2. 2 | How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World | 3
The rapidly changing
workplace
Employees are demanding much more from employers today than
ever before. The generation who entered work in the last decade
are demanding greater variety, connectivity and flexibility from
their employers. But it is not just “Generation Y” or “Millennials”
that are driving this change. With 55 million worldwide working
outside of their home country1
, flexible working practices, social
networking and mobile technology are changing the world of work
foreveryone.ThisisleadingmanybusinessandHRcommentators
to warn of a changing landscape that organisations must adapt to.
“2015 will be a
tumultuous and
transformational
year in many
areas of
corporate
talent.”
Candidate expectations are also rising regarding
the frequency, pace, and transparency of
communication. Global economic forces are
having a significant impact on growth, and with
talent with the right skills being harder to find,
Business leaders more than ever need HR to
think strategically and support the business. To
do this HR needs to deliver essential knowledge,
insights and services to keep their organization
competitive.
Unfortunately, employers have failed to keep
up with the rising tide of expectations. For
example, new research from the ADP Research
Institute®
shows a gap between recruiters and
job seekers, regarding the tools they use and the
user experience. Many employers overestimate
how well their current processes meet jobseeker
expectations: while 46% of recruiters feel their
current process of tracking applicants “works
well,” only 16% of job seekers feel the same2.
NEW WAYS OF WORKING
AND SOCIAL MEDIA
HR must understand new ways of working and
incorporate them into their Human Capital
Management (HCM) strategy, but many are
too busy with administrative tasks to keep
up with the pace of change. Organisations
striving to meet their goals for employment
and engagement are therefore looking for tools
1. World Migration in Figures, OECD 2013
2. Job Candidate Trends, ADP Research Institute®, September 2013
In Bersin by Deloitte’s influential ‘Predictions for
2015’, they argue: “All of this interconnectedness
and transparency, coupled with a shift in
demographics (Millennials are expected to
comprise 75% of the global workforce by
2020), means that businesses must think
about talent very differently... people no longer
expect a ‘lifetime contract’ in their careers. We
join a company as athletes join a professional
team as long as both parties benefit from the
relationship.” Employers, writes Bersin, “are no
longer in control.”
to make this possible. Increasingly this means
social media – an entire World Wide Web of
information and communication available at a
click of a button. Yet many managers and HR
professionals remain too focussed on internal
systems and fail to interact with popular forms
of web-based technology.
It is essential for HR professionals to be
comfortable with social media and social
recruitment, but many are not. There is much
more transparency in the job market driven
by Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Glassdoor,
and other online professional networks.
Candidates can now easily review and assess
a potential employer, the work conditions and
management. As a result employer brand and
employee engagement have merged.
Candidate expectations
are also rising regarding
the frequency, pace,
and transparency of
communication.
3. 4 | How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World | 5
It is becoming
increasingly
essential to
integrate social
media capabilities
into recruiting
solutions.
The use of employer rating sites will intensify,
and other stakeholders will increasingly
look to these internal ratings as a leading
indicator of business health. In fact, this is
already beginning to happen; for example, on
Glassdoor, ADP CEO Carlos Rodriguez has an
88% approval rating from employees.
A strong employer brand is crucial, and
developing methods for keeping active and
passive candidates interested is a critical step
towards attracting top talent. It is becoming
increasingly essential to integrate social
media capabilities into recruiting solutions. In
recent research conducted by ADP, four out
of five employers now say social media has
a moderate-to-great impact on employment
branding, and close to half feel social media
helps to create successful strategies on a
budget3
.
Yet there is a worrying disconnect between
how employers actually use these tools, and
how employees and job-seekers want them to.
Forty-four percent of recruiters listed LinkedIn
as “extremely” or “very” useful in their pursuit
of new talent, while only 19% of job seekers felt
the same when looking for a job4
. Facebook
is almost three times as likely to be used as
a job search resource by those under age 30
compared to those over age 455,
and with 60%
of Millennials planning to leave their current job
in the next three years, addressing the social
media usage patterns of younger workers is a
growing priority6
.
Usefulness
of Linkedin in
recruitment
ONLY 19% JOB SEEKERS FELT
THE SAME WHEN
LOOKING FOR A JOB
19%
44% OF RECRUITERS LISTED
LINKEDIN AS “EXTREMELY”
OR “VERY” USEFUL
44%
40% of companies
are not ready to address
the challenges of talent
and HR analytics
COMING TO TERMS
WITH BIG DATA
Social media however, is relatively easy to
understand in comparison to Big Data – the
term which encapsulates the vast amount
of data now captured by both business and
external computer systems. HR leaders
must master the online and social world by
understanding how technology will affect the
role of talent acquisition, and Human Capital
management is more important than ever.
