Depending on any one individual’s or organization’s particular situation, it can certainly be debatable as to how far into an economic recovery we are in, or whether we are in one at all. However, from a macroeconomic perspective, there are many indicators that much of the developed world is on an upswing, to varying extents.
Therefore, it would seem the time is ripe for more strategic corporate and government initiatives to not only take advantage of any current or future upswings, but to also be better prepared for the opportunity for growth. In the case of talent acquisition and corporate and government recruiting, this unfortunately does not appear to be the prevalent situation.
As pointed out in a recent article on BenefitsPro.com, “most companies are still in survival mode with respect to talent acquisition.” That observation is gleaned from a recent study by consulting firm CEB entitled Global Assessment Trends Report, which also reports that “weak talent infrastructures are threatening corporate growth and impeding strategic HR support.”
The observations are unfortunate, especially since tools are readily available to assist organizations in moving from survival, reactionary and tactical mindsets to a much more strategic mentality. Like most disciplines today, a driving force in the talent acquisition field is data analytics, which allow HR organizations to really put some clout behind their decisions, actions and recommendations. Corporate board rooms and upper echelons of government agencies are looking for quantifiable numbers behind any organization decisions, and this capability now exists in the talent acquisition field.
Talent acquisition key part of talent management
Analytics-driven systems can help HR organizations make better decisions and remove the guesswork and “go-with-our-gut” decisions. Choices and strategic moves can now be made with more assurance. With data analytics ingrained into the DNA of the HR organization, the entire recruitment process, from initial job requests to onboarding and employee development, can become one of real, analytic insight and follow-up action. Dashboards that can be tailored to specific organizational needs and provide key insight to where inefficiencies occur and where improvements can be made are available today.
For a business or agency, the benefit of modern talent acquisition systems can be monumental. When you consider that for many organizations, people are the most important asset, and gaining or losing a star candidate or employee can have a direct impact on the organization’s success, it would be shortsighted to overlook this opportunity for strategic improvement.
With businesses poised for growth, and government agencies striving for relevancy, leaving talent acquisition in a desperate survival and reactionary mode is not the prudent path forward.
Recruitment is a space where true success can be realized – today.
