The Ultimate Guide to Recruitment Process Outsourcing

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a strategic partnership where an organization entrusts all or part of its recruitment activities to an external service provider. This approach allows companies to leverage the expertise and resources of specialized firms to enhance their talent acquisition strategies. Through RPO, businesses aim to improve the quality of hires, accelerate the recruitment process, and reduce associated costs.

The RPO model differs considerably from traditional recruitment methods. RPO providers integrate deeply into the company’s HR processes, offering a holistic service encompassing everything from job profiling and candidate sourcing to interviewing and onboarding. Companies benefit from the provider’s sophisticated recruitment tools, technologies, and data analytics capabilities, which can yield insights for continuous process improvement.

In today’s dynamic business environment, RPO presents itself as a solution for organizations to adapt quickly to market changes, scale their workforce efficiently, and focus on their core competencies. With recruitment being a critical aspect of organizational success, RPO partnerships offer a promising avenue for businesses to secure top talent while managing the ebb and flow of their staffing needs.

Understanding Recruitment Process Outsourcing

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) represents a strategic alignment between a business and an external service provider, focused exclusively on streamlining and enhancing the talent acquisition process. It hinges on transferring an organization’s recruitment tasks to leverage the expertise and efficiency of specialized RPO firms.

Defining RPO

Recruitment Process Outsourcing is, fundamentally, a partnership where an external agency assumes responsibility for the talent acquisition functions of a company. Essentially, RPO goes beyond the traditional services of staffing agencies by integrating fully with a company’s HR management structure. This integration enables businesses to outsource either all or significant parts of their recruitment to improve effectiveness and strategically manage staffing fluctuations.

The Evolution of RPO

The evolution of RPO has been driven by businesses’ complex and ever-changing requirements to acquire top talent in competitive marketplaces. What began as simple transactional hiring processes has developed into sophisticated, end-to-end recruitment strategies, incorporating employer branding, technology implementation, compliance tracking, and methods tailored to meet the sector-specific demands of businesses. RPO has become a comprehensive solution for companies looking to not only fill positions but also gain a strategic advantage in workforce planning and talent management.

Enhancing Talent Recruitment in Asia Pacific with RPO

Leveraging Local Expertise for Global Results

The Asia Pacific region presents unique challenges and opportunities in the recruitment landscape. RPO companies in this area bring invaluable local market knowledge, crucial for attracting the best talent. By understanding cultural nuances and regional job market trends, these firms can tailor their recruitment strategies to effectively meet the needs of businesses operating within and outside of Asia Pacific. This approach streamlines the entire recruitment process and ensures that the right talent is identified and engaged, offering a competitive advantage to businesses in a diverse and dynamic market.

Strategic Solutions for Talent Marketing and Analytics

In the Asia Pacific, talent marketing and analytics play a pivotal role in the success of recruitment campaigns. RPO providers leverage sophisticated talent analytics tools to understand market dynamics and candidate behaviors. This data-driven approach allows for targeted talent marketing strategies, reaching qualified talent more efficiently. By utilizing insights gained from talent analytics, RPO firms can fine-tune their recruitment approaches, ensuring that the best candidates for each specific role are identified and attracted, thereby enhancing the overall efficacy of the talent recruitment process.

Collaborating with Top RPO Companies for Comprehensive Services

Partnering with top RPO companies in the Asia Pacific region means businesses can use a full spectrum of recruitment services. From initiating the talent search to finalizing hires, these RPO firms manage the entire recruitment process, offering scalable models that adapt to changing business needs. Businesses can benefit from their global footprint and extensive experience managing recruiting challenges by working with strategic partners like Recruiter.com, Hueman, Korn Ferry, or Cielo Talent. This collaboration simplifies the recruitment function and ensures access to a pool of highly qualified talent, essential for maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

The Role of Technology in RPO

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) has been significantly enhanced by advanced technology, streamlining the recruiting workflow and enriching candidate sourcing strategies.

Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) serve as the backbone for RPO providers, facilitating the efficient handling of candidate data. An ATS allows for the automated screening of resumes, ensuring that only the most suitable candidates make it through the initial stages. These systems can greatly reduce administrative burden by providing a centralized platform for tracking the progress of each applicant throughout the recruitment cycle.

Recruitment Marketing Technology

Recruitment marketing technology enables RPO providers to proactively attract top talent. Through targeted campaigns and content distribution, technology in this space allows firms to build their employer brand and capture the interest of potential candidates. By leveraging analytics, they can optimize advertising spending and strategy to reach the right audience, yielding a higher quality and quantity of applicants.

Optimizing Recruitment Function with Selective RPO

Tailoring Recruitment to Specific Projects and Roles

Selective RPO, a model where companies outsource the recruitment function for specific projects or roles, offers a highly targeted approach to talent acquisition. This method is particularly beneficial when looking to fill open positions requiring niche skills or critical to business success. By focusing on specific areas, RPO service providers can dedicate more resources and expertise to finding the right people, ensuring a good fit for the role and the company culture. This approach also allows for incorporating internal mobility strategies, whereby existing employees are considered for new opportunities, enhancing employee satisfaction and retention.

