Solution: Talent Advisory

Reimaging Talent Assessment: A Digital-First Platform for Smarter and More Streamlined Talent Acquisition

Posted on by akessler

The traditional recruitment process often involves a series of stages, including initial screening, psychometric testing, skills evaluation, video interview, face-to-face interview or assessment center. While each step helps in discerning a candidate’s suitability for a role, the cumulative effect of an extended assessment timeline can prove detrimental. From delayed decision-making to candidate attrition, the repercussions of a lengthy recruitment process reverberate across the hiring journey, impacting both employers and candidates.

In today’s dynamic talent acquisition environment, organizations that can shorten the recruitment process hire better talent, reduce their vacancy rates and ultimately boost their business performance.

That’s why PeopleScout is proud to introduce the One Experience Assessment (1XP), a digital-first advancement designed to innovate the way talent is evaluated. 1XP is changing the game in recruitment technology by simplifying the recruitment journey. By merging multiple talent assessment stages into one coherent, efficient experience, 1XP boosts efficiency, improves candidate quality and enhances retention.

1XP for Candidates: Streamlined Processes & Practical Job Previews

1XP’s brilliance lies in its fusion of diverse assessment techniques—like realistic job previews, situational judgement, aptitude, skills and video interview assessments—into one integrated experience. This allows candidates to demonstrate a wider range of their skills and potential while providing employers with a comprehensive view of each applicant. The outcome is an optimized match between candidates and roles, based on a full understanding of their skills and character.

For candidates, the process is straightforward. Rather than navigating a sequence of separate invitations and assessment stages, they receive a single invitation to complete everything at once. This not only condenses the timeline but also significantly streamlines the candidate experience by eliminating the need to validate their qualifications repeatedly throughout the traditional process.

Furthermore, the One Experience Assessment offers candidates a vivid preview of the role for which they are applying. By simulating real-world scenarios and challenges, 1XP enables candidates to immerse themselves in the day-to-day realities of the job. This immersive preview not only helps in managing candidates’ expectations but also ensures that individuals who proceed to the next stages are those who are truly interested and prepared for the specific demands and culture of the role. It’s a strategic approach that not only empowers candidates but also aligns talent acquisition with long-term role fulfilment and employee satisfaction.

1XP for Talent Acquisition Teams: Faster Hiring & Improved Quality

The advantages for organizations are equally significant. Allowing candidates to undertake multiple assessments in one session greatly shortens the hiring timeline and reduces the likelihood of candidate withdrawal. This efficiency is further enhanced by an automated scoring system that expedites the evaluation process, except for elements like the video interview. Consequently, recruiters and hiring managers can more quickly focus their efforts on the most promising candidates, equipped with a thorough understanding of their abilities.

As more candidates begin to explore the use of Generative AI (GenAI) to aid in their job application processes, the One Experience Assessment (1XP) maintains a decisive edge. Unlike typical assessments that might be outwitted by AI, 1XP’s sophisticated assessment design demands genuine human input and adaptability. By incorporating interactive tasks and live video challenges, 1XP creates a complex environment where the scripted responses of AI fall short. This ensures that each candidate’s performance is an authentic reflection of their true abilities, preserving the integrity and trustworthiness of the recruitment process.

Transforming Talent Assessment: Spotlight Case Studies

Here are just two examples of how PeopleScout is leveraging 1XP to elevate talent acquisition for our clients.

Financial Services Organization: Increasing Assessment Pass Rate by 78%

Facing challenges in recruiting high-quality, productive claims advisors, a leading financial services organization turned to PeopleScout’s 1XP for a solution. The new approach not only made the process more convenient for candidates and significantly reduced the time to hire, but it also eliminated the reliance on previous customer contact experience—focusing instead on skills and potential, which greatly expanded the talent pool.

The results speak for themselves: the pass rate at the assessment center stage jumped to 73%, from the previous 41%—a 78% increase. New hires were recognized for their motivation to succeed, willingness to learn and positive mindset, demonstrating the effectiveness of 1XP in identifying and attracting quality candidates.

Heathrow Airport: Reducing Time-to-Hire to Just Eight Days

The adoption of the 1XP at Heathrow Airport revolutionized the recruitment process for security officers, a role critical for the safety of millions of travellers. This transformation was not only about making the recruitment process more accessible and engaging but also significantly more efficient.

👉 Check out the full case study.

