TALiNT International September 2021

September 2021

New Prospects

Plus...

- US TA Trends - Retention tactics - Making hybrid work

Is the future bright for young talent – or should employers be retraining older workers?

Demonstrate to end-hirers your commitment to professional and compliant recruitment

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01 Leader

The remote mindset Flexible and hybrid work solutions have become a pre-requisite for candidates; and employers who aren’t prepared to offer WFH options risk losing their experienced talent to the competition.

I’m delighted to introduce myself as the new Editor of TALiNT International. I’ve joined the team at an interesting time where the talent market is in a constant state of flux and for the first time in decades the amount of online job adverts outnumber the number of candidates looking for work. This has resulted in employers having to find new and innovative ways to attract and retain new talent.

The pandemic has changed the mindset of the workforce with the dominant theme now being the desire for flexible working policies. Emphasis has been placed on a healthy work/life balance and employers will be hard pressed to find reasons not to allow a flexible or hybrid way of working to continue post-pandemic. A study by Robert Walters found that 75% of 18–25-yearolds see the workplace as their number one source of meaning and social connection; but 42% will quit if remote working isn’t an option (pg 11). It seems safe to say then that even candidates in the beginning of their employment journey are looking for flexible ways of working.

In the current candidate-driven market, artificial intelligence is playing an important role in the recruitment selection process as well as with supporting internal succession plans in businesses. All too often, talent acquisition managers look outside of the business for talent that they already have in-house. Failing to identify existing skills within a company leads to attrition as employees look to other organisations who are committed to both their personal and professional development. TALiNT Partners, together with Eightfold.AI hosted a networking lunch to discuss new and innovative ways to attract and retain talent, read about it on page 17.

Another recurring theme we’re seeing is a candidate’s desire to feel a sense of belonging and purpose within the business and it’s here that a strong employer brand plays an important role. Candidates are looking for companies that are purpose-driven and align with their personal and professional value system and would prefer to earn less money while working for a company that puts their money where their mouth is in

terms of diversity and inclusion, for example.

Debbie Walton Editor, TALiNT International

We’re in a perfect storm and it’s unlikely that the market will return to pre-pandemic normal.

Now is the time for employers to make marked changes in their hiring policies and truly strive to create inclusive and empowering working environments for their people. Commitment to inclusivity, flexible working, and career progression are key to creating a workplace where staff feel valued and thrive, and stay.

42% of employees will quit if remote working isn't an option

About TALiNT Partners TALiNT Partners provides insight, content, connections and strategic support to the world’s recruitment & talent acquisition leaders.

We work hard to connect, collaborate and concentrate our efforts to ensure our events, experiences, consultancy and media solutions offer the best support for the talent industry.

Published by Talent Intelligence Partners Ltd Upper Ground Floor 18 Farnham Road Guildford Surrey GU1 4XA www.talintpartners.com Editorial: debbie@talintpartners.com News & features: debbie@talintpartners.com Advertising & Sponsorship: andy@talintpartners.com

04 TALiNT Scene A long-awaited return to in-person events brought together agency and in-house leaders in August after some timely virtual discussions on new talent solutions and TA models in July 8th July 2021 – TALiNT Partners & Guidant Global hosted a virtual discussion on for HR and TA Leaders from employers including Boots, Disney and RS Components to share sourcing challenges and creative ideas on external hiring, internal mobility and better use of the non-permanent workforce.

15th July 2021 – TALiNT PointSix hosted a virtual roundtable with Osborne Clarke's Kevin Barrow to share insights on how to make new talent solutions models more profitable, with advice for recruitment and RPO leaders on the risks and rewards of Statement of Work, PEOs and umbrellas, online staffing platforms and resource augmentation.

TALiNT International September 2021

05 14th July 2021 – TALiNT Partners & Adzuna hosted a virtual afternoon tea for a select group of HR leaders from JPMorgan, Heathrow, Civil Aviation, Bestway, Thales UK, Telecoms Plus/UW, Access Group, WSP, Burberry, Bank of America, Mitchells & Butlers, Colt Technology Services, Virgin Media, Lidl and Tesco.

Employer Programme Director Debra Sparshott chaired the discussion on the challenges of volume hiring, from attracting applications to nurturing candidates through to successful onboarding.

5th August 2021 – The first in-person PointSix event since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced brought together 30 recruitment leaders for insights on how to optimise sales and technology to win more profitable bids. A panel of experts included Mike Lander, CEO of Piscari; Mike Reynolds, former Head of Global Bids for Allegis and Adam Dale, CRO of event partner SourceBreaker.

19th August 2021 – TALiNT Partners & Eightfold hosted the first in-person, in-house leaders event of the year at the Soho Hotel in London for a select group of employers including Channel 4, Santander UK, Lidl, GSK, Megella Ltd, NatWest, Fortnum & Mason, VSO, and Bloomberg.

TALiNT International September 2021

02 Contents

Contributors

06 Age old problem

Upskilling and reskilling the over 55s could solve the skills crisis

08 News analysis

08 Vacancies are rising while application numbers fall 09 Recruiters are struggling to find their own talent 10 Uni intakes rise despite there being fewer fewer graduate jobs available 11 Why should employers worry about happy workers?

Lyndsey Simpson 55/Redefined P06

Rowena Bach PeopleScout P12

Andy Randall eArcu P12

Declan Slattery NatWest P17

12 Class of '21

How have the events of the last year shaped the early careers market?

17 Talent Attraction

How can employers keep their top talent and compete for the best candidates?

21 Time to get creative The war for talent continues in the financial services sector

25 Finding a balance

How are recruiters future-proofing their flexible working talent?

28 Bid for growth

Brooks Thurston Northern Trust P21

Steve Wajda HudsonRPO P21

Tactics on how to win more profitable RPO and MSP contracts

32 The four pillars

An interview with KellyOCG's Vice President, Sam Smith about their recent Workforce Agility Report Picture credits: Unsplash, Canva Cover: Canva Disclaimer: This publication has been prepared for the exclusive use and benefit of the readers of TALiNT International and other contacts of TALiNT Partners and is for information purposes only.

Unless we provide express prior written consent, no part of this publication should be reproduced, distributed, or communicated to any third party. You must not rely on the information in this publication as an alternative to advice from an appropriately qualified professional. In no event shall TALiNT Partners or any of those contributing to this publication be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence, or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the contents of this publication. © Talent Intelligence Partners

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Jill Bassett ManpowerGroup P25

Thomas Way SThree P25

Mike Lander Piscari P28

Sam Smith KellyOCG P32

We are ONE workforce HCRG is a marketing leading recruitment group, comprising of healthcare, social care and education brands.

Our sustainable temporary and permanent staffing solutions support both the public and private sectors, including; the NHS, local authorities, schools and some of the largest private healthcare organisations in the UK. Recruiting for multiple specialisms, we are ONE workforce.

06 Emerging Talent: Over 55s

“If OECD member countries increased the employment rate of those aged over 55 to match that of New Zealand, where it is currently highest, this could boost total OECD GDP by USD3.5 trillion. Solve the issue of ageism in the workplace and unlock the benefits for individuals, employers, and the economy.”

Age old problem

Upskilling and reskilling the over 55s could solve the talent shortage at a time when employers need experienced professionals, so why did unemployment hit them hardest last year?

Ageism can take many forms including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory acts, and institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs.

It is far more widespread than understood as age bias can often be unintentional and unconscious. In the 2020 World Values Survey of 83,034 people across 57 countries, it was found that one in two people held moderately or highly ageist attitudes.

Extending working life and increasing employment rates among older workers is a key objective of policymakers working to adapt national economies and welfare systems.

This is driven by an ageing population with an increasing healthy life longevity. In 1998, 15.9% of the UK population was 65 or over; by 2038, this is projected to be 24.2%, according to ONS data.

Yet, many older workers face difficulties when it comes to recruitment, training and development, with little or no consideration of age-adapted working conditions and flexibility.

As a result, their capability and potential are often prematurely lost.