Integrating HR Tech and Recruitment Software

In selective RPO engagements, integrating advanced HR tech and recruitment software plays a crucial role. These tools streamline recruitment, from sourcing candidates to managing applications and facilitating interviews. Artificial intelligence in these platforms can further refine the selection process, enabling a more precise match between job requirements and candidate profiles. By adopting these technological solutions, RPO providers can offer more strategic solutions, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment function.

Achieving Better Business Results with Strategic RPO

Selective RPO engagements can directly contribute to improved business results. By entrusting critical recruiting functions to experts, companies can focus on their core business activities, ensuring that the recruitment process is handled efficiently and effectively. This strategic partnership saves time and resources and brings in a higher caliber of candidates, thereby driving business growth and success.

Benefits of Implementing RPO

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) encompasses a wealth of benefits, primarily centering around its cost-effectiveness and ability to refine the hiring process. Companies can experience significant efficiency gains while ensuring that the quality and scalability of their hiring processes are optimized.

Cost Savings and Efficiency

Cost-effectiveness and efficiency are two fundamental advantages of introducing RPO solutions. Businesses can reduce hiring expenses by delegating recruitment to a specialized RPO provider. A principal benefit is eliminating the need for an internal recruitment infrastructure, which is particularly advantageous for small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, an RPO partnership facilitates streamlined recruiting practices that result in faster talent acquisition cycles.

Quality and Scalability of Hiring

RPO providers bring forth enhanced quality in hiring by tapping into a wider talent pool and leveraging advanced sourcing techniques. The inherent scalability of RPO is also a significant advantage. Scalability allows companies to adjust their recruitment efforts swiftly in response to market demand or seasonal peaks without affecting their internal resources. This ensures that organizations maintain productivity without sacrificing talent quality during high-volume and low-volume hiring periods.

Enhanced Candidate Experience

Offering an optimized candidate experience is paramount in today’s employment landscape. An RPO provider ensures that candidates undergo a seamless hiring journey, uplifting the company’s brand image and fostering positive engagement. A well-managed RPO service results in a more competent and candidate-focused approach, often leading to lower turnover rates and heightened job satisfaction among new hires.

RPO Service Models

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) adapts to various hiring needs through distinct service models. These models provide flexibility and scalability in talent acquisition strategies.

Full RPO

In Full RPO, a third-party provider assumes complete responsibility for an organization’s recruitment process. This comprehensive approach includes sourcing, screening, interviewing, and onboarding candidates. It is designed for companies seeking a strategic partnership to enhance their recruiting function. For instance, full RPO solutions could transform a company’s talent acquisition by incorporating innovative recruitment technologies and methodologies, aligning with the overarching business objectives.

Project-Based RPO

Project-Based RPO is tailored for specific initiatives with a defined start and end date, often utilized to address immediate hiring surges or staff projects without overextending the internal HR department. This model allows businesses to rapidly deploy recruitment resources and expertise to fill many positions in a targeted timeframe, thereby maintaining operational fluidity.

On-Demand RPO

With On-Demand RPO, organizations access recruitment services as needed, without a long-term commitment. This model supports businesses that experience unpredictable hiring volumes, providing them the agility to engage recruitment expertise on a short-term or intermittent basis, scaling up or down according to the current demand.

The Sourcing and Screening Process

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) providers harness the full potential of sourcing and screening to identify and evaluate candidates who are most likely to succeed in the roles they are being considered for. It is a comprehensive effort requiring attention to detail and skillful use of the latest tools and techniques.

Building a Qualified Candidate Pool

Building a qualified candidate pool is the foundational step in the sourcing process. RPO providers typically engage with various channels, including job boards, social networks, and internal talent databases, to assemble a diverse set of potential candidates. The accuracy of the candidate profile plays a key role; it must align with the employer’s needs and job specifications to ensure a high relevance of talent sourced. For instance, 13 Methods for Talent Sourcing, Screening & Interviewing outlines how planning and creating detailed job descriptions begin the process of attracting the right candidates.

Effective Screening Techniques

Once the candidate pool is established, the screening phase is critical for narrowing down the best fits. Effective screening techniques involve a multi-layered approach, starting with automated filtering based on must-have qualifications and experience. Further, phone or video interviews provide a deeper understanding of the candidates’ capabilities and cultural fit. RPO providers can streamline and enhance this process using the latest HR technology. According to an article on HireQuotient, various screening tools and technologies are employed to ensure the process is efficient and comprehensive, facilitating the advancement of only those candidates who meet the strict criteria established in the sourcing phase.

Onboarding and Compliance

In the realm of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), onboarding and compliance are critical phases that establish the first impressions for new hires and ensure adherence to various legal and regulatory standards. RPO providers offer specialized onboarding support and compliance services that align with organizational practices and legislative requirements.

Streamlining the Onboarding Experience

Effectively streamlining the onboarding process is pivotal for organizations to accelerate employee readiness and foster a positive workplace environment. RPO providers typically employ technology-driven solutions and best practices to create an onboarding experience that is both efficient and welcoming. They may use platforms that allow new employees to complete paperwork digitally before their start date, thus minimizing downtime and ensuring a smooth transition into the company.

