive in this environment.

Amidst the sweeping changes of the Future of Work movement, it’s evident that talent curation needs a profound shift. Traditional approaches no longer suffice in a world where versatility and adaptability reign supreme. As automation, innovation, and next-generation technology redefine talent acquisition, the “art” of talent curation has been reimagined; this transformation in talent curation is vital to foster a dynamic workforce capable of thriving in the ever-evolving workplace of the future.

Opptly, a proprietary AI platform company providing direct sourcing solutions as well as custom AI models and applications for both the contingent and full-time workforce to enhance talent-matching, and next-generation talent acquisition, recently announced the launch of its “Opptly.Curate” application, which promises to reshape how artificial intelligence and talent curation intersect.

“Opptly.Curate was designed and developed to further our mission to remove friction between talent and work by putting the power of our AI directly in the hands of the curator,” said Lori Hock, CEO of Opptly. “With Opptly.Curate, we have achieved our goal to deliver an intuitive user experience for curators to accelerate the most accurate talent matches.”

Opptly.Curate’s purpose-built and agile curator interface facilitates advanced interactions with the platform’s robust AI capabilities, providing curators with a streamlined, efficient solution for aligning talent with work opportunities.

The platform aids recruiters and other talent leaders with enhanced efficiency and precision, ensuring that every connection made between job seekers and job recommendations possibilities is not just seamless, but optimized for success based on numerous factors, from which curators can leverage into decision-making, most critically, the alignment between skills and expertise. Opptly.Curate’s commitment to facilitating such precise and efficient matches is a testament to its dedication in revolutionizing the talent curation landscape with its robust, skills-centered AI functionality.

Opptly.Curate offers supercharged functionality that enables the use of a success profile to interpret the contextual nature of the use of skills required, talent matching, search and refine capabilities and more.  Users can tailor job descriptions and search requirements, achieving direct and immediate results, enhancing the overall talent acquisition process. In a skills-based business environment, Opptly.Curate presents an idyllic platform that represents the future of hiring. With artificial intelligence as an agile backdrop, the solution enables enterprises with the ability to transform talent acquisition; the offering’s progressive, “skills DNA” analytical capabilities allow business leaders to configure next-level talent matches based on hundreds of variables.

Skills-based hiring has become a cornerstone of the Future of Work movement, along with the digital transformation inherent within the talent acquisition arena. Opptly’s commitment to the art of talent curation, along with a powerful array of AI-fueled functionality, represents a synergy of skills-based hiring, next-generation talent engagement, and Future of Work-era strategies.

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The Convergence of Soft Skills and Skills-Based Hiring (and the [Near] Future of Recruitment)

Over the past several years, there has been a raging debate around what is seemingly more important for a business’ overall success regarding its workforce: “hard skills” or “soft skills.” The longstanding argument for top-billing between hard skills and soft skills has been a defining narrative in the realms of talent acquisition, recruitment, talent management, and overall workforce planning.

An Evolving Workplace Shifts Traditional Skills Requirements

Historically, hard skills, encompassing specific technical proficiencies and measurable expertise, have often taken precedence in hiring decisions. These skills (think areas such as coding, data analysis, or engineering) were traditionally deemed as tangible indicators of overall alignment between pure job prerequisites and the ability (or potential) for a candidate to meet those requirements.

However, the evolving nature of workplaces, marked by globalization, automation, and the rise of innovative technology platforms and tools, has shifted the balance. The scales tipped even more dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, further altering how businesses planned around “work” given the pandemic’s tremendous, far-reaching implications and impacts. As the Future of Work Exchange has often written, the pure influence of humanity within the professional environment has become table stakes for business leaders who want to both manage effectively and drive real talent retention.

Skills-Based Hiring Offers Holistic Approach

Soft skills, comprising communication, collaborative abilities, emotional intelligence, and relationship management, are increasingly recognized as indispensable assets in fostering effective, functional teamwork and organizational success. The dichotomy between hard and soft skills is giving way to a more holistic perspective, acknowledging that a harmonious integration of both skill sets is essential for thriving in the contemporary professional landscape. The synergistic interplay between technical proficiency and interpersonal finesse is now understood as the key to unlocking individual and collective potential in a rapidly changing world…one that places the utmost emphasis on skills as the catch-all determinant for talent acquisition.