By implementing a fully virtual and immersive recruitment journey through 1XP, this organization was able to reduce the time-to-hire from several weeks to just eight days, streamlining the entire process and enabling a faster response to operational needs. Additionally, the candidate experience was greatly enhanced, reflected in a candidate Net Promoter Score (cNPS) of +70 for the whole process. This not only indicates high satisfaction among candidates but also underscores the success of the 1XP in creating a positive and engaging recruitment experience.

Ready to Revolutionize Your Recruitment Process?

The One Experience Assessment is redefining talent acquisition standards. By focusing on efficiency, enhancing the candidate experience, and providing a deep understanding of each applicant, it emerges as a model of innovation in the recruitment landscape. For organizations aiming to secure and retain top talent in today’s competitive market, adopting this digital-first strategy could be the key to a successful recruitment future.

Contact us now to learn more about how PeopleScout’s ground-breaking 1XP solution can streamline your recruitment process, enhance the candidate experience, and significantly improve the quality of your hires.

Amplifiers™: Assessment Transformation

Posted on by akessler

PeopleScout Amplifiers™: Assessment Transformation

As part of our suite of modular recruiting solutions, Amplifiers™, PeopleScout’s Assessment Transformation empowers you to deploy talent assessments that not only enhance the recruitment experience for candidates but also help you secure top-notch, future-ready talent with cutting-edge technology and visionary design.

Download this fact sheet to learn more.

Download Fact Sheet

Learn more about PeopleScout’s Amplifiers™ and get answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Learn More

Dig into More Talent Insights

Solution Guide: PeopleScout Amplifiers™
Fact Sheets

Solution Guide: PeopleScout Amplifiers™

PeopleScout Amplifiers™: How Modular Recruitment Solutions Can Supercharge Your Talent Outcomes Traditional recruitment approaches are failing to meet the demands of today’s dynamic business environment. Companies need agility, scalability and specialized expertise without the overhead of full-scale recruitment process outsourcing. Enter PeopleScout Amplifiers™—modular RPO solutions to augment your team where you need it in your…

Specialist Hiring: Maximizing Success with Targeted Talent Sourcing  
Case Studies

Specialist Hiring: Maximizing Success with Targeted Talent Sourcing  

Situation  A local authority in the southwest of England had a robust talent acquisition team but required additional support for front-end headhunting and sourcing assignments. A new and niche position for a harbor master demanded a comprehensive strategy to locate the right specialist.   A habor master ensures the safety of all users of a harbor,…

Why Small and Medium Enterprises Should Consider Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Articles

Why Small and Medium Enterprises Should Consider Recruitment Process Outsourcing

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face unique challenges in attracting and retaining top talent. Limited resources, lack of dedicated recruitment teams, and the need for agility in hiring can often put smaller businesses at a disadvantage.   That’s where Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) comes in— a versatile strategy that businesses of all sizes can leverage to…

Recruiting Registered Nurses for Aged Care

Posted on by akessler
Recruiting Registered Nurses for Aged Care

Aged Care Recruitment

Recruiting Registered Nurses for Aged Care

An Australian aged care provider needed to source critical healthcare roles in their most hard-to-fill locations. PeopleScout’s sourcing expertise and EVP insights helped them exceed their targets in one of the tightest candidate markets in memory.

600 + candidates screened
No drop outs occurred across the entire recruitment process
4 months to fill critical vacancies

Challenge

The client is one of Australia’s largest aged care operators, with 72 residential aged care homes in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. The aged care sector in Australia is suffering from a major skills shortage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, international border closures and a large number of workers leaving the sector.

The aged care provider turned to PeopleScout for project recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) to support the recruitment of registered nurses and support staff across a number of critical locations where they were getting little to no response to their vacancies. 

Solution

Two senior recruitment business partners supported the client across five locations who drove passive and active recruitment for registered nurses and aged care workers. PeopleScout researched the client’s target market to understand what motivates workers in the healthcare sector to accept a role. Following this, our team provided recommendations on the lifestyle bonuses they could offer as incentives for workers to travel to their locations. We also coached the client on how to boost their employer brand to raise awareness of their opportunities, which has delivered a long-term impact within a challenging market.

Results

PeopleScout worked within the aged care provider’s existing ATS system and screened over 600 candidates. We were able to speed up the process for successful candidates and in a number of locations achieved zero dropouts throughout the screening and background check process.