Key Components:
- Electronic Document Management: Automated paperwork processing.
- Structured Training Programs: Tailored modules for role-specific knowledge.
- Checklists & Schedules: Clearly outline tasks and expectations.

Ensuring Legal Compliance

Compliance is a non-negotiable aspect of the hiring process with considerable legal implications. RPO providers help organizations navigate the complex landscape of employment law by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of legislative changes and implementing compliant hiring practices. They ensure that all onboarding procedures meet federal, state, and industry-specific regulations, thus safeguarding the company from potential legal challenges.

Strategic Approaches:
- Regular Audits: Periodic evaluations to align with latest laws.
- Compliance Training: Educate teams on regulatory standards.
- Policy Updates: Immediate integration of new legal requirements.

Through these efforts, RPO partners are instrumental in protecting an organization’s reputation and mitigating risks associated with non-compliance.

The Impact of Employer Branding

Employer branding plays a significant role in Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), influencing a company’s attractiveness to potential candidates and the overall success of the recruitment efforts.

Leveraging Employer Reputation

Companies engaging in RPO initiatives benefit significantly from a robust employer brand. An exploratory study on the impact of recruitment process outsourcing underscores the importance of a well-established employer reputation in attracting top talent. Job seekers actively seek out companies with positive reviews and reputations before even considering an application. In this competitive landscape, a compelling employer brand is not just desirable; it’s essential.

Key Aspects of Employer Reputation:
- Culture: A reflection of the company’s values and work environment.
- Rewards: Encompasses salaries, benefits, and growth opportunities.
- Management: The quality and style of leadership and company governance.

Engaging Through Social Media

Social media has revolutionized how companies build and communicate their employer brand. Leveraging LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook platforms is vital for amplifying a company’s presence and employer value proposition. For instance, The Importance Of Branding Your Recruiting Process highlights that a strategic social media plan can effectively convey a company’s culture, successes, and employee testimonials to a wide audience, making the organization a sought-after place.

Effective Social Media Strategies:
- Engagement: Regular updates and interaction with users.
- Content: Sharing of valuable, informative, and relatable company stories.
- Authenticity: Genuine representation of company values and culture.

Strategic RPO Partnerships

Strategic Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) partnerships are forged to enhance a company’s hiring capabilities in alignment with its strategic goals. They are marked by a deep integration of processes and a shared understanding of the company culture to fulfill business needs effectively.

Collaborative Process Integration

In a successful RPO partnership, the RPO provider assimilates its processes seamlessly with the client’s existing systems. A collaborative integration involves carefully mapping out each stage of the talent acquisition strategy to support the company’s specific objectives. For instance, aligning with the business’s technology stack ensures that the RPO provider and the company use compatible systems for applicant tracking and communication.

Maintaining a Cultural Fit

Ensuring new hires are in sync with a company’s culture is pivotal. RPO partnerships must emphasize a cultural fit to foster a positive work environment and drive organizational success. This entails the RPO provider understanding the core values and behavioral expectations within the business and tailoring the recruitment process to identify candidates who possess the necessary skills and resonate with the company’s ethos.

RPO partnerships can contribute significantly to sustained business growth and a strong employer brand through a strategic alignment in these areas.

RPO Pricing Structures

In the realm of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), two prevalent pricing structures help companies budget and plan their recruitment expenses: the Management Fee Model and the Cost Per Hire Model. Each model provides a different approach to handling recruitment costs and can influence the strategic planning of an organization’s talent acquisition.

Management Fee Model

Management Fee Only: This model entails a fixed monthly payment to the RPO provider. It covers the operational costs of the dedicated recruitment team, including their salaries, the technology they use, and other associated expenses. Businesses often favor this structure for its predictability in budgeting, as it provides a consistent monthly charge without fluctuations based on hiring volume.

Cost Per Hire Model

Cost Per Hire: Conversely, the Cost Per Hire Model ties the cost directly to the successful placement of each candidate. It is a variable model where the company pays a fee for each hire, which can be attractive because it aligns the RPO provider’s incentives with the company’s hiring success. This model can be more budget-friendly for companies with lower hiring volumes but can become costly if hiring needs spike unexpectedly.

Maximizing ROI with RPO Project Engagement

Understanding the Benefits of RPO in Talent Intelligence

Project RPO engagement offers significant benefits in terms of talent intelligence. Companies gain access to extensive data and insights on candidate pools, market trends, and competitive landscapes by working with RPO service providers. This intelligence is invaluable for making informed decisions throughout the recruitment process and developing strategies aligning with business objectives. The insights gained from talent analytics enable organizations to optimize their talent acquisition strategies, leading to a more effective and efficient recruitment process.

Leveraging Scalable Models and Market Data for Success

Project RPO engagements often involve scalable models that can be adjusted according to the specific needs and scale of the project. This flexibility is crucial for companies looking to adapt to market changes or address sudden hiring needs increases. Additionally, RPO providers bring a wealth of market data and insights, which can be leveraged to understand current trends and predict future recruitment needs. This market intelligence is instrumental in ensuring recruitment strategies remain relevant and effective.