Skills-based hiring is not an entirely new concept, but rather one that has become more refined over the past two or three years for one major reason: it is crucial now due to rapid technological changes, remote work dynamics, talent shortages, and the need for diverse, adaptable candidates in an ever-evolving labor market.

Adaptability and the Future of Recruitment

Adaptability is one notion that cannot be overlooked heading into 2024. Talent and the world of work shift in near-real time, forcing global businesses to consistently reevaluate their workforce and staffing strategies to keep pace with the competition. In this dynamic environment, organizations that prioritize adaptability not only navigate technological advancements, but pivot to changing skill demands and diverse work arrangements more effectively, positioning themselves as industry leaders capable of seizing emerging opportunities and staying ahead in a rapidly-evolving marketplace.

How does this play into the concept of skills-based hiring? Businesses that view the whole picture of a candidate and take into account both hard expertise and soft skills are the ones that will ultimately thrive during times of enterprise evolution. This, essentially, is the very future of recruitment: a convergence at the crossroads of hard skills, soft skills, skills-based hiring, and, yes, adaptability. Beyond the traditional emphasis on hard skills, the recognition of soft skills — like flexibility, effective communication, and emotional intelligence — has gained prominence in shaping collaborative, effective, productive, and responsive workplaces.

Skills-based hiring strategies, which can pinpoint specific competencies across both the hard and soft skill arenas, empower organizations to align talent with the fluid demands of evolving roles, enhancing overall agility and competitiveness. This, too, is the perfect entry-point for artificial intelligence to transform the way businesses react to “skills DNA” and integrate the next generation of skills-based hiring into the greater recruitment strategies.

At the heart of this evolution is the paramount importance of malleability within the confines of skills-based hiring. As industries undergo rapid transformation and technological advances reshape job landscapes, successful recruitment hinges on candidates who embody a harmonious blend of hard and soft skills, as well as hiring initiatives that embrace the principles of skills-based hiring and possess the adaptive prowess essential to navigate the ever-changing workplace of the future.

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AI in Talent Acquisition Coming into Its Own

Artificial intelligence (AI) is omnipresent, impacting all businesses and industries. However, where AI is showing immense potential is in the greater world of work and talent — specifically, talent acquisition. Few technologies in history can affect everyone, but AI’s capabilities are doing just that whether you’re an HR leader, recruiter, business manager, employee, or job candidate. AI brings revolutionary and transformative change to the Future of Work. A rising tide of enrichment is here and here to stay.

Research from Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange reveals that 80% of businesses expect to begin or increase their utilization of AI tools and technology by 2024. A staggering statistic. Thus, within the next four to six months, the vast majority of enterprises will be utilizing AI technology.

The Rising Tide of AI in Talent Acquisition

The impact of AI on business and its growing influence on talent acquisition was the topic of discussion during a recent Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange webinar featuring special guest Opptly, titled “The Rising Tide of AI in Talent Acquisition.”

Speakers Christopher Dwyer, managing director of Future of Work Exchange; Opptly’s Lori Hock, CEO, and Rebecca Valladares, head of operations, addressed how AI is changing the talent acquisition landscape. Dwyer shared that within the next 18 months, 74% of enterprises plan to leverage AI to improve the candidate experience. This is a sign of how much AI will play a critical role in attracting job candidates in the near future.

The following includes several key points shared during the webinar that show AI is not only here, but here to stay.

Framing AI for TA from Three Perspectives

When thinking about AI for talent acquisition, frame it in three perspectives: the enterprise (the business use case), the recruiter, and the candidate. On the enterprise side, it’s about improving hiring efficiencies through AI as well as improving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. At the same time, AI can identify current skill sets and where skill gaps exist in the organization to better understand who and where to hire for those roles.

