Finding the right talent is one of the toughest things an organization must do right now. There is a huge need to expand the scope of hiring beyond traditional methods and mindsets, to tap into talent pools that would so often be underutilized. Barriers need to be broken down to create access to employment – but what does this actually look like? And how can companies become more innovative in their approach?

On this week’s episode of The Shortlist, we’re chatting with Nick Mailey, the VP of TA at Equinix. Nick has seen huge success in creating career pathways for individuals who perhaps have taken a pause from work, are transitioning from another industry, or are entering the workforce for the first time. We’ll talk about how this changes the standard playbook for hiring, the role of training in driving this approach, and the importance of looking for soft skills when interviewing.

Company purpose has become something of a fashionable prop post-pandemic. Organizations have realized that they need one, but there is a growing trend towards the inauthentic. Cobbling together a purpose that lacks substance is akin to building a house on sand – this unstable foundation simply won't support the positive impact you think it will. So what should companies do?

Well, we've sought the advice of two experts on this topic – Hannah Grove and Jonathan Knowles. Hannah is the non executive director of abrdn, and Jonathan is the Founder of Type 2 Consulting. Together they recently authored the incredible "What is the Purpose of Your Purpose" article for HBR, and they're on the show this week to chat through their findings. We'll talk about: the importance of purpose, the confusion around the term, what organizations and leaders need to do to build an authentic purpose, and how this is linked to talent acquisition.

Links:

The HBR article: What is the purpose of your purpose?

The Pepsi Commercial: https://youtu.be/uwvAgDCOdU4

The J&J Credo: https://www.jnj.com/credo/

Even prior to the pandemic and The Great Resignation, all industries have been acutely aware of the ever-growing shortages in labor, talent, and skills. Often terms used interchangeably in the wild, there is actually a significant difference between the three – both in terms of definition, and how organizations need to approach, and remedy, these shortages.

To help us dive into this topic, we’re delighted to welcome Kevin Green, author and CPO at First Bus, to the show. A renowned expert in HR and recruitment, Kevin is going to be chatting with us all about his experience in this sphere. We’ll look at the difference between the labor, talent, and skills shortage, and also discuss how businesses need to specifically tailor their responses to deal with each.

News articles: 

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62098767

https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-hotel-hires-workers-without-experience-rsums-accor-jobs-2022-7?r=US&IR=T

Discussions about gender are omnipresent in society. As we continue to make progress, building our understanding of the human experience, it’s essential to keep these conversations going – particularly in the workplace. Gender identity and expression form a vital component in how people show up at work, and it’s important for organizations, leaders, and colleagues to be informed if we want to create inclusive work environments. But it can often be a tricky topic to navigate.

So to help us with this, we’re delighted to welcome lisa luxx to this week’s episode of The Shortlist. lisa is a poet and activist whose work has been broadcast on Channel 4, BBC Radio, and TEDx. We’ll be chatting about different forms of gender identity in the context of the workplace, examining gendered language, clothing, and policies, and also looking at expressions of allyship.

How often do we put learning and development on the long finger? Despite all the stats and all the importance we place on growing within our roles, one of the greatest barriers to success is time. L&D has become an essential component of a worker’s life and has great benefits for both the employee and employer alike, but carving out dedicated space in an already busy diary is a recurring challenge we all face.

On this week’s show, Sabrina Pittaluga, TA Manager of Experienced Hire Recruiting EMESA at BCG, joins us to chat about how to make time for learning and development. We’ll discuss the importance of L&D, tips and tricks on how to learn continuously, and also tactics on how best to retain and use the knowledge you acquire in training.

News articles: 

https://hbr.org/2022/07/build-learning-into-your-employees-workflow

https://www.hcamag.com/ca/specialization/learning-development/half-of-employees-dont-have-the-time-to-upskill-at-work/409530

After two years of making sure laptop microphones are switched on and internet connections are stable, in-person recruitment events have returned! Last week, SocialTalent was delighted to attend RecFest in Knebworth Park. Our 'Hiring and Talent Management' stage played host to a slew of incredible speakers as we discussed some of the most pressing topics in our industry, from employee engagement and driving inclusion in the workplace, to building hiring cultures and promoting internal mobility.

On this week’s show, we’re going to take you through some of our favourite moments from the event. Alongside Kirstie Kelly, Emma Mirrington and Bill Boorman, we’ll dig deep into the presentations that really struck a chord with us.

While there may be a labor shortage at the moment, talent can still be found as long as organizations know where to look. But even with the increased dialogue around DEI, it’s disheartening to see the number of companies who don’t (or won’t) engage with talent that doesn’t fit a prescribed status quo. And hiring and talent acquisition has a big role to play in this. Learning how to mitigate bias and understand under-represented groups could be the difference-maker in this unique war for talent.

Joining us to chat about this topic is Annie Boneta. A Senior Consultant with Recruiting Toolbox, Annie is passionate about TA and DEI in all its forms. In this show, we’ll talk about the nature of bias in interviews and suggest actionable ways organizations can look to tackle it. We’ll also look at the recent rise in layoffs and how this specifically can affect bias, and practical tips to create the fairest hiring process.

News articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/03/14/16-ways-to-remove-unconscious-bias-from-the-hiring-process/?sh=1546289e5ffd

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-discrimination-bias-worse-problem-than-sentience-2022-6?r=US&IR=T

Flexibility has been the constant ask from employees, even prior to the pandemic. So when the genie was let out from the bottle, very few people wanted to return to the traditional ways of working. Hybrid and remote granted that elusive work-life balance and gave people a touch of control, so they could perform to their best and not feel tethered. But if hybrid is here to stay, it’s important that leaders are brought up to speed on how best to support this mode of working.

So we’ve called in an expert – Linda Jonas is the Co-Founder of Cultivayo and has also contributed incredible content to the SocialTalent platform on this very topic. In this episode, we’re going to discuss the importance of reskilling managers for long term success. We’ll look at the role empathy plays in leadership, tips on how to support managers so they don’t burnout and how to build connection, even from afar.

News articles:

https://fortune.com/2022/05/23/pandemic-redefined-leadership-new-hybrid-leader-remote-work-covid-workplace-betsy-leatherman/

https://hbr.org/2022/06/how-can-you-build-visibility-into-a-hybrid-workplace

Work is becoming more digital. As the pandemic put us through a crash-course in operating remotely, it only accelerated trends that were already on the horizon. So much so that this oft-discussed ‘future of work’ is perhaps more present than we realise. But how do we ensure our employees feel connected, included and seen in this new reality?

New articles:

https://hbr.org/2022/04/how-the-metaverse-could-change-work

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/hybrid-work-making-it-fit-with-your-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-strategy

The world of work has already gone through some radical changes over the last few years. COVID in particular accelerated so much in terms of how and where we do business. With the meteoric rise in new technology and shifting mindsets with regards to work, it's becoming ever-imperative that organizations look ahead if they want to succeed. But, what will the future of work actually look like?

Joining us to dive into this topic is Ranjit de Sousa, the Founder and MD of The Coalyard – a consultancy that helps future proof organizations. Together, we’ll look at how technology is evolving and the role it’s playing in making the HR space more strategic, the nature of leadership in driving the right kind of change, and finally, the importance of reskilling for solving crucial gaps in a business.

News articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2022/05/09/the-skills-emergency-is-happening-now/?sh=7e045c3f5a76

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/what-work-future-means-to-5-business-leaders