Solution: Talent Advisory

Staying COVID-Safe: Are You Ready to be a Health Business?

Posted on by akessler

This week in the UK, many businesses are considering how to safely return their employees to construction sites, field work and offices in larger numbers. Schools, nurseries and—dare we hope—shops, bars and restaurants may follow in June and July.

What does your workplace look like today? Is it an empty office or a packed manufacturing facility? Wherever your employees and colleagues are, their health and safety have never been more important.

Post-pandemic, the vigilance around employee care will move from wellness to health. I don’t want to downplay a strong wellbeing policy, and it’s cool to have a yoga studio, but it’s essential to provide protection from harm. Government guidelines will likely mean it’s not a matter of choice, but it’s not legislation alone that will drive this cultural change. 

Some new examples of business responses are highlighted in a recent article from the BBC, from onsite medical teams to implementing temperature checks for employees and customers.

“We used to say every business will be a digital business. But today we say every business will be a health business.”

Gianfranco Casati, Chief Executive for Growth markets, Accenture

Businesses with high-risk environments have recognised the importance of keeping employees safe and healthy for a long time. I worked with an offshore drilling company who set ‘Safety’ as a cultural objective for all employees. It’s  sound reasoning—a payroll clerk doing their job with unerring accuracy gives someone on the drilling platform one less distraction on the job.

So, how does this impact recruitment and talent acquisition?

Candidate Experience 

In your communications plan, information on health and wellbeing should be mandatory information, not just positioned as a benefit. Recruiters and interviewers must demonstrate higher levels of responsibility and care to candidates, including guidance on safely accessing your sites.

Technology 

Implementing virtual hiring solutions can help to protect your employees and candidates by eliminating face-to-face interactions while allowing you to continue moving forward with your recruiting needs.

Employer Brand 

In late 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, prospective employees who wanted to understand a company’s culture and values asked their interviewers how they and their colleagues were treated, and how well they were cared for.

In a way, that shouldn’t feel new. People and culture are most companies’ greatest assets. Leading organisations recognise this and demonstrate it to their employees and candidates. Protecting your people must be more serious now, but it’s likely always been a priority.  

Haven’t you always been a health business?

Virgin Media: A Virtual Approach to Call Centre Hiring

Posted on by mhill

Like many other businesses, Virgin Media was receiving very high customer call volumes and needed to draft in extra resources to their call centres to answer phones and solve customer queries. 500 new jobs were created at locations across the country on both a permanent and fixed-term basis. This gave staff job security and created flexible employment opportunities for people who needed to find work in the short to medium term. The roles were based in Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Teesside.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

  • WITHIN 2 WEEKS, DESIGNED A VIRTUAL INTERVIEW PROCESS FROM SCRATCH
  • IN THE FIRST 4 WEEKS, WE DELIVERED 5,500 NEW APPLICATIONS, ASSESSED 1,800 ONLINE VIDEO INTERVIEWS, INSTIGATED 400 FINAL STAGE QUALIFICATION CALLS AND MADE NEARLY 300 OFFERS
  • BUILT AND DELIVERED A COMMS STRATEGY THAT GENERATED APPLICANTS, IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF CANDIDATES AND EXPEDITED THE APPLICATION PROCESS

TALENT SOLUTIONS

SCOPE AND SCALE

As the UK entered lockdown for COVID-19, downstream traffic to Virgin Media contact centres increased by around 50% during daytime hours, but was still below evening peak levels. Upstream traffic – including customer video calls – increased by up to 95% during daytime hours. To maintain excellent service, Virgin Media created more than 500 new contact centre jobs in the UK, to help keep customers connected during this critical time.

SITUATION

500 starters were needed within 2 months of launch, using a completely redesigned process taking account social distancing measures. Candidates could not attend assessment centres and interviews onsite, contact centre managers would not have capacity to interview while maintaining stringent service levels and right to work/onboarding checks could not go ahead as a visual review of original documentation as normal. Additionally, Virgin Media introduced a number of measures to ensure its people remained as safe as possible while continuing to help answer customer calls and queries. This included providing remote working capabilities, where possible, and flexible working patterns. All of this onboarding and training experience needed to be brought-to-life for candidates at the outset of their application to ensure swift hiring of the right calibre people.

