The talent acquisition landscape has been changing at a rapid pace over the past few years. With the unpredictable fluctuations in the market, many business leaders have been scrambling to remain competitive amidst the uncertainty. This has made it evident that organizations need a strategic workforce plan in place to keep them on track no matter what the market looks like. However, workforce planning does not come easy to many organizations – sometimes, they need to leverage best practice advice from today’s leading talent experts.
In this episode of our Talking Talent Solutions podcast, Joe McIntyre (our host) and Marcia Hagood (Vice President of DZConneX) discuss why having short-term and long-term talent acquisition plans is crucial for sustainable talent management to address workforce needs effectively. They also discuss how different workforce solutions can help organizations navigate today’s challenges, what’s new in the talent acquisition world, and how 2024 may be a year of changes and surprises in enterprise recruiting.
So, does your organization’s workforce planning strategy have room for improvement? If so, this podcast is for you.
Listen to our Podcast here:
Where Should You Begin?
This process starts with understanding the two types of planning: hire planning, which addresses your immediate TA needs, and workforce planning, which is the broader, long-term, more strategic approach. First, determine where you are in each planning phase, and make sure your organization is ready to concentrate on the broader workforce planning approach.
You need to look at your organization as a whole to identify project goals and scope in terms of workforce planning. Make sure you have the right individuals involved in this process because it should not be up to one person or department; it needs to take a holistic approach.
Keep in mind that this plan and its objectives need to be easily adaptable to market changes. Marcia suggests that you analyze how your organization may have struggled during the height of the pandemic, learn from that, and determine how you can be better prepared for any similar challenges in the future.
If your organization decides it doesn’t want to or can’t do this alone, you can enlist the help of a workforce solutions partner.
How Can an RPO or MSP Provider Support You?
A workforce solutions partner can help you simplify the complex. If your organization wants to get the most out of its hiring and workforce planning, you should leverage the help of a Managed Services Provider (MSP) or Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partner. Both of these programs can deliver cost savings, talent acquisition expertise and market insights, and a strategic plan to achieve your TA goals.
Marcia reveals why right now is an especially ideal time to consider an RPO program. RPO programs offer scalability, which is beneficial in today’s ever-changing market. A scalable RPO program is great to get your immediate hire planning in order, so now is the time to reach out to a provider.
As for MSPs, this market has been continuously growing over the past several years as customers continue to rely on contingent workers and external vendors to meet their staffing needs, and customers want easy access to talent and cost management in this market. MSPs can also give customers access to the latest TA technology to simplify workforce planning. Furthermore, MSPs are taking on more of a consultative approach to grow with their customer, drive strategy throughout their organization, and support them outside of just contingent labor assistance.
And if your organization already has an MSP program in place but you are not thrilled with how it’s going, listen to the full podcast to hear Marcia and Joe talk about making the decision to switch to a 2nd Generation MSP program.
What Should Your Organization Expect in 2024 and 2025?
The podcast discusses expectations and predictions regarding the talent acquisition landscape in the next two years. Marcia foresees a focus on the following areas:
Upskilling
Organizations can ensure they get the most out of their current talent by focusing on individual development opportunities and upskilling. Your current employees can be taught new skills to maximize their efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI will continue to be a significant part of talent acquisition and management practices. Make sure you understand its capabilities, benefits, and pitfalls (which Marcia shares throughout the podcast) so you can utilize it efficiently and set your teams up for success.
Work/Life Balance
Continue determining how you can provide work/life harmony for your employees. Recognize that employees need support, and be ready to give them what they need if any significant unprecedented events impact their job.
Diversity
Diversity and inclusivity should be top of mind for every organization at this point. To incorporate DEI into your workforce planning, start by determining if your organization is a truly inclusive and empowering environment. Analyze your interview practices to see if they are diverse, for example. Improve upon any area of your business that does not foster a DEI-forward culture.
Remote Work
It seems to be a common perception that no one working hybrid or remote right now wants to return to the office full-time. However, Marcia shares that she thinks some people want to be back in the office entirely, and we might see more of that in the near future.
One of the biggest takeaways from this podcast is that there are steps organizations who are not talent experts can take to improve their strategy, including identifying skills gaps using technology-driven data, investing in training and development for their teams, promoting diversity and inclusion within your organization, engaging in succession planning, creating both short-term and long-term goals, and eventually optimizing talent acquisition processes.
Remember that DZConneX is always there to help you embark on your workforce planning journey by taking what we have learned throughout our 120+ years of experience and making a customized plan for your organization. Listen to the full podcast for additional insights here.