The recruitment side can leverage AI for the identification of various skills and expertise — a skills DNA assessment — to strategically pinpoint the type of candidate who can bring immediate value to the enterprise. More organizations are shifting to skills-based hiring where candidate experience and purposeful work can thrive.

Finally, AI can transform the candidate experience using chatbots to guide candidates more efficiently through the application process, as well as provide customizations and real-time engagement that attracts candidates and educates them about the business.

Transforming the Hiring Manager Experience

Because the hiring manager is making the final candidate decision, enhancing that experience with AI comes with several benefits. First, a qualified and accurate slate of candidates expedites making the decision about who to interview and ultimately hire. This has a positive impact on the experience itself, but also on the production and retention of hired candidates because the match is accurate from the beginning. If the AI on the front end of the process can provide the recruiter with the ability to be more thoughtful and deliberate about conversations with candidates, the hiring manager only benefits from that process.

It is important for recruiters to understand the hiring market, the available roles, and what types of candidates succeed in those roles. AI can sort through that data quicker and provide analytics around those areas for the recruiter and hiring manager in a more meaningful and consumable way. By bringing such business intelligence forward through AI, it bridges the strategic insights for the recruiter on candidate advisement that the hiring manager can leverage in making their final candidate decision.

Delivering Positive Impacts of AI on TA

First and foremost, HR, recruiters, and hiring managers can and should use AI to increase their talent pool and gain the broadest access to talent available. In this age of skills-based hiring, the extended workforce is critical to talent pool expansion, which creates further efficiencies through reduced time-to-fill rates that lead to cost savings.

An artificial intelligence area that should not be overlooked is continuous learning in a systematic way. AI is an enterprise asset that will improve and provide exponential value over time. Unlike past technological advancements where an organization implements the technology and utilizes it for five years before it’s replaced, AI technology grows and improves as the business evolves. As the business needs change, the use cases change. AI has a continuous learning value proposition where its performance for talent acquisition and talent management insights remains high.

At the end of the day, talent acquisition puts people to work and AI plays an essential role in that process. Make AI what you need it to do. Effect positive change by integrating AI into talent and workforce processes.

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Elevate Your Future of Work Processes with Blockchain

One of blockchain’s chief benefits is the ability to authenticate and protect information. With today’s decentralized workforces, there is a variety of information possibly at risk, including payroll, insurance, health, and personnel data. Similarly, HR and enterprise recruiters want assurance that potential job candidates and their résumés are authentic and accurate. Blockchain technology has the potential to provide the necessary verification and protection of such sensitive workplace data.

Here are three Future of Work areas where blockchain technology could provide critical verifications and safeguards, particularly for the contingent and gig workforce — from the recruitment to the contracting and payment process.

Recruitment

As direct sourcing becomes more ubiquitous, the need for data verification grows because of the sheer volume of candidate information entering job portals. It can be time intensive for HR and enterprise recruiters to verify qualifications and references. Blockchain can help in the recruitment process.

  • A candidate’s digital identity on a personal blockchain can save tremendous time authenticating a résumé and associated work experience. It serves as a single source of truth for that individual.
  • Colleges and universities are now issuing digital degrees through blockchain that candidates can provide a direct link to on their résumés. This same concept of virtual credentials can apply to training certificates and performance reviews for future authentication.
  • Reduce opportunities for fraudulent candidate information while providing greater confidence in using search engines and other aggregate technologies to automate candidate recommendations and selection.

In a Datatechvibe article, the author states another reason to embrace blockchain for recruitment purposes, “HR managers may become more predictive in anticipating HRM developments by embracing blockchain. They can replace vacant positions faster because the technology cuts the time it takes by leaps and bounds, and they can also improve the data’s legitimacy and dependability.

“Furthermore, they can scale quickly, resulting in a larger candidate pool and a larger data repository to collect data.”

Smart Contracts

When selection of job candidates for contracted or temporary work occurs, an enterprise can institute a smart contract on a blockchain. IBM describes smart contracts: “Smart contracts work by following simple ‘if/when…then…’ statements that are written into code on a blockchain. A network of computers executes the actions when predetermined conditions are met and verified.

