Our Dec '23 Newsletter: Chock Full of Talent News

By Linda Brenner | December 20, 2023

Talent Insights for the New Work Reality

The best talent-related articles curated by your friends at TGA

Quote of the Month:
"Don't wait for things to get easier. Figure out how to handle hard better."
– Duke Women’s Basketball Coach Kara Lawson

Hiring Manager Satisfaction Surveys: The Worst Thing to Happen to TA
Hiring managers rating recruiters on how well they filled their job does nothing but reinforce arcane and counter-productive behaviors. Rather than asking: <<Do you like us? Were we responsive and pleasant? Did you like our candidates?>> Talent Acquisition teams should be measured on hiring speed and quality. Note: by "quality" we mean how well did new hires stay in the role and how well did they perform. Because, like it or not, if TA isn't hiring people who stay and perform, something is amiss. Hiring managers, in turn, will *really* like recruiters if they hire top talent who stay longer than their predecessors. But, if you just can't let them go, click for tips on how to best position these surveys. .

How One Company Pivoted to a 4 Day Workweek
Advanced RV, a manufacturer of custom luxury motorhomes in Ohio, has successfully implemented a four-day workweek for its employees without a pay cut. The company participated in a global trial led by the organization 4 Day Week Global, where businesses reduced working hours for six months while maintaining the same pay. The goal was to enhance productivity and well-being by bringing more energy and efficiency to the workplace. Advanced RV achieved success through a focus on risk tolerance, trust, creativity, and open-mindedness, with employees reporting increased happiness and work-life balance.

The Best Companies for Career Growth
The American Opportunity Index measures how well America’s largest companies drive economic mobility and positive career outcomes for their employees—actions that also can help fuel business performance. The Index is the only measure of employer quality to evaluate what really happens to workers at America’s largest employers over time. Check out Atlanta's own that makes the top of the list!

Vermont: A Preview of a Long-Term U.S. Labor Shortage
Vermont is facing a prolonged labor shortage due to its rapidly aging population, with over a fifth of its residents aged 65 or older and more than 35 percent over 54. The state's unemployment rate is low at 1.9 percent, and employers are offering increased wages, signing bonuses, and other incentives. This demographic challenge foreshadows a broader trend in the United States as the baby boomer population ages out of the workforce. Ultimately, we just might need more workers.

Bain: Why Making Everyone Feel Included is Smart Strategy
A recent survey by Bain indicates successes by companies which foster inclusion and belonging, particularly for underrepresented populations. This in turn drives better business outcomes. Inclusion matters—for everyone. A sense of belonging unlocks employees’ potential, encourages challenges to the status quo, and boosts creativity, problem solving, and innovation.

Microsoft's CHRO: AI Will Be Great for Workers
Kathleen Hogan doesn't focus too much here on job loss and algorithmic bias, but rather the upsides of AI as she sees them: agility-based culture, reimagining work processes to optimize human-AI collaboration, and prioritizing human skills alongside technical proficiency. Mmmkay.

Your Recruiting Roadmap: The List of 2023 Company Layoffs
What is your recruiting team doing to woo those being laid off? Lay-offs are never going to end, so you may as well turn this inevitability into a strategic talent attraction process. Build a system for alerting key talent leaders to lay-off announcements, research those with key, critical skills, and build an outreach plan for attracting this talent. Remember, when a company announces a lay-off, all of their employees are more open to considering other offers.