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Post Pandemic We Are Seeing a Movement, Not Just A Trend to Narrow The Diversity Gap Within Corporations

Closing the Diversity & Inclusion Gap

We Can All Be Part Of The Solution 

As we continue to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, our diversity talent mapping projects and recruiting requests have skyrocketed. With a big shift in how leaders think about diversity and inclusion seems to be resulting in what I believe is a movement, not just a trend. That said, as experts in recruiting and talent mapping, we understand we play an integral part in helping hiring teams achieve their diversity and inclusion goals. As a recruiter, our role includes creating qualified candidate pipelines backed by talent intelligence ensuring hiring managers can make the right choices.  As talent mapping experts, our goal includes building actionable talent pools and organization charts revealing talent availability relevant to each role. No matter what the solution, we are in it together. This movement to narrow the workforce diversity gap is happening and it requires all of us to get involved!

Talent Mapping & Talent Intelligence Earned Its Place In Diversity Recruiting

With corporate leadership’s new directives and dramatic shifts in building inclusive workforces, we are seeing leaders putting a big emphasis on the usage of talent mapping, talent intelligence and data to help meet current hiring demands as well as a tool used to build engaged communities of potential future hires. For those focusing on immediate needs, talent mapping acts as the foundation of the recruiting process by providing the recruiter with a powerful, actionable talent pool of targeted potential candidates who meet the requirements of each role.  When the data is used for future hires, it supports recruiting efforts that allow recruiters to connect, stay connected and maintain relationships with future hires. Either way, talent mapping has proven to be a great resource for diversity recruiting efforts.

Talent Mapping Data Reveals Talent Availability

Truth is, sometimes talent pools just don’t have the diversity talent we may have hoped. To this point, we need to be constantly reminded that talent availability does dictates the candidate pipeline. That said, it has been proven that the best way to find out who is in the talent pool is to include comprehensive talent mapping activities into the recruiting process. Searching profiles is just not enough to help close the workforce diversity gap when looking to recruit key talent to meet corporate objectives.  It is all about who you know and who the recruiting team has access to. Talent mapping and intelligence helps with taking the guesswork out of who is in the talent pool and who is not, in turn eliminating or limiting countless recruiting hours in search of candidates who may not actually exist.

Diversity in the C-Suite

In recent years, efforts to increase diversity in the C-Suite was always a focus for companies of all sizes, yet the percentage of change year over year were not at the numbers many had hoped for. Post pandemic, diversity in the C-Suite is gaining momentum as we are seeing internal promotions and recruiting efforts as ways corporations are working toward hitting their goals. However, as the efforts continue, there still is a lot of work to be done. But for now, as diversity in the C-Suite increases it is showing the team that the company is fully committed to building an inclusive workforce and it is starting at the top. Additionally, this commitment and shift by leadership to having an inclusive team as well as culture can be the recruiting edge needed to recruit top talent.

Recruiting A Remote Workforce

Prior to the pandemic, the idea of having a remote workforce was moving forward, but not to the degree it is today. Many will agree that the pandemic has proven that not everyone needs to be at the office or at a client site to be productive. That said, as more and more leaders look favorably to a having a flexible, remote workforce, I believe will help companies achieve workforce diversity quicker, simply by having access to talent who at one time were not accessible. Without location restrictions, hiring managers can actively search for professionals who are “right” for each role but may not be in a company’s backyard or requires relocation.

Together We Will Get There

With diversity being a hot topic from the boardroom to recruits, we all need to be part of the solution by playing our part as accountable team players. We all know that having a diverse workforce is beyond the right thing to do and is now “the thing” to do. That said, it’s time to embrace the journey, be part of it, and watch the benefits unfold before us. Together we all can help narrow the diversity gap in Corporate America. Happy searching!

If you wish to learn more about how we can help your team with diversity talent mapping and recruiting call us at (518) 843-4611. We look forward to it.

Adaptability A Valued Soft Skill in The Workplace…..

Adaptability – a highly sought after soft skill that is valued and important in the workplace

Being adaptable, shows you are open and able to take on challenges as they arise

What a year this has been so far and honestly, I can’t wait until it is just a memory. In just a short period of time, we have experienced a country wide shutdown, massive layoffs and many businesses forced to have their workforce go remote, putting many of us in a situation that required us to quickly adapt, not by choice but because we had to. Overtime, this experience taught us how to be open, flexible and accept what stood before us. We adapted!

For those who remained employed, I am hopeful they willingly embraced this change and are being successful. By being successful in this type of situation will prove not only to yourself but to others that you are motivated to tackle any moving part that confronts you. This action speaks volumes today and will tomorrow  because as we recover from this awful event, I am certain leaders will be looking for those who have prevailed.

Being able to adapt can be all about an approach and attitude to change. Another way to think about this is to consider it simply as stepping outside of your comfort zone. Taking on a new role, learning a new skill or  helping a team member with a task,  can all be very rewarding. Again, adapting has it benefits.

What will this event have taught us? To be adaptable, a soft skill that leaders and corporations value in the workplace. From what I am hearing, once Covid-19 becomes an event of the past, leaders more so than before, will be looking for those who successfully navigated through these challenging times, seeking out those who embraced learning new skills and behaviors. Leaders will want to hear how candidates demonstrated their adaptability in their role and how they effectively responded. For those who responded well, this will establish the fact that they are able to work well on their own and with the team. As for leaders, it indicates the ability to solve problems and to trust their judgement when faced with difficult decisions recognizing what may have worked in the past is not necessarily the right answer now.

How adaptable have you been during these times? If you have been open to change and embraced it, hats off to you! If not, seize the opportunity that is in front of you and become that valuable player every team desires. To help, may I suggest envisioning yourself succeeding in your new role and watch the benefits unfold. Work hard, go for it and prove to yourself you can do it! As you adapt, be confident. Ask your leader to set goals for you and you too set your own goals so you can see yourself improve. See each challenge to improve and learn. As you adapt and learn, you will become a utility player to which many companies and hiring managers want, not to mention you too will benefit from everything that you learned during your journey. I am wishing everyone well during this time and hope the best is yet to come.

Adapting has its benefits:

1. Demonstrates the ability to go with the flow
2. Earns respect of the team by inspiring others, showing you embraced the change
3. Helps with the challenge of change, allowing yourself to accommodate the circumstances
4. It helps adjust your attitude and expectations
5. In the new world if you adapted, you will win over employers who will be increasingly wanting professionals who can adapt to an ever-changing workplace
6. It will be easier when changes in your career occur
7. Overall, you will be a much more valuable employee and team player

May I suggest ways to become more adaptable at work….

1. First and foremost – GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND EMBRACE CHANGE
2. Be positive
3. Learn from those who are masters at the skills you are trying to gain
4. Listen and ask questions. If at first you don’t succeed, try it again and don’t give up until you get it

Again wishing everyone well and as always I am open to hearing from others!

Best of luck to all!

Sheila Greco