THE SOLUTION

An agile working group was formed and this met twice daily, to track project implementation and delivery progress. A new virtual hiring process was designed and implemented in less than 2 weeks. PeopleScout fast-tracked application and assessment by using video interviews, dramatically reducing the processing time and allowing staff to be selected within days and start within weeks. To generate candidates we built a new page on the Virgin Media careers site and created an enhanced attraction plan to drive applicants there. We diverted existing candidates (whose roles had been cancelled) into the new process. We created two microsites to improve quality of applications and speed-up hiring; a hints and tips site and a site illustrating the overall application process. Hiring capacity was ramped up, utilising our global delivery centres to score nearly 5,000 video interviews and to support onboarding of successful candidates without delay.

RESULTS

Within 2 weeks of launch PeopleScout’s RPO team had:

  • Designed a virtual interview process from scratch
  • Delivered 5,500 new applications
  • Conducted over 1,800 online video interviews
  • Instigated 400 final stage qualification calls
  • Made nearly 300 offers within 4 weeks of brief
  • Created a Hiring Manager audit step – with 95% of qualified candidates approved for hire

We have built a strong and effective partnership with PeopleScout, shown through the complexities brought about by the pandemic and then a large merger.

Tiara Awards Judge

Stretch your HR Thinking with David Fairhurst and Robert Peasnell

Posted on by mhill

David Fairhurst is well known as an innovative HR leader and entertaining speaker. He was formerly Global Chief People Officer for McDonalds, one of the largest employers in the world, with 2 million employees covering over 120 countries. He has held HR leadership positions at many of the top global organisations including Heinz, GSK and Tesco.  David is the founder of Orgshakers (Orgshakers.com), helping businesses shape their organisations to achieve short-term performance as well as long-term organisational health.

In this podcast David speaks with Robert Peasnell, Deputy Managing Director of PeopleScout UK, about the future of HR and how you can stretch your thinking to create successful HR strategies.

Listen to find out:

  • How to navigate change and create organisational readiness.
  • The importance of being brave in Employer Brand and EVP innovation
  • Understanding the cultural context for HR in other countries
  • How HR messaging can change organisational behaviour
  • The need to use tech to disrupt the market and win the best talent
  • How to make an impact in communities
  • The likely fundamental shifts after lock–down

How to Successfully Engage with Remote Work Teams

Posted on by jpatel

While remote work is new for some — especially amidst the changes that organisations have implemented since the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe —  I have been working from a home office off and on for almost 20 years, and it’s allowed me to be uniquely prepared for the new reality that COVID-19 has brought to the workforce. 

I have been fortunate to work for a few companies, including PeopleScout, who were very comfortable with a virtual work environment — in some cases, almost everybody in the organisation was working remotely. I also worked for several years where the culture was the opposite, and it would have been impossible for me to advance in my career if I was unable to physically come into the office each day. That experience really solidified what I already knew — I thrive in a remote work environment. 

The experience I’ve had working remote for most of my career has been an absolute blessing. It’s allowed me to spend extra time with my kids, work flexible hours and form relationships with colleagues who I would not have met if I were only working in an office. 

At PeopleScout, nearly half our teams were regularly working remote before COVID-19 social distancing protocols were put in place, and our experience managing these remote teams has helped in the transition as that number increases. 

In this article, I’ll share how to determine whether a remote work strategy is right for your organisation during this time, highlight some best practices for engaging and managing a team of remote workers and outline the reasons why remote work matters. 

Is Remote Work Right for Your Organisation? 

Due to COVID-19 social distancing protocols, many people who wouldn’t normally fit the criteria for remote work are now adjusting to working virtually. However, in a scenario when you have the choice for whether a role should be remote, there are some ways you can help make that determination.  

How can you be sure if a remote work programme fits into your organisation? Consider the following: 

Does your team need to be together? 

If your team works best with a lot of hands-on collaboration, like brainstorming sessions, whiteboarding, and other in-person activities, shifting to remote might be challenging. But if you find that it isn’t truly necessary for each team member to meet face-to-face each day, a virtual strategy could work. Consider collaborative documents and team video calls to offset the facetime you’d be missing if everyone were in the office. 

Do my employees have the tools they need to work virtually? 

