Facebook Hosts ChapmanCG in London - In With the Old and Out With the New for Talent Management?

ChapmanCG was delighted to welcome 25 Global HR and Talent leaders to the London offices of Facebook in March to discuss the key topics on their talent agendas, as we approach the end of the first quarter of 2016. Ben Davies, ChapmanCG Managing Director EMEA, co-facilitated the Group along with host Bronwyn White, EMEA Staffing Head for Facebook.

In With the Old?

Where are Talent Acquisition leaders spending their budgets in 2016? It seems a handful will be going back to initiatives that might be considered ‘old’. One attendee commented that rather than develop more candidate management and assessment platforms, she decided to focus on the candidate experience. She was referring specifically to the many touch points in the recruitment process and how these could be improved for candidates — bearing in mind that everyone interviewed is a potential brand ambassador, whether they join or not.

Ideas for improving the recruitment process included giving the departing candidate a pre-paid credit card with a small amount to cover the cost of a coffee; or arranging a branded chocolate or other company keepsake to be left at the hotel when they interview. Some recruiting teams are even seeing their roles to include a ‘concierge’ service of sorts for potential employees. With skill shortages and talent in demand, it seemed to many that these things might tip the balance. It does provide food for thought in an increasingly technological world that can leave many processes lacking the personal touch. These initiatives would certainly mean the organisation is remembered in a positive light, independent of outcome - everyone remembers great service!

Out With the New?

Think ahead twenty years, and we all may be working for three companies simultaneously, as talent may be commoditised to such a degree that employees have multiple part-time contracts with different employers that are desperate for their capabilities - even if it means sharing their time with non-direct competitors. Millennials are at the beginning of a labour market change that now demands variety and fluid movement between companies. The ‘one company career’ is now almost unheard of - one company a month seems more likely.

One organisation shared a recent challenge when a large number of new employees reached the two-year point at the same time, having been promised internal mobility upon joining. Because of the company’s rapid growth, moving everyone to the right internal role within the agreed timeframe was going to be difficult. What if those employees could be ‘loaned’ out to another organisation (a non-direct competitor) and still remain within the view of Talent Management for other roles that came up internally? Development would continue, engagement would be high, as the career opportunities would be increased, and both organisations would benefit from a new pool of talent with a different perspective. The comparison to professional sport was made: loan your superstar football player from Manchester United to West Ham, knowing that the player is being given experiences you don’t have for them now, and allowing them development opportunities. When the time is right, bring them back, hopefully having prevented them from leaving you. This talent sharing often works best when the managers or owners of teams are friends and share similar views.

Perhaps two CEO’s who trust each other can make this ‘talent sharing’ concept a reality in the future. If and when this happens, it will be interesting to see if it delivers a drastic drop in traditional attrition - and importantly, a more dynamic workforce to drive results. Challenges to this approach are easy to see, but the opportunity is certainly something that shouldn’t be ignored.

Many thanks go to Facebook for hosting this valuable event, and we look forward to our next London networking series in June. The ChapmanCG EMEA team covers the region with representatives on the ground in the UK, Switzerland, France, Holland, Spain, Turkey and Dubai.