Add to this the Covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affecting older workers, the full scale of which is not yet fully understood.

Early indicators show the largest relative

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increases in unemployment are found among workers aged 50-64, for whom unemployment increased by 55% in the last three months of 2020 compared with the same period the previous year.

Lyndsey Simpson 55/Redefined

However, unemployment figures only provide a partial picture of upheaval within the jobs market. The number of older workers who are inactive, meaning they are neither working nor looking for work, rose by 110,000 over the course of 2020 (Lancaster University Work Foundation).

Pre-pandemic, 42% of older workers said their pension pot was not big enough to fund life after work, so they needed to continue earning post state-retirement age (Canada Life).

With the negative impact of Covid-19 on pension funds this figure will inevitably increase further, with research by Interactive Investor indicating that one in five people aged 60­—65 believe they will need to delay retirement. The Great British Retirement

“One in five people aged 60—65 believe they will need to delay retirement [and] about one in four fear they would never be able to retire.”

Shut Out* 56% of employees want to continue working beyond the age of 65 but 65% believe the jobs market is closed to them; and only 30% of employers are ‘very motivated’ to recruit 55–75-year-olds

Survey of 12,000 adults also revealed about one in four feared they would never be able to retire.

Whilst it may be a personal necessity or preference to delay retirement, extending the economically active lives of individuals also offers significant social and economic benefits.

ECONOMIC BOOST Consultants PwC recently estimated that if member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) increased the employment rate of those aged over 55 to match that of New Zealand, where it is currently highest, this could boost total OECD GDP by around USD 3.5 trillion in the long run. In a UK-specific context this would represent a £182bn boost to UK GDP. This research tells us that the issue of ageism is very much still present, with older workers feeling shut out, forced out and overlooked.

Employers looking to address age discrimination and unconscious bias within their organisations need to look at ways to accommodate and maximise the potential of the over-55s talent pool.

The opportunity is right in front of us – solve the issue of ageism in the workplace and unlock the benefits for individuals, employers, and the economy.

Forced Out* When asked: "How motivated are you to hire 55–75-year-olds?", 24% of HR leaders aged 25–30 said “very” verses 63% of HR leaders aged 46–50.

When asked: ‘How motivated are you to invest in retraining/skilling 55–75s for new or ongoing employment?’, 25% of HR leaders aged 25–30 said “very” verses 44% of 46–50-year-old leaders.

Overlooked* 90% of employees aged 55–65 believe they have transferable skills to move role and/or industry if the employer was prepared to offer technical training, but only 35% of employers are prepared to offer technical training and hire over-55s.

*

Research by WD Research commissioned by 55Redefined and Pro Age based on a survey 257 workers and retirees aged between 55-75 and 202 employers (HR Directors/ CEOs) of companies ranging from 1—10 employees up to large corporates of 5,000+ employees. Employer gender split was 50:50 male to female and for employees aged over 55 it was 51% male to 49% female.

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08 Industry news

Vacancies rising… but applications falling There was a total of 1.65 million active job adverts in the UK, according to the REC’s latest Jobs Recovery Tracker, but the number of applicants per vacancy (APV) declined significantly in the first half of the year, according to data from Broadbean.

The REC Tracker recorded 213,000 new postings at the end of July and 204,000 in the first week of August, the fourth highest weekly figure since the start of the pandemic.

“Since the final Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in July, the number of new job adverts has continued to ramp up,” said Kate Shoesmith, Deputy CEO of the REC. “This is starting to translate into higher pay and better benefits for some workers in particular sectors, which is great for people looking for a job, but employers need more support from government, including an effective, long-term plan on skills.”

Salaries rising The REC recently reported that rising demand for staff has accelerated increases in permanent starting salaries, with the rate of salary inflation the sharpest seen in nearly 24 years of data collection. In contrast, temporary/contract staff hourly pay rates rose at the secondquickest rate since the survey began.

The latest labour market overview from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for August reported a marked

increase in the average total pay (including bonuses) of 8.8% and regular pay (excluding bonuses) increased by 7.4% during April to June 2021.

“The increase in median monthly pay falls in line with the shift towards a talent-driven recruitment market, where candidates have greater influence when agreeing terms with a new employer,” said Matt Weston, UK MD of Robert Half.

Where are the candidates?

Overall, candidate numbers fell at the second-sharpest rate in the history of the REC survey, easing only slightly from June's record, with Brexit cited as a key factor reducing the supply of workers, especially temporary staff.

“We know that reskilling and upskilling is needed to help people move between sectors, and there’s no doubt the ‘pingdemic’ has added

Across manufacturing and production, vacancies rose by 32%, while the APV was down 46%, according to Broadbean. Sectors experiencing the largest fall in applicant numbers were logistics & supply chain and retail, with the former seeing vacancies rise 85% and the AVP decreasing by 60%.

The latter saw roles increase by 101% and applicant numbers dropped by 55% between quarter one and quarter two 2021. Retail has been hit hardest, with entire stores forced to shut because of staff needing to isolate.

“The fact that we are seeing applicant numbers fall and companies starting to really struggle to recruit is worrying and could hamper the UK’s ability to build back after the pandemic,” said Broadbean MD Alex Fourlis.

953k 1.63m

54%

20%

Of employers say they can’t get the skilled workers they need

17–19-year-olds who now want to stay in full time education for longer

Number of job vacancies listed from May to July 2021

(City & Guilds Group)

(City & Guilds Group)

(ONS)

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an extra dimension to the recruitment challenge,” said Claire Warnes, Partner and Head of Education, Skills and Productivity at KPMG UK.

Active job adverts in the UK in the first week of August 2021 (REC)

09

Recruiters are struggling to find their own talent Demand for recruiters is rising exponentially across the UK and Europe, according to new data from LinkedIn, which had 6.8 times more recruiter roles on its platform in June 2021 than the same time last year.

The research from LinkedIn highlights several talent acquisition trends in the recruitment sector that are making it more difficult for staffing and talent solutions firms to find the quality and quantity of consultants they need. It found, for example, that fewer are hiring from outside the industry than in previous years so ‘they’re increasingly competing for the same narrow set of candidates’.

What motivates talent?

It found that the number hired from previous recruiting roles has almost doubled from 33% in 2020 to 59% in 2021, attributing this in part to redundancies last year and a preference in hiring those who need less training. “The current hiring pace makes it more challenging to hire outside of recruiting because it takes time to bring newbies up-to-speed with recruiting-specific hard skills,”

said Erin Scruggs, LinkedIn’s senior director of talent acquisition.

Of those that are sourced from outside recruitment, the top roles were HR (35%) and sales (12%), including account managers, project managers, and customer service representatives.

Looking at incentives and key motivators for recruitment talent, the research found that work/life balance, compensation, and company culture were still most important, but job security increased to 21% as a priority followed by purposeful mission (up 19%), having influence over tasks and priorities (up 11%) and challenging work (up 9%).

“It’s positive to see that demand for recruiter roles is growing, a trend that we’re seeing around the world, and that demand has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels in the UK,” said Adam Hawkins, Head of Search and Staffing EMEA at LinkedIn. “After a particularly tough year, it’s perhaps unsurprising that job security is high on the priority list when recruiters consider new roles.”

Tech & perm drive recruiter growth Talent shortages, tech-enabled services ansd perm placements have helped the world’s biggest recruiters to increase revenue growth over the last six months.

UK staffing firm Impellam Group plc reported revenues of £1.09bn for the six months ending 2 July 2021, an increase of 8.2% on 2020, with permanent recruitment up 33.7% (now making up 10.6% of gross profit).

Randstad revenues grew 38.2% over the second quarter with Group revenue 3% up on Q2 2019. Permanent placements were up 91% year-on-year and up 1% on 2019. The firm showed continued market share gains in the USA and France. “By providing in-depth data, technology and integrated services, we are playing an essential role for our clients by helping them to achieve a total talent management strategy," said CEO Jacques van den Broek.