In order to successfully communicate and complete tasks, a remote work strategy is dependent on workers having access to a computer, internet and phone. If they do, you’ll also want to restructure your onboarding process to account for remote workers. Although virtual workers can work flexible hours, you’ll want to make sure they understand if there are any specific hours they are required to be “online.” Also, ensure everyone is aware of any time zone differences that could impact communication. 

Can roles be converted to remote? 

Certain roles, such as client-facing or other positions where working in person is a necessity, might not be able to shift to remote work as easily as positions where a person primarily works on a computer. Alternately, if your clients are spread over a wide geography, a virtual worker might be closer to a client and be able to provide even better service than an employee in your main office. Consider offering other benefits, perks and flexible work options to employees where full-time virtual work isn’t a viable option to ensure that no employee feels left out.  

Remote work doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There’s a spectrum when it comes to flexible work options, and here are a few examples: 

  • Part-time telecommuting  
  • Weekly/monthly work from home days 
  • Sponsored co-working spaces outside of the office 

What Does a Successful Remote Team Look Like? 

Whether an employee is newly hired for a remote role or you’re transitioning an existing position to remote due to COVID-19, utilising the right technology is critical. Tools like Slack, Asana and Zoom can simplify employee collaboration and serve as a substitute for face-to-face interactions in a virtual environment.  

In addition to utilising these communication tools, here are some additional tips for staying connected with remote workers that I use while leading teams at PeopleScout:  

  • Set up regular phone calls. I make sure to schedule weekly check-ins with each of my team members to see how they are doing and to stay aligned on project updates.  
  • Embrace informality. When teams are working from a large distance apart, informal communication (in addition to necessary formal conversations like meetings and conferences) can help foster strong connections between team members. Sometimes I’ll send team members a quick text message or IM to check in and remind them I’m available if they need anything. 
  • Celebrate successes. In an environment where it can be easy to feel secluded, remember to personally thank team members for all they do to contribute to the goals of the organisation. 
  • Try new ways of connecting. It’s important that your virtual team doesn’t feel left out from events that may be occurring in the main office. Each year, my team holds a virtual holiday party where we all get together for an hour or so to bring our little community together and reflect on the year’s successes. 
  • Capitalise on face-to-face interactions. While travel is currently limited, when I’m able to visit a PeopleScout office or a town where a team member lives, I’ll always make a point to try to schedule a lunch or coffee break to catch up with colleagues in-person. 
  • Communicate purposefully. Be intentional when reaching out to people. Especially while we are all no doubt facing uncertainty, stress and anxiety about the current COVID-19 situation, be sure to remember to check in and make sure your team members are doing okay. We’re all facing this incredible challenge together, and your team members should feel that their manager truly cares. 

Another important engagement strategy is fostering company culture, which can be difficult to do successfully when not everyone is together in an office each day. At PeopleScout, we have our DNA culture principles which make us who we are. To ensure my team feels connected to these culture principles, I make a point to celebrate each of their individual characteristics. 

One of the beautiful things about having a virtual team is that it allows for a diverse workforce full of people with different backgrounds, talents, experiences, and points of view. Each person brings something unique to the team which continues to add value to our clients in ways that a small local team may not be able to.  

Remote Work is Here to Stay 

While at one time it may have seemed like a fleeting trend, remote work has proved it’s far from temporary. Virtual work has established itself as a workplace norm, and with the challenges brought upon by the outbreak of COVID-19, it doesn’t appear to be leaving anytime soon.  

It’s in the Numbers 

66% – A 2019 report by Zapier shows that 2 in 3 knowledge workers think the traditional office will be obsolete by 2030.  

69% – According to data from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), organisations have increasingly offered telecommuting options over the last five years, with ad hoc telecommuting showing the greatest growth. At 69%, it’s up 13% from 2015. 

74% – 74% of U.S. knowledge workers would be willing to quit their job to work remote, and 26% have already done so, according to Zapier. 

It’s What Employees Want 

According to SHRM, just over a quarter of organisations already offer full-time telecommuting, so setting up a strong remote work system before the rest of the competition can help you stand out in candidates’ eyes.  

Virtual work has benefits for both employees and employers. The leading reasons employees want remote work options are to save money, to be able to work anywhere and have more time with family. Many employees also say they’re more productive at home, and this increased productivity carries over into the organisation. In addition, remote work can have a positive impact on the mental health of employees, leading to a stronger company culture and overall employee experience.  