Over a 4-month period, our team placed 14 permanent positions across:

  • Registered Nurses
  • Personal Care Workers
  • Hospitality Support

With a large worker exodus across the sector, recruitment in the aged care sector in Australia is still an ongoing challenge. However, PeopleScout has proven our ability to make a significant impact in a short period of time.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Aged care provider
  • INDUSTRY
    Healthcare
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Recruitment Process Outsourcing, Talent Advisory
  • ABOUT THE CLIENT
    This healthcare provider manages 72 residential aged care homes across Australia, supporting over 8,000 residents and their families at an important time in their lives.
Let’s Connect

Talent Insights Inform Search for Executive Leader for Healthcare System

Posted on by akessler
Talent Insights Inform Search for Executive Leader for Healthcare System

Healthcare Recruiting

Talent Insights Inform Search for Executive Leader for Healthcare System

A non-profit healthcare system engaged their RPO partner, PeopleScout, for talent insights to boost their search for a highly competitive new Chief Analytics Officer.

Situation 

A non-profit healthcare network was seeking a Chief Analytics Officer based in a large city in the United States where they’re headquartered. Other requirements for the role included experience in AI and data management platforms.  

They had engaged an executive search firm but weren’t seeing results. As their long-term healthcare RPO partner, PeopleScout’s dedicated talent advisory practice stepped in to provide the healthcare provider with an in-depth analysis of the talent market to support a more targeted search. 

Solution 

The PeopleScout Talent Advisory team worked with the client to define the most pertinent job characteristics and review job skills and compensation. This ensured that the role was aligned with the capabilities in AI and data management that the client required.  

Our analysis focused on the talent market in their required location to show the size of the talent pool that possessed their required skills. We were able to determine that there were less than 10 potential candidates based in that city that had all the skills they were looking for. The report we produced showed how adjusting their requirements would affect the size of the available talent pool.  

Here’s what we found: 

  • We identified candidates living in other cities that were currently commuting large distances during the week for work. This helped the client see if they relaxed their location requirement or were open to a flexible work arrangement (i.e., two-weeks working in the city, two-weeks working at home), they could grow their talent pool significantly. 
  • We uncovered a pattern that most people in similar roles had a tenure of approximately two to three years before switching jobs, usually after delivering a data transformation project. We advised the client that people who were only a year to 18 months into their current role may be less interested in switching. The optimum level of two to three years of tenure would make candidates more open to moving. 
  • We noticed a pattern that many people with the relevant skills were working as independent consultants. This revealed an additional pool of candidates who might be interested in going back to full-time work which the client hadn’t considered.  
  • We also found that many of the qualified candidates worked in financial services and might be receiving salaries on the high end of the spectrum. This helped the client reset expectations around the compensation range in order to secure the right person for the role.  

Results 

The talent insights we shared showed the client that flexing their requirements for the position could expand the talent pool in different ways. This data helped the healthcare company to make more informed decisions about the sourcing strategy for their new Chief Analytics Officer. 

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Healthcare Network
  • INDUSTRY
    Healthcare
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Talent Advisory
  • ABOUT THE CLIENT
    The client is an American non-profit healthcare company and integrated delivery network.
Let’s Connect

Healthcare Talent Shortage: Changing Demographics, Growing Demand & Shifting Skills

Posted on by epadmin

As the world of work transforms, the healthcare industry is at the epicenter of change. The industry is growing rapidly and facing a healthcare talent shortage and skills gaps. At the same time, the accelerating pace of medical and technological advancements means medical professionals must constantly adapt to new breakthroughs and changing expectations. Talent acquisition and HR professionals need to be ready to meet the growing challenge. To do so, they must understand the full picture of the healthcare talent landscape.

Is a Generational Change Creating a Healthcare Talent Shortage?

The industry is facing challenges in both supply and demand. Hospitals and Health Networks magazine calls the generational change “the most powerful force operating in our health system right now.”

On the supply side, the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and according to Becker’s Hospital Review, one-third of practicing physicians are more than 55-years old and nearing retirement. Replacing doctors and surgeons who have decades of experience is challenging, as those earlier in their careers lack the years of training, education and on-the-job hours. The next generation in the workforce, Generation X, is relatively small. While the millennial generation is the largest generation in the workforce, the oldest millennials are nearly 40 years old, and some of Gen Z are too young even to start medical school. As baby boomers retire, these generations will have to fill that gap.

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On the other side of this equation, the overall population is aging, with 10,000 Americans turn 65-years-old every day. Caring for an aging population will require even more healthcare professionals.

As baby boomers age, the demand for healthcare is increasing, including home health services, long-term and aged care. Chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer are becoming more common with nearly half of the American population suffering from a chronic illness. According to a study JAMA Internal Medicine, , baby boomers have a longer lifespan but higher rates of hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. This means the largest generation to reach retirement age will likely also need more healthcare than any previous generation

The Healthcare Talent Shortage

The aging baby boomer generation is fueling industry growth. The healthcare industry is predicted to be the largest driver of growth in the U.S. economy through most of the next decade. Yet, most healthcare organizations continue to experience strains as the healthcare talent shortage increases. This is a multi-pronged issue driven by increased demand, retirement, burnout and a lack of new healthcare professional entering the field complicating healthcare recruitment.