Yet a recent KPMG survey finds that
organisations are failing to realise the potential
of Data and Analytics (D&A). According to the
survey, “the vast majority (85%of respondents)
said they were struggling with implementing
the correct solutions to accurately analyse
and interpret their existing data. Most
organisations are unable to connect the dots
because they do not fully understand how
D&A can transform their business, or how to
create the right environment for a data-driven
transformation.”7
Most HR teams understand the potential
value of data, but they continue to only look
at the most basic measurements. According
to findings from Bersin by Deloitte, only 4%
of companies surveyed were able to perform
predictive analytics about their workforce, and
just 14% have undertaken significant statistical
analysis of their employee data8
. In a recent
Deloitte study, 86% of companies revealed they
do not have any analytics capabilities in HR.
More than 40% of those respondents reported
their companies were not ready to address the
twin challenges of talent and HR analytics9
.
3. Recruiting Trends, ADP Research Institute®, August 2013
4. Recruiting Trends, ADP Research Institute®, August 2013 and Job Candidate Trends, ADP Research Institute®, September 2013
5. Job Candidate Trends, ADP Research Institute®, September 2013
6. The Cost of Millennial Retention, Millennial Branding, August 2013
7. Going beyond the data: Achieving actionable insights with data and analytics, KMPG 2014
8. Predictions for 2015: Redesigning the Organization for a Rapidly Changing World, Bersin by Deloitte 2015
9. 2014 Human Capital Trends Survey, Deloitte
4. 6 | How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World | 7
We need to rethink
the way we attract,
engage and manage people
Inatimewhencompaniesarecompetingtoattractthebestpeople,
talent acquisition and smartly nurturing a pool of candidates are
key business priorities. Today, low engagement of the workforce
is a significant business risk. Gallup believes that only 13% of
the global workforce is highly engaged10
, and Glassdoor research
shows that only one-half of all employees would recommend
their employers to their friends11
. Employee engagement needs
to be redefined and new tools for employee feedback, sentiment
measurement, and communications need to be adopted.
Those new tools include improved and
integrated communications techniques to
make the hiring process more efficient and
effective. Talent communities are becoming
a vital strategic investment, creating online
communities for candidates and employees
with targeted skill sets, allowing for tailored
communication strategies and programs.
Talent communities also allow recruiters to
nurture prospects until a match can be made,
strategically sharing company updates and
information on openings with a ready-made
talent pool.
“Network recruiting” will be important for
talent acquisition teams to think of (which
includes college graduates, prospects,
candidates, alumni, as well as employees and
their referrals) as one integrated network that
is interested in your company. This means that
companies need to market themselves well,
attract interested candidates before a job is
posted, develop strong university relations
programs, tap into professional groups, and
continuously communicate with candidates.
However, there are significant barriers that are
preventing HR from adopting this strategy. A
major barrier is the amount of work required
to build a talent community. This requires
significant effort from recruiters and talent
managers to actively network, create a strategy,
and develop the relationships and content to
keep members engaged and interested. This
can be a full time job, and companies like
Accenture have embraced this strategy.
NEW TECHNOLOGY MAKES
NINE-TO-FIVE, OFFICE-BASED
WORKING DEFUNCT
Results from research by ADP and
CorporateLeaders highlight a growing use
of mobile technology for work, as well as the
increased freedom enjoyed by employees who
use them. A survey of senior executives in five
European countries found that around 44% of
respondents said they already provided access
to enterprise applications on employee smart
phones or tablets and/or issued smart phones
and tablets to some employees. A further 11%
said they were evaluating the possibility and
2% had decided to but not implemented the
decision yet. In other words, more than half had
either done this already or are considering it12
.
Manuela Montagnana, VP Human Resources
EMEA at ADP, explains the significance:
“accessing work via tablet and mobile phones
has flooded all generations. While many talk
about a ‘new world of work’, in reality it is a
‘new way of life’ in which work and personal
lives are interconnected, whether we want it
or not. Employers can’t afford remaining on
the fringes of society on the long term without
losing in terms of innovation and innovative
spirit, competitiveness and attractiveness.”
Organisations need to create greater flexible
working options such as variable work hours,
job-sharing, or working from home. According
to SHRM13
nearly 46% of employers use virtual
teams, and with 41% of Millennials preferring
to communicate electronically and 21% wanting
flexible working arrangements14
, it’s essential
for companies to look at this evolving work-
style more closely and develop approaches that
promote efficiency and worker satisfaction.
The increasing dependency on technology
allows us to stay connected all the time,
combined with the need for greater freedom
and flexibility, is one of the most significant
and ‘disruptive’ workplace trends that HR faces
today. Businesses need to adapt their workforce
planning and development strategies to ensure
that they are aligned with future requirements.
10. Worldwide, 13% of Employees Are Engaged at Work, Gallup
11. Research Bersin by Deloitte and Glassdoor, October 2014
12. Engaging and Empowering Employees in the New Workplace,
ADP and CorporateLeaders 2013
13. Virtual Teams Used Most by Global Organizations, Survey
14. Millennials at work, PwC
With 41% of Millennials preferring to
communicate electronically and 21%
wanting flexible working arrangements,
it’s essential for companies to look at this
evolving work-style.
5. 8 | How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World | 9
THE BEST COMPANIES ARE
GOOD AT THIS ALREADY
Silicon Valley Companies such as Google
and Facebook have already changed what
candidates expect from today’s workplace
and, in so doing, have set high expectations for
everyone else in the talent market. Nearly 70%
of best-in-class organisations already connect
social media and talent communities, and
targeted communications allow job seekers to
find their niche interest in the company15
.
