Talent Edge Weekly - Issue #231

Internal mobility, work tasks that can be done remotely, examples of how companies are implementing 4 workplace practices, responsible AI in recruitment, and enhancing employment brand.

Author

Brian Heger
March 31, 2024

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THIS WEEK'S CONTENT

Below is a glance at this week’s content. A deep dive follows. 

Also, check out the job cuts tracker & Chief HR Officer hire of the week.

Let’s dive in. ⬇️

THIS WEEK'S EDGE 

INTERNAL MOBILITY

Josh Bersin shares how internal mobility is an underutilized strategy for filling an organization’s talent needs.

Internal mobility (IM), the movement of employees across different roles and opportunities (e.g., projects, assignments, etc.) within an organization, is a critical component of talent management. However, as noted in this new article by Josh Bersin, IM remains an underutilized talent strategy in many organizations despite its well-documented benefits. While there are several factors that detract from IM, one that I have written about heavily and which Josh also addresses in his article is talent hoarding— managers’ tendency to prevent or discourage their best employees from pursuing internal opportunities. Although talent hoarding may appear to offer short-term benefits to managers, it hinders their ability to attract internal talent in the long run. For example, recent research published in the Academy of Management Journal shows that managers who frequently help to support the career development of their direct reports attract a greater number of high-quality and functionally diverse internal applicants. Since talent hoarding is only one of several barriers to IM, I am resharing my one-page template of six non-technological barriers to IM, such as unnecessary processes that slow down the placement of internal talent (i.e., hiring managers often have to go through more steps in moving internal talent than they do in hiring external talent). What barriers to IM can your organization begin to remove?

REMOTE WORK

Provides a framework for evaluating the extent to which work tasks (and the larger jobs they entail) can be performed from anywhere.

Many leaders continue to navigate decisions about hybrid, remote, and flexible work arrangements within their organizations. As these decisions are made, it's crucial for organizations to approach them thoughtfully, considering various factors, such as the type of work that specific roles entail. With this in mind, I recently shared CIPD’s one-page decision chart aimed at aiding organizations in critically evaluating a role’s suitability for remote or hybrid work. As a supplement to that resource, this 22-page World Economic Forum report provides more ideas for leaders to consider. Page 8 begins a section to identify various work tasks (and affiliated jobs) that can be performed from anywhere with appropriate technological capability and connectivity. Table 1 provides examples of different work tasks with an explanation of whether they can be performed from anywhere and the technologies that enable this to happen. Subsequent pages include work task analysis examples of certain jobs (e.g., accountants and auditors)—where the potential for “remotability” is assigned for each task. Such task-based analysis can be aggregated to help organizations more objectively evaluate a role’s suitability for remote work.

WORKPLACE PRACTICES

Shares examples of practices related to internal talent marketplace, childcare benefits, reducing meeting overload, and remote work.

As HR practitioners learn from peers about the impact of talent and workplace practices being implemented in their organizations, here are examples to draw from: 1) Internal talent marketplace (ITM). This article delves into Booz Allen’s initial year experience in launching an ITM, highlighting hurdles faced, strategies applied, and key lessons learned. One takeaway emphasizes the necessity for significant cultural shifts in ITM implementation. 2) Childcare Benefits. A new report from the nonprofit Moms First and BCG showcases how five companies are achieving positive results by offering diverse childcare benefits. For instance, UPS saw retention rise from 69% to 96% among hourly workers after a three-month pilot program for emergency onsite childcare. 3) Reducing Meeting Overload. This article shares how Asana and Slack reduced the number of meetings in their organizations. For example, Slack implemented no-meeting “Focus Fridays” and “Maker Weeks”— where teams cancel recurring internal meetings and focus on creating, whether that’s coding, writing, planning, or something else. 4) Remote Work Impact on Hiring. Yelp's 2024 Remote Work Report reveals a 43% increase in total job applicants since the company instituted its remote-first policy in 2021. What are the other workplace and talent practices for which you want to see real company examples? Reply to this email with your topic (just respond with the topic), and I will cover it in a future issue.

AI IN RECRUITMENT

A new 49-page report to help organizations unlock the benefits of AI in recruiting and hiring while reducing risks.

