Category: News

Nicole Cook, managing director for PeopleScout in ANZ, and James Henness, head of business solutions and technology accounts in ANZ, were both interviewed for the recent article “Hiring Managers in Need of Talent Reality Check” in Shortlist Talent. An excerpt of the article is below. This excerpt has been reproduced with permission from shortlist.net.au. The full article appears here.

Hiring Managers in Need of Talent Reality Check

Volumes of discourse about the future of work and the need to think more broadly about skills matching is yet to have much impact on hiring managers, the local head of a global RPO provider says.

In many organisations hiring managers are still holding out for talent that meets set criteria and not understanding that the ideal candidates aren’t available at the rate of pay on offer, says PeopleScout ANZ managing director Nicole Cook.

The battle for recruiters is to highlight relatable skills, and “opening the minds of hiring managers to know the difference,” she told Shortlist.

Anecdotally, she says this issue extends to the upper tiers of the recruitment market, as even senior-level candidates struggle to gain traction despite peak demand for senior and executive positions.

“How can you hear the market is really hot for senior talent and yet you’ve got these really good people saying, ‘they’re telling me my skills don’t translate?'”

Chicago, IL – May 15, 2018 – PeopleScout and PeopleScout President Taryn Owen both won top honors in The 16th Annual American Business Awards® program. PeopleScout won Silver in the Company of the Year – Business & Professional Services – Large category. Owen won Gold for Executive of the Year – Business & Professional Services.

“We are honored to receive this recognition for embracing a culture of innovation that enables us to provide strategic solutions and world class service to our clients in a time of rapid change in talent acquisition,” said PeopleScout President Taryn Owen. “We are committed to helping our clients elevate their talent acquisition capabilities and to continuing to enhance our technology and service offering to anticipate future needs.”

The American Business Awards recognized Owen and PeopleScout for innovation in response to shifts in the talent acquisition landscape. This includes the launch of the company’s Affinix™ talent technology platform and the significant expansion of both its global delivery capabilities and service portfolio to include global Managed Service Provider (MSP) and total workforce solutions. In 2017, the company connected more than 300,000 job seekers with full-time employment and was named the largest RPO provider in the world by industry analyst Everest Group.

Affinix, PeopleScout’s industry-disrupting, proprietary talent technology platform, has received praise from key industry analysts and was honored with a 2018 TekTonic award for candidate experience by HRO Today Magazine. Affinix is a mobile-first, cloud-based platform that helps PeopleScout clients connect with the best talent faster through a personalized candidate experience that mimics the simplicity and usability of the best consumer websites.

“I’d like to thank our clients, executive team and the people of PeopleScout for championing the initiatives that drive our success,” said Owen. “This recognition would not be possible without their dedication to elevating talent acquisition and willingness to embrace change.”

PeopleScout’s momentum continues in 2018. In addition to American Business Awards accolades and the TekTonic Award, PeopleScout was recently named the No. 1 Managed Service Provider for the second consecutive year on the HRO Today MSP Baker’s Dozen. Additionally, PeopleScout was identified by NelsonHall as a Leader, the highest rating, across all categories including Innovation Focus and Candidate Experience Focus in the 2018 NEAT Vendor Evaluation for RPO.

The American Business Awards are the premier business awards program in the U.S. More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2018 winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

About PeopleScout
PeopleScout, a TrueBlue company, is the world’s largest RPO provider managing talent solutions that span the global economy, with end-to-end MSP capabilities supporting total workforce needs. PeopleScout boasts 98 percent client retention managing the most complex programs in the industry. The company’s thousands of forward-looking talent professionals provide clients with the edge in the people business by consistently delivering now while anticipating what’s next. Affinix™, PeopleScout’s proprietary talent acquisition platform, empowers faster engagement with the best talent through an AI-driven, consumer-like candidate experience with one-point ATS and VMS integration and single sign-on. Leveraging the power of data gleaned from engaging millions of candidates and contingent associates every year, PeopleScout enhances talent intelligence for clients across more than 70 countries with headquarters in Chicago and Sydney and global delivery centers in Charlotte, Toronto, Montreal, Krakow, Gurgaon and Bangalore. For more information, please visit www.peoplescout.com.

