Talent functions have morphed in both positive and negative ways over the last few years with some downsizing, some growing and some reporting into new HR leaders and some randomly now reporting to Finance – Yikes! There is just so much change and it’s getting faster!
But in these rapidly changing environments we still have to deliver the outcomes of hiring. We still have to keep ahead of the pack and still have to appear to be holding it all together. What I have observed in my networks (both TA and non-TA) with all this change circling us is we often then spend too much time holding ourselves back, questioning our instincts/expertise, “waiting for that green light to try something new, adopt a new process, revamp candidate outreach, take on different roles etc” all with this fear of making a mistakes, damaging your personal brand or stepping on others toes.
In fact, we need to be backing ourselves, taking a chance and applying the old saying of “ask for forgiveness after.” Now don’t get me wrong, I am not encouraging breaking codes of conduct, HR polices or inappropriate behaviours – hear me out!
I’ve got a fair few years of TA experience under my belt (a lady never tells!) and I’ve learnt a thing or two along the way, a lot of which I think could be useful to the next generation of talent professionals. So, at the risk of sounding like some of the other TA martyrs out there doing the rounds (you know the ones…), this week I wanted to share some of my thoughts about change – it’s actually quite fun!
My advice to the next generation of TA or those already operating around the recruitment space is embrace this change. Be the chameleon, lean into it, work out what is high risk vs. low hiring risk; the more you can master the change waves (for candidates markets, competitors, and new tech) the better you can influence leadership stakeholders with your adaptive capabilities.
Change is not something to fear; it’s something you need to expect. What are the trends/market conditions telling you? How is your business pivoting to be more competitive? How can you win that next tender or get ahead of regulatory changes? Spend time with sales, BDMs, and tech folk (they love changing landscapes!). Effective business managers who have the confidence & respect at the table, embrace change and master this! TA need to adapt and flex this muscle on a grander stage. We too are change masters!
And now for the articles that sparked my interest this week….
If we spend so much time sourcing and prepping the best talent to put in front of our Hiring Leaders – why wouldn’t we share the interview questions especially on essential soft skills! Is this a barrier we need to break like this company in the UK?
Evolving your employer brand is much more about flashy images and cool websites, this this article by Harvard Business it goes deeper into setting the behaviours and ultimately the culture!
On reflection running successful TA functions comes from making things so simple everyone embraces. This piece by Indeed are highlights some easy and effective ways to streamline processes.
Building teams is tough, sustaining high performing teams is even harder – especially with so much change!
Did you know that Talent Teams generally rate their relationship with their HR counterparts as being quite strong (average 8.2/10)? Or that over 50% of organisations are not using any AI at all in their hiring processes? Or that only 23% of Talent Teams are actively involved in Internal Mobility and Succession Planning. These were just some of the findings that have come out of ATC’s 2024 State of TA survey so far. If you want to hear more make sure to dial into their free webinar on Tuesday 4th June.
