In today's competitive landscape, securing professionals with the precise skills demanded by job roles is increasingly challenging. This struggle drives up salaries, delays hiring, and fosters reliance on costly contract resources. Moreover, the imperative to enhance workforce diversity adds another layer of complexity. At NETbuilder, we propose a different approach: cultivating early career professionals and equipping them with both technical skills and organizational knowledge so that they are ready to contribute to the organizations they join from day one.
In this series, we delve into the strategies essential for nurturing on-demand digital professionals and continuously developing them to ensure their retention. Our journey begins with the pivotal stage of candidate attraction.
A prime example of successful talent attraction is exemplified by the 'Brailsford Years' in British cycling. Sir Dave Brailsford's renowned 'aggregation of marginal gains' philosophy was underpinned by his ability to attract top talent. British Cycling's Go-Ride program introduced youngsters to cycling, fostering skills development. Once in the program the riders with the highest capability were offered opportunities to race in ever more elite teams until the point they qualified for the GB cycling team. This structured pathway identified and nurtured talent, culminating in Olympic podium aspirations. Similarly, in the business world, attracting a wide pool of potential talent and methodically identifying the most suitable candidates is paramount.
Diversity is key to organizational strength. To achieve genuine diversity, casting a wide net beyond traditional channels is essential. Tailoring job advertisements to resonate with diverse communities, whether based on ethnicity, gender, or any other background, is crucial. This targeted approach ensures inclusivity and broadens the talent pool.
Enter SkillsNow, NETbuilder's innovative solution revolutionizing talent acquisition and development. HireNow, the recruitment application within SkillsNow, streamlines every aspect of the hiring process, from attraction, application, assessment to onboarding and beyond. With its flexibility, company recruiters can launch tailored campaigns across various online platforms, reaching diverse audiences. The platform's automated assessment capabilities ensure efficient candidate screening, matching skills with job requirements seamlessly.
By automating recruitment processes, companies can bypass traditional recruitment agencies, minimizing costs and streamlining hiring. This paradigm shift in talent acquisition, when combined with a tailored training program, offers a scalable solution to address skill shortages and promote diversity effectively.
A good example of the power of this approach is Inchscape, a $6.4bn global vehicle distributor. SkillsNow provided the platform to accelerate hiring, learning and continuous development across three continents, in just 12 months SkillsNow facilitated the hiring and training of over 800 new recruits for two new digital delivery centres in Phillipines and Columbia, and upskilling a further 1,500 existing Inchscape employees. By having one platform, managed centrally, and used by local hiring managers the hiring process was consistent, cost effective and timely.
In conclusion, the landscape of talent acquisition is evolving rapidly. Embracing disruptive technologies like SkillsNow enables organizations to create the skills for new job openings on demand, efficiently and cost effectively while fostering diversity. By creating digital professionals on demand, companies can navigate the complexities of modern recruitment with agility and success.