About The Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Press Contact:
Caroline Sabetti
Global VP of Marketing and Communications
312-560-9173

PeopleScout also Named No. 1 in Quality of Service for Second Year in a Row, Solidifying MSP Leadership Position

CHICAGO — May 2, 2018 — PeopleScout has been recognized as the No. 1 Managed Service Provider on HRO Today’s MSP Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings for the second consecutive year. In addition to being named number one overall, PeopleScout was ranked No. 1 in Quality of Service for the second straight year, No. 2 in Breadth of Service and No. 5 in Size of Deal.

“Congratulations to PeopleScout on again being named the No. 1 Managed Service Provider,” said Elliot Clark, CEO and Chairman of SharedXpertise and HRO Today. “Winning this award two years in a row is extremely impressive and a powerful testimony to PeopleScout’s ability to deliver industry-leading service to its client base. With its recent investment in Affinix™ and ability to manage complex MSP and RPO operations, PeopleScout should be at the top of every buyer’s list when looking for a total workforce provider.”

At the core of PeopleScout’s MSP programs is a commitment to building consultative partnerships. The company’s MSP programs leverage powerful analytics and a wealth of experience to optimize supplier and workforce performance, maximize efficiency, increase cost savings and ensure compliance.

PeopleScout builds dedicated supplier networks for its clients using a proven evaluation framework. By ranking suppliers against client strategic priorities and cost, quality and compliance benchmarks, PeopleScout ensures best-fit suppliers for its clients. This strong supplier management focus allows PeopleScout to optimize a client’s supply base across all job categories and geographies to drive industry-leading performance.

“Thank you to our clients for their continued partnership and commitment to growth through PeopleScout’s MSP platform. We are incredibly honored to again receive the top ranking on the MSP Baker’s Dozen,” PeopleScout President Taryn Owen said. “We are strongly invested in our clients’ evolution. This award motivates us to continue focusing on moving our clients from now to next through our MSP programs and the strength of our combined talent acquisition and workforce management solutions.”

In 2017, PeopleScout launched Affinix, the proprietary, mobile-first, cloud-based platform that creates a consumer-like candidate experience and streamlines the sourcing process. Embedded within PeopleScout’s talent solutions, Affinix leverages one-point VMS integration for total workforce visibility.

With two consecutive No. 1 rankings on the MSP Baker’s Dozen, strong rankings as both an Enterprise and Healthcare RPO leader and the positive reception of Affinix in the marketplace, PeopleScout is uniquely positioned to provide innovative talent solutions across the total workforce spectrum.

HRO Today surveys current buyers of MSP services for its Baker’s Dozen, which ranks the top 13 MSPs in the industry. The 2018 ratings mark the ninth straight year PeopleScout has been named to this elite list. Learn more by viewing the May edition of HRO Today Magazine.

About PeopleScout
PeopleScout, a TrueBlue company, is the world’s largest RPO provider managing talent solutions that span the global economy, with end-to-end MSP capabilities supporting total workforce needs. PeopleScout boasts 98 percent client retention managing the most complex programs in the industry. The company’s thousands of forward-looking talent professionals provide clients with the edge in the people business by consistently delivering now while anticipating what’s next. Affinix™, PeopleScout’s proprietary talent acquisition platform, empowers faster engagement with the best talent through an AI-driven, consumer-like candidate experience with one point ATS and VMS integration and single sign-on. Leveraging the power of data gleaned from engaging millions of candidates and contingent associates every year, PeopleScout enhances talent intelligence for clients across more than 70 countries with headquarters in Chicago and Sydney and global delivery centers in Charlotte, Toronto, Montreal, Krakow, Gurgaon and Bangalore. For more information please visit www.peoplescout.com.

Press Contact:
Caroline Sabetti
Global VP of Marketing and Communications
312-560-9173

Philadelphia – April 13, 2018 – SharedXpertise, publisher of HRO Today, and PeopleScout, a worldwide leader in recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), managed services (MSP) and total workforce solutions, have announced the release of their global labor market study for the fourth quarter of 2017.

This report provides companies with global labor market data about employment rates, economic growth and the state of the talent pool in various countries and regions. It provides essential information for predicting high-potential locations for expansion and recruitment, allowing multinational companies to stay competitive in talent acquisition. This report also contains a section highlighting the five developed nations most profoundly impacted by chronic unemployment.