Pricing Models and Strategic Solutions for Project RPO

When engaging in project RPO, understanding the pricing model is key. Providers may offer various models, such as fixed pricing for a specific project or a variable pricing model based on the number of hires. Each model has advantages and can be selected based on the project’s scope and budget. In addition, RPO firms offer strategic solutions tailored to the project’s specific needs, ensuring that the right talent is sourced efficiently and effectively. This targeted approach not only streamlines the recruitment process but also ensures a higher success rate, directly impacting the project’s overall success.

Challenges and Considerations in RPO

Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) presents organizations with unique challenges and considerations. Identifying potential obstacles and making informed partner selections is crucial to ensure a successful RPO engagement.

Addressing Potential Drawbacks

Some common drawbacks of RPO involve managing expectations and ensuring cultural fit between the RPO provider and the organization. Companies might face challenges like losing control over the hiring processes and difficulties aligning the recruitment strategies with the organizational goals. To mitigate these issues, organizations should:

Establish clear communication channels and protocols
Define and agree upon service level agreements (SLAs)
Engage in regular reviews and assessments of the recruitment process

Firms must actively work on retaining their brand’s integrity through the hiring process, even when outsourced, as candidates’ experiences directly reflect the employer’s reputation.

Choosing the Right RPO Partner

The RPO selection process is critical and requires thorough due diligence. Factors to consider when selecting an RPO partner include:

Reputation and Experience:
- Histories of the providers
- Client testimonials
- Case studies demonstrating past successes
Service Offerings:
- The scope of services (e.g., end-to-end recruiting, candidate sourcing, onboarding)
- Tailored solutions matching specific industry needs

Find a partner aligned with the business culture and values with a compliance record and adaptability to changing markets. The right provider should act as an extension of the company, aiming to understand and meet the long-term strategic goals.

Measuring RPO Success

Critical measurements and long-term impacts on a business must be scrutinized to ascertain the effectiveness of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) initiatives. An RPO program’s success is tied to immediate results and its sustained influence on the organization’s strategic objectives.

Key Performance Indicators

Efficiency and Quality of Talent are paramount when assessing RPO success through key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs are crucial for determining the immediate effectiveness of the recruitment process:

Time-to-Fill: Measures the efficiency of the recruitment process from job requisition to successful hiring.
Cost-per-Hire: Tracks the total costs associated with recruiting new hires, reflecting the RPO’s cost-effectiveness.
Hiring Manager Satisfaction: Gauge whether the recruitment services meet the expectations and needs of the internal stakeholders.
Quality of Hire: Assesses the competence and performance of new hires, indicating the RPO’s ability to source quality talent.

These indicators assist organizations in evaluating their RPO engagements against specific operational benchmarks.

Long-Term Business Impact

The long-term business impact of RPO extends beyond immediate recruitment metrics to how it optimizes the overall business process outsourcing framework:

Retention Rate: Long-term retention of recruits signifies successful integration and satisfaction, a testament to quality hiring.
Business Agility: How well the RPO facilitates organizational adaptation through workforce management reflects the program’s strategic value.

By mapping these factors, companies can determine how much RPO initiatives contribute to achieving broader business outcomes over time.

Final Thoughts

In the dynamic tapestry of today’s business world, Recruitment Process Outsourcing emerges not just as a trend but as a strategic imperative. This journey through the multifaceted world of RPO, from its evolution to its practical applications across various models and technologies, underscores its significance in shaping the future of talent acquisition.

RPO is more than just a hiring method; it’s a transformative partnership that aligns the pursuit of top-tier talent with an organization’s overarching goals. By leveraging the expertise of specialized RPO providers, companies gain access to a world of untapped potential, harnessing cutting-edge technology and innovative strategies to fill open positions and empower their workforce. The emphasis on employer branding, candidate experience, and strategic partnerships within RPO frameworks highlights a deep understanding of the nuanced interplay between a company’s reputation and ability to attract the right talent.

As businesses continue to navigate the ever-shifting landscapes of the global market, the agility and strategic insights offered by RPOs become invaluable. By embracing RPO, companies are not only optimizing their recruitment processes. They also lay the groundwork for sustainable growth, resilience, and competitive advantage in a world where the right talent is the cornerstone of success.

FAQs: Additional Insights into Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

Q: What are the specific advantages of RPO for startups and small businesses?

A: RPO offers startups and small businesses the advantage of accessing a wider talent pool, expertise in recruitment, and cost-effective solutions tailored to their unique needs and budget constraints. It allows them to compete effectively for top talent without the overhead of an in-house recruitment team.

Q: How does RPO adapt to industry-specific recruitment needs?

A: RPO providers tailor their recruitment strategies to meet the specific demands of various industries by leveraging their expertise in those sectors, utilizing industry-specific sourcing channels, and aligning recruitment processes with industry norms and expectations.

Q: Can RPO help in diversifying a company’s workforce?

A: Yes, RPO can significantly aid in diversifying a workforce. RPO providers use inclusive sourcing strategies and unbiased screening processes to attract and identify a diverse pool of candidates, supporting the company’s goals for diversity and inclusion.

Q: How do RPO providers ensure data security and confidentiality during the recruitment process?

