TALENT ACQUISITION 360

ALIGNING TALENT PRIORITIES

FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
 1 Introduction

2 Executive Summary

4 What’s Changed Since 2015?

5 Key Findings

7 Talent Acquisition Dimensions

8 Stakeholder Perspectives On
Talent Priorities
Effectiveness
Metrics For Success
Technology

TABLE OF 13 Candidate Perspective

CONTENTS 15

19
Key Recommendations

Looking Ahead

22 Research Demographics And Methodology

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INTRODUCTION
Talent acquisition is rapidly increasing in complexity SOME OF THE
KEY QUESTIONS
with new technology, worldwide skill shortages and
THAT TA 360
evolving candidate preferences. Talent acquisition WILL ADDRESS:

leaders are facing tremendous pressure to align

talent and business priorities, manage a changing How do priorities

workforce, and help their organizations change and equalizer differ across
stakeholder groups?

grow. To help talent acquisition leaders navigate

through this complexity, identify opportunities for

How effective
improvement, and stay competitive, Cielo embarked are companies at

on a global study to uncover a 360-degree view,

podium achieving their talent
acquisition goals?
highlighting the differing perspectives among

stakeholders – including the C-Suite, Human

Resources, business leaders and procurement – What metrics

toward talent strategies and performance.

graph matter most?

This study builds on Cielo’s Talent Acquisition 360

What technology
research from 2015 and shows just how much has
laptop-phone solutions are
most effective?
changed in the past three years.

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 Talent is no longer just an HR priority. It is a strategic
business imperative that involves stakeholders from the
C-Suite, HR, business and procurement, each of whom
has unique viewpoints around talent. While over 71% of
these stakeholders agree that they should be hiring for the
future, they disagree with their organizations’ approach.
These different perspectives can either provide tremendous
opportunity for improvement and growth or present a
roadblock for progress. The challenge is getting everyone to
acknowledge their differing viewpoints and expectations and
work together on a long-term, unified strategy. Unfortunately,
most companies have little insight into what these gaps in

EXECUTIVE
perspective are and what they need to do to close them.

The good news is that the C-Suite wants to be more involved.

SUMMARY Over 70% of C-Suite leaders want to play a role in talent

acquisition decisions in the future. They are more optimistic
than their business partners about the effectiveness of talent
initiatives and more willing to dedicate resources to them.
Companies need to take advantage of this executive
support by putting talent acquisition at the forefront of
organizational goals.

HR leaders have a unique opportunity to help align business

and talent priorities. The following pages of this report will
highlight four major gaps between HR and other areas of
the business and provide three recommendations for
moving forward.

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 Priorities: Key stakeholders have differing goals today and for the future, including
views on diversity and inclusion and Total Talent Acquisition.

4 GAPS Effectiveness: While all stakeholders are generally optimistic about the effectiveness
AMONG of their talent acquisition efforts, the C-Suite was two times more likely than business

STAKEHOLDER leaders to think that talent acquisition is highly effective.

PERCEPTIONS Metrics for Success: Whereas procurement rated hiring manager satisfaction as
the top success metric, Human Resources, business, and the C-Suite preferred
OF TALENT quality of hire.
ACQUISITION Role of Technology and Services: Each stakeholder has a different belief about
what technology is most effective and what value external providers can offer to
their talent acquisition efforts.

Improve communication and collaboration among all stakeholders,

including candidates.
3 RECOMMENDATIONS

MOVING Define what quality of hire means at your organization and provide a standard for
measuring it that accounts for the perspectives of each stakeholder.
FORWARD
Embrace a total talent approach for attracting, recruiting, hiring and
retaining all types of talent – from contractors to permanent employees.

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WHAT’S CHANGED SINCE 2015?
Since Cielo conducted the first Talent Acquisition 360 study in 2015, companies have advanced
in some areas of talent acquisition but remain stuck in others. As organizations face new challenges
and talent acquisition has new responsibilities, the following elements have changed:

Business Leaders are More Confident More Comfortable with Data

In 2015, business unit leaders rated the As companies become more comfortable with data
effectiveness of talent acquisition efforts as below and its importance in talent acquisition, analytics
industry standards. In 2018, C-Suite executives were are increasing in relevance. Stakeholders were
two times more likely than business leaders to view nearly three times more likely to praise the use of
talent acquisition as very effective. data to diagnose problems today than in 2015.