Adecco Group posted a 20% increase in revenue with permanent placements up by 88% with training, upskilling and reskilling up 78%. The Group’s gross profit increased by 39% organically. “We are confident that with the implementation of our Future@Work strategy, including digital transformation of our business, we will be optimally positioned to take market share”, said Group CEO Alain Dehaze.

Robert Walters PLC reported an operating profit increase of 478% year-on-year to £24.1m. Global businesses now generate 79% of the Group’s net fee income with its largest region, Asia Pacific, now accounting for 45% of NFI.

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10 News analysis

Uni intake rising despite fewer grad jobs Concerns about prospects in the post-pandemic job market are driving more young people to stay in education and training despite talent shortages across a range of sectors.

Research from City & Guilds (C&G) found that 40% of 17–19-year-olds in the last two years of school plan to go to university and 20% now want to stay in full time education for longer than they originally intended. This compares to 13% who say the same for apprenticeships, and 22% who plan to go straight into employment.

18%

While 44% of school leavers choosing university consider this to be the best way to get a job, and 39% believe they will get paid well if they have a degree, recent research from Incomes Data Research found that both a graduate and a fully qualified degree-level apprentice could expect to earn the same salary upon completion of their qualification (£32,500).

report (supported by the British Chambers of Commerce) suggests that only 18% of employers intend to recruit graduates to fill skills gaps in the next 12 months as businesses prioritise new recruits who are work-ready.

Apprentices before graduates Data from the ONS indicates that 37% of all graduates are unable to land graduate level jobs and data from City & Guilds Group’s Skills Index

C&G’s report also found that employers are twice as likely to take on apprentices or trainees to fill skills gaps (36%), as opposed to graduates (18%).

Of employers intend to recruit graduates to fill skills gaps (C&G Skills Index Report)

“For many young people, the idea of university being the golden ticket to a great career is ingrained from an early age,” said Kirstie Donnelly, CEO of City & Guilds. “But as the jobs landscape continues to reel from the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, it’s more important than ever before to understand that this isn’t the only option available to them.”

Upskill older workers to solve skill shortage New research from City & Guilds Group reveals that 54% of employers say they can’t get the skilled workers they need, but only 14% would consider recruiting or retraining older workers.

City & Guilds Group’s research found that adults aged 55 and over are the least likely to have undertaken formal workplace training in the last five years, with only half (53%) of them having done so. This compares to 67% of 35–54-year-olds and 83% of 18–34-year-olds.

Over a third (38%) aged 55 and over report having last received formal workplace training over 10 years ago, or never at all; 47% think they have

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all of the skills they need to succeed in the workplace; and 20% said the last workplace training they received was not useful for their current job day-to-day.

“We risk consigning a generation of valuable workers to the scrapheap, just when many industries are crying out for more workers post Brexit and as we unlock society after the pandemic,” said Kirstie Donnelly MBE, CEO of City & Guilds Group.

11

Why half of workers say ‘hybrid won’t work’ A new survey of 2,000 workers by Robert Walters found that 75% of 18-25 year olds see the workplace as their number one source of meaning and social connection; but 42% will quit if remote working isn’t an option.

The report also found that many employees are still in the dark about their employer’s plans for postpandemic working – with 40% stating they are yet to hear about any vision, and a further 28% claiming that what they’ve heard remains vague.

Robert Walters’ Guide to Hybrid Working: Obstacles and Solutions claims that ‘the under-researched and under-tested new hybrid working model has resulted in the UK workforce feeling overworked and exhausted’.

With recent studies finding that employees working mainly from home were less likely to receive a bonus, get promoted or receive training than colleagues who spent more time in the workplace, the report urged employers to invest in culture and management.

It found that, while 63% of companies have adopted a hybrid-work model, 40% of employees think their employer’s hybrid working arrangements need to be improved and 55% do not think it brings balance back to their home and work life. Many claim that hastily constructed working models have led to more intense working days due to the need to fulfil both face-to-face and virtual meetings.

“Our research shows that the diminishing social capital accessible through the hybrid or fully working from home model could turn younger staffers into a ‘flight risk’,” said Chris Poole, MD of Robert Walters UK. “Talent retention is at its highest levels when employers invest time and effort in building and maintaining a workplace culture that prioritises social capital for employees.”

Worry about happy workers A new study based on a survey of over 4,000 workers in the UK, US, France, and China found that 58% of satisfied employees report being open to new opportunities, with many actively searching.

Beyond the permanent expectation of hybrid work and flexibility, the study from global integrated communications agency Zeno Group reveals that professional growth and career mobility rank high among employees’ expectations, followed by interesting work (77%), opportunities to grow (71%) and the ability to move within the company (62%).

Across all regions, over 70% of employees say they would perform better if they had a clear understanding of their company’s

mission and values; but only half felt their current employer had one.

Among US Gen Z respondents, 76% would accept a job earning less money if the employer shared their personal values and had a strong social purpose.

“While many businesses have great benefits and growth opportunities for their employees, often communication can prove the missing link between employers and their workforce,” added Jennifer Edwards, UK Employee Engagement lead at 3 Monkeys Zeno.

News in brief Paranoid home workers always online A new survey reveals that 51% of remote workers now reply faster to emails to prove they’re working - and 95% of HR workers feel most trusted to be at their desks. A survey of 1,015 office workers by Furniture At Work through Opinion Matters found that 20% of UK workers now have Teams on their personal mobile phone and 29% ensure Teams never goes onto an ‘away’ status.

Freedom Day drives demand for IT workers Digital transformations to support agile working in time for Freedom Day on 19th July drove a surge in demand for IT workers. Hiring levels in June represented the fourth record breaking month of the year, according to Apsco, with hiring levels in the first half of 2021 accounting for 91% of the total tech hires for the whole of 2020.

Marketing tops employee perk rankings A survey of 2,011 UK employees, undertaken by Censuswide in July 2021 for perk specialist Cartwright & Butler, found that marketing provides the most valuable perks, at £1,179.56 per person, on average across the year closely followed by the financial services sector (£1,091.60 per employee), and construction (£967.39).

Across a range of industries, flexible working hours was by far the most popular, with 28% of brands offering this. Other popular perks of the job include employee discounts, and free food and drink, with 24% and 20% of businesses offering these, respectively.

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12 Emerging Talent

The challenge for employers is how to retain and develop their young employees in an inclusive workspace, particularly when it comes to socio-economic equality.

Class of '21

How have events of 2020 and 2021 shaped the early careers market, and what can employers do to attract and develop the talent they need over the next 12 months?

With concerns about prospects in the postpandemic job market driving more young people to stay in education and training, talent shortages across a range of sectors may be more prolonged.

Research from City & Guilds found that 20% of 17-19-year-olds in the last two years of school now want to stay in full time education for longer than they originally intended. ONS data indicates that 37% of all graduates are unable to land graduate level jobs and C&G’s latest Skills Index report suggests that only 18% of employers intend to recruit graduates to fill skills gaps in the next 12 months as they prioritise new recruits who are work-ready.

TALiNT Partners hosted a virtual webinar with a panel of experts from MyKindaFuture, Debut, PeopleScout and eArcu to get their perspective on the impact of lockdowns on emerging talent and their predictions for the next 12 months.

PERFECT STORM The last 18 months have created a “perfect storm” according to Simon Reichwald, Strategic Lead for Talent at MyKindaFuture, created by the combination of skills gaps, Brexit and Covid-19. The impact increased competition for talent but, as Simon noted, especially in diverse STEM talent.

Demand for fast digital transformations to support agile working in time for Freedom Day on 19th July drove a surge in demand for IT workers, with hiring levels in the first half of 2021 accounting for 91% of the total tech hires for the whole of 2020.

As the UK comes out of Covid-19 restrictions,

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the competition for talent is fiercer than ever.

Average and starting salaries are rising and declined or reneged offers currently sit at an average of 14%, with some employers seeing this rise as high as 30%.

Debra Sparshott TALiNT Partners

The challenges are even greater in the early talent space where employer competition for high potential candidates has combined with changes in how Gen Z weigh up the attractiveness of potential employers. New talent is looking for mutual values, career development and ethical practices; and if they can’t see it, they walk away.