A: RPO providers should implement stringent data security measures, including encryption, secure data storage, and compliance with data protection laws, to ensure the confidentiality and security of candidate and company information throughout the recruitment process.

Q: What role does AI play in enhancing the efficiency of RPO services?

A: AI in RPO services streamlines candidate sourcing, automates resume screening, enhances the precision of matching candidates to job requirements, and provides predictive analytics for better decision-making, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of the recruitment process.

Q: How does RPO contribute to a company’s employer branding strategy?

A: RPO contributes to employer branding by ensuring a consistent, positive candidate experience, reflecting the company’s values and culture in the recruitment process, and helping to communicate the employer brand effectively to potential candidates.

Q: How can RPO be customized for organizations undergoing rapid growth or expansion?

A: For rapidly growing organizations, RPO can be customized to offer scalable recruitment solutions, focus on strategic hiring for critical roles, provide market insights for expansion plans, and adapt quickly to the changing hiring needs of the organization.

Q: How do RPO providers measure and report on recruitment success and ROI to their clients?

A: RPO providers typically use key performance indicators (KPIs) like time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, quality of hire, and hiring manager satisfaction to measure and report recruitment success. They also analyze long-term metrics such as employee retention and contribution to business growth to demonstrate ROI.

Q: What ongoing support do RPO providers offer post-hiring to ensure new hire success and integration?

A: Post-hiring, RPO providers often offer ongoing support such as structured onboarding processes, performance monitoring, feedback mechanisms, and continuous communication to ensure successful integration and satisfaction of new hires within the company.

Q: Can RPO be integrated with a company’s existing HR technology and systems?

A: Yes, RPO can be integrated with a company’s existing HR technology and systems, including applicant tracking systems (ATS), HR management software, and other digital tools, to ensure a seamless and efficient recruitment process.

