Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring?

Round Up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:Ep 584: Talent-Centered DesignEp 585: Embracing AutomationEp 586: Removing Silos to Improve Hiring and RetentionEp 587: Getting The Basics RightEp 588: AI, Background Checks and Quality of HireEp 589: Talent Acquisition As A Competitive AdvantageEp 590: The Road To 2030Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

The last few years have taught us that no one can predict the future. However, you can develop the insight necessary to make accurate forecasts with the right combination of trend analysis and strategic thinking.We are currently in a period of accelerated change in talent acquisition, and it is essential to understand the direction of travel even if we can't predict the final destination. We must anticipate the skills that will be required in the future, how we can recruit them, and how talent acquisition must change to be fit for this new purpose.My guest this week is Russell Beck, Director of Inspiration at ImagineThinkDo and author of a new book called "The World Of Work to 2030". The book looks at the megatrends shaping the future, and Russell's background and experience in RPO means he can provide some relatable insights into the likely future of talent acquisition.In the interview, we discuss:Six megatrends shaping the futureFuture skills and how we hire themAI is removing your uniqueness.From STEM to STEAMArtistic engineersThe cost of bad hiringHow does TA need to changeHow can we future-proof our careers?Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

As the debates about the future of talent acquisition rumble on, it's important to focus intensely on the critical value effective hiring brings to the organization. Talent remains a key differentiator that drives competitive advantage for a company, and this will be even more true in the future.My guest this week is Simon Taylor, Head of Organization Effectiveness at Gap Inc., who has authored a forthcoming book called "Build Smart: A Blueprint for Building a High-Performing Organization." Simon has a TA background and, in the book, outlines just how critical hiring is for companies. In our conversation, he shares his insights into what makes great hiring and its role in high-performing organizations.In the interview, we discuss:Common talent issues companies are facing.How important is recruiting in 2024?Competitive advantage from high-quality talent acquisitionThe long-term impact of bad hiringWhat makes a great hireThe importance of potentialUpskilling hiring managers and changing their mindsetHow to get buy-in across the organizationLeveraging data to illustrate opportunitiesWhy AI will be huge for talent acquisitionListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Background checking is an area we've never really covered on the podcast. In the past, it has just felt like a necessary but very functional part of the hiring process. However, with the explosion in our digital footprints and the power of AI, that has now changed.So, how can background checks now help prevent workplace misconduct and improve the quality of hire? Where does AI fit in, and how can we ensure everything is legal and ethical?My guest this week is Ben Mones, CEO and Founder at Fama, an online screening technology company working with employers worldwide. If you haven't looked at what is happening in background screening for a while, this conversation with Ben will help you get up to date with what is possible.In the interview, we discuss:The impact of workplace misconductTalent screeningHow background checks have evolved in the last 10. yearsThe "Cambrian explosion" of digital informationUsing AI to unlock the signal from the noiseThe importance of applying human expertise and judgment The dangers of hiring managers doing their own checkingHow does AI-driven screening workLegislation, Compliance, Ethics and BiasImproving the quality of hireWhat does the future look likeListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

With so much focus on potentially AI-driven disruptive change and debate about the future, it is sometimes easy to forget that many employers are still struggling to develop and leverage their culture, and some still lack basic standardized processes for talent acquisition and other aspects of the people function. Looking at what is happening in start-up and scale-up businesses is always interesting. They build business functions from a blank sheet of paper and often develop interesting new ways of thinking and working.My guest this week is Roza Szafranek, Founder and CEO at HR Hints. HR Hints acts as the external HR team to over 70 scaling companies. Roza has used this experience to develop the Culturivy method of building organizational cultures and processes, which she has shared in a recent book called Culturivy: The Power of Changing a Workplace. Roza believes employers should address some long-standing issues in TA, such as candidate experience and biased hiring processes. She also has a counterpoint view on the current efficacy of AI in hiring.In the interview, we discuss:Building and scaling organizational cultureManaging a burnt-out workforceLeveraging culture to power engagementPractices, behaviours, and valuesHow should companies think about talent?Strengthening the candidate experience Building a non-biased recruitment process Verifying candidates as a good match Will AI and Automation have the impact we think they willListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