Zoe Jeanes, Sales Director for Debut, flagged the company’s own research findings on the complexity of achieving a diverse cohort of early careers starters, with pipeline diversity decreasing as candidates go through the process.

Debut’s latest report highlights that employers are looking at this problem from the wrong direction, focusing on improved messaging and process change, rather than increasing their understanding of the behavioural differences in job applications across different minority groups. Their research also showed that black candidates will apply to 38% more jobs than their white counterparts; increasing the likelihood of the candidate being counter-offered.

Issues around confidence, “real and perceived challenges” around culture are driving candidates to spread the net more widely.

Those who believe that they will find a job are likely to have a better chance of doing so as they believe it is worth continuing to look. This

15

demands measures within TA pipeline planning if a truly diverse hire is to be achieved.

THE GENDER CHALLENGE Rowena Bach, Talent Strategy Director for PeopleScout, reported that whilst females make up 55% of the student population, they represent only 40% of applications. Her research found that confidence levels were even lower for female graduates who are 5 time less likely to apply for a role because they worry they are unsuitable. As Rowena rightly pointed out: “When it comes to job applications, the more you do, the less confident you become,” so the behaviour perpetuates itself.

This raises many questions. How conscious are employers of how their student application process encourages and enables young talent, rather than just screening and assessing them?

How can TA leaders find out? And crucially, what can be done within the education system to improve application confidence in ethnic minority and female talent?

engagement to be bespoke and on-demand, Zoe reminded us. Rowena added to this Gen Z perspective, calling out the need for a personalised journey, which speaks to their underlying anxieties and concerns with sensitivity that empowers them.

Simon Reichwald MyKindaFuture

Zoe Jeanes Debut

Method of engagement is important too. We have seen digitalisation accelerate rapidly during the pandemic, but Gen Z are way ahead.

They expect a digital, anytime-anywhere experience; their “normal” is delivery apps, video chats, streaming content; they expect

When it comes to culture, stickiness and connection, human contact is essential. The rise in candidate 'reneges' suggests that the balance is not right, yet.

Andy Randall, CEO of eArcu sees the onboarding experience as critical in securing a post offer hire. Post-pandemic, workplace transformations such as flexible and remote working have added a new dimension of complexity in winning brand attachment and retaining new joiner enthusiasm.

How can something as dry as pre-employment screening be made a more immersive experience? How can employers create a post offer journey, which brings the candidate closer to their brand? “Following up on promises” is a good start, Andy suggested, ensuring the candidate feels part of the team before they join it, and creating a clearly communicated plan for their first few weeks will help your new starter prepare and keep them motivated.

Andy advised employers to keep looking for ways to improve or shorten the post offer process.

MORE INCLUSION FOCUSED Even organisations who are successful in early talent recruitment are seeing a discreet shift of focus from D&I to I&D. The challenge for employers is how to retain and develop their young employees in an inclusive workspace, particularly when it comes to socio-economic equality. Simon shared recent findings of a government taskforce looking at socioeconomic diversity, which showed that career progression for those from a lower socio-

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14 Emerging Talent

economic background is slower by 25%, regardless of either ability or skills. A lack of progression is rated as the predominant reason for early talent resignations.

to have received any. Is it a question of timing or is it about the process itself? How far away from “on-demand” is the average experience of a graduate or apprentice?

Worried employers are looking at specific retention strategies for these employees; tools and interventions to combat this imbalance across the socio-economic divide. Selective mentoring support is increasing, and senior leaders are being encouraged to share their own stories of development and progression to demonstrate opportunity. Andy suggested that allocating peer “buddies” can provide strong connection pre-start, urging employers to find creative opportunities to bring people together in the space between offer and start – even if outdoors and with social distancing.

Most organisations require a big commitment from applicants completing their application journey. Through conversations with 300 students, PeopleScout found that 35–47% candidates are dropping off before they had even applied.

Rowena Bach PeopleScout

Andy Randall eArcu

Inclusivity is of primary importance to Gen Z. This is a challenge when recent research by MyKindaFuture found that less than a third of UK employees feel they belong and of those who don’t, 80% are considering leaving their company within the next 12 months.

Inclusivity, or the perceived absence of it, is costing employers dearly. Their research also estimates that the price of lost early talent is £46K per person.

We know the competition for early talent is as fierce as ever, that a transparent, personalised, on-demand application increases the likelihood of retaining the candidates through the life of the application process. It seems that understanding how Gen Z think and feel, and then building your candidate journey to meet them may increase both pipeline and starter retention.

VISIBILITY IS KEY Without clear data on what is happening within an organisation, attrition can be misunderstood, with TA seen as culpable for bringing in the wrong talent, rather than recognising that the organisation has not lived up to it promises of inclusivity and equanimity.

So how can employers differentiate themselves, validating their messages to early talent, particularly in terms of things which matter most to this generation like ED&I, work-life integration, and personal development? Debut found that many who graduated last year are worried. They feel a lack of control over their careers.

It was interesting to note, from Debut’s research, that early talent perceive they never hear back from employers, despite employers saying they do give feedback. This was supported by PeopleScout’s findings which showed that 9/10 employers said they give feedback, whilst only 4/10 candidates claimed

TALiNT International September 2021

Automation brings speed, consistency and candidate enablement to the early career application process, reducing administration and duplication of effort through the journey but, without striking a balance between technology and human intervention, the candidate’s emotional investment in your role may be too weak to fend off competition.

Andy’s view was that technology can significantly improve the candidate experience but, when it comes to culture, stickiness and connection, human contact is essential. The rise in candidate “reneges” suggests that the balance is not right, yet.

Employers are twice as likely to take on apprentices or trainees to fill skills gaps (36%) as opposed to graduates (18%), City & Guild’s Skills Index Report

Students feel impacted by what they see as a contracting job market, meaning that they are more likely to be open to all roles, but their focus remains finding a job which offers career development and future prospects.

Employers are looking to drive a far broader range of candidates removing barriers which prohibit application, in order to find hidden gems. Some might say this is an attitude which is overdue, but there is a balance to be struck between “we have a wide view of what our talent looks like” and “we hire anyone”.

Early talent recruitment is a complex and continually changing landscape, so speaking to an expert makes good sense.

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17 Attraction & Attrition "It's important to determine who you want to talk to, and then tell stories that those individuals can relate to. Over time, the employer establishes a brand that that helps attract and retain talent" Declan Slattery, Head of Talent Attraction, NatWest

Mapping a new talent landscape In a raging war for talent in the UK market, where almost one million vacancies have been posted since July, how can employers keep their top talent and compete for the best candidates?

Emerging trends such as candidates not arriving for interviews or work; a demand for flexible working in first-time job seekers; and empowering employees to take responsibility for their own career development were just some of the challenges discussed during TALiNT Partners’ first in-person lunch for inhouse leaders, co-hosted with Eightfold AI. It was delightful to be in a room with some of the talent industry’s top practitioners, with talent aquistion specialists from a wide range of sectors including media, retail and financial services, pharmaceutical and international recruitment discussing the industy’s biggest challenge: Attracing and retaining talent.

Chaired by TALiNT Partners’ MD Ken Brotherston; Employer Programme Director, Debra Sparshott and Bob Ward, Vice President EMEA at Eightfold AI, a wide variety of topics were discussed ranging from the importance of the employer brand, flexible working and how AI can assist in the candidate sourcing and selection process.

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY There has been a massive shift in the talent economy, with salary no longer the main driver of staff retention (if it ever was). While rising starting salaries are a concern for talent acquisition managers, it’s become increasingly obvious that a sense of belonging, more relevant, tailored benefits and a willingness on employers’ behalf to consider much more flexible and varied working patterns are much more important to candidiates in the current market.

With salary expectations of early career candidates so high, it is difficult for employers to

Debbie Walton Editor TALiNT International

attract new and emerging talent – especially for not for profits and smaller businesses who can’t afford to match higher paying corporates and competitors. For existing employees, retention is becoming trickier as they can be tempted by higher salaries and better perks elsewhere – and it’s easier now for remote workers to arrange interviews.