Uneven Bars: Diversity, Inclusion and Age Discrimination

When we think about the issues associated with “ageism” in today’s job market, we largely tend to first think of older, more experienced workers who live their lives – and livelihoods – in a somewhat precarious position, plagued by the widespread misperception that they are somehow past their professional prime.Older workers should be valued for their extensive experience and proven expertise, but instead, find themselves with the sword of Damocles perched perpetually over their heads (and headcount), seen largely as Luddites, stuck in the status quo, past their prime and imminently disposable.Time seems to be running out once workers reach a certain tenure, and while they say wisdom comes with experience. In the workforce today, however, the conventional wisdom among many newly minted Millennial managers is that more or less anyone over 40 (or anyone seen as relatively “old,” at least compared to their colleagues) represent what’s essentially a depreciating, disposable asset that’s likely long overdue for a trade-in.Junior Division: A Double Standard That’s Getting OldWhile age might be nothing but a number, it’s a significant workplace liability, too – and the more mileage you have on your resume, the likelier it is you’ll find yourself replaced by a newer model, so to speak. Look at most layoffs or reductions in force; inevitably, involuntary turnover disproportionately impacts established workers over their emerging colleagues.The fact that ageism runs rampant in the workplace is not news; at this point, it’s common knowledge bordering on corporate cliche. While the perception is that much of this phenomenon is driven by aspiring, driven younger workers proactively pushing out their older colleagues, the truth isn’t so simple and straightforward.Fact is, age-based discrimination can be just as pervasive, and just as detrimental, among less experienced, less tenured workers, too – particularly those who work within the tech space. While 2 out of every 3 older workers report having experienced some sort of age based discrimination at work, according to a report published by the BBC, a new, acute and equally pernicious form of ageism is increasingly impacting younger employees, too.For Gen Z, “Zillennial” and the youngest members of Gen Y, the rise of reverse ageism seems like a true Catch 22. In this lose-lose situation, the harder younger employees work, the more likely they are to be seen as doing too much, and thus, find themselves labeled as “overly ambitious.” On the other hand, if they do too little, or who eschew corporate politics and conventional career ladders are seen as lazy, apathetic, and, infamously, “entitled.”Younger workers, like generations before them, inevitably go against the status quo and challenge longstanding workplace norms and conventions; “how it’s always been done” doesn’t much matter to workers who want to do things differently. The emerging workforce, largely, is looking for change; veteran workers, by contrast, tend to stay well within their comfort zone. Passing the Torch: A Lesson Plan for Legacy SystemsThere has to be a happy medium, of course, one that can only be achieved when generations at work come together not as adversaries, but as professional peers. Younger workers’ insistence on staying on the cutting edge and constant change might well provide the nudge that older workers need to start thinking outside the box, and taking the sort of calculated risks that not only benefit their bigger businesses and bottom line results, but also, solidify their job security, too.Older workers tend to be dismissive of their less experienced colleagues and counterparts, yet that attitude of not taking younger employees seriously can aversely impact both the business impact and technological advancement of companies across industries, functions and sizes.The younger generation, conversely, also needs to realize that their “older” counterparts in fact have invaluable technological acumen and expertise, the type that can only be developed over time and honed with hands-on experience.They possess a foundational knowledge of critical business systems; while some of these legacy tools might seem anachronistic and antiquated, they remain foundational tools that remain at the core of business processes and policies.Minds are, after all, far easier to change than infrastructure – which is why every end user could use the institutional knowledge and insights of coworkers who have been there, done that – and done it well enough to ensure, at least, enough sustained growth to necessitate the hiring those same emerging workers who would see them put out to pasture.Major healthcare companies, the banking sector, the federal government and countless enterprise employers continue to rely on legacy systems that require, well, legacy knowledge.And while recent grads may be entering the workforce with differentiated tech skills and experience leveraging the most cutting edge tech and advanced software on the market, this is largely irrelevant for an employer whose business remains reliant on established enterprise systems and last-generation solutions.These instances are often highly customized and configured for each company’s business processes and policies. These seemingly obsolete technologies represent, in fact, years of large scale internal development and significant capital investment by a company to extend the lives, and legacies, of their Tier One tools.There’s no way this can be taught in any computer science classroom; not even the most advanced engineers and innovative developers can figure out, independently, how these stacks actually stack up. The only way to learn is by doing, and that lengthy experience many older workers have represents, in fact, years of extensive experiential learning. As long as companies continue to rely on proprietary platforms, outdated tools and otherwise obsolete technologies, emerging professionals are at an obvious disadvantage when compared to their more tenured counterparts. These younger workers would be wise to realize that working with, instead of against, experienced colleagues would create a significant competitive advantage, both personally and professionally.Going for Gold: Winning The Team Competition in Workplace Technology While these systems may seem stuck in the past, understanding these platforms will prove critical to informing and inspiring the company’s future tech stack and strategy – and only those emerging workers who actually know how things have always been done will have any insight – or influence – into how things can actually be done better.As I’ve been thinking about age discrimination in the tech industry, I was recently reminded that tech isn’t the only place with a pervasive ageism problem.All I had to do was turn on the Olympics, and sit back and listen.The commentators, and the crowds, roundly celebrates the 16 year old outlier whose 100 meter dash time crushes the competition, or the elite athleticism of the US Gymnastics team and the cutthroat competitors with the talent to somehow make this elite team. In a sport where competitors peak before their teen years are even over, we recognize how remarkable – and ephemeral – their athletic accomplishments truly are.But then again, as always, there are outliers – like 27 year old Simone Biles, whose reemergence onto the Olympic scene after over a decade of dominance has seen many dismiss her as too old for the competition, the media labeling her the team’s “grandmother” and wondering if her spot should have gone to an up-and-comer rather than an established star. After all, she’s already had her opportunity, said many commentators; maybe its time to move aside and let someone else have a place at the podium. And yet.Biles might be the most experienced gymnast on Team USA, but she’s also the most iconic. She’s been here before, and she knows what it takes to win gold, for both her team and as an individual. Much like older tech workers, she might not be what’s new or what’s next, but she has the ability to go for Gold right now.I think we can glean a few nuggets of wisdom from this disparity. Ageism is both too young and too old. When you hire young tech talent and recognize a special skill set early — foster it. The more support you give a promising younger employee, the more likely they will feel like a crucial part of the team. Encourage younger people to share their thoughts in meetings and actually listen to them. You just might discover an amazing new way of doing something.However, we must also encourage them to embrace their 40+ year old colleagues and learn from them. Over 40 in the tech industry is far from old, with many of these professionals holding critical skill sets that younger workers simply don’t possess.We can also learn another lesson from our U.S. Olympic teams in Paris — the power of teamwork. These athletes know that a teamwork mindset is needed to succeed. They know they are strongest together, regardless of age, and will rely on each other for success. Where a younger athlete will fill the skill gap in one area, an older teammate will fill the gap in another. Imagine a work environment where the vast experience and wisdom of older employees meet the new skill sets and fresh perspectives of younger employees. There, you have a winning scenario that benefits the employees, the team, and the company as a whole. The technology sector can take a page from the Olympics regarding ageism. When you play as a team, you win as a team—regardless of your teammates’ ages. About the Author: Angela Hood is a serial entrepreneur and visionary leader in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), focusing on talent acquisition and workforce diversity.Following four years of R&D at the University of Cambridge in England, in 2014, Angela returned to foundThisWay Global Inc. ,a company focused on leveraging AI and business automation to unlock human potential.It has since become one of the fastest growing SaaS automation companies in the world.Hood is a well-respected thought leader and international keynote speaker on the topics of mitigating bias using artificial intelligence, the ROI of diversity and human-centric automation.

