With the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into place in May 2018, businesses are now faced with the dual challenge of staying compliant and secure, whilst continuing to harness the power of their data.

In addition, organisations will need to undertake a fundamental and permanent shift in the way they approach data and cyber security, with the introduction of new regulations around reporting notifiable breaches.

The regulation will introduce harsh fines for non-compliance and breaches and, in addition to this, will provide consumers with more power over what companies can and cannot do with their information and data.

To meet GDPR requirements, organisations must ensure that all data is not only processed lawfully, but also transparently and for a specific purpose. And, once the data has fulfilled that purpose, it must be deleted.

So, what can organisations do to ensure they not only remain compliant under the new legislation but also have the ability to combat the technological and skills challenges they are likely to face over the coming months?

The skillsets in demand

With GDPR focused on protecting both customer and employee data, organisations need to secure the right big data and cyber security skills their business needs to help them stay ahead of the pack moving forward.

The reality is that GDPR will affect every organisation; whether public or private, charity or government. However, the media has, by and large, focused more on the implications for the financial services market and the problems it could face as a result of the digital skills crisis.

Although the finance industry will certainly have to make adjustments like all other industries, the robust legal infrastructure that’s already in place to protect sensitive personal details means that the sector is relatively well equipped for the upcoming regulation shift.

On the other hand, industries which aren’t necessarily tied to such tight frameworks – such as retail – could now be at greater risk of unknowingly breaching regulations. With the vast amounts of unstructured data they collect and store through daily customer interactions and purchases, they are more likely to be faced with a GDPR fine if they continue to operate without a robust review of their processes. As a starting point, the fundamental questions that businesses from every sector should be asking themselves are: “What data do I have?” and “Why do I need this data?”

Accountability is key – it’s not just an IT issue

Just as GDPR will affect every organisation in every industry, it will also touch every part of the business. The cyber-attacks we’ve seen over the recent years have shown us that a company’s weakest link in its security chain is its people – if cyber criminals can get through to employees, they are almost certain to be successful in hacking into the organisation.

That’s one of the reasons why the entire organisation – not just the IT department – must have a clear understanding of the correct security and data processes, with all departments and employees taking accountability for remaining GDPR compliant.

GDPR won’t just impact businesses from a security perspective. The implications could be far more wide-reaching. For instance, as much as 75% of an organisation’s marketing data could become obsolete because only 25% of their existing customer data meets GDPR’s strict requirements.

Despite this stark fact, a considerable quantity of customer data is still being collected without opt-in consent. Opt-out and pre-checked boxes will not be acceptable forms of consent post May 2018. Moving forwards, it is essential that both the IT and legal departments work closely with the rest of the business to ensure that consent for all processes is ‘lawful, fair and transparent’.

Take stock and get the balance right

For employers to ensure they remain compliant with GDPR, they must take a long-term view across the business and workforce. This will involve ensuring that business has the right skills and knowledge ingrained across each department, without adding endless expensive headcount.

Here are three steps that businesses can start to take today to achieve this:

1. Audit of IT and skills
   The first step every business needs take as an urgent priority is to carry out a comprehensive audit of their current capabilities and activities against the GDPR requirements. This should include a review of both their technology systems, as well as the skillsets that exist within the workforce. This will ensure they have enough time to respond to their findings and implement any changes where necessary.Hiring external experts can be a good option for an audit, as a third party looking at the business processes with a fresh pair of eyes may be more likely to uncover issues.
2. Hire contractors to instil the change
   Hiring short-term contractors as an additional valuable resource could be worth considering between now and May 2018 to help bring the organisation up to speed. Not only will they bring a fresh perspective into the organisation, but they can also use their experience to get the business into shape without adding any permanent costs to the balance sheet.
3. Circulate compliance throughout the business
   Business leaders must start identifying gaps within their organisation and engaging their workforce to ensure a long-term solution to GDPR.It’s key for organisations to ensure that all employees across all departments are aware of their responsibilities in relation to GDPR and also have the right skills and knowledge to remain compliant in their day-to-day activities.