Mobile job seeking is also on the rise.
According to a recent study, 7 out of 10 job
seekers now search for employment on their
mobile devices16
. Convenience and ease of
use is driving increased interest in this area.
Employers’ approach to using mobile and
networking technology for business depends,
to an extent, on the market in which they
operate and the nature of their workforce, so
it’s no surprise that IT companies tend to lead
the way. These companies also have high levels
of engagement, and organisations such as
Google, Microsoft and Adobe Systems dominate
the top ten in the Fortune 100 Best Companies
to Work For listing.
Yet most companies lag far behind. According
to a survey by Harvard Business Review,
circa 60% of respondents said they work in
an environment without a culture of quality,
especially when it comes to having peers who
go “above and beyond”17.
Such companies are
missing out on significant benefits.
7/10 job seekers now
search for employment
on their mobile devices
15. HR Executive’s Guide to Web 2.0: Cracking the Code for Talent Management, Aberdeen 2013
16. Simply Hired, “Today’s Job Seekers Report”, November 2013
17. The Impact of Employee Engagement on Performance, Harvard Business Review 2013
6. 10 | How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World How to Take Care of Your People and Deliver Bold Solutions in a Fast-Changing World | 11
Adopting a new, technology-
enabled approach
Leadingedgecompaniesaremovingtowardsamorecollaborative
and mobile way of working under-pinned by technology and social
networking. Investing in technology and analytics as a platform
is therefore essential, supported and amplified by a great Human
Capital Strategy. An engaging and collaborative culture in the
workplace, which empowers individuals and teams, is the best
recipe for attracting and retaining talent. And top employers
are recognising that, for a new generation, a new approach to
management is required which gives staff flexibility and ease of
communication.
HR can respond to these demands by searching
for new solutions and placing them in the
hands of line managers and employees. This
enables a new way of working based on flexible
hours and flexible workplaces, using mobile
applications, cloud computing, virtualisation,
and social networking.
Manuela Montagnana, VP Human Resources
EMEA at ADP, explains: Core HRMS and
talent management features (e.g. payroll,
performance management, recruiting, learning
management, and succession management)
are available from most major ERP providers.
But the exciting new tools that will drive
adoption and engagement, such as mobile apps
and mobile HR applications, social recruiting
capabilities, development planning, learning on
the go features, along with a multitude of user-
friendly applications, for TLM (Time and Leave
Management) for instance, are the ones that
can make the difference. With one-half or more
of our employees on the road in today’s modern
economies, most of the transactions take place
on the move. Cloud-based data analytics are
considered as a must-have by most Millennial
associates while only the most innovative
HR vendors provide really useful people and
business-aligned information.”
As high-income earners join young job seekers
on social media platforms, employers can
optimise their social messages to build talent
pipelines and provide more information to
candidates. Using candidate relationship
technologies, recruiters can now nurture
conversations with prospects and foster better
connections.
GOING BEYOND TECHNOLOGY
TO DELIVER BOLD SOLUTIONS
The average employer uses more than four
systems or tools during the recruitment
process, yet only 30% rate their current
recruitment solution as “excellent” or even
“very good”18
. Integrating these platforms
into one, easy to use interface, can reap
almost immediate rewards. Recruiters cite
integration three times more often than any
other component as a way of improving the
talent acquisition process19
. If combined with
new KPIs which shed light on the candidate’s
experience, these could be crucial competitive
differentiators. Such KPIs include:
•• Mobile vs. computer web browser
access to your career sites
•• Monitor time from interview to offer
•• Frequent outreach and
communication following initial
interview
•• Track candidate satisfaction with the
process
Upgrading technology and consolidating many
processes and systems into simpler processes
is just the start. To make that internal strategic
leap, HR leaders need to use technology wisely
to produce real business insight. Currently 40%
of company leaders say HR gives them a lack
of sufficient insight into their global workforce
to enable them to make sound business
decisions20
. Today HR needs to combine
technology with the organisation’s talent, and
provide the highest level of HR services that will
enable them to enhance employee performance
and align with the objectives of the business.
Mobile and Human Capital
Management solutions provide
data-driven insights at a global level
Mobile connectivity, flexible working and individualised talent development are major
drivers for empowerment in today’s workforce. Where the workforce is empowered,
it will also be engaged. People will remain longer in their jobs, feel greater loyalty to
their team and employer and go the extra mile to provide great service.
To win the war for talent in the next decade, senior leaders need to understand the
transformation taking place in the world of work. Increasingly, work is ceasing to
be a place and more a state of mind. For large numbers of people, it can happen at
any time of day and in any place. Executives who understand this and equip their
organisations to survive in this new world will be the ones still leading successful
organisations in the Human Capital and Mobile Age.
18. Recruiting Trends, ADP Research Institute® August 2013
19. Recruiting Trends, ADP Research Institute® August 2013.
20. Knowledge Infusion 2010.