And experts predict the healthcare talent shortage will only get worse. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the country will face a shortage of 195,400 nurses by the year 2031. While doctors and nurses are the most visible employees in the healthcare industry, growth in the industry will impact positions throughout the sector. An increase in patients, hospital visits and appointments will call for more support staff, like clinic support, medical technicians, billing and coding professionals and even non-clinical hospital staff like janitorial and food service.

Laboratory technicians are facing many of the same labor challenges as physicians and nurses. Many are reaching retirement age, and retirements are expected to accelerate. Replacing them will tough, as the number of students graduating from laboratory technician programs is declining.

Plus, due to a shift towards home-based care, home health aide shortages are projected to grow significantly. The BLS predicts that the number of openings for home health and personal health roles will increase 37% by 2028.

Healthcare Talent Shortage

Less visible roles are also impacted by healthcare talent shortages. The medical coding profession has been plagued for years by a shortage of coders. Job growth for the position accelerated after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and experts expect that growth to continue along with the rest of the industry.

A Transforming Workplace

In addition to the healthcare staffing challenges, the healthcare industry is not immune to the changes impacting organizations across the country—like the digitization of services and the growing gig economy. The healthcare industry is always experiencing change due to technological advancement, medical research and new regulations. However, to adapt to these trends, organizations will need to seek out talent in different ways and find people with new skill sets.

Use of telemedicine and virtual care expanded during COVID-19 and are continuing to rise as a way to improve access. Jobs in these types of workplaces require different technology and communication skills than more traditional hospital and clinic jobs.

While many think of the gig economy as a place for creatives or rideshare drivers, the contingent workforce is taking on a greater role in healthcare. SIA reports that hospitals are turning to contract physicians and traveling nurses to deal with the talent shortage. Some practitioners are turning to this freelance work to boost their earning potential, and the system helps increase staffing at rural healthcare facilities that struggle with healthcare recruiting.

Large hospitals are also bringing in a greater share of doctors due to consolidation within the industry. Since 2019, over 100,000 private practice doctors have transitioned into employees of larger corporate healthcare organizations. Nearly three-quarters of physicians are part of larger healthcare systems in the U.S., a record high.

A Necessary Response

To remain competitive in this challenging talent landscape, healthcare organizations must take a proactive approach to planning their workforces, sourcing and recruiting talent, retaining workers and appealing to millennials and Generation Z workers who will fill the roles of retiring baby boomers.

Areas across the United States are already feeling the impact of the healthcare talent shortage, and experts say the pressure will only grow. Organizations need to respond now to prepare. Here are some steps companies in the healthcare industry should take to manage skills shortages and how technology can help.

Internal Talent Mobility: Filling Skills Gaps with Your Existing Workforce 

Posted on by akessler

With labor shortages and intensifying talent scarcity, hiring challenges are only increasing, impacting all industries. To tackle these hiring difficulties, many leaders look to external solutions like expanding their talent pool or enhancing their employer brand. However, one of the most effective and sustainable solutions is already inside your organization. Developing existing employees through internal talent mobility is key to filling skills gaps now and in the future. 

Keep reading to learn more about internal mobility, why internal mobility programs are crucial for future success and how you can leverage reskilling and upskilling programs to facilitate internal mobility at your organization.  

What is Internal Mobility? 

The goal of internal mobility is to match your existing talent to open positions through internal transfers, job rotations, secondments and promotions. An internal mobility program is a structured process that facilitates the movement of employees, both vertically to higher or lower positions as well as laterally between roles at the same level. These programs are often anchored in reskilling and upskilling initiatives focused on developing employees’ skills and capabilities to meet evolving organizational needs. 

Reskilling programs aim to provide training to help employees gain new skills that allow them to transition into different roles or business areas. For example, a finance employee can reskill to learn data analytics and move into a business intelligence role. 

Upskilling programs focus on building additional skills and competencies related to an employee’s current role or expanding their knowledge in their field. For example, a marketing manager can upskill their digital marketing capabilities in social media and digital advertising platforms to take on a more strategic role in the department.  

