Making your talent tech work for you

We all know that technology is one of the key strategic enablers for any Talent team, so it’s essential to select wisely and ensure the platform is fit for purpose today and down the track.

Whether you’re looking to implement a new tech solution or trying to get the best outcome out of your existing technology, taking the time up front to sufficiently scope business requirements and priorities will often save some downstream pain and avoid unwanted surprises!

Make sure new technology aligns to your business goals.

Before implementing any new technology, ask yourself ‘does the capability of this technology align with the long-term business goals?’ This question is especially relevant if you are a scaling/transforming organisation.

Depending on the stage of maturity of the business and the talent team’s remit, your technology/ATS needs will likely differ but some elements to consider are:

• Functionality
  Does the tech deliver what you need today and tomorrow? Does it support the whole of our workforce needs or just a portion?
• Integrations available
  Will it integrate easily with other elements of the current tech stack? If not, understand impacts to operations and efficiency.
• Time and resources to implement
  Switching the platform on does not make it ready to use! Ensure you have the right resources who can configure the system to enable a truly enhanced experience for all. Capture feedback ongoing and pivot accordingly.
• Ongoing changes/maintenance to system
  Can these be done and managed with ease within the TA team? Bye Bye slow ticketing systems and chasing the virtual support teams, hello empowered TA admins who can enhance and optimise as required.
• Reporting and Analytics
  This can often be a key differentiator as Talent Teams look to provide more comprehensive insights at all levels throughout the organisation. Considerations may include – Can reports be custom built, are the dashboards useful and user friendly, can hiring managers self-serve for day to day activity, do integrations exist to bring the data to life ( Power BI, Tableau )

Optimising the existing Tech Stack – Getting the most out of what you’ve got

Implementing new technology is not always feasible for many reasons, so when that’s the case it’s important to understand how to optimise for the best results. Some tips to help you make the most of what you’ve got.

• Map the end-to-end experience through the perspective of Candidate, Hiring Leader and Talent Partner and be prepared to challenge the status quo, understand the “why” and explore “what if “
• Take time to obtain feedback from all stakeholders, through one-on-one interviews, a suitable survey platform.
• Understand the blockers and impacts to business operations because of inefficient tech solutions.
• Consider add-ons that could be implemented to address gaps.
• Consider what can be automated or created as a workflow, freeing up valuable time for Talent Partners
• Understand if the TA team is empowered to make system changes where opportunities are identified.
• Partner closely with your vendor – Ensure you are leveraging the vendors expertise sufficiently, this may extend to specific training to address any gaps, ongoing support, market insights etc.
• Discuss the vendors product roadmap, what’s on the horizon that could benefit the team and get them excited for what’s to come.
• Understand how frequently the vendor reviews customer feedback around product enhancements

Implementation of new technology can be an exciting time for a Talent Team and business, but you must make sure you have the right resources and expertise to get the work done properly.

Seldom is it as quick and easy as the vendor claims (sorry vendors!), nor is it a side hustle for a busy Talent Partner. Select the implementation team carefully, ensure the right level of Exec buy in before kick-off and empower the team to make decisions accordingly.

A robust communication and roll out plan to support the implementation will allow for a smoother transition. It serves to keep Leaders informed, the team excited about the changes and avoid unnecessary disruption and “noise” during the cut over period. Think creatively about how you bring this change to life via socials, employer branding etc – especially where tech, change, innovation, or transformation form part of your EVP.

This article includes an extract from the 2023 State of Talent Acquisition report.