“These actions could include releasing funds to the appropriate parties, registering a vehicle, sending notifications, or issuing a ticket. The blockchain is then updated when the transaction is completed. That means the transaction cannot be changed, and only parties who have been granted permission can see the results.”

Such employment contracts provide transparency and immutability for all parties and enable greater enforcement of their terms, conditions, and penalties. With a growing percentage of contingent labor, enterprises can initiate a smoother and more immediate payment system while also benefiting from a paperless process.

Payroll

With smart contracts in place, payroll is where blockchain can add immense value. Much of an enterprise’s most sensitive data resides in payroll — tax documents, pay stubs, benefits information, etc. Blockchain can protect these sensitive records from potential fraud and cybersecurity threats.

In terms of the payment process for contingent and gig workers, enterprises can establish a secure peer-to-peer network and use blockchain for near-instantaneous payment without the involvement of financial institutions. Thus, they can receive instant payment once their contractual obligations are met — without waiting for a pay period or invoice processing.

Blockchain is even more critical for international contractors and gig workers. The Future of Work is a global paradigm with accessible talent worldwide. However, some professionals cannot set up a bank account in their country. Blockchain and peer-to-peer networks solve that issue. In an article for Tech Target, Pam Baker, a technology and blockchain expert, says that with cross-border payments, “Traditional electronic payments (to the receiving country) can be stymied by local regulations and IT security schemes that blockchain payroll systems can overcome.”

Implementing blockchain technology into Future of Work processes will not occur overnight. Enterprises need to work with financial institutions, managed service providers, and other partners to adopt the technology and establish protocols. However, blockchain holds great promise as more organizations pursue digital transformations. The foundation exists to bring blockchain into HR process design. Like many things in business, communication and collaboration will be essential to blockchain’s implementation and realization.

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

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).

Expansive MSP Offerings

The MSP model has experienced it all: the beginnings of contingent workforce management, the economic ups and downs, several “great recessions,” a pandemic, and so much more. If there was a workforce solution best suited for a topsy-turvy business arena based on knowledge and experience alone, it would be the Managed Service Provider.

While MSPs have long held the throne of maturity regarding services-oriented workforce offerings, today’s providers barely resemble their humble beginnings decades ago. Let’s explore four of them.

Magnit

Providers like Magnit represent an ideal evolution of the MSP model. The organization, formerly known as PRO Unlimited, underwent a progression over the past several years that not only saw the firm update its name and brand, but also turbocharge its offerings to reflect the dynamic world of work and talent. Over the past three years specifically, Magnit revolutionized direct sourcing, introduced powerful and end-to-end workforce management concepts, reinvigorated services procurement, and adopted a “platform” approach towards extended workforce management through its innovative MSP and Vendor Management System (VMS) blend of technology.

Talent Solutions TAPFIN

Talent Solutions TAPFIN (part of the Manpower Group) has long delivered extensive value to the CWM arena via its continuous innovation and decades-long commitment to furthering the art of talent management. What sets Talent Solutions TAPFIN apart from its MSP brethren is its focus on “talent sustainability,” a concept that the Future of Work Exchange has trailblazed for several years. In a candidate-centric, talent-oriented business arena in which deep skillsets are table stakes, Talent Solutions TAPFIN’s delivery of “net-zero” strategies, ecosystem enablement, and self-sustaining sources of top-tier talent (via programs like direct sourcing and digital staffing) are must-haves in today’s post-pandemic world.

Pontoon

Although the MSP model has long been services-oriented, the technological realm should never be out of reach for these solutions given the Future of Work-led corporate market we work (and live) in today. Pontoon, part of the Adecco Group, is the rare MSP that places technology at the core of its principal offerings. Pontoon is known for its digitally-centric slew of managed services, RPO solutions (called “RXO” to reflect an experience-driven offering that is one of the strongest recruitment-led offerings in the MSP arena), and services procurement tools. And the solution backs up its total talent messaging with robust delivery models that blend direct sourcing, recruitment augmentation, and offerings that dynamically align contingent workforce and permanent hiring strategies.

