You've read enough articles - and as a business leader, you've personally experienced - the impact COVID-19 has had on nearly every industry. On the extremes, some industries are shedding tens of thousands of jobs (travel, hospitality, in-store retail) while others are hiring in similarly large numbers (healthcare, e-commerce, retail pharmacy). Everyone in the middle is experiencing disruption due to greatly accelerated remote work arrangements as well as financial pressures that include workforce reductions. Many of these organizations are bound to face permanent change as to how business is conducted and staffed in the future. Across the board however, companies must streamline and improve their ability to rapidly hire diverse, high performing talent.
Based on our experience completing recruitment audits across dozens of industries over the last decade, we recommend these three rules of thumb:
In the context of a recruitment audit, the goal of qualitative research is to identify trends in thoughts and opinions about how talent acquisition is working across the organization (or a targeted area of the business.) The intent, therefore, is not to talk with or survey every person who interacts with talent acquisition (which, let’s face it, could be almost everyone in the organization) – but rather to gain insights from individuals who represent key stakeholder groups. With that in mind:
In the world of recruiting, it is often true that data is hard to access or is inaccurate. Or both. Talent technologies that aren’t integrated, applicant tracking systems that aren’t used consistently, requisitions that aren’t opened or closed in a timely way – any or all can muddy hiring data. But don’t give up looking for data-based results. Here are, from our experience, recommendations that will help you focus on the most critical and directionally-accurate data.
Even the best-intended Talent Acquisition leaders are likely to find themselves in a situation in which motives are questioned at the conclusion of a do-it-yourself recruitment audit. Results and recommendations of an audit often indicate next steps such as increasing headcount, redesigning the recruiting process, changing technology or employer branding – i.e. new investment in the function. Extricating yourself from the ensuing questions and suspicions – Is he trying to build an empire? Didn’t we just buy new technology a few years ago? Why does she think an EVP make-over will change things? Etc. – will be difficult. Whether you hire an outside team of objective experts who specialize in audits and recruitment process improvement – or simply engage a cross-functional team of insiders to complete a structured audit program, bringing others in to lead the recruitment audit will increase the likelihood that the organization will fairly consider and adopt the recommended changes.
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Learn more about Talent Growth Advisors' Recruitment Audit and how you can self-fund talent acquisition improvements.
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