Dr. Steve Safier, PhD, Laura O'Neill Guerrieri, MA and Dave Fineman’s Integrated Talent Management Strategies class was privileged to host @Laurie Chamberlin, Head of LHH Recruitment Solutions, North America, part of the Adecco Group. Laurie shared many wonderful insights about developments in Talent Acquisition and in the internal and external markets for talent.
Laurie indicated that, with the unemployment rate in the US low in recent months and employees focused on expanding their career growth options, many organizations are relying on integrated programs to upgrade and upskill their current staff. To seize on upskilling and reskilling opportunities, it is important for employers to look at their staff in a new light.
With employees and candidates prioritizing employment opportunities that bring them purpose and committing to organizations that possess a strong brand message and mission, employers must focus on creating an employee value proposition across different career phases that allow employees to bring their authentic selves to work every day. One element that is increasingly impacting the talent marketplace is the way that organizations respond to cultural and external community events.
Laurie identified the expansion of the Gig economy, the role of advanced technology and AI and the value that employees place on working towards “a sense of purpose” as additional drivers of change in the talent marketplace. Moreover, employees and candidates are looking for increased flexibility in their work environment and success attributes. In general, although advanced technology has increased its presence in the workplace with new metrics and performance indicators, organizations cannot lose the personal touch that creates the bond across workers and builds stakeholder networks. Laurie noted that while employers fall into one of two organizational design camps (person-based or job-based designs), they can nuance their hiring practices to precisely target skills, experiences or competencies that are critical to the role.
Laurie concluded her remarks with some advice to our students. She encouraged them to be honest in their assessment and prioritization of what about work, about their employer and about their career are important to them. She recommended that our students become life-long learners both inside and outside the work environment. Finally, she suggested that our students always examine how they can help their organization achieve corporate goals and objectives, help their colleagues be successful and further the organization’s brand image.