Despite the disruption it will inevitably cause for businesses, GDPR shouldn’t be perceived as just another regulatory hoop to jump through in time for the implementation – it can become a competitive advantage for the long-term. If businesses demonstrate that they can be trusted with individuals’ data they are more likely to be rewarded with additional insights and increased business over their competitors.

Authentic, technologically advanced communications are a priority for today’s jobseekers. Added to this, the technology an employer uses (and doesn’t use) during the hiring process sends a powerful message about their organisation to prospective candidates.

It goes without saying that HR Leaders recognise the benefits of harnessing technology during the recruitment process. That’s why you’ll find it embedded in nearly every element of the hiring cycle – both streamlining and enhancing talent acquisition strategies the world over. However, when harnessing a high-tech approach, it’s critical that employers don’t forget to consider how they will continue to build a personalised experience. After all, for something as personal as a job search, mass mailings that are not targeted to the individual can be perceived as insulting and undermine trust in the budding employer-employee relationship.

To understand more about candidates’ preferences during the hiring process, we interviewed nearly 14,000 workers in 19 influential countries across the globe. While technology can simplify the hiring process, our research found that it’s no replacement for the human touch in attracting in-demand talent.

Take a look below for an infographic on what candidates need, want and expect from technology during the hiring process. Click here to view the infographic as a PDF.

Download our latest whitepaper Swipe Right: Candidate Technology Preferences During the Job Search for new insights into candidate technology preferences and practical steps that employers can take to attract, develop and retain skilled talent.

With Black Friday just around the corner and the festive period following quickly behind, the peak demand period for contact centres is well and truly here.

From assisting retail consumers with questions about their online purchases; to helping utility customers with broken boilers, or helping telecoms customers move onto a new tariff for the New Year – contact centres of all types and sizes need to find people – very quickly – to cover their seasonal ramp up in demand.

What’s the best way to ramp up your contact centre workforce during your busiest times of year? How do you find large amounts of temporary talent, and secure them for the duration of your needs? Let’s take a look at three of the critical areas that need to be considered:

1. Market Mapping
   At least three to four months before the peak period begins, contact centres need to analyse local labour market dynamics to understand current talent availability. And they need to review their own business too, to understand what the skills requirements really are. After all, an awful lot can change in a year. Just because a strategy worked last year, it doesn’t mean it’s the right approach this time around. The kind of skills your business needs might have changed; the types of candidates who are available might have changed; and your competition may have changed. Clear and comprehensive market mapping is required, to ensure you target the right candidates, in the right away.

2. Attraction and Selection
   It’s inevitable that your go-to-market approach will need to change every year, as well. Candidate preferences are constantly changing, and the types of workers you’re looking to attract are likely to have changed too. Therefore, the advertising channels that were previously effective may not be the best option today; the way you screen, select and assess candidates may need to be reviewed; and your employer brand may refreshing, to ensure it aligns to the preferences of your ideal candidates. Furthermore, as workers increasingly look to engage with organisations in new ways and embrace alternative ways of working, you may find you need to harness new employment models, too.

3. Onboarding
   Often overlooked, is the importance of getting the onboarding process right during peak demand periods. As we’re all acutely aware, it’s likely that you’ll be competing for talent with plenty of other contact centres – so you really can’t afford to hang around. Candidates need to be engaged with straight away; a hiring decision needs to be made promptly; and a comprehensive onboarding strategy is required, to ensure they don’t look elsewhere while you get ready for their start date. Handle this process well, and you’ll get better engagement, retention and attrition rates – leading to a happier workforce and a better customer experience at the end of it.

Preparation is the key

If there’s one thing you take away from this blog, I hope it’s this: preparation is the key during peak period. You won’t be able to recruit hundreds of in-demand individuals overnight. That’s because the most effective workforce strategies are planned months in advance.