The Benefits of Internal Talent Mobility 

A strategic focus on internal mobility provides both talent management and bottom-line benefits for an organization, including: 

  • Improved employee retention and engagement: Providing clear paths for career development and advancement within the company increases employee satisfaction and loyalty. Employees feel valued and motivated when they see opportunity for upward or lateral mobility. 
  • Stronger talent pipeline: An internal mobility program creates a robust pipeline of qualified candidates for open roles from within. According to research from LinkedIn, organizations that leverage skills-first hiring expand their talent pool by nearly 10x on average compared to those simply looking for similar job titles or industry experience.  
  • Cost savings: It is typically more cost effective to fill a position internally rather than externally recruit, onboard and train new hires. Internal mobility is a strategic talent management approach. 
  • Improved performance: Internal candidates have organizational and cultural knowledge, so they are often able to transition and ramp up faster in new roles. Data from Spotted Zebra shows that internal movers reach competence 20% faster than external hires and are twice as likely to be rated as top performers in their role. 
  • Improved diversity: Internal mobility provides opportunities for improved representation and diversity in leadership by developing and advancing talent from within. 
  • Agility and flexibility: Having an internal bench of qualified candidates enables organizational agility to swiftly mobilize talent to meet emerging needs. 

The Lack of Investment in Internal Talent Mobility Programs 

Despite the benefits, internal mobility is not being prioritized by most HR leaders. Given the challenges recruiting skilled talent, we expected to see internal mobility as HR leaders’ default strategy to tackle skills shortages. However, through our research report, The Skills Crisis Countdown, we found that nearly a third (30%) of HR leaders admitted they simply do not view reskilling and upskilling as a priority and only 37% of organizations have formal reskilling and upskilling programs in place. Even in areas of high priority like technology advancement, there appears to be a lack of focus on mobility and development. When we asked HR leaders about how they’re preparing their workforce for the implementation of new technologies, only a fifth (20%) said they’re investing in upskilling initiatives to enhance current employee technological skillsets.  

The lack of skills development is echoed by employees. A quarter of employees report their employer has not been offered opportunities to upskill or reskill. A third (34%) of workers have doubts about how their skills will keep pace with new technology and automation. With transformations on the horizon for many roles due to technological advancements, ensuring employees’ skills evolve along with their jobs is essential for organizations.  

The Key to Internal Mobility: Reskilling and Upskilling 

Ongoing reskilling and upskilling of employees is crucial to enabling effective internal mobility. As business needs evolve and new technologies emerge, employees’ skills and competencies must also progress to keep pace. Providing internal development opportunities allows employees to gain the updated capabilities required for critical roles, increasing their eligibility and readiness to transition into new positions. By making learning core to the culture, reskilling and upskilling initiatives ensure organizations can source top talent from within. 

Implementing Successful Upskilling 

For your upskilling programs, you need an accurate understanding of your employees’ current skills and future needs. Our research showed most HR leaders rely on subjective manager feedback rather than taking a data-driven approach. 

To get ahead of emerging skills gaps, perform a skills audit and compare that to how your existing roles will evolve in the coming years. Identify both the competencies your employees need to be effective in their roles as they develop into the future and any deficiencies they have now.  

Once you understand the lay of the land, you can develop continuous upskilling initiatives to grow your employees’ high-value skills over time in alignment with technological advancements. Proactively upskilling employees will keep your workforce on the cutting edge of skill set transformations. 

Implementing Successful Reskilling 

Reskilling programs also require an understanding of the existing capabilities of your workforce and the required competencies for emerging roles. This allows you to accurately match employees to opportunities they can transition into successfully. 

Rather than relying on subjective manager interviews, utilize skills-based assessments. This provides data-driven insights into employees’ technical aptitudes and behavioral strengths. You can then align these skill profiles with the requirements of your new roles. 

For example, PeopleScout partnered with a global financial services company to take a skills-based approach for a major digital transformation initiative. By identifying the best candidates for reskilling, we helped employees move from declining customer service roles into new tech-focused positions, saving the company $2 million in exit costs and reduced training dropouts dramatically. The company gained the critical future-focused skills it required while providing career growth opportunities to its valuable existing employees. 

Internal Mobility & RPO: Your Partner in Sustainable Workforce Planning 

Over half (56%) of HR leaders report resistance to change within their organization when faced with the prospect of what they mistakenly believe can only be a huge, C-suite-led project that spans the entire talent lifecycle. However, as a leading RPO partner PeopleScout is perfectly positioned to provide the strategies and technology to embed and scale a skills-based approach. 