However, beyond more personalised perks, both employees and candidates are more interested in a company’s purpose and values, and its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Declan Slattery, Head of Talent Attraction at NatWest says that to attract the right candidates to your business you need to tell stories. “It’s important to determine who you want to talk to, and then tell stories that those individuals can relate to,” said Declan. “Over time, the company establishes an employer brand that helps to attract and retain talent.”

Brand credibility is key in the war for talent.

“Strong brands, as well as a focus on diversity and inclusion are incredibility important in this market,” agreed Jim Richardson, Director at Megella Ltd. “Even more so for businesses who don’t necessarily have the financial firepower that private companies do.”

ATTRACTIVE SKILLS Irina Fransson, Head of EMEA Early Careers and Talent Acquisitions said an essential attribute that Bloomberg looks for in their candidates is resilience. But what makes a candidate resilient?

“The ability to be agile and resilient in a busy environment; being able to deal with the constant influx of calls, emails and deadlines, and being able to adapt to ever-changing pressures of the daily job is a core skill we try to

TALiNT International September 2021

18 Attraction & Attrition With new talent coming into more senior roles in businesses, it can easily become a default option to look outside the business for new hires

find in our candidates,” said the head of recruitment for the pharmaceutical industry.

it identify important soft skills such as resilience and empathy?

Everyone agreed that the key to talent retention is to recruit the right person for the role in the first place, so inclusion is becoming a more important measure for employers and recruiters. Once they’re part of the business, the key is keeping them engaged and committed to their own career growth.

Bob Ward, Eightfold AI EMEA VP says it can. “AI doesn’t take away the human aspect in talent acquisition at all as hiring managers are still interviewing and meeting potential candidates face-to-face,” he explained. “What it does take away is the time needed to research every employee or sift thousands of applications to shortlist the best.”

“The most effective way companies can improve attrition is to create an environment where their employees feel in control of their own career development,” said TALiNT Partners MD Ken Brotherston, who encouraged employers to have adult conversations about employees taking responsibility for skills and development and their career advancement within the business.

“With new talent coming into more senior roles in businesses, it can easily become a default option to look outside of the business for new hires, instead of promoting or hiring internally,” commented the Head of Talent, Leadership and Succession at one of the UK’s leading financial services companies. In the current market, with fewer applications, employers are scrambling to snap up outside talent for fear of losing out, but the skills needed already exist within the business in many cases.

The challenge for employers, as Debra Sparshott, Employer Programme Director at TALiNT Partners pointed out, is that “most have little or no visibility of the talent in their existing workforce, in order to support proactive and relevant redeployment and impactful succession planning”.

INTERNAL ASSETS Eightfold’s AI technology is helping hiring managers to internally map skills and competencies and support the implementation of succession plans.

Of course, the advancement in AI technology in the talent industry has long highlighted the question: will it remove selection bias, and can

TALiNT International September 2021

Declan Slattery NatWest

Bob Ward Eightfold.ai

Irina Fransson Bloomberg

Nancy Ouma, Global Resourcing Manager at VSO said that she’d like to see higher AI adoption in the recruitment industry. VSO often receives up to 100,000 applications a year. “I’d like to see a change in the way we hire,” she said. “Done properly, AI in recruitment and hiring processes can massively improve the selection and hiring processes, as well as the candidate experience.”

The consensus in the room was that the market as it is today is unlike anything seen in the 25 years plus that some attendees have been in the industry. With growing vacancy numbers and fewer applications in a candidate market, employers must be more creative in how they incentivise and more innovative in their use of technology to map and engage the talent they already have.

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21 US TA Trends “After candidates sign the offer letter, keeping them engaged and looping them in communications is key to help them feel like they’re already a member of the team.”

Adrian Russo, Director – Talent Acquisition, MotoRefi

Time to get creative

To win the war for talent in the US financial services sector, organisations are having to be more flexible, pro-active and creative about where to find them and how to recruit and onboard them This time last year, most Western economies saw massive spikes in unemployment due to the pandemic, yet most industries today face one of the most acute labour market shortages ever.

The finance sector is particularly struggling to not only attract, but retain employees, so TALiNT Partners and HudsonRPO convened a panel of TA and HR experts from across the sector to discuss the challenges they face and their most successful approaches.

Filling retail positions in banking is particularly challenging, highlighted a VP for a renowned bank. “For the first time in 15 years, we have less traffic to our site and more jobs. Until now we have never had to go out and look for people for those roles.”

Changing jobs is certainly easier when working remotely. “It’s definitely easier for people to have a quick side chat with recruiters to see where the land lies,” observed another head of HR at a leading trading firm.

‘BACK-OUT’ PANDEMIC The tight labour market has been accompanied by a pandemic of back-outs, where individuals decline already accepted job offers because of a better one. Some job offers even result in no-shows – something many organisations have never really seen until now, said Ken Brotherston, Managing Director of TALiNT Partners.

“So it’s vital to keep them excited and engaged about joining your firm, while they work out their notice period,” advised one participant.

“Managers/colleagues should make contact immediately with the candidate to develop a

rapport and retain that excitement about joining, and prevent them from seeking other appointments before their start date."

Pepi Sappal Features Writer TALiNT International

Fintech startup MotoRefi’s Director – Talent Acquisition, Adrian Russo, agreed: “After candidates sign the offer letter, keeping them engaged and looping them in communications is key to help them feel like they’re already a member of the team. We have a whole workplace experience team solely devoted to the candidate/employee experience, who send out swag boxes to new hires.”

Seeing physical office space should also be part of that early experience, unless they are really remote, so candidates get an opportunity to see the office, especially if it is a hybrid setup. Give them an office tour, so they can check out the location of their desk, places to eat lunch in the surrounding area, and meeting spaces.

Managers and leaders are critical to a successful onboarding of new recruits. “Research shows employees will decide if they stay or go based on their connection with their manager, not HR,” said Rhoda Banks, SVP Talent Management at American AgCredits. “Although HR has a role in defining and designing an onboarding plan, it’s vital to engage leaders in the process.”

FLEXIBILITY AND BUSINESS NEED More organisations are now more open to hiring talent anywhere across the nation, but the wealth of opportunities available to candidates means employers have to be even more flexible about where and how people work. However, compliance issues in the Finance Sector (FS) can make hybrid/remote models much more difficult to offer all employees.

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22 US TA Trends

“Research shows employees will decide if they stay or go based on their connection with their manager, not HR.” Rhoda Banks, SVP Talent Management at American AgCredits

“As we are a trading organisation, we need employees, like traders, to be back in the office full-time, because of legislation and compliance issues,” highlighted one guest. Rhoda Banks added: “It has been a real struggle getting employees to return to the physical office in both my current and previous role. Workers are rightly questioning why they have to return to the office, after successfully working remotely from home for over a year.”

One participant from a large investment company is facing similar challenges. “Although everyone is working remotely for now, come the fall the new work model will be dictated by each team, and remote options will depend on role/ function,” they explained.

“However, we are trying to be as flexible as possible. Every single team is different and we want to treat them all with the compassion they need, offer them flexibility fairly without being discriminatory.

“But of course, balancing that with the legitimate needs of the business is proving to be difficult. Explaining why some roles can be 100 percent remote, while others can’t, is hugely challenging.”

POST-PANDEMIC MINDSET High profile leaders in the finance sector have adopted different positions on the issue, as Ken Brotherston highlighted. “Just a few months ago, the CEO of Goldman Sachs called remote working an aberration. In contrast, Citi’s Chief sent a staff-wide memo in March saying the bank expected most staff to work in a hybrid model in a bid to improve work/life balance.”

Brooks Thurston, Global Talent Acquisition Operations Manager of financial services firm Northern Trust, headquartered in Chicago,

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observed that: “We are definitely witnessing an evolution from the ‘gotta be here’ approach to something more flexible. Our own mindset is evolving as more discussions are being had.”