While contact centres are often quite strong in some areas of their workforce planning process, most are weak in at least one area. You may have already realised this yourself, if you’ve found the build up to this year’s peak period to be demanding. But that’s where Manpower can help. We conduct landscape reviews of contact centres; assessing each stage of the hiring process to identify areas that can be improved, optimised or built upon. This allows us to bridge the gap between current state realities and future-state requirements. In short, this means organisations can enter their peak demand period with confidence.

Unlike many providers, we have national reach and a centralised approach. This means we’re well-equipped to help contact centres ramp their workforce numbers up and down, in line with business requirements. It also means we’re able to help organisations engage with different workforce models, taking a short and long-term view of their effectiveness in line with your organisational goals.

To find out more about our expertise in contact centre recruitment and workforce planning, visit manpower.co.uk/contact-centres or email us at [email protected]

When it comes to attracting and hiring in-demand talent, technology has changed everything. It’s embedded in everything we do, affecting most aspects of the hiring cycle.

Candidates use technology to search and apply for jobs; while employers use technology to engage candidates, build talent communities and interview prospects. However, while technology enables more communication, workers often feel that inauthentic, automated outreach messages undermine an employer’s credibility.

The technology that an employer uses (or does not use) at every stage of the recruitment life cycle sends a powerful message about their employer brand to today’s candidates. Those companies that proactively respond to candidates’ technological preferences, rather than fight them, will ultimately win the war for talent.

High tech, high touch

To understand what candidates need, want and expect from technology during the hiring process, we interviewed nearly 14,000 workers in 19 influential countries across the globe.

Our research reveals that there is real competitive advantage for those companies who harness a high tech, high touch approach, in a way that is attractive and engaging to top talent. After all, while technology can simplify the hiring process, it’s no replacement for the human touch in attracting in-demand talent.

This report provides new insights into candidate technology preferences, including global trends and
country nuances. It also suggests practical steps employers can take to attract, develop and retain skilled talent.

Related research:

Many see the Fourth Industrial Revolution as the way forward for manufacturing – with orgainsations leveraging digital technologies and data to drive greater efficiency, innovation and productivity growth. But getting there will require a new leadership mindset – one that is focused not just on creating the technology of the future, but also on developing the workforce to match.

According to ManpowerGroup research, more than 90% of employers expect their organisation to be impacted by digitisation in the next two years. And, taking a longer-term view, about 65% of the jobs Gen Z will complete don’t even exist yet.

With this in mind, manufacturers all face the same basic question: how do you keep the business running smoothly with one hand, while preparing for a different and unclear future with the other? As they steer into unchartered waters, manufacturing leaders will need to drive innovation, disrupt and blaze a trail towards new ways of working, while managing short-term goals and more traditional priorities. In short, they need to achieve today’s targets, while preparing for tomorrow.

Viewing manufacturing through a digital lens

To manage this period of change, manufacturing leaders need the ability to see both the long and short-term ‘big picture’, so they can lead the transformative collaboration between people, machines and data. They need to leverage networks, communities and employees, while demonstrating a high degree of empathy, cross-communication, and managing well defined feedback loops. They need agility, to foster diverse, creative ideas about products and services, and the teams to make this happen. And they need the ability to experiment and execute new processes, while managing the significant risks these innovations may carry.

Most importantly, manufacturing leaders need to match the requirements of their business with their workforce. Digitisation will impact manufacturers at all levels – not only changing skill and role requirements, but how work is organised too. This means organisations will need to rethink how they leverage talent within their organisation, so they can get to the point where they’re operating as a ‘naturally digital’ manufacturer.

The best manufacturing leaders are now looking at every aspect of their organisation through a digital lens. They’re considering how digitisation will affect each area of their business in two, five, or ten years’ time, and aligning their workforce strategies accordingly. They’re identifying and delving into emerging skill requirements, and figuring out how to rapidly upskill their current employees to meet these requirements. This means they can increase the resilience of their people and organisation, by investing in the skills they will need in the future – not just today.

Responsive, responsible leadership: The time is now

Despite the many benefits of harnessing digitisation, many manufacturers simply aren’t prepared to successfully move through this digital shift.