“We see a cyclical recovery in the economy worldwide, with increased activity in investment, manufacturing activity and trade,” said Larry Basinait, vice president of market research at SharedXpertise. “But, conditions do depend upon which countries are being explored. Further insight into the challenges of the five countries mentioned in this report that are facing consistent low employment rates should be taken into consideration.”

“This report provides valuable insights on the global labor market and the economic forecast for this year and next,” said Taryn Owen, president of PeopleScout. “We believe this analysis will be useful for companies planning their long-term talent strategy.”

The report is available for download by clicking here.
For more information about SharedXpertise, visit hrotoday.com or contact publisher Bill MacRae, at bill.macrae@sharedxpertise.com.

About PeopleScout
PeopleScout, a TrueBlue company, is the world’s largest RPO provider managing talent solutions that span the global economy, with end-to-end MSP capabilities supporting total workforce needs. PeopleScout boasts 98 percent client retention managing the most complex programs in the industry. The company’s thousands of forward-looking talent professionals provide clients with the edge in the people business by consistently delivering now while anticipating what’s next. Affinix™, PeopleScout’s proprietary talent acquisition platform, empowers faster engagement with the best talent through an AI-driven, consumer-like candidate experience with one-point ATS and VMS integration and single sign-on. Leveraging the power of data gleaned from engaging millions of candidates and contingent associates every year, PeopleScout enhances talent intelligence for clients across more than 70 countries with headquarters in Chicago and Sydney and global delivery centers in Charlotte, Toronto, Montreal, Krakow, Gurgaon and Bangalore. For more information please visit www.peoplescout.com.

About HRO Today and HRO Today Global
HRO Today and HRO Today Global are the properties of SharedXpertise Media and offer the broadest and deepest reach available anywhere into the HR industry.  Our magazines, web portals, research, e-newsletters, events and social networks reach over 180,000 senior-level HR decision-makers with rich, objective, game-changing content.  Our No. 1 strength is our reach.  HR leaders rely heavily on the HRO Today’s Baker’s Dozen rankings across six different categories when selecting an HR service provider.

Press Contact
Caroline Sabetti
Global VP of Marketing and Communications
312-560-9173

HRO Today quoted PeopleScout Global Leader of Innovation and Support, Allison Brigden, in its recent article, To Bot or Not To Bot? The article explores the use of chatbots throughout the recruiting process.

“Candidates prefer an experience that has the right mix of technology and real human interaction with a recruiter. While a chatbot can automate some of the hiring processes, recruiters need to continue to play a major role in engaging with candidates, especially through stages like the offer management process,” Brigden said to HRO Today.

PeopleScout’s proprietary talent technology, Affinix^TM also uses chatbot technology to streamline the candidate engagement and sourcing process. Embedded within PeopleScout’s talent solutions, Affinix delivers speed and scalability while leveraging artificial intelligence, recruitment marketing, machine learning, predictive analytics and other emerging technologies with one-point ATS and VMS integration and single sign-on.

“People have grown more comfortable communicating with chatbots, virtual assistants, and other types of AI-enabled technology,” Bridgen said. “In fact, many people prefer talking to chatbots in certain situations. As these technologies become more popular, it also drives the increased use of chatbots in talent acquisition.”

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Chatbot technology is not new. In 2001, more than 30 million people were chatting with SmarterChild on AOL Instant Messenger, and now, chatbots are everywhere. Want to order pizza, see next week’s weather forecast, or get some personal shopping recommendations? There’s a bot for that.

Due to rapid advancement in machine learning and natural language processing, chatbots have not only captured the attention of consumer-facing brands but are also beginning to infiltrate the business sector. Although they have primarily been utilized in customer service, this technology’s capabilities have broadened beyond support and now offer many opportunities to assist the HR function.”

Read more of To Bot or Not To Bot? on HRO Today’s website or in the April magazine.

HRO Today named six PeopleScout leaders as 2018 HRO Today HR Global Superstars. PeopleScout President Taryn Owen was recognized as well as Janice Weiner, global leader of MSP services, David Ludolph, executive leader of client delivery, Nicole Cook, managing director of PeopleScout in Australia and New Zealand, Martin Parkes, senior operations director of EMEA, and Marty Pittman, executive director of MSP operations in India.

According to the magazine, the awards are based on the innovation and transformative leadership of the winners.

“Our Global Superstars fearlessly confront the new challenges of today’s world of work as they build and manage workforces that span across countries, cultures and regions,” according to HRO Today. “Their strong leadership and clear vision has allowed the HR field to become a strategic business partner with the power to shape the future of their organisations and drive business success across the globe.”