Adrian Russo, MotoRefi

Brooks Thurston, Northern Trust

Offering the right benefits is also key to attracting top talent. “Attracting Millennials and Gen Z – who are becoming the majority of the workforce – is particularly challenging,” pointed out Jeremiah Stone, Talent Acquisition Leader from Macquarie. “They have a different set of drivers and interests, and what they find compelling in employers can vary hugely.

Compensation isn’t always a driver. They want to work for companies that live the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). So they’ll ask questions like, what is the impact of this work? Are there any programs around DE&I? What’s the composition of your workforce and how has it improved?”

Another hugely sought-after benefit is vacation and time off. “The top reason for candidates rejecting a job offer is actually vacation time and not compensation,” said Rhoda. “Many candidates are looking for more time off so giving new hires, say an extra week off, can help to seal the deal.”

Titles and career progression matter too. In fact, what drives most senior staff to look for other job opportunities (especially VPs) is lack of growth or promotion opportunities. One delegate commented that, during exit interviews, it’s not uncommon for them to hear, ‘there’s only one CIO/CFO role, and she/he is not going anywhere’.

“So employees are definitely thinking about their long-term career trajectory. They want more responsibility, more ownership and want to make more of an impact on clients or the

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business. If they can’t do that with their existing employer, then they will be tempted to consider other offers,” she warns.

added. “Smart companies will take advantage of this time to capture new talent, and as a result will see diversity at all levels.”

So how do you mitigate that? “It’s about being proactive,” she added. “I have a call regularly with all my team leaders, where I ask: Do your people know they are important? Did you tell them they are valuable? Staff need to hear that while they still work for you; not when they hand in their resignation.”

As most workers that left the workforce during the pandemic were women, companies could certainly do more to engage and woo them back through programmes like returnships.

Admittedly, many families in many parts of the US have been waiting for clarity on the school scenario in September, so many women may have been reluctant to committing to a new role even if it’s remote.

LOOKING AHEAD What can we expect to see in Talent Acquisition in finance over the next six months? For some participants, the next few months will be about testing the new way of working and whether it’s in line with company culture and values. They expect to see “a lot of churn still happening as people get used to the new normal” and are banking on more turnover and needing more support to fulfil those roles.

Employees are undoubtedly hesitant about a full-time office return after a year and a half of comfortably working from home everyday.

“However, they may feel differently once they get back into the groove of travelling to work,” said TALiNT Partners’ Consultant Tracey Klein.

“Staff may decide that it does actually feel good to be back with colleagues, and we may well see a willingness to be more present in the office.”

We will see a “vast disparity between progressive organisations who are really leaning into this new hybrid work-style, and those that are trying to maintain the more traditional office work style,” predicted Adrian.

“Companies that recognise that we are a new remote-first environment, and cater for all employee needs – including women – will see a more equitable and diverse environment,” he

Tracey Klein TALiNT Partners Consultant

Steve Wajda, HudsonRPO

“However, there’s no reason, why companies can’t be proactive and start engaging these women now, rather than later in the year,” added Ken Brotherston.

Being proactive and being ahead of the game is crucial to winning the current war for talent.

One guest has already got her eyes on the ‘top talent’ that her firm wants to retain. “We are being proactive, so in six months, we can say we’ve done x,y and z to retain our top talent.”

It’s vital to get creative to attract new talented recruits. For example, look where you normally wouldn’t. “That means looking in local markets, as well as outside the industry. That’s what we’re doing to find talent for retail banking positions,” explained Steve Wajda, Sales Director of HudsonRPO. The key to winning this war for talent boils down to better planning, being more proactive and getting more creative.

"Employees are undoubtedly hesitant about a full-time office return after a year and a half of comfortably working from home"

TALiNT International September 2021

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25 PointSix: Hybrid Working “You don't necessarily build a culture by having everybody in one location; you build a culture around how you communicate with people, what you talk about, and what you focus on.”

Claire Scott, Chief People Officer, Access Group

Finding a balance

With many expected to return to offices this month, how are recruiters future-proofing their flexible working options to keep their talent engaged, productive and loyal?

While some employers have championed hybrid working for years, presenteeism has been a defining characteristic of recruitment companies where people are expected to be at their desks and on their phones. However, Covid-19 has accelerated the trend with such momentum that even the most traditional staffing CEOs have been forced to concede some measures of flexibility to manage new employee expectations.

So, where to now? What fresh challenges and opportunities does this new way of working present to recruitment companies? How are client and candidate expectations changing, and how does talent tech fit into the picture?

These and other timely questions were debated by leaders from some of the UK’s biggest and best staffing firms, including SThree, Antal International, Cpl UK, ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions, Venn Group, RGF Staffing, District4, Human Capital and WSS Associates. This virtual roundtable was co-hosted by TALiNT Partners Programme Director Alex Evans and Access Group Head of Strategy, Jason Martin; with HR leader insight from Access Group’s own Chief People Officer, Claire Scott.

THE BIG RESET Covid-19 has presented an unexpected opportunity for a major reset for recruitment companies as the demands of their clients, candidates and consultants have changed. After more than a year of widespread remote working, everyone has seen productivity improve as people have tended to work when they would otherwise have been commuting.

“I'm a strong believer that you don't necessarily build a culture by having everybody in one

Dawn GibsonFawcett, Features Writer TALiNT International

location; that makes it easier, but you actually build a culture around how you communicate with people, what you talk about, and what you focus on,” said Claire Scott, Chief People Officer at talent tech firm Access Group, who has previously held executive positions at Salesforce and Cisco.

For the recruitment industry, this reset is long overdue. The sector has a long-standing reputation of inducing extreme performance pressure and stress among its predominantly young workforce, coupled with a ‘work hard, play hard’ ethos. The move away from a traditional work structure has given managers the opportunity to adjust the pressure and be less tolerant of the more toxic aspects of sales-driven workplace cultures.

“We can improve the perception of the recruitment industry and attract talent from other industries by trusting our employees, listening to them more, and empowering them to perform in more inclusive ways,” said Thomas Way, Managing Director of SThree in the UK and Ireland, which has embarked on a major D&I transformation initiated by its CEO. However, while trusting and listening to employees is critical, recruitment executives are wary of company leaders being too easily swayed by employee opinion, pointing to the need for effective, decisive leadership.

James Johnson, Founder of District4 and former Group CEO at The Hive, said the UK has been consumed by a ‘groupthink narrative’, where everyone believes a ‘three days in the office/two days at work’ pattern is the way forward. “I would be wary of making any long-term sweeping decisions based on very little quality

TALiNT International September 2021

26 PointSix: Hybrid Working

“Everyone believes a ‘three days in the office/two days at work’ pattern is the way forward, but I would be wary of making any long-term sweeping decisions based on very little quality information.”

James Johnson, Founder of District4

information,” he said. “It’s a big decision, and people have put a lot of thought into it, but no one really knows.”

This view is supported by a new survey of 2,000 workers by Robert Walters, which found that many employees are still in the dark about their employer’s plans for post-pandemic working – with 40% stating they are yet to hear about any vision, and a further 28% claiming that what they’ve heard remains vague. “We're giving our staff a lot of input in a way that we never would have done before, but maybe they're looking to us for leadership,” added James.

PRESENTEEISM 2.0 A key challenge for recruiters and employers is not succumbing to the new version of presenteeism. If a company introduces a flexible working policy, it’s important that employees who choose to work from home are not penalised.

Employees mainly working from home were 38% less likely to receive a bonus and less than half as likely to be promoted than workers who never worked from home, according to Office for National Statistics research which analysed home-working in the UK between 2011 and 2020.

“When talking about diversity and inclusion, we go on so much about diversity that we sometimes forget the inclusion part of it, and this feels to me like an inclusion problem coming up,” observed Maria Vavoulas, COO at global search consultancy Human Capital. “Now, it’s no longer about women having to take time off work for maternity and coming back two days a week. Men have been enjoying working

TALiNT International September 2021

from home and seeing their kids. We are all affected by this now.”

