As if keeping the talent pipeline healthy wasn’t already enough of a challenge for talent acquisition leaders, doing it during a pandemic has made TA a moving target.
“Every single organization, in every industry is currently facing a talent crisis,” says Tim Sackett, president of HRUTech.com and author of the best-selling book The Talent Fix. “This isn’t just a 2021 issue; organizations will be working to solve their talent issues well into the coming years.”
Kyle Lagunas, global talent acquisition lead, Attraction, Sourcing & Insights at General Motors, notes that, if you think about all that has happened in the past year, it’s no wonder that TA leaders are struggling. From uncertainties over hiring budgets to shifts to remote to the current “Great Resignation” crisis, the questions around hiring have preoccupied most TA leaders for more than a year. But now, he says, it’s time to get down to business.
“[Most TA leaders] weren’t sure if we were going to be downsizing, like we did in the Great Recession. We didn’t know if we were going to be putting people on furloughs. Many of those in TA positions went through a crisis mode last year, with no real timeline,” he says. “With that, now is a real, pivotal moment for TA leaders to deliver.”
Unfortunately, Lagunas adds, TA and HR leaders are going to need to be making decisions without fully knowing what the next six months or year will hold, as COVID continues to play out.
“These are some really tough days for a TA leader because the pressure is on and the future feels so unpredictable,” he says.
See also: Why remote hiring isn’t going away and what that means to HR
While Sackett says most SMB and enterprise-size organizations “are all begging for workers, at all levels,” there are some organizations that are thriving. At next month’s HR Technology Conference, he will join Lagunas, Kinetix CHRO Kris Dunn and Madeline Laurano, founder at Aptitude Research, in presenting a mega session on the technology that’s helping these organizations build out their pipelines and hire quality employees faster.
Lagunas will share how he’s tackling TA challenges at GM. For example, he says, he is putting together the concept of a “zero-emissions talent pipeline,” which mimics GM’s strategic objectives for product innovation.
Attendees will also gain insight into technology solutions that will meet increased hiring demands and discover other new ways to acquire talent.
“There’s no such thing as smooth sailing [for TA leaders] right now,” Lagunas says. “But we all have to do our best while the world is on fire.”
To learn more about the talent acquisition track at HR Tech and to register for the conference, being held Sept. 28-Oct. 1 in Las Vegas, click here.