By leveraging an RPO provider’s expertise and resources, organizations can maximize the return on investment in internal mobility initiatives. According to Everest Group, over half of RPO engagements include some element of internal mobility. The RPO acts as a strategic talent advisor focused on improving talent mobility with strategies like: 

  • Skills gap analysis: An RPO provider can perform a skills audit to assess current capabilities versus required future skills and identify reskilling needs to inform development programs. They can also provide market intelligence to help you understand the skills available within your talent markets as well as salary requirements so you can make informed decisions.   
  • Internal candidate sourcing: Your RPO partner can source and screen internal candidates for open roles to identify top talent for mobility opportunities. 
  • Career mapping: RPO experts can map career paths, succession plans and competency requirements for critical roles to guide internal development. 
  • Development program design: An RPO provider can help design and implement reskilling, upskilling, job rotation and mentoring programs to build enterprise talent. Plus, they can administer and manage the end-to-end internal mobility program from sourcing to placement as well as provide project management. 
  • Change management: RPOs can provide guidance on change management strategies to gain buy-in and promote a culture of internal mobility. Plus, they’ll provide data, analytics and reporting on program effectiveness and opportunities to fine-tune strategies. 
  • Technology consultation and implementation: RPOs can recommend and implement skills management platforms and talent mobility platforms to enable seamless movement and track program metrics. 

Filling your organization’s talent gaps begins with the workforce already inside it. But this untapped talent potential can only be leveraged through strategic, skills-based internal talent mobility programs. Your existing workforce could provide the talent solution you’ve been searching for. By partnering with an RPO on reskilling and upskilling initiatives, you gain strategic expertise to build a future-ready, skilled workforce.  

PeopleScout Recognized with Two 2024 RAD Awards

Posted on by akessler

Awards celebrating creativity and innovation in recruitment marketing and employer branding honor PeopleScout for their work with clients

LONDON—February 19, 2024—PeopleScout was the recipient of two 2024 RAD Awards, in the Candidate Experience and Visual Craft categories, as recognition for their work with Heathrow Airport and Kent County Council. PeopleScout was also shortlisted for awards in the Employer Brand-National, Single Use of Video and Use of Technology categories for their work with Circle Health Group, Building Safety Regulator and Heathrow Airport, respectively.

In its 35th consecutive year, the RAD Awards recognize winners across 20 categories, championing the very best in recruitment marketing and employer branding. To be considered for an award, agencies in partnership with their clients, as well as in-house teams, enter their most innovative and effective solutions in talent acquisition, retention and employer branding, from the past year. All entries are judged by a panel of industry experts.

“We are thrilled by this recognition from the RAD Awards for our fresh approach to employer branding and recruitment marketing,” said David Coombs, Head of Talent Advisory for EMEA at PeopleScout. “Our teams continue to outthink the competition, drive creativity and innovation in our solutions, and we remain grateful to our clients for their willingness to embrace these progressive strategies.”

PeopleScout’s winning entries include:

Candidate Experience, Heathrow Airport

With 80 million travelers coming through Heathrow Airport each year, it must screen thousands of potential security officers in what can be a long process for the candidate. Together, the teams developed an innovative technology solution to re-engineer the process so that it was completely virtual, reducing hiring times from weeks to just days.

The judges said PeopleScout’s bespoke candidate portal showed “super strong return on investment” and was a “well thought out, clearly mapped campaign.”

Visual Craft, Kent County Council

An eye-catching, three-dimensional wooden board game brought together employees at Kent County Council, highlighting everything the council could offer them in terms of development, support and rewards.

Judges described this entry as “different and refreshing,” calling it “ambitious and visually unique.” They applauded PeopleScout for the care they took in crafting its design.

PeopleScout’s UK-based talent advisory practice provides world-class expertise in employer branding, social & digital communications, recruitment marketing, assessment, DE&I consulting, talent market insights and more. With a mission to outthink the competition through innovative solutions, their passionate team of problem solvers—from social experts and creatives to strategists and technologists—offer a depth and breadth of experience gained over 30 years of creating award-winning strategies for clients across the globe in every sector. 

See the full list of 2024 RAD Award winners here.

Press Contact
Taylor Winchell
Senior Manager, External Communications
pr@trueblue.com
+1-253-680-8291

Reskilling for Tech Roles Results in $2.5M in Savings for Global Bank

Posted on by akessler
Reskilling for Tech roles Results in $2.5M in Savings for Global Bank

Talent Consulting

Reskilling for Tech roles Results in $2.5M in Savings for Global Bank

PeopleScout helped a global financial services company in their digital transformation efforts with a reskilling program to move employees from declining customer service roles to tech and digital roles.