Claire Scott Access Group

Thomas Way SThree

James Johnson District4

The explosion in remote working has prompted a well-documented increase in concerns about employee wellbeing. While many companies have paid more than lip service to the concept of safeguarding mental health, the next challenge is to ensure this doesn’t become just another tick-box exercise now that office working has resumed.

More nuanced and more frequent engagement surveys are helping are keeping employers up to speed. Claire Scott described how Access has increased the frequency of its engagement surveys from once a quarter to once a month, with notable results.

“We are able to keep our finger on the pulse about how employees are feeling, whether their experience is good, bad or indifferent, and the monthly cycle smooths out the peaks and troughs in the data,” she said. “It gives us the ability to not just to look at an organisational level, but at a granular level, a leadership level.

Our engagement has improved quarter on quarter, month on month, which is fabulous to see.”

To position themselves as an employer of choice in a fiercely competitive talent marketplace, companies need to ensure they not only have ready access to meaningful data but also that their tech platforms are set up to optimise productivity and engagement.

Maria Vavoulas Human Capital

Jason Martin, Head of Strategy at Access Group, observed that, while there was a growing demand for tech that enabled leaders to

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compare the performance of individuals to their peers, the most significant tech trend was the shift from traditional client service solutions to cloud-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models. “The most important thing that business leaders need to be thinking about now is how to shift to cloud/SaaS technology, because it makes your business more flexible and gives you the ability to work from anywhere,” he said.

Access Recruitment recently added to its growing portfolio of staffing industry SaaS solutions with the acquisition of Bristol based NorthStar, whose solution brings appraisal, recruitment analytics and business mapping together in one place.

CLIENT EXPECTATIONS As companies reconsider how much office space they need, there is a wider debate over the core purpose of the office. If we don’t need to be at our desk to answer emails or make phone calls anymore, why exactly do we need to be there – and who really needs to be there?

Recruitment leaders agreed that the lockdown experience has highlighted the limitations of technology as well as new capabilities. Meetings requiring creative collaboration and high-level strategic thinking do not work as well over Zoom or Teams, and the hybrid version when some people are in a room and others are remote can be challenging as well.

Scott Siwicki, Group Client Solutions Director at Advantage, planned to reduce face-to-face meetings with clients and staff, but said that some would remain ‘non-negotiable’, for example, when developing a client EVP when you need to get beneath the skin. “You need to

build rapport and trust, especially if there are challenging elements to the conversation where you need clients to be open and honest about what hasn’t worked so well in the past,” Scott explained.

Jason Martin Access Group

Scott Siwicki Advantage

Cpl Ireland CIO James Louttit agreed: “There's a balance that needs to be struck; you lose something when you are working on large projects and you are not able to be in a room with people to engage, interact and get into that creative space.”

Similarly, our definition of hybrid working continues to change and develop. There was consensus amongst the leaders that there is no perfect model and nobody really knows what a typical working week will look like in five or ten years’ time – but that it’s okay to admit this.

Recruiters, as employers, have a long period of experimentation ahead, and there is growing recognition that different solutions will be required for different functions, departments, teams and individuals within a business.

James Louttit CPL

Jill Bassett ManpowerGroup

The only certainty is that the nine-to-five model was on its last legs before Covid-19 and has now been pronounced dead.

“I think it's really dangerous to go back to the way we were because I don't think anybody wants that and I think there's been so much achieved over the last year,” said Jill Bassett, Operations & Board Director at ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions. “We've all got new workingfrom-home guidelines in place, and it’s important we don’t destroy the trust we have built up with our people. We all have to think differently because it is different. It is the ‘new different’, so let’s embrace it and move on.”

TALiNT International September 2021

28 PointSix: Bids & Procurement “Once you have two or more bid people, you should have a decent, fit-for-purpose knowledge management system (KMS) with all the best answers catalogued so the others can reliably find them. A lot of bid functions are subjected to the tyranny of the urgent."

Mike Reynolds, Bids, Solutions and Sales Optimisation leader

Bid for growth

The first in-person PointSix event of 2021 brought together staffing and talent solutions leaders for buyer and seller tactics on how to win more profitable RPO and MSP contracts In its M&A Recruitment Review published in February 2021, BDO estimated that the Covid-19 pandemic will cost the staffing industry 35% of its revenues which it would gradually recover. A growing number of recruiters are hoping to accelerate that recovery by tapping into increasing demand for talent solutions.

A recent report from Grand View Research valued the global RPO market at US$6.32bn in 2020, predicting that it would reach US$20.8bn in 2027, with a CAGR of 18.5% in that period.

As more staffing firms look to offer RPO services, industry-leading talent solution providers have become more discerning about the projects and clients they take on. An event for 30 RPO leaders hosted by TALiNT Partners back in June highlighted the resourcing challenges associated with project RPO and the need for better client due diligence to decline unprofitable business.

On 5th August, TALiNT PointSix brought 20 staffing and RPO leaders together for its first live lunch and learn of 2021 to get buyer and seller insights on how to optimise sales and technology to win more profitable bids. The event brought together CEOs and sales leaders from KellyOCG, Volt International, CPL UK, Page Outsourcing, Harvey Nash, TekWissen, Reed Talent Solutions, HudsonRPO, Avencia, AMS, Human Capital, Trinnovo, Rullion, RGF Staffing UK, and Sanderson to share their experiences and hear from a great panel of experts.

Mike Reynolds, a multi-award-winning global Bids, Solutions and Sales Optimisation leader,

TALiNT International September 2021

led the first session with tips on improving bid quality, conversion rates and sales optimisation for major talent acquisition contracts.

Alex Evans Programme Director

Drawing on over 16 years in bids and sales, with 10 in staffing, MSP, RPO and Statement of Work (SoW) at Allegis and Adecco, Mike explained the challenge and opportunity presented by the evolution of staffing and talent solutions. “Like biology, the complexity of an organism, and its position in the food chain, is not a measure of its value or how evolved it is; the most important thing is how well-adapted it is to its environment. To move up the industry food chain, you need to understand the bid function maturity model as well as who and how to manage the RFP.” While the RFP bid process usually starts with the MD or sales director, then moves to the PA/ EA, marketer and a dedicated bid manager, Mike’s main piece of advice was to mitigate against what he called the ‘peak institutional knowledge risk’.

“The risk from someone leaving the business with all the best answers in their heads is at its peak at this latter stage,” he explained. “Once you have two or more bid people, you should have a decent, fit-for-purpose knowledge management system (KMS) with all the best answers catalogued so the others can reliably find them. A lot of bid functions are subjected to the tyranny of the urgent”.

Mike also noted that the KMS can be used to track how it’s being used to determine the best

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in the bid team and those who are less proactive. “Evaluate and reward your bid function on legacy building as well as transactional day-to-day output,” he concluded, adding that optimisation of technology will improve bids and sales.

This point resonated with several attendees. "It made me think about KMS and Bid Management as a function rather than something the Sales team are fully accountable for,” commented Maria Vavoulas, COO of Human Capital. “We tend to reinvent the wheel each time which is extremely inefficient and more importantly, we could free up the Sales team to do what they do best."

Mike Lander Piscari

Affi Khan, CEO of Cpl UK, added: “We should be using the business intelligence data in sales solutions we’re using like SourceBreaker to determine how pro-active or creative our salespeople are.”

Mike Reynolds Global Bids Specialist

LEADING TECH OPTIMISATION This was the perfect opportunity for Adam Dale, CRO of event partner SourceBreaker to talk about how to get a better ROI from talent tech by enabling teams to use it better, quicker.

Drawing upon insights from over 6,000 recruiter clients, Adam highlighted the importance of leadership in all stages of tech optimisation – from clarity on the problem that needs solving pre-purchase to selling the dream to the team at pre-implementation and beyond.

“It’s important that senior leaders are in the room for the training and onboarding stages to

demonstrate how important it is and their commitment to this vital part of the process,” Adam explained. “The best results come from those who foster competition around adoption and keep the momentum going by talking about progress in meetings and how it’s enabling each salesperson to achieve more with less in a shorter space of time.”