During this period of transformation; responsive, responsible leadership is critical. Changes in the world of work are accelerating at a pace and scale never seen before. So leaders need to be ready to steer their organisations through this ongoing period change. And that’s where Manpower can help. We partner with manufacturing organisations of all types and sizes – aligning their business and workforce strategies, and ensuring they’re prepared for the future of work.

To find out more about our expertise in manufacturing recruitment and workforce planning, visit manpower.co.uk/manufacturing or email us at [email protected]

Full-time, traditional employment is in decline in much of the world. This is giving way to a host of alternative work models – from contract and self-employment, to agency and gig work, and much more.

However, as these alternative employment models mature, we need to keep their positive aspects, while making sure we continue to take care of people, invest in their development and provide a path to career security.

We surveyed 9,500+ people in 12 countries to find out how they want to work in the future and their views of ‘NextGen’ work. We found that what people want is changing. 87% of those surveyed would consider alternative ways of working in the future, while 90% of those already working this way enjoyed it.

As people begin to work longer and learn more, many are seeking a better balance between work and home. Not everyone wants to engage as a full-time employee and organisations don’t always want that either. In fact, today, more people and businesses than ever want to work differently.

To learn more about what employees value and how they want to work, download your copy of ManpowerGroup’s report on The Rise of NextGen Work.

While everybody in the workplace will be affected by technological disruption that is leading to the emergence of a Skills Revolution, a significant impact will be felt by women.

Right Management’s latest report, ‘Women, We Hear You! Empowering Women in the Workplace Through Ongoing Career Conversations’, presents new research and practical steps to help employers achieve gender parity, starting with the easiest and most cost effective step of all: career conversations.

Women are already under-represented in industries anticipating the greatest job growth – namely engineering, technology, architecture and mathematics, and are over-represented in sectors most threatened by digitisation, automation and robotics – such as office and administrative positions. Although the number of women has outnumbered male university graduates in 95 of 144 countries surveyed and the percentage of women on large European company boards has almost doubled over the past five years to 25%, when it comes to achieving gender parity, there is still a long way to go.

The report found that:

• Only one in four women have had career conversations about how their skills can be developed to ensure they have the capabilities for the jobs of the future – Career conversations provide the perfect opportunity to reaffirm strengths and align women’s goals and motivations with the organisation’s needs. Employers risk losing talent who are not self-promoting but cite recognition of ability as the top reason to take a senior position.
• One in five women has never had an assessment of their skills and only one in four has had a conversation about how they can develop – Rarely a day goes by without news of digitisation, artificial intelligence and virtual reality impacting the workplace. It is vital that both employers and individuals understand the importance of up-skilling and ongoing career conversations.
• 84% of women have not been able to find a sponsor in their organisation – the report identified that women tend to be over mentored and under sponsored. Mentors act as a sounding board and make women feel more comfortable, but they do not necessarily help them get ahead. Sponsors develop talent and help women get promoted – they are a conscious advocate for getting more women in the boardroom.

Mara Swan, Executive Vice President, Global Strategy and Talent at ManpowerGroup, said: “Employers need to invest in career conversations to develop and retain women and ensure they have the skills needed to take advantage in shifts in industries and jobs so they are not left behind.

“While we cannot slow the rate of technological advance, we can invest in employees’ skills to increase the relevance and resilience of our people and organisations, regardless of gender or social background. It’s up to both employers and individuals to nurture learnability and up-skill.”

Ian Symes, Executive Vice President Europe, Right Management, added: “Leaders say gender parity is still at least a generation away – an average of 17 years – however, it is clear that unless we begin having career conversations now, women’s progress will stall. It’s time to shift the needle and for employers to help women explore development opportunities and take advantage of new roles to ensure they will succeed in the Skills Revolution.”

Right Management’s latest report explores the importance of career conversations to boost engagement among female employees, accelerate women into leadership roles and help close the gender gap. To learn more and download the report, visit: rightmanagement.co.uk/gettalking.

This article first appeared in the seventh edition of The Human Age Newspaper.