150 customer service staff redeployed to tech roles in pilot program
5,000 more employees will be reskilled following the successful pilot
70 % reduction in reskilling cost-per-person achieved

Situation

A large global financial services company needed to undertake a major digital transformation program, which required new digital and tech skills. With the growth of online and digital channels, in-person transactions through bank branches and call centers have declined. The organization needed to acquire hard-to-find tech and digital skills to grow and maintain digital banking tools while leveraging the existing company knowledge of employees in declining customer service roles by reskilling them into new high-growth roles.

Reskilling efforts focused on developing new hard skills, so finding the best candidates meant identifying those with the soft skills most aligned with the new job opportunities. Previous efforts by the financial services organization to assess candidate suitability for reskilling were led internally and included multiple, time-consuming line manager interviews. Of even greater concern, around a quarter of those who began the reskilling
program dropped out.

Solution

As their long-term RPO partner, PeopleScout worked with the client and skills-platform provider Spotted Zebra to create a skills-based approach to reskilling, helping the organization to assess customer service staff in bank branches and call centers to find ideal candidates for its tech skilling program.

We identified individuals who had a strong motivation to reskill, high levels of adaptability (a predictor of future potential) and a strong alignment with the behavioral skills required for success in the role. A skills profile was created for all the growth roles, and employees were assessed against them to identify which role was the best fit.

Results

  • Through an initial pilot, the company redeployed over 150 people from declining roles who would have been made redundant to tech jobs, saving around $2.5 million in exit costs.
  • The company is expanding the reskilling program to move over 5,000 employees into new roles with one year.
  • By identifying those individuals who are a better behavioral fit for reskilling opportunities, the number of dropouts from the training program dropped dramatically, resulting in a savings of in training and development costs.
  • The new approach is more effective, simplifying the process in a fair and consistent way. The company has saved a considerable amount of manager time and reduced the reskilling cost-per-person by 70%.
  • Crucially, the reskilling program means the organization’s digital transformation project is on track, with reskilled individuals moving into mission-critical digital roles that would otherwise go unfilled.

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Global financial services company
  • INDUSTRY
    Financial Services
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Talent Advisory
Let’s Connect

The Skills Crisis is Coming: Are You Ready? [Infographic]

Posted on by akessler

Skills in the workplace are evolving faster than ever thanks to advances in AI, the greening of the economy and shifting demographics. But, our latest research, The Skills Crisis Countdown, shows that HR leaders seem oblivious to the urgency of the coming change.

Nine out of 10 of HR pros surveyed said up to half of their workforce will need new skills within the next five years. Yet, only 7% are actively investing in reskilling programs right now, and 45% admit they have no plans underway to prepare their people for the shifting skills landscape.

Our data quantifies the massive disconnect between awareness of looming skills gaps and action being taken to reskill workers. Check out the infographic below to see the stats and get ahead of the curve on developing a future-ready workforce.

Check out this infographic with key findings highlighting the worsening skills crisis.

Countdown to Skills Crisis? What Our Latest Research Tells Us About Skills Gaps

Posted on by akessler

By Simon Wright, Global Head of Talent Advisory Consulting

The workforce skills landscape is transforming at blinding speed. Automation, AI, sustainability initiatives, demographic shifts—global forces are conspiring to make skills gaps and talent shortages more acute by the day. Don’t think it’s moving that fast? Well, the World Economic Forum predicts that a jaw-dropping 85 million jobs could sit vacant by 2030, resulting in $8.5 trillion in lost revenue.

The very meaning of “skills” is shifting beneath our feet. Skills requirements have already changed 25% since 2015, and experts forecast 65% more change by 2030. However, companies still rely heavily on degrees and experience over skills when it comes to making hiring decisions. No wonder we’re careening towards a global skills crisis.

PeopleScout partnered with skills-based workforce management platform provider Spotted Zebra to survey over 100 senior HR and talent acquisition leaders globally, plus over 2,000 employees worldwide, to compare perspectives. Our new research report, The Skills Crisis Countdown, maps the skills landscape and diagnoses the disconnects between employers and their workforce.

Read on for some key findings from our report.

HR Leaders are Ill-Prepared for the Skills Crisis

According to a study by PwC, 40% of global CEOs believe their business will be economically unviable in 10 years unless they reinvent for the future. Our study revealed that nine out of 10 HR leaders believe that up to 50% of their workforce will require new skills to effectively perform their job in the next five years. Yet, when asked if they are currently undergoing or planning a workforce transformation initiative in the next three years, nearly half (45%) of HR leaders admit to having no plans to undertake one.