A main decision maker stepping back after training was one of several red flags Adam highlighted as threatening the success of tech optimisation. “Leadership needs to keep reminding people why they need the solution and stick to the methodology agreed with supplier to ensure it has the most impact,” Adam advised. “They also need to allow enough time, especially if it requires several training sessions, ensure their team are engaged and keep tracking activity. It’s never a good sign when consultants come into a poorly equipped room with no senior stakeholder, and they start looking at their phones resenting time away from sales.”

Adam also highlighted the importance of regular business reviews to update on any new demands or tech upgrades to keep everyone on track.

Adam Dale SourceBreaker

Quarterly business reviews were also one of the key requirements for engaging procurement post contract award, according to Mike Lander, who presented a buyer’s perspective on what procurement looks for before, during and after the RFP process.

A former Procurement Director for AMS and now strategic procurement advisor to RPOs,

TALiNT International September 2021

30 PointSix: Bids & Procurement “You may be a challenger from another geographical market taking on incumbents in a new region, or a staffing firm looking to offer new RPO or MSP services, so focus on your true source of competitive advantage.”

Mike Lander, CEO, Piscari

MSPs and staffing firms as CEO of Piscari, Mike kicked off by urging caution if you meet a procurement professional that has previously dealt with direct goods and services. “If they now deal with the broader HR procurement category, they will almost certainly be extremely well-trained, savvy negotiators because in their previous procurement role, every penny counts,” he explained.

“Typically, procurement people are analytical rationalists who can often be emotionally detached (by necessity), but you still need to build a relationship with them,” he added. “Their priorities are often savings focused and increasingly they are looking for impact around sustainability, inclusion, diversity, and innovation. The biggest impact you can make on the successful outcome of your negotiation is to prepare thoroughly before the first formal meeting. You need to be able to counter their early demands for heavy price discounting with the wide range of other negotiation variables on the table.”

new RPO or MSP services, so focus on your true source of competitive advantage – whether that’s proven, deep specialist knowledge or technology integration to enhance your capability to deliver.”

Mike’s final thought to improve the ongoing relationship with a buyer echoed some of the earlier points made about putting time in to research the client, optimising your CRM to track and analyse responses, and recognising that it’s a change process. “QBRs can transform your credibility, or destroy it, so take them seriously and prepare thoroughly”.

The seven step sourcing model/ RFP Process (A T Kearney)

Building a long-term relationship takes time, but it’s important to start early so you are front of mind or part of initial discussions before proposals are requested.

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EDUCATE BUYERS “Build a list of the top 50 HR procurement category leads you’d like to do business with in the next 3 years,” Mike advised. “Invite them to your webinars to educate them, design ROI models to share with them, engage with them on LinkedIn by contributing to their posts with your insights, and ask them about their category planning cycle.”

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Mike’s advice to improve the success of bids was to ‘always answer the exam questions’, providing strong evidence to support claims with additional value and insights.

“You may be a challenger from another geographical market taking on incumbents in a new region, or a staffing firm looking to offer

TALiNT International September 2021

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Define business needs, volumes, targets & constraints Establish the right sourcing strategy Research suppliers and short-list Develop RFP, decide scoring criteria & relative weightings Run the RFP process, select preferred suppliers & negotiate terms, contracts and SLAs Implementation planning and transitioning Ongoing performance management

32 KellyOCG Interview

"Streamlining operations is important because reducing traffic and multiple platforms will make working from home easier and less stressful."

The four pillars

TALiNT International met with Sam Smith, Vice President and Managing Director of KellyOCG EMEA to talk about findings from its latest Workforce Agility Report With talent shortages across all sectors in a candidate’s market, business leaders are more conscious than ever that their talent is a major source of competitive advantage.

KellyOCG’s latest Workforce Agility Report, which surveyed over 1,000 senior executives across 13 countries, found that 60% of respondents acknowledge that the dramatic reshaping of the way we work will change how they manage talent, utilise technology, and support the well-being and productivity of their employees.

These are all passions for Sam Smith, VP and MD of KellyOCG and a thought leader on workforce trends and models ranging from the gig economy and contingent labour management to outsourced solutions and talent strategies. She took time out to share some of the findings from its latest report.

KB: Tell us about the four pillars highlighted in your Workforce Agility Report and why the UK is falling behind their international competitors.

SS: This Workforce Agility Report was the first one we’ve done on a global scale and included all our operating regions along with North America and EMEA. The insights of over 1,000 senior leaders and executives identified four pillars: technology dynamics, diversity and inclusion, employee experience and fluidity.

These pillars allowed us to deep dive into who the laggards and the vanguards are and how they engaged with technology and their employees as well as the mentality attached to contingent workers in many organisations.

TALiNT International September 2021

Ken Brotherston Managing Director

This is what is so interesting in the UK. There is still a mentality attached to the contingent workforce that isn’t entirely positive. We need government legislation and financial institutions to recognise temporary workers and stop making it difficult for the temporary workforce to receive financial products, for example.

KB: Do you think it’s the attitude of employers not seeing permanent and contingent workers as equal?

SS: Yes. But I do think it's changing. The public CEO survey revealed that last year almost two thirds of CEOs said their contingency workforce will increase because they see the benefit of the flexibility that comes with them. And that's where I think the issue is. Think about the logistics staff, fruit pickers and packers and the value that is attached to those workers because of that flexibility. Simply put, a permanent workforce will be more difficult to manage because of the fluidity needed for this type of shift work.

KB: Of the four pillars, which do you believe is the most important driver?

SS: Diversity and inclusion (D&I) drives all outcomes, and it is becoming the highest priority on paper for many organisations. This is because they believe that many generations of talent now are purpose-driven and focused on what organisation's purpose is; what their environmental and social credibility is. The technology piece stands to one side here, but D&I has to be the tip of the spear because when it is done right, it has a huge impact. The report told us how many organisations’ D&I strategies

Sam Smith, Vice President and Managing Director, KellyOCG

are merely lip service, and it is a high percentage which is troubling.

KB: What are the key practical things an employer can do to make a difference to the employee experience now that we’re faced with a more fluid and flexible way of working?

SS: Communication, technology and well-being are key factors to successful remote working. It’s important to note that the hybrid nature of work doesn’t apply to everyone in the workforce.

Organisations must be very clear about what flexible or hybrid work means to their employees from the get-go. Also, these policies must be made clear from the beginning of the sourcing and talent attraction process. But it’s also important to acknowledge the flexible working phenomenon doesn’t apply to everyone in the workforce and shouldn’t become elitist.

Working organisations will tap into the contingent labour workforce more than they have done before because of the flexibility and agility it offers. Technology is going to play a massive role in that, so organisations need to focus on very important digital transformations.

There are so many opportunities to fine tune technology solutions that keep employee engagement front of mind. Streamlining operations is important because reducing traffic and multiple platforms will make working from home easier and less stressful.

Another important factor is employee wellbeing. The employee experience is going to be much more demanding for organisations to manage and staff well-being practises are going

to be a standard requirement for businesses. The reaction to the pandemic where staff well-being is concerned, makes this focus justified.

Well-being data will focus on mental health and will be accelerated beyond the conversations on mental health already taking place.

KB: Back to hybrid working. Those organisations that require high degrees of collaboration and creativity need a degree of interaction. It’s really a huge experiment, isn’t it?

SS: From the Report sample size of a thousand people, 64% said that during the pandemic remote work had improved collaboration, engagement, and creativity for their organisations; 69% said it improved motivation and energy. There is merit in connectivity and being around a table in a room with people and that brings a real sense of engagement, joy and connectivity that you can't get through a screen.

If organisations can get the right balance with hybrid working, they’ll have a winning strategy.

It’s interesting to note too that the report allowed us to dig deeply into the four pillars identified.

There is opportunity for the laggards to thrive within the four pillars and employers need to be aware of it. This is an area where a potential competitive advantage kicks in. The current economic environment presents the perfect opportunity for vanguards to make an impact in the workforce and it’s an exciting time.

"Organisations must be very clear about what flexible or hybrid work means to their employees"

TALiNT International September 2021

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