We’re feeling nostalgic on The Shortlist this week! With over 40 unique episodes in the bag for 2021, it’s time to look back at some of the best advice we’ve received over the course of the year. Every guest we’ve had on has contributed immensely to our shortlist, graciously imparting pearls of wisdom on all the topics that have shaped this incredibly uncertain year. So, to dive into this cornucopia of insight, Johnny Campbell is joined by Holly Fawcett, our Director of Content here at SocialTalent (and also occasional host!) Together, they’ll pull out some of their favorites and discuss these nuggets of advice in relation to all the major themes that have affected 2021, from DE&I and wellbeing to the changing world of work and talent.

As the world grappled with the onset of a pandemic in early 2020, it also rather disappointingly saw an increase in anti-Asian sentiment associated with this. From the disproportionate representation of South-East Asians on news stories regarding COVID to growing reports of verbal and physical abuse and even xenophobic scapegoating from political leaders, it seemed like the virus almost afforded people an excuse or justification for outright racism.

COVID has shone a greater light on many issues in society, and this rise in anti-Asian rhetoric is one that deserves more attention. Joining us on the show today to discuss this topic is Lucy Sheen. Lucy is an accomplished actor, playwright and digital artist who recently contributed to the WeRNotVirus production with her piece entitled “I am not a virus.” Lucy is here to talk with us about the dangers of lazy stereotyping, how historical attitudes have shaped this current upsurge in discrimination and what can be done to push the needle when it comes to improving and expanding Asian representation.

News stories:

https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/hate-speech-anti-asian-online-rise-covid-pandemic-study-1301437

https://time.com/6117794/sesame-street-ji-young/

Given everything that has happened over the last eighteen months, it’s not surprising that we’ve essentially gone through an identity crisis around work. Power has shifted from employer to employee as work has changed from somewhere we go to something we do. This in turn has also altered how we prioritize other aspects of ourselves and how we approach work. So what does this mean for employers and recruitment today? Joining Holly Fawcett on the show to unpick this is Robert Mac Giolla Phadraig, the Founder of Talent Summit and CCO of Sigmar Recruitment. We’ll be diving into this topic, looking at what needs to be different about an organization’s value proposition today in order to make them attractive to talent in the future. Throughout this discussion, we’ll be examining multiple aspects, like the precarious balance between well-being and well-doing in this atmosphere of high attrition and also the evolution of the EVP as it has changed to encompass more about human experience.

News stories:

https://hbr.org/2021/11/6-strategies-to-boost-retention-through-the-great-resignation

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/24/business/wall-street-remote-work-banks.html

It’s always important to be on the lookout for underutilized sources of talent. Given how competitive the current market is, being able to attract star candidates is a huge boon for any organization. And there’s one pool in particular that often gets overlooked – the unemployed. With an unemployment rate of around 7% in the EU, this offers a huge opportunity for companies to find amazing employees. And, with minority groups being over-represented amongst the unemployed, this also represents a diverse and creative group of people to attract.

Joining us on the show today is someone who holds this cause very closely – Colin Donnery. Colin is the incoming Group Chief Executive of FRS Network, a co-operative social enterprise with subsidiaries in the recruitment, training and agricultural sectors and is also the Founder / Director of Turas Nua, Ireland's leading provider of employability services that help unemployed people back into the workforce. He’s here to talk to us about this diverse talent pool, the importance of confidence-building for the unemployed, and how this vital service is empowering a sector of society back into positions of employment and why this service will become even more important in an evolving world of work.

The role that media platforms, like film and television, play in advancing the DE&I movement cannot be understated. Visual, mainstream representations of diversity help massively to normalize conversations and promote inclusion. But, it’s also never been more important for companies to truly embed this same tactic in how they push for greater diversity. TV and movies are evolving to authentically represent the whole spectrum of humanity, and organizations need to follow suit. Joining us to discuss the impressive way NBCUniversal is championing DE&I is Suzan Vulaj. The VP of Global Talent Acquisition, Suzan will be chatting to us about NBCUniversal’s “Meet the Moment” initiative – a series of internal sessions that promotes education on various topics like implicit bias, social identity, belonging and creating access. Suzan will also be chatting about how important L&D has been for people managers and hiring teams in the company to help consistently further the diversity and inclusion cause