So, in other words, half of employees will soon be underprepared for the future, but most companies have no strategy in place to address the issue.

According to LinkedIn, 84% of members are in occupations that could have at least one quarter of their core skills affected by generative AI (GAI) technologies, like ChatGPT. So, how are HR leaders preparing for this digital transformation and the AI era? Shockingly, a full third (34%) say they have no preparations in place to prepare for new technologies. Those who are preparing emphasize bringing in outside talent rather than reskilling existing employees.

Industry Composition by GAI Segment
Percentage of LinkedIn Members by Industry

Impact of GAI on workplace skills
(Source: LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute)

This is likely because they lack an understanding of the skills they have within their existing workforce. Our data revealed that 68% of organizations identify skills from manager feedback, which is highly subjective. So, it’s no surprise that 56% of employees think their skills are underutilized in their current roles, and 61% think there are other roles in their organization where their skills could be utilized.

An unprecedented skills revolution is barreling down the tracks, but companies are fast asleep at the switch. It’s time to wake up and get employees future-ready or risk a global skills crisis and talent scarcity for decades to come.

Digital & Tech Skills Gaps are Widening but Tech Skills are Viewed as Unimportant

Both employers and employees dangerously underestimate the importance of tech and digital skills. In our survey, both parties listed tech and digital literacy skills with low importance. With the skyrocketing demand for tech and digital talent, this does not bode well.

skills in the workplace

Mobile apps, ecommerce and digital transformation have made technology integral to every corporate strategy. However, supply isn’t keeping up with demand. McKinsey analyzed 3.5 million job postings in high-tech fields and found there’s a wide divide between the demand for tech and digital skills and the qualified talent availability. The most sought-after skills have less than half as many qualified professionals per posting compared to average global figures. 

No wonder 63% of HR leaders in our survey admit they struggle to recruit the skills they need. Closing tech and digital skills gaps through recruitment alone is no longer sufficient. So, we were concerned when our research showed that 73% of the workforce haven’t been offered opportunities to reskill.

Organizations must invest in helping their employees evolve their skills via reskilling and internal mobility to cultivate digital and tech literacy across their entire workforce.

Case Study: Reskilling in Action

The Challenge:

A large global financial services company needed to undertake a major digital transformation program. The organization needed to acquire key digital and tech skills while leveraging the existing company knowledge of employees in declining customer service roles by reskilling them.

Previous efforts by the organization to assess employees’ suitability for reskilling were led internally and included multiple, time-consuming line manager interviews. Of even greater concern, around a quarter of those who began the reskilling program dropped out.

The Solution:

The bank worked with their long-time RPO partner, PeopleScout, and Spotted Zebra to assess customer service staff in bank branches and call centers to find ideal candidates for its tech and digital skilling program. Skills profiles were created for tech roles, which employees were assessed against to find the best fit.

The Results:

  • Redeployed 150 people, saving over $2.5M in exit costs
  • Saved over $350,000 in training and development costs
  • Reduced time investment by hiring managers
  • Reduced the reskilling cost-per-person by 70%

Employees Don’t Feel Confident in their Skills for the Future

A third (34%) of workers have doubts about how their skills will keep pace with new technology and automation. Meanwhile, just 17% of organizations are offering targeted reskilling programs for existing employees.

Where are HR Leaders Deploying Skills-Based Practices?

Skills-Based Practices in the workplace
(Source: PeopleScout and Spotted Zebra)

This imbalance spells disaster. As change overwhelms existing skill sets, most workers will begin to feel unsure of their career paths or left struggling to stay relevant.

Investing in reskilling makes solid business sense. We must bridge the gap between workers anxiously facing uncertainty and leaders failing to invest in their resilience. HR leaders who empower their workforce with adaptable skill sets today will drive continued success in times of swift and sweeping change.

Finding a Talent Partner to Support Your Skills Transformation

The agility to match emerging skill requirements will soon become a competitive necessity. If you haven’t started your skills-based transformation, now is the time.

In our survey, one in two HR leaders admitted to a lack of understanding of skills-based practices. If you’re struggling to understand how to take advantage of skills-based practices in your organization, PeopleScout is here to be your guide.

As a recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) partner, we can help you understand the skills within your existing workforce as well as the external market supply and demand. We offer solutions across the skills agenda, from skills-based talent intelligence and market insights, building skills frameworks, and creating skills-based success profiles to redesigning recruitment processes, skills-based hiring strategies, and helping you maximize the potential of your existing workforce.  

To learn more about PeopleScout’s skills-focused talent solutions, get in touch.