icons pie-chart
Role of Technology Total Talent Acquisition
Tech is more ingrained in today’s talent acquisition In 2015, Total Talent Acquisition was a future goal
process. Leaders need to think about what that key stakeholders were not prioritizing. In 2018,
technology will be most effective in achieving goals over 90% of key leaders identified Total Talent
while providing a positive candidate experience. Acquisition as critical to the success of their talent
Stakeholders find basic uses of technology such as acquisition efforts.
background screening and assessments to be
most effective.

laptop-phone loading4
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6 KEY FINDINGS

drama laptop-phone loading4

C-Suite is the Most Optimistic Technology Implementation Total Talent Acquisition is a
C-Suite leaders are optimistic about is Not a Priority Priority for Every Stakeholder
the effectiveness of talent and the role Not long ago, implementation of HR 90% of respondents believe
they play in helping to drive strategy technology was the greatest frustration that Total Talent Acquisition needs
and execution. They are two times for talent acquisition leaders. Today, to be a priority for their organization.
more likely than business leaders to only 10% of companies identified new As the demand for contingent workers
think that their organization’s talent technology implementation as a priority increases, this more holistic view
acquisition priorities are highly effective for talent acquisition. As the technology of talent will help organizations
and 20% more likely than HR leaders market evolves and solutions become prepare for the future and help to
to believe they will play a key role in more intuitive, HR is more focused on align all stakeholders under one
talent decisions in the future. finding solutions that can help improve common objective.
quality and experience and less focused
In 2015, C-Suite leaders were more Currently, 68% of HR leaders believe
on implementing that technology. These
closely aligned to how HR leaders they have ownership over Total Talent
companies are often using partners for
viewed the effectiveness of talent Acquisition, while 65% of procurement
implementation and ongoing support.
acquisition efforts. leaders believe they do. Clearly defining
everyone’s roles will ensure greater
collaboration and the best results.

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 menu2 users bubbles
HR and Business are More Diversity and Inclusion Programs Candidate Communication
Closely Aligned Need More Support is Falling Short
Cielo’s 2015 research found a significant Diversity and inclusion is a top priority, Stakeholders identified candidate
gap between how the business and HR but most companies are not yet mature experience as one of the most
perceived talent acquisition priorities. in their efforts. Organizations can important metrics for success, yet
In 2018, the gap has narrowed as improve diversity and inclusion through most companies fall short when
business leaders and HR leaders are all aspects of the candidate journey – communicating with candidates.
more aligned in priorities, effectiveness, from creating unbiased job descriptions Companies are either not providing
metrics and technology. to employer branding to interview the status to candidates during the
management – yet too often, they do application process, not following
This is good news, as it is the highest-
not know where to start. Only about up during the hiring process, or
performing talent acquisition functions
20% of C-Suite leaders rated diversity relying solely on email as a form of
that tend to partner with the business
and inclusion a priority, likely because communication. Only 1% of candidates
to turn talent into a driver for
they are not always included in these surveyed indicated that they received
organizational success.
conversations – making it difficult to a text from a recruiter during the hiring
implement strategies and get buy-in for process, and only 50% of candidates
solutions to support attracting, hiring said they heard back from a company
and retaining a more diverse workforce. “sometimes.”

Talent acquisition leaders know

that candidate experience has an
impact, positive or negative, on brand
reputation, and must continue efforts
to improve in this area.

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TALENT Although specific business priorities vary

from one organization to the next, Cielo has

ACQUISITION identified 16 dimensions of talent acquisition

DIMENSIONS that high-performing organizations

consistently exhibit. They are broken down

into two categories, “strategic” and “core.”

“Strategic” encompasses the capabilities that

affect business performance and high-level

talent acquisition outcomes. “Core” includes

the operational and process elements that

support talent acquisition performance.

Together they drive lasting business results.

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STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON TALENT PRIORITIES
STRATEGIC TALENT ACQUISITION PRIORITIES

HR Procurement Business C-Suite

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Innovating to Identifying & Developing Strategic Demonstrating Communicating With Delivering Aligning Talent Implementing World
Meet Demands Defining Metrics Workforce Planning Agility Candidates Quality of Hire & Business Goals Class Technology

Stakeholders evaluated their talent acquisition function on C-Suite leaders have a broader view of organizational goals
the 16 dimensions. Depending on an individual’s function in and reputation, and therefore view talent acquisition priorities
an organization, the importance of each dimension varied through that lens. As seen on the core priorities chart on
widely – as did definitions of effectiveness. While the C-Suite the next page, they prioritize communicating their EVP
identified “Innovating to meet the demands of the business” and providing great experience to their stakeholders like
as its top strategic priority, procurement and the business are candidates, recruiters and hiring managers.
focused on other areas.
Procurement, meanwhile, is focused on priorities that will drive
When analyzing strategic priorities, HR and business leaders greater efficiency, such as delivering quality of hire.
are most closely aligned with how they view talent. They
must balance short-term and long-term goals in their talent
acquisition strategies.