Guidant Global

Guidant Global, part of the Impellam Group, is an end-to-end workforce solutions provider that has, for many years, driven excellence across the spectrum of contingent and traditional talent management via its reliance on a multifaceted array of services, tools, and unique strategic approaches. Guidant Global was an early pioneer in direct sourcing, owing its success to an elegance across its recruitment-led offerings, commitment to enhancing client brands, and true workforce scalability. In today’s frenetic, globalized, and Future of Work-led enterprise arena, Guidant continues to lead with powerful services procurement and SOW management solutions (one of the strongest in the MSP market), a commanding arrangement of contingent workforce solutions, a strong commitment to the candidate experience, and analytics-led total talent management offerings that effectively bridge the gap between spend management and people management.

Stay tuned for the next article in our feature series on the workforce technology revolution.

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Five Ways AI Can Transform Talent Management

Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the many ways businesses find, engage, source, and manage talent, as well as how they structure business operations in a candidate-centric world. Today on the Future of Work Exchange, we present another exclusive infographic, “Five Ways AI Can Transform Talent Management,” that reflects how AI is primed to not only disrupt talent acquisition, but also influence, impact, and revolutionize the Future of Work movement.

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Avoid Passing on Passive Job Candidates

When we talk about Future of Work job candidates, it’s often in the context of active recruiting through direct sourcing initiatives, talent marketplaces, or online recruiting platforms. With the transition to skills-based hiring, attracting and selecting the right candidate is even more critical in meeting enterprise goals. As such, it may be time to expand the talent pipeline and include passive job seekers. This candidate segment can lie under the recruitment radar among the hundreds of active job applicants vying for coveted organizational roles.

Passive but Silently Active

Who are passive job candidates? These mostly employed individuals are not currently looking for employment opportunities. Many are happy in their place of work, but should the right career opportunity present itself, they could be persuaded to leave. According to Zippia, an online job recruiting firm, 73% of potential candidates are passive job seekers. And a considerable 87% of these candidates are open to the new job opportunities provided by active recruitment.

Attract an Active Response

Attracting passive job candidates relies on initiatives that are already cornerstones of the Future of Work paradigm. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs are attractive to this recruitment segment because they want to work for employers that are progressive and supportive of various causes and lifestyles. Thus, it is imperative that organizations promote their DE&I efforts and results on social media and corporate communications for wide exposure. LinkedIn shared that a total of 134.5 million users regularly uses the platform every day. In addition, more than 48% of LinkedIn users are active each month. Enterprises should be using the platform to expand their reach in the marketplace, promote programs that capture company culture, and solicit users who are interested in employment or organizational programs.

With more enterprises restricting remote work, it is job flexibility and remote/hybrid models that continue to resonate with employees and many job seekers. Now is the time to capitalize on that fact and emphasize that the enterprise fully supports work/life balance and remote/flexible scheduling. Employees who previously enjoyed those benefits but are facing restrictions or revised policies may be more open to recruitment inquiries. At the very least, now is the time to communicate with current and potential employees about the intent to remain a remote/hybrid workplace.

Actively Recruit Passive Candidates

Shifting now from attracting passive candidates to actively recruiting them, there are several strategies identified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to accomplish that objective.

Social Media

Whether it’s LinkedIn, Facebook, or association online job boards, social media’s reach is unparalleled. LinkedIn for example, offers recruiter subscriptions to best leverage the platform’s community. According to SHRM,  “Another way to find passive job seekers on LinkedIn is to use the ‘advanced people search’ tool and enter your criteria for the ideal candidate for a job that is or will be available at your organization.”

Content Exposure

Establish a company blog to share industry trends and information that business professionals in the field can turn to. It positions the enterprise as thought-leading and engaged with the sector, which can attract passive job candidates looking for best-in-class employers.

Targeted Marketing Collateral

When passive job candidates are identified, the enterprise can target specific materials to them that speak to programs or benefits candidates would find attractive. Market those DE&I initiatives or hybrid work models as a reason to consider working for the enterprise.