How — and Why — to Track Your Employee Training Program

Training is a vital part of any business’s long-term growth plan. In fact, a study from the American Society for Training and Development found that organizations that invest the most in employee training have 218 percent higher income per employee.And to make matters even better, employees actually want to be trained. In a 2017 Randstad US survey, 82 percent of employees said lifelong learning is important, 67 percent said they need more training and development opportunities from their employers.But if you want to be sure that your training and development programs are actually delivering these kinds of results, you need to start by tracking employee progress. Otherwise, you won’t have any window into how things are going — and how they could be better.How to Track Employee Training ProgressEvery business leader wants to know whether the time, effort, and money being invested in a project is paying off — and that includes employee training. Training programs can generate tons of value for both your business and employees when done right.You should never put employee training on autopilot! It’s important to be proactive with your efforts so you can make improvements on the fly to make training more engaging and more worth your while.There are typically two ways to track your employee training: using a learning management system or doing it the old-fashioned way with a spreadsheet. Here is a brief overview of each:1. Using a Learning Management SystemA learning management system (LMS) is a tool employers can use to manage employee training programs. As an added bonus, most LMSs come with built-in tracking and reporting capabilities.Here are the pros and cons of using an LMS to deliver and track employee development:Pros:• Cost-effective due to remotely accessible nature — no need to pay for trainers or travel.• Consistent training of employees across all locations.• Contributes to continuous employee development because learning materials can be accessed regularly.• Best used for compliance training, as LMSs can provide proof of course completion.• Tracking is built into the LMS.Cons:• When not used properly, LMSs can become more like administrative software to simply store videos, manuals, and training content, rather than dynamic training solutions. Studies show that employees can forget 70 percent of what they’ve within just a couple of days after taking a course on an LMS, suggesting many LMSs are not used to their full potential.• An LMS is best used as a tool to deliver courses with a clearly defined goal, like compliance, security courses, or training about specific products and services.• LMSs are not necessarily suitable for all work environments. For example, hourly workers in frontline industries cannot access job training through a desktop-focused LMS. Mobile-first solutions may work better for these types of employees.• A company admin controls every aspect of training through an LMS, including content and pacing. Without autonomy over how they learn, employees may find LMS content dull and repetitive. Adaptability and end-user customization are particularly important for younger Gen. Z employees, who have come to expect a certain level of personalization from technology.• Research proves that struggle and failure are critical components of the learning process, but many LMSs are centered around a more passive delivery system of watching videos and checking boxes, which may not be conducive to optimal learning.• Reporting capabilities can vary from LMS to LMS. Some systems have robust tracking options, but others only track employee progress through simple scores that lack granular insight.• An LMS may be expensive to scale as your company grows.2. Using a Manual SystemThe second most common way for employers to track their employee training programs is through spreadsheets, like Excel. Manual tracking is an ideal solution if you only need a small amount of data, lack the budget for a more focused reporting software solution, or have no other options availablePros:• Very easy to implement.• Little to no overhead costs.• No need for additional hardware or software.Cons:• Can be incredibly time- and labor-intensive, depending on the size of your organization.• Manual systems can be easily applied to all forms of employee training, especially more complex and dynamic training.—As the employee training technology space continues to grow, we’re seeing new solutions for managing and tracking employee development every day. My advice? Research the available tools and figure out which ones meet your needs in terms of budget, headcount, functionality, and more.The success of your employee training program depends on getting your tracking system right.Sam Caucci is founder and CEO of 1Huddle.Get the top recruiting news and insights delivered to your inbox every week. Sign up for the Recruiter Today newsletter.

Keeping Employees Connected and Projects on Track in a Remote Work Environment

Before the pandemic, 17 percent of US employees worked remotely full-time. Now, it’s closer to 44 percent.More businesses than ever before are operating without physical headquarters or offices, giving their employees lots of flexibility around their work schedules and workplaces. And it is safe to say that these remote work policies are here to stay, with 73 percent of workers saying they’d like to continue telecommuting in some capacity after the pandemic.There was a time when remote work wasn’t even a possibility, mainly due to the lack of technology and tools necessary for distributed teams to stay connected and collaborate efficiently. These days, that’s no longer a problem: Plenty of apps now exist to improve the remote work experience and increase employee productivity.Adapting to the remote work world has not been easy for everyone, but I believe many companies could overcome the challenges of telecommuting by investing in the right tech tools. There’s no perfect equation for a flawless remote work tech stack, but here are some platforms and programs that can surely make your remote team more efficient and organized:Tools for Staying ConnectedOne of the biggest concerns about remote work is effective communication between employees. After all, communication is foundational to an optimal collaborative environment. Therefore, reliable instant messaging and video conferencing platforms are necessities.One of the most popular instant messaging apps in the market, Slack offers a simple way for teams to stay in touch. It integrates with other business applications, like customer relationship management (CRM) tools, for added ease of use. Meanwhile, GoToMeeting offers a reliable video conferencing program, with some important features like a “smart meeting assistant” that allows users to record meetings in the form of both audio/video and written transcriptsLoom is another useful tool that blends video conferencing with instant messaging. Loom allows users to record and share short video messages, which can be a much more efficient communication channel than emailing and instant messaging.Tools to Manage ProjectsEffective project management is vital to keeping work on track in a remote environment, but it can also be challenging to manage a project when everyone isn’t in the same room together. As a result, leaders need tools to help them track the stages of a project, follow up on tasks, and delegate to team members.Basecamp is a project management platform where users can create different spaces and timelines for different departments and projects. In addition, admins can create checklist templates to ensure the same steps are followed consistently between projects, and members of each project team can manage their past, current, and future tasks in one place.Asana is another popular project management tool. What I like about Asana is that it offers three main views to choose from: list, timeline, and boards. Teams can select the views that best fit their projects, and no matter which they choose, admins can define workflows and add insights and instructions for team members. Asana also includes some handy reporting tools that help leaders keep track of the team’s progress and workload with real-time charts and status updates.Trello is a good choice for those who prefer a visual representation of projects and tasks. A Trello board consists of lists and cards that contain detailed information about tasks, including who is responsible for the task, when it’s due, related attachments, and relevant productivity metrics.Technology + Talent = Remote Work SuccessRemote work brings new freedom and flexibility to companies and employees, which is why so many have embraced it. However, employers will need to put some new standards in place to ensure employees continue performing at their best while telecommuting.Luckily, the technology is now available for employees to enjoy the benefits of a remote role while staying connected with colleagues and staying on top of their tasks. As a result, companies can continue offering remote work options while minimizing the challenges of overseeing a distributed team.As companies continue building remote teams of talent from around the world, they’ll need to rely on the right tools and platforms to encourage productivity and teamwork in the virtual work environment. It is important to note that the tools highlighted above — and any other tools your company may adopt for remote work — are most effective when employees adopt them with accountability, trust, and discipline. Given the inherent autonomy of remote work, employees must do their part in leveraging the right tools to reach higher levels of productivity and get the most out of working remotely.Lesley Pyle, MSc, is founder and CEO of HireMyMom.com.Get the top recruiting news and insights delivered to your inbox every week. Sign up for the Recruiter Today newsletter.