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CORE TALENT ACQUISITION PRIORITIES

HR Procurement Business C-Suite

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%
Communicating Delivering Great Executing Total Sourcing Simplify Recruiting Investing In Committing to Using Recruitment
EVP Experience Talent Acquisition Great Talent Process High-Volume Diversity and Inclusion Analytics

WISH LIST
Each stakeholder identified a different area of talent acquisition that
they would like to see their company focus on in the future.

Strategic Core

HR Developing a Strategy for Workforce Planning Sourcing Great Talent

Procurement Delivering Quality of Hire Executing Total Talent Acquisition

Business Developing a Strategy for Workforce Planning Sourcing Great Talent

C-Suite Innovating to Meet the Demands of the Business Delivering Great Experience to Stakeholders
STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON EFFECTIVENESS
Effectiveness of Core
Talent Acquisition
Each of the stakeholders
(Respondents for
included in this report has Very Effective) Business C-Suite HR

a different view of the

Communicating EVP 16% 44% 29%
effectiveness of talent acquisition
efforts. Business leaders do not
Delivering Great Experiences 15% 32% 24%
rank the effectiveness of their
organizations’ talent acquisition Executing Total
15% 37% 22%
Talent Acquisition
functions as highly as the C-Suite
and HR do. In fact, the C-Suite
Sourcing Great Talent 19% 37% 23%
was two times more likely to
think that talent acquisition
Simplifying Recruiting Process 15% 37% 25%
initiatives were “Very Effective,”
compared to their colleagues in Investing in High
14% 24% 19%
Volume Recruitment
the business.
Committing to
21% 29% 26%
Diversity and Inclusion

Using Recruiting Analytics 13% 32% 21%

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STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON METRICS FOR SUCCESS

Quality of hire was the Hiring Manager Satisfaction

80
near-unanimous choice
as the top success metric.
60
Candidate
Candidate experience also Customer
Experience
Satisfaction
proved important, indicating 40

the intense competition

20
companies are facing for all
types of talent.

Temp-to-Perm Quality
of Hire

Cost Savings Time-to-Fill

HR Procurement Business C-Suite

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STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES ON TECHNOLOGY
Technology is a critical part of any talent acquisition strategy. Stakeholders were more aligned on what areas of technology
Yet over the past few years, companies have been drive results than in other areas. Background screening,
overwhelmed with the number of providers and solutions assessments, analytics – all of which help boost quality of
entering the market. While organizations assess their talent hire – were identified as having the greatest impact on talent
acquisition function and strategy, they need to get back to the acquisition initiatives.
basics and focus on what drives results.

TECHNOLOGY THAT DRIVES SUCCESS

HR Procurement Business C-Suite

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
ATS Background Video Assessments Sourcing AI Analytics Programmatic CRM Careers Social VMS
Screening Advertising Website Media

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EVERYONE
CONSIDERS
CANDIDATE
EXPERIENCE
A PRIORITY,
BUT CANDIDATES
DON’T FEEL IT. We asked over 200 active job seekers a series of

questions about the application process. Candidates

were asked to identify their satisfaction in the job

search process and the tools they used to learn

about a job and employer.

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 Candidates

brai
apply for jobs through C A N D I D AT E
EXPERIENCE
Mobile
(33%) Careers
Site (24%)

� Job Board
The main ways
candidates
95%
Other research jobs are
(25%)
(11%) through research an employer
LinkedIn
(7%)
before they apply

50% OF CANDIDATES
IN THIS STUDY
ARE MILLENNIALS
21%
careers sites 1 in 4
applied for 10 or more jobs in the past year

29% ~50%
� “Very Satisfied” with the
recruiting process
18%
search engines
hear from employers
“Sometimes” after applying
KEY
RECOMMENDATIONS

A high-performing talent acquisition function Improve communication and collaboration

should be influenced by multiple viewpoints,

bubble-dots among all stakeholders, including candidates.

not just HR or talent acquisition. When looking

to improve both strategic and core initiatives, Define what quality of hire means at your
organization and provide a standard for
organizations should consider both their current
rulers measuring it that accounts for the perspectives
and future needs. How can talent acquisition of each stakeholder.

drive business outcomes today and stay

Embrace a consistent approach for
prepared to handle the unknown in the future? attracting, recruiting, hiring and retaining
magnet all types of talent – from contractors to
permanent employees.