News Stories:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gusalexiou/2021/01/30/nbcuniversal-take-bold-stand-in-pledge-to-audition-more-disabled-actors/?sh=62bb2f501a53

https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/study-what-companies-are-doing-and-not-doing-to-make-workplace-more-diverse.html

There has never been a more crucial time to build a culture of hiring within your organization. Given the ever-escalating number of vacancies, it’s important to ensure that hiring is seen as a team sport. It is a function that should be aligned and woven into the very DNA of a company and not siloed to a single person. In this special edition of The Shortlist, Johnny Campbell looks back on an intriguing and informative fireside chat he had with Kelly Jones, the SVP Global Head of Talent Solutions at Cisco, from our last SocialTalent Live event. Here, Kelly talks about Cisco’s journey with creating a culture of hiring, talent mobility, and the importance of tracking data.

* Register for SocialTalent Live now at www.socialtalent.com/live *

The current talent landscape has never been seen before.  As millions of workers have been leaving their jobs, in a phenomenon we know all too well as The Great Resignation, many organizations are scrambling to both backfill open positions and deal with a period of massive growth. And this is particularly affecting the tech industry. As the trend turns to firmly favour talent, the question now is how do companies differentiate themselves in such a competitive market?  To help us answer this question, we’re delighted to have Peter Coulson, the Manager, Global Talent Acquisition at Spotify, on the show. He’ll be chatting with us about how to build a talent strategy for hyper growth companies, what organizations need to do in this climate to attract candidates, and also, how The Great Resignation may actually be an opportunity for The Great Retention.

News stories:

https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-tech-workers-industry-considering-quitting-jobs-employment-resignation-2021-10?r=US&IR=T

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/10/06/14-recruiting-tips-for-smaller-tech-companies-seeking-top-stem-talent/?sh=5b1418441ca1

* Register for SocialTalent Live now at www.socialtalent.com/live *

Everyone deserves to be their authentic self at work, and in life. But for many trans people, the fear of stigma and discrimination can lead to devastating consequences when it comes to looking for employment, job satisfaction and emotional wellbeing. And despite a growing awareness of the struggles trans individuals face, many employers are simply ill-equipped to make changes and be educated on matters that could create a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture. But what can be done?

Joining us to discuss this important topic is Joanne Lockwood, an inclusion and belonging specialist and founder of SEE Change Happen. Looking through the lens of TA, Joanne will share with us tactical advice on creating a more inclusive employee lifecycle and also help our audience to better understand the challenges that trans people face in the workplace and how you can best support them.

News stories:

https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/trans-employee-experiences-survey-2021-research-conducted-by-totaljobs

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-gender-pronouns-are-becoming-a-big-deal-at-work-11631797200

The drive for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace is perhaps the most important cause for every organization. And while progress has been made, there is still considerable work to be done – on every front. But for this week’s episode of The Shortlist, we’re going to be focusing on race in the context of hiring.

The murder of George Floyd in 2020 reignited conversations about inequality and race, particularly in the US. But racism is a global concern and one that every company should consistently look to address. And as recruiters are the vanguard of talent in organizations, it’s imperative that they understand the importance of lived experience and push to remove bias, prejudice, and discrimination. Joining us on the show to discuss this is Torin Ellis – a long-time collaborator, mentor, and friend of SocialTalent. He’ll be sharing with us his insightful perspective on race in the hiring process.

News stories:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974507/20210331_-_CRED_Report_-_FINAL_-_Web_Accessible.pdf

https://www.fastcompany.com/90683375/tesla-racism-lawsuit-why-the-verdict-is-a-big-deal-in-the-fight-against-forced-arbitration

When we think about executive recruiting, the model often follows a very traditional route that focuses on headhunting talent outside the company with the experience deemed necessary to fulfil a role. But there is an element of this process that is often overlooked at the detriment to success – internal mobility.

Joining us on the show to discuss this is Roopesh Panchasra, the Global Head of Executive TA at Uber. According to Roopesh, we need to put more emphasis on looking at our internal executive communities. In this week’s episode we’ll chat about the importance of intentionality in this sphere, especially when it comes to developing internal talent and thinking ahead to future roles. We’re also going to dive into the idea of ‘leadership currency,’ where transferable skills and particular behaviors should be targeted in internal employees who could be on-track for promotion to these positions.

News stories:

https://hbr.org/2021/05/the-high-cost-of-poor-succession-planning