4 Ways to Advance in Your Industry Without an Internship

Working an internship is good for more than just earning college credit — it’s also an opportunity to make valuable connections in your preferred professional field and gain real-life work experience.However, many college students have a tough choice to make this season: accept an unpaid internship to get a foot in the door of their target career, or find a summer job to help pay for school.If financial constraints mean an unpaid internship is off the table for you, don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to boost your resume and advance in your career, even if you can’t take an internship.1. Leverage Your Work ExperienceRoughly a quarter of Americans have participated in an unpaid internship, according to a recent survey from Student Loan Hero. What’s more, almost half of them (47 percent) took on debt as a result.If you’d rather have a paying gig than go into debt for an internship, look for ways to reframe your experience working a traditional summer job to your advantage.“If people have been working any kind of job, even if it’s a restaurant job, you’re developing a skill set,” says Daisy Swan, career and executive coach. “A resume really needs to be built around those skills.”Look back on your summer jobs and think about how the skills you honed in those roles might translate to the kinds of jobs you’re seeking now. Swan recommends avoiding vague, general descriptors that fall flat on the page when adding those skills to your resume. In particular, steer clear of more tentative language like “worked,” “helped,” “supported,” or “assisted.” Instead, opt for more active descriptions, like:• Provided excellent customer service• Resolved complex problems for customers• Managed busy phone lines and emails2. Play Up Skills You Learned Outside of WorkYour work experience is a vital component of your resume, but the education section can also give employers a good idea of your capabilities. Reflect on relevant school projects or clubs you were involved with. Might those experiences be sources of transferable skills, too? For example, if you took a course where you learned to build a website, you could highlight that fact when applying to jobs that involve web design and programming.Don’t limit yourself to formal schooling, either. Swan says you can draw on coding bootcamps, one-off online classes, and personal professional development courses you may have taken.Volunteer opportunities can be another great way to pick up valuable skills that add extra punch to your resume. While volunteer work may be unpaid, it usually has a flexible enough arrangement that you can volunteer while still holding down a paying job. Just like an internship, volunteering can also result in full-time work down the line, and it may make you eligible for student loan assistance after graduation, depending on your degree and the volunteer work you do.3. Consider an ApprenticeshipInternships aren’t the only way to gain relevant work experience in your future profession. Many employers across a variety of industries use apprenticeship programs to train and recruit new hires — and, unlike internships, apprenticeships offer competitive wages in addition to on-the-job training, course work, and mentorship. The US Department of Labor maintains a database of nationwide openings.Your target employer may lack a formal program, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be open to the idea of taking you on as a paid apprentice or post-graduate intern.“Get very proactive and targeted about who you want to work for,” says Swan. “If you find a company and you want to offer yourself as an apprentice, you can reach out to them.”4. Include a Profile Section in Your ResumeThe average recruiter only spends about 7.4 seconds reviewing each new resume they come across, according to Ladders. That underscores just how important it is to make sure your resume stands out immediately.Swan recommends tailoring your resume to each individual job opening that’s a potential fit for you in the employment market. “Use the job description as a kind of map for your resume,” she says. “You really write it for the position.”Swan also suggests adding a brief profile section to the top of your resume, which can be a particularly effective strategy for candidates who lack formal work or internship experience. This profile gives you space to highlight characteristics that make you special — like the fact that you’re a go-getter who self-financed part or all of your education.—If you have to take summer jobs in lieu of unpaid internships, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re at a disadvantage. In fact, you may be able to spin your work experience as a positive thing. Some employers will see your choice to take a paying job as a testament to your work ethic and character.Marianne Hayes is a longtime freelance writer and content marketing specialist.Get the top recruiting news and insights delivered to your inbox every week. Sign up for the Recruiter Today newsletter.