This new 49-page report offers insights on leveraging AI in recruitment and hiring while mitigating associated risks. It outlines considerations for organizations before procuring an AI platform, including identifying problems to solve, communicating AI usage to applicants, evaluating system capabilities, and assessing the need for employee training or resources. The report includes questions to ask when seeking to procure and deploy AI technologies responsibly into an organization’s recruitment processes. It also shares use cases of AI in hiring and outlines risks (starting on p. 43). For example, one AI use case in recruiting is asynchronous video interview tools, where applicants are asked to submit a video recording of themselves answering a set of predetermined questions, where answers are subsequently analyzed using automated technology (natural language processing, or NLP), human oversight, or a combination of the two. Since many systems use eye detection as a proxy for engagement, it can produce discriminatory outcomes if, for example, an applicant is neurodivergent and finds it more difficult to maintain eye contact over a sustained period of time. Other ideas are covered.

EMPLOYER BRANDING

Shares five steps for developing a superior employer brand based on the practices of leading employers.

This new article presents a five-step process for developing a superior employer brand, drawing insights from leading global employers. It highlights the significance of employer branding, likening it to consumer branding, but without the equivalent depth of interest and research. The five steps include: 1) Identify the Talent You Need to Succeed, 2) Tune In to Talent Preferences and Perceptions, 3) Define Your Employer Proposition, 4) Communicate Your Employer Brand, and 5) Keep Your Promises. Regarding step 2, one point emphasized is identifying areas of strength and weakness of an organization’s employment brand in relation to its competition. While this will include some of the leading companies in an organization’s industry, it is also likely to include businesses from other sectors—something that often gets overlooked. Given that the first step (identify the talent you need to succeed) of the five-step process discusses the importance of identifying critical talent segments, I am resharing my template on critical role identification. It allows an organization to list 4 to 5 strategic capabilities vital to its business strategy and then evaluate roles against them.

WANT MORE RESOURCES?

Check out my website at brianheger.com for +1300 FREE curated resources!

MOST POPULAR FROM LAST WEEK 

WORK TRENDS REPORTS

As I continue to receive requests for various talent and workplace reports, I have created this one-page playlist of five reports published in Q124. This PDF includes hyperlinks to each report and a summary of its contents. The reports cover topics such as workforce trends, recruiting, and learning and development.

JOB CUTS AND LAYOFF TRACKER

Check out my tracker of announcements from a segment of organizations that have conducted job cuts and layoffs since the start of 2023.

Partial view of tracker on brianheger.com

A few job cuts announced this past week:

  • Bayer. (OTCMKTS: BAYRY). The company has cut 90 positions at its U.S. headquarters in Whippany, New Jersey. The layoffs, which are effective on June 19, are the result of a new operating model and structure intended to help the company be more agile.

  • Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC). The 5G equipment provider announced it will lay off about 1,200 Sweden-based employees, citing lower sales from mobile providers.

  • Sega (OTCMKTS: SGAMY). The video game company has announced job cuts that will impact about 240 employees as it sells one of its development studios.

Click here to access all listed announcements.

CHIEF HR OFFICER HIRE OF THE WEEK

​​​​PPG (PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA) [NYSE: PPG]—a paints, coatings, and adhesive manufacturing company—announced the appointment of Robert Massy as SVP and Chief Human Resources, reporting to Tim Knavish, PPG Chairman and CEO. He will be located at PPG’s global headquarters in Pittsburgh and serve as a member of the company’s Operating Committee. Massy will succeed Kevin Walling, who will retire from PPG on April 1, 2024. Most recently, Massy served as Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and CHRO at Westinghouse Electric Company. ​

Robert Massy

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TALENT EDGE WEEKLY REWIND

HR EFFECTIVENESS

This 42-page playbook from the RBL Institute offers a comprehensive review of the factors that drive HR effectiveness.

THE BEST OF MARCH 2024

Did you miss the “Best of March” issue of Talent Edge Weekly? If so, check out issue #230, which includes 15 of the most popular resources from the month.

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​Talent Edge Weekly is a free weekly newsletter that brings together the best talent and strategic human resources insights from various sources. It is published every Sunday at 6 PM EST.

Talent Edge Weekly is written by Brian Heger, an internal human resources practitioner. You can connect with Brian on Linkedin, X, and brianheger.com