Employee Referral Programs

Employees can serve as a critical extension of an organization’s recruitment strategy. With an employee referral program, outreach can occur via social media channels or through personal communication. Often, there are perks, such as a bonus for referrals that result in a hire. More importantly, an employee referral program promotes employee engagement and can lead to recruitment cost and time savings.

Seek What You Need

Passive does not mean uninterested. It is the responsibility of HR and business leaders to seek out recruitment opportunities and cultivate relationships with job candidates who possess skills and capabilities that could be a competitive differentiator for the organization. In my own professional life, I was a passive job candidate who received a LinkedIn invitation from Ardent Partners’ founder and chief research officer Andrew Bartolini to explore a potential job opportunity with his firm. I was not actively applying or networking for new employment opportunities. However, after two months of casual conversations with Andrew and his team, the position we discussed was an ideal fit with my background and professional passions. And here we are. Passive candidates need a reason to walk through the door. Show them the reasons why.

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Candidate-Centricity Should Be the Nexus of 2023 Hiring

Sometimes it can be incredibly taxing on our minds to configure the many, many ways the Future of Work influences the way we live, the way we work, and the ways those two intersect. From new technology and innovative platforms to conscious leadership and overall business transformation, the very notion of the “future of how we work” involves so many intricacies that it can make our collective heads spin.

However, in a vacuum, we have to look at the future (and, in this case, the very near future) and configure specific aspects of corporate operations in such a way that they align with the external forces now driving success…or failure.

Talent has become the top competitive differentiator in a market that is increasingly globalized, unpredictable, and disruptive. Businesses that source the best talent, utilize that talent to get work done effectively, and retain that talent are always going to be the ones that thrive in a business arena that is evolving at a breakneck clip.

We’ve witnessed (and, more importantly, experienced) the highs and lows of talent engagement, hiring, and talent acquisition over the past two-plus years: pandemic-led layoffs, the rise of workforce agility, The Great Resignation, The Great Resettling, quiet quitting, quiet firing, and worker empowerment. It’s surely been a roller-coaster for talent acquisition execs, hiring managers, HR leaders, and other executives that hold some responsibility for workforce management within the typical organization.

At the end of the day, however, all of these talent-led transformations lead to one conclusion that should form the foundation of talent acquisition strategies in 2023: a candidate-centric model is the best path forward, considering the risks of an economic recession, continued global disruptions from war and supply chain issues, and, critically, the ramifications of the “talent revolution” that businesses have experienced since March 2020.

There are many reasons why running a candidate-centric hiring model makes sense in the year ahead:

  • Workers are done with being overpowered by their managers and employers when it comes to poor working conditions and a lack of appreciation.
  • Talented professionals have undergone a mental transformation during pandemic times that have forced them to reevaluate the impact of “work” and “career paths” on their personal lives as humans, leading to a desire for more purposeful work.
  • Workers desire true flexibility, not just a free weekly lunch or a ping-pong table in the break room. The flexibility for personal care, child care, elder care, etc. is all-important in today’s workforce; professionals crave the ability to attend their children’s’ events or harness the real power of remote and hybrid work to ensure that they have a proper work-life integration.
  • Candidates have more choices than ever before, regardless of the state of today’s economy. Businesses must stand out from the pack and offer a truly emotionally-engaging experience for their potential workers that leaves a real impression; will candidates gain a sense of trust, as well as an understanding of workplace and corporate culture?
  • Building on the above attribute, candidates desire a seamless and frictionless experience when applying for a job, negotiating terms, and following through the onboarding process. These may seem like more tactical aspects than strategic, but they go a long way towards developing a positive candidate experience for potential workers.
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is one of the most crucial elements of workforce management today. As frequently stated on the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, “A diverse talent pool is the deepest talent pool.” Candidates want to know that they will be part of a diverse workforce that also includes a truly inclusive workplace culture.

There’s more to developing a talent-oriented hiring strategy than just being committed to the candidate; enterprises must look to the aspects above and understand that, in a volatile labor market, they need to do so much more than they have ever done before to attract the best-fit, top-tier talent, skillsets, and expertise. The candidate experience is paramount and candidate-centricity hiring models are essential to thriving in 2023.