Working Together Toward Remote Work Success 

As you implement a remote work strategy into your organisation, especially during these uncertain times, it’s important to lead your teams with a lot of understanding and grace. Establishing a successful work from home strategy is going to be a transition for all — and for some, not an easy one.  

Understand that life is going to happen. Doorbells may ring, dogs may bark or kids may yell down the hallway while you’re on video calls. However, it is through consistent communication and purposeful engagement that you and your team will be able to navigate this new normal together.  

To learn more about ways employers can respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, visit our Resource Centre. 

Getting More Vans on the Road for Sainsbury’s

Posted on by mhill

With online grocery shopping becoming increasingly popular, Sainsbury’s looked to PeopleScout to maximise the number of delivery slots that they could offer to customers. In a saturated market place, it wasn’t enough just to target existing drivers, we also needed to find those with transferable skills and encourage them to apply.

The resulting strategy enabled Sainsbury’s to go to market with a number of highly targeted and location-specific attraction campaigns.
The project was a huge success and exceeded targets.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

• MARKET INTELLIGENCE & SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
• PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
• PROCESS DESIGN
• CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
• INTEGRATED MEDIA CAMPAIGN

SCOPE AND SCALE

Sainsbury’s business strategy is to respond to the changing needs of their customers, enabling them to shop whenever and wherever they want. Seven days a week, Sainsbury’s deliver fresh food, groceries, general merchandise and clothing from suppliers around the world, via 33 distribution centres to their store and online customers, meeting their requirements for flexible, convenient shopping.  Drivers are a vital part of this strategy, ensuring that Sainsbury’s can make deliveries to millions of customers at a time that suits them.

SITUATION

The Grocery Online department is a fast-growing business for Sainsbury’s. When we started this project, one in five employees worked in the department but with changing consumer habits, this was soon to become one in three. Despite being one of the company’s largest employee populations, it experienced high turnover in line with the challenging wider driver recruitment market. Some locations, for example inner-city areas and affluent suburban locations, found it particularly hard to recruit. The level of attrition made it hard for the department to grow, and driver availability became the limiting factor when it came to processing orders. It was vital for the business to hire more drivers immediately but also have a robust strategy for the future too.

THE SOLUTION

  • We used interviews and focus groups to understand the recruitment proposition for drivers at Sainsbury’s
  •  We used market mapping techniques to understand the labour force, reporting on salary benchmarks, competitor activity, and the socio-demographics of hard-to-fill locations.
  • By overlaying these two strands we developed distinct driver personas, each with its own messaging framework and channel strategy. We used these to develop highly targeted comms for each group, responding to their motivations and behaviours.
  • Secondary messaging included; flexible shifts where we knew there was a high student population and non-monetary benefits such as child-care vouchers in areas that had a high density of families.

After speaking to hiring managers, existing employees, and those working for competitor organisations, we found that the majority of people eligible to be a Sainsbury’s delivery driver, didn’t realise that they already had the skills to do the job. In fact, the role required skills like good customer service, time management, and self-motivation which we found to crossover with a number of different sectors.  This led us to design a creative route that focussed on the core messaging of “All you need is a licence” and “Where will your licence take you?”, educating the audience around the training and development new joiners received.

This sat in contrast to another creative route which we used in locations that had high competitor activity where we led with the messaging around the fact that Sainsbury’s offered guaranteed hours where other organisations did not. Before the campaign, Sainsbury’s were engaging with candidates across multiple channels with different communications, which meant they ended up talking to the same audience in different ways, about different things.

By taking this insight-driven segmented approach, Sainsbury’s could instead talk confidently about the things that mattered  to candidates, using the channels that they were most likely to respond to.

RESULTS

The campaign was so successful that the majority of roles were filled within the first 5 weeks of the 12-week campaign, meaning that Sainsbury’s could cut back on their marketing spend. More impressively, seven locations needed to pause their recruitment due to high application numbers including two of the locations that were identified as ‘hard to fill’ areas.

“ The success of the campaign so far has been unprecedented and as such after 5 weeks we are already in a place where most of our stores in the trial have filled all driver hours required. In total, we have received over 2,000 applications. 131 offers have been extended, 106 of which have been accepted so far.”

