By Debbie Bolla
What does the future of work look like? This question is always on the minds
of HR leaders, but after all of the business transformation in the past year and
a half, the issue is more pressing than ever before. Many key strategies that will
enable HR to get ahead of the curve are within this issue’s Talent Report.
Agility is one of them. Randstad Sourceright’s 2021 Talent Trends Report finds
that 77% of HR leaders say their talent strategies are now more focused on
workforce agility than ever before. From remote work to virtual onboarding,
the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to pivot their talent
approaches. In Be Future Ready on page 36, three members of the CHRO
Today Executive Network (C-TEN) share just how the pandemic shaped talent
acquisition and how organizations can be agile in their talent offerings.
Offering flexibility is another talent attractor. The 2021 Talent Trends research
reveals that 64% of human capital leaders view flexible working arrangements
as important to talent attraction. In The Great Resignation? on page 44, Nirit
Peled-Muntz, chief people officer for Hibob, provides best practices around
remote work and flexibility that will help HR avoid the looming turnover caused
by changing worker preferences.
It’s no surprise that more and more candidates are looking to work for
organizations with strong DE&I programs. The 2021 Talent Trends research
agrees, with 80% of respondents saying it’s either extremely or very important
to have a robust diversity and inclusion strategy to attract and retain talent. Part
of this is having fair and equitable hiring practices. On page 50, Portia Kibble
Smith, diversity and inclusion lead for Karat, offers insight into reducing bias
during interviewing, eliminating candidate drop-off points, and streamlining
talent pipelines.
Technology continues to be a game-changer for organizations. McKinsey
research finds companies that experimented with new technologies and
invested in digital tools during the COVID-19 pandemic were twice as likely to
report revenue growth comparted to those that didn’t. In Thriving in the Digital
Age on page 56, learn how to leverage technology-driven, skills-based hiring
techniques in order to fill gaps and increase employee retention.
And be sure to check out what companies made this year’s RPO Baker’s Dozen
Customer Satisfaction Ratings™ for enterprise, midsize deal, and healthcare,
starting on page 10.