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The Core Tenets of the Skills-Based Organization

The foundational elements of the skills-based organization revolve around the concepts of rethinking the parallels between talent and work; thus, the very future of the skills-based organization depends on forward-thinking strategies, ideas, and, of course technology. Businesses are more likely to thrive in the months and years ahead by adopting a candidate-centric approach to hiring that is skills-based rather than job-based.

The exclusive Future of Work Exchange infographic below, The Core Tenets of the Skills-Based Organization, unveils the six key elements of skills-based organizations and how they impact the greater business (and its staffing, recruitment, and hiring efforts).

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BEST OF 2022: Candidate-Centricity Should Be the Nexus of 2023 Hiring

[The Future of Work Exchange will be back next week with all-new content and insights to kick off the new year. Until then, enjoy our “Best Of” series that revisits some of our most-read articles from 2022.]

Sometimes it can be incredibly taxing on our minds to configure the many, many ways the Future of Work influences the way we live, the way we work, and the ways those two intersect. From new technology and innovative platforms to conscious leadership and overall business transformation, the very notion of the “future of how we work” involves so many intricacies that it can make our collective heads spin.

However, in a vacuum, we have to look at the future (and, in this case, the very near future) and configure specific aspects of corporate operations in such a way that they align with the external forces now driving success…or failure.

Talent has become the top competitive differentiator in a market that is increasingly globalized, unpredictable, and disruptive. Businesses that source the best talent, utilize that talent to get work done effectively, and retain that talent are always going to be the ones that thrive in a business arena that is evolving at a breakneck clip.

We’ve witnessed (and, more importantly, experienced) the highs and lows of talent engagement, hiring, and talent acquisition over the past two-plus years: pandemic-led layoffs, the rise of workforce agility, The Great Resignation, The Great Resettling, quiet quitting, quiet firing, and worker empowerment. It’s surely been a roller-coaster for talent acquisition execs, hiring managers, HR leaders, and other executives that hold some responsibility for workforce management within the typical organization.

At the end of the day, however, all of these talent-led transformations lead to one conclusion that should form the foundation of talent acquisition strategies in 2023: a candidate-centric model is the best path forward, considering the risks of an economic recession, continued global disruptions from war and supply chain issues, and, critically, the ramifications of the “talent revolution” that businesses have experienced since March 2020.

There are many reasons why running a candidate-centric hiring model makes sense in the year ahead:

  • Workers are done with being overpowered by their managers and employers when it comes to poor working conditions and a lack of appreciation.
  • Talented professionals have undergone a mental transformation during pandemic times that have forced them to reevaluate the impact of “work” and “career paths” on their personal lives as humans, leading to a desire for more purposeful work.
  • Workers desire true flexibility, not just a free weekly lunch or a ping-pong table in the break room. The flexibility for personal care, child care, elder care, etc. is all-important in today’s workforce; professionals crave the ability to attend their children’s’ events or harness the real power of remote and hybrid work to ensure that they have a proper work-life integration.
  • Candidates have more choices than ever before, regardless of the state of today’s economy. Businesses must stand out from the pack and offer a truly emotionally-engaging experience for their potential workers that leaves a real impression; will candidates gain a sense of trust, as well as an understanding of workplace and corporate culture?
  • Building on the above attribute, candidates desire a seamless and frictionless experience when applying for a job, negotiating terms, and following through the onboarding process. These may seem like more tactical aspects than strategic, but they go a long way towards developing a positive candidate experience for potential workers.
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is one of the most crucial elements of workforce management today. As frequently stated on the Future of Work Exchange Podcast, “A diverse talent pool is the deepest talent pool.” Candidates want to know that they will be part of a diverse workforce that also includes a truly inclusive workplace culture.

There’s more to developing a talent-oriented hiring strategy than just being committed to the candidate; enterprises must look to the aspects above and understand that, in a volatile labor market, they need to do so much more than they have ever done before to attract the best-fit, top-tier talent, skillsets, and expertise. The candidate experience is paramount and candidate-centricity hiring models are essential to thriving in 2023.

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