Kent County Council: Promoting a Career in Care

Posted on by mhill

Support workers make a genuine difference to real lives and Kent County Council (KCC) were finding it hard to attract the right people to fill their vacancies. They approached PeopleScout to develop a campaign to reach an audience that may not realise they had the skills and attributes to become care workers and show them they could have a meaningful career, just by ‘being you’.

SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS

• RAISING AWARENESS OF MISUNDERSTOOD ROLES
• REACHING AN UNAWARE TARGET AUDIENCE
• CREATING STAND-OUT FROM THE CROWD

CANDIDATE SOURCING

SCOPE AND SCALE

Kent County Council, along with over 1,400 partner organisations, are committed to providing essential care and support, working with some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Their need to recruit was based on the requirement to alleviate pressure on nursing homes and hospitals by providing care in the clients’ own homes, therefore freeing up valuable beds elsewhere. Enabling clients to remain at home (when it is suitable) has been proven to be a good solution in healthcare pathways.

It was also important to demonstrate to the wider Kent population that KCC was taking positive and supportive action in what was a high profile and often criticised area for all local authorities.

SITUATION

With vacancies that aren’t clearly defined by specific skills or experience, it’s often challenging to convince potential recruits that a role is right for them. With ‘unskilled’ (in terms of qualifications) positions such
as these, the lure of other opportunities, including retail, is often more appealing and the lack of visibility or explanation of support roles alongside a misunderstanding of what is entailed, compounds this issue.
In addition to this, there was a lack of clarity about the genuine career potential that these jobs could offer potential candidates. KCC’saim was to raise the profile of the work they do in an area that is both sensitive and one that touches most people at some stage in their lives.

THE SOLUTION

To fully understand why existing support workers do what they do, we ran a focus group to investigate the motivators and to hear real life stories. Our creative team then set to work to produce a personal and  appropriate creative identity; one that would put the empathy and natural caring skills needed for these roles, at the very heart of the campaign. We concluded the best way to communicate this was by film, showing everyday situations where people made a difference, doing everyday things and how this translated into a care workers job.

This was driven by the central campaign message of “You’d be surprised how qualified you are to be a support worker – just by being you’’. With a small promotion budget and to ensure that the power of the film’s visuals were maximised, we used our Social Media product, SNAP, to push the film out to the target audience; using geographic and behavioural targeting methods.

RESULTS

The SNAP campaign ran for just over 2 weeks and in that time delivered over 51,000 impressions, converting to over 1,000 ‘clickthroughs’ – an impressive rate of 2.1%. Equally impressive, YouTube delivered almost 172,000 impressions and over 75,000 views.

COVID-19 Series: Advice for Keeping Employees Engaged During a Crisis

Posted on by nfuqua

As organisations 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 organisations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organisations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, in this episode, we are sharing insights from Andrea Brogger, TrueBlue’s Leader of the Global Human Resources team, on how to keep employees engaged when things are difficult.

Andrea is 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 programmes 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.

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.

COVID-19 Series: Advice for Working and Leading Teams from Home

Posted on by nfuqua

As organisations 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 organisations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organisations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, this episode shares insights from PeopleScout Client Portfolio Leader Chris Gould on strategies for working from home and leading teams from home.

Chris has over 20 years of experience in RPO, global talent acquisition leadership and consulting. He has proven success driving talent strategies and operations; building and developing global, diverse teams; and working with business leaders developing cost and availability strategies in mature and emerging markets. Prior to PeopleScout, Chris was formally the Global Head of Talent Acquisition for Black & Veatch and the Aon Corporation and held senior leadership roles with Accenture, Hewitt Associates, and Aon Hewitt. His global teams have been responsible for permanent and contingent hires in over 100 countries. He is a requested speaker on topics related to global talent acquisition, leadership, social networking, and human resources.

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.

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 organisations 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. Organisations 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 programmes 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 optimise the way they do things?

There is also a trend of organisations looking at multi-country programmes, with a focus around EMEA. Organisations 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 organisations 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 organisation 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 organisation. 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 organisational narrative.

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

Many organisations 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.

Organisations 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 organisations.

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, organisational design and more. How does the EVP play into the culture and behaviors of the organisation?

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 organisations 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.

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 organisation — 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 organisation. He also gives advice for leaders who want to make the shift at their own organisations and explains how technology and RPO partnerships fit into best-in-class talent programmes.