The ever-shortening shelf life of skills, fast-changing business priorities, ageing populations, and changing attitudes to work means that retaining the right talent is not only more difficult than ever, it is also likely to remain so for years to come.It's not surprising, then, that Talent Leaders are starting to think differently about the structure of their function to remove silos and foster collaboration between Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, L&D and other vital people functions.So what kind of overarching vision is needed to drive effective cross-function thinking, and what strategic role should TA play internally within the organization?My guest this week is Hélène Loine, VP of Human Resources at Ekkiden. Hélène has a background in recruiting, working at rapidly scaling companies. Her focus at Ekkiden is building a shared vision of employee experience to connect HR silos to improve hiring and retention.In the interview, we discuss:The TA challenges in scaling different types of businessThe importance of understanding your target audienceAutomation and AIUsing technology and a shared vision to connect the silos in HRDifferent ways of thinking about talentBuilding a people-centric talent functionLooking at employee experience holistically to drive retentionPersonalizationHow can TA use data and insights to contribute strategically inside the business?What does the future of TA look like?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

As I've said before, automation is inevitable in talent acquisition. Automation can bring essential efficiencies and a vastly improved and personalized experience for everyone when done correctly.The question shouldn't be, do we automate; instead, TA and HR leaders need to ask what we automate and how we do it.My guest this week is Brigette McInnis-Day, Chief People Officer at UiPath. UiPath has been at the vanguard of Robotic Process Automation for several years, helping companies automate systems and processes across different parts of the enterprise. Brigette has deep expertise in automation and HR Tech and highlights some critical areas that TA Leaders should pay attention to. The first is using an enterprise automation platform to bring data, processes and quality of experience together across the entire organization. There is an assumption that TA tools will drive recruiting automation, and it is essential to understand that integrated company-wide automation strategies may dictate the pace of change. Brigette also highlights some excellent use cases, including how UI Path has automated onboarding to offer a quicker and more personalized experience.In the interview, we also discuss:How automation improves experienceWhy are HR and TA so hesitant about automation?How the employer/employee relationship has changedAutomation driven personalizationThinking holistically and planning strategically The impact of automation on jobs and careersListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

There is a growing consensus that 2024 will see the start of some fundamental changes in Talent Acquisition. The adoption of Skills-based hiring and the rapid development of AI are the catalysts here, but to truly understand what is happening, we must take a step back and understand the forces driving this potential revolution.Work is changing fast, skills have an ever-shortening shelf life, and talent is still in short supply in many markets. Companies need to think differently about talent to grow and deliver value, and this is the driving force that will use skills-based thinking and AI to re-engineer the corporate talent function.So what are the practicalities around this, and what kind of mindset does TA need to adopt to help drive rather than resist the change?My guest this week is Jason Cerrato, VP of Market Strategy at Eightfold. In addition to working in an AI-driven HR Technology business, Jason has been a Director of Talent Acquisition and industry analyst. In our conversation, he draws on all of this experience to explain why talent-centered design is a critical foundation of the future of talent acquisition. In the interview, we discuss:The main talent challenges in 2024What is talent-centred design?Building around talent rather than around jobsThe accelerating shelf life of skillsReal-time data and intelligenceThe role of technologyPrioritising skills over job titles and previous experienceRedefining talent managementThe future role of recruitersHow much change will happen in 2024?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:Ep 573: The Power Of Employee Value PropositionsEp 579: The Value Of Employer BrandingEp 582: Employer Branding With Gen AIEp 576: Generative AI – A TA Progress ReportEp 578: The AI Hype CycleEp 574: Building A Successful TA FunctionEp 575: RPO EvolutionEp 577: Hiring In Challenging Talent MarketsEp 581: An Inflection Point For Recruiting?Ep 580: A New Community For Women In TAEp 583: Re-Inventing Your CareerListen to this podcast on Apple PodcastsA full transcript will appear here shortly.

It's been a brutal year for many in talent acquisition, with a lot of layoffs and a very tough job market, making it challenging to find other roles. This removal of certainty and stability has been mirrored in many different talent markets and looks like becoming the norm moving forward.Traditionally, switching careers and industries has been challenging, but will the rise of skills-based thinking change this moving forward? So, how do we think about careers moving forward, and what do employers need to do to ensure they are getting the right skills in their business?My guest this week is Ilana Golan, Founder and CEO of Leap Academy. Leap Academy is a coaching programme that helps professionals fast-track their careers by changing function or industry, by moving into leadership, or by making the jump to be an entrepreneur.In the interview, we discuss:How work and careers are changingPractical advice for job seekersAdapting, learning and re-inventingThe challenging pace of changeA mindset shift for employersDealing with AgeismRising above the noiseThe impact of AIWhat will career paths look like in the future?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.A full transcript will appear here shortly.