The biographies of the PeopleScout winners are below.


Taryn Owen is the president of PeopleScout, an award-winning RPO, MSP and Total Workforce Solutions provider. She is responsible for PeopleScout’s global service delivery and business development strategy and has led the company’s successful acquisition of Aon Hewitt’s RPO division and Australian RPO provider HRX as well as the integration of Staff Management | SMX’s MSP division. During Taryn’s tenure, PeopleScout has become one of the world’s largest RPO providers and has earned top accolades from HRO Today’s Baker’s Dozen, NelsonHall and Everest Group. In 2017, PeopleScout was ranked the No. 1 MSP provider on HRO Today’s MSP Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings and was named both a top enterprise RPO and top healthcare RPO provider on the Baker’s Dozen for RPO Providers.

Taryn has been recognized by numerous industry awards, including SIA’s 2018 and 2017 Staffing 100 and 2017 Global Power 100 for Women in Staffing, a Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year and a Silver Stevie Award for Woman of the Year – Business Services; she has also appeared on the HRO Today HR Superstars list since 2016. Taryn is a member of the Global Advisory Board for the HRO Today Services and Technology Association, on the Human Capital Industry Advisory Board for Wharton’s Center for Human Resources and completed the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School and earned honorary alumni status.

Janice Weiner is the global leader of managed service provider (MSP) services at PeopleScout. She is responsible for global MSP operations, supplier management, and Vendor Management System (VMS) partnerships. Weiner has led the expansion of the MSP practice, including the integration to PeopleScout to provide more holistic workforce strategies including both full-time and contingent workers. In 2017, PeopleScout was recognized as the No. 1 Managed Service Provider on HRO Today’s MSP Baker’s Dozen Customer Satisfaction Ratings. Before joining the company, she held senior positions with leading business services companies in the fleet management and business and legal information sectors. Weiner has a Bachelor of Arts from Northeastern Illinois University and a JD from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

David Ludolph is the executive leader of client delivery at PeopleScout. He leads PeopleScout’s client delivery team with a focus on service excellence, continuous improvement and greater scalability for PeopleScout clients. He is responsible for driving value and competitive advantage by leveraging operational best practices and emerging technology. Ludolph has been a member of PeopleScout’s executive leadership team for nine years, most recently as a client portfolio leader, and has more than 15 years of talent acquisition and RPO leadership experience. Before joining PeopleScout, he was an operations director at Spherion. Ludolph holds a bachelor’s degree from Hawaii Pacific University.

Nicole Cook is the managing director for PeopleScout in Australia and New Zealand. She oversees the delivery, growth, and operations of PeopleScout solutions in the APAC region. She joined the company in May 2006, holding leadership roles within the organization’s technology business. In 2010, Cook moved to the RPO side of the business, managing a team that specialized in the delivery of consulting services. She then led the client delivery function in her role as head of accounts before assuming the managing director position in 2016. Cook is an experienced executive and management consultant, holds a bachelor’s degree in French from the Catholic University of America, and recently completed a Senior Executive MBA at Melbourne Business School.

Martin Parkes is the senior operations director for Europe at PeopleScout. Martin leads PeopleScout’s RPO and talent management consultancy with a focus on global recruitment strategies. Martin is a true team player, who excels in relationship building, delivery and first-class representation. Martin has twenty-two years of recruitment experience, with the last six years as part of PeopleScout’s global leadership team. Before joining PeopleScout, Martin held positions as a recruitment manager with Kendle, Worldwide Clinical Trials and PharmaNet throughout Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Executive Director Marty Pittman manages MSP operations for PeopleScout in India. In 2017, Marty joined PeopleScout as part of the integration of the MSP team from sister company Staff Management | SMX. Marty has made significant contributions in India as he managed the growth of contingent labor for key client accounts. On the supplier management side, Marty leads client teams in supplier strategy and set expectations for both client and suppliers on delivery standards. Prior to joining PeopleScout, Marty held senior manager positions at Sydcor and Harte-Hanks. Marty holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University.

Taryn Owen, Janice Weiner, David Ludolph and Nicole Cook were also recognized as 2017 HR Superstars by HRO Today.

Read more and see the entire list of HR Global Superstars at HRO Today.