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RECOMMENDATION
IMPROVE CANDIDATE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
FOR SUCCESS
EXPERIENCE
Candidates expect companies to be transparent about their Think Beyond the ATS: The ATS is
employer brand, perks and incentives, financial performance, designed to help with candidate workflow
employee engagement and overall culture. They want to know and compliance. It was not designed to be a
information about the employer and what they can expect communication tool. Companies that want
during the hiring process. Despite identifying candidate new-tab to improve candidate communication must
experience as a top talent acquisition priority, most companies think beyond their ATS and invest in tools
fall short at communicating with candidates. Few companies and processes that can better engage
provide information, send updates, and engage with talent with candidates.
before they apply. This situation forces candidates to find
information on their own.
Don’t Rely on Email: Companies rely too
Companies can improve communication by offering a more
heavily on email to communicate with
personalized, consumer approach and using communication
channels like text, video and social media. Nearly 50% of phone-bubble candidates. More meaningful methods of
engagement include phone, text, video or
candidates said they heard from employers “sometimes” after
social media. These vehicles provide more
they submitted an application, and only 1% of candidates
frequent and effective conversations.
communicate with a recruiter through text.

Provide Information: Organizations should

provide candidates with the information
they need to be prepared and confident in
file-add the job process. This type of information
should include company background, hiring
teams and status updates.

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RECOMMENDATION
DEFINE & MEASURE QUALITY OF HIRE QUALITY OF HIRE
STRATEGIES FOR
SUCCESS
Often considered the “gold standard” When deciding on meaningful
of recruitment metrics, quality of hire measurements, organizations should
measures the effectiveness of talent look for data that is objective, such as
Understand what
acquisition. Stakeholders in this study retention rate and time to productivity.
matters to your
identified quality of hire as a critical
metric for the effectiveness of talent
Working closely with hiring managers hearts organizations once a
to arrive at consistent and agreed- candidate is hired.
acquisition efforts.
upon definitions will deliver the most
If an organization has the right people meaningful and impactful data. It is also
in place and is achieving positive critical to understand who should be
business results, then quality of hire is held accountable for integrating quality
perceived as high. If an organization is of hire into an organization, as talent Define what quality
losing new hires in the first year, failing
to meet productivity and performance
acquisition and hiring managers all play
critical roles in the success. pulse of hire means for your
company and your
goals and has low hiring manager critical roles.
satisfaction, quality is low. There is no
standard way to measure quality of hire,
because it is unique to each company
and role. Companies need to identify
Communicate your
what is important to their organization
quality of hire metric
and their unique hiring needs before

bubbles
to stakeholders and
they begin to define quality of hire.
hiring managers to
Once there is agreement on priorities, it
ensure alignment and
is easier to measure and manage quality
shared accountability.
of hire consistently.

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RECOMMENDATION
EMBRACE A CONSISTENT TOTAL TALENT
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
APPROACH FOR ALL TALENT
Total Talent Acquisition was identified as a priority for
90% of respondents across the C-Suite, business, HR and
Identify types of talent:
procurement. Companies recognize the benefits of a more

loupe-zoom-in
• Full-time
flexible workforce to close talent gaps and be more effective
• Contingent
at meeting productivity and performance goals. On average,
• Contractors
companies are hiring nearly 30% of their workforce as
contingent labor.

Companies need a more consistent approach to how they Begin discussing with other stakeholders,
attract and recruit not only full-time employees but also
contingent labor. For instance, 66% of survey respondents
quote-open such as business and procurement, who
owns Total Talent Acquisition.
said they are using different providers to recruit their FTEs
vs. their contingent workers. They need a more complete
view of talent at their organization to make better decisions
for the future. In that vein, 55% of respondents said they plan Map out the plan to implement and manage
to invest in an outsourced talent acquisition partner in the map Total Talent Acquisition.
next year.

WHO OWNS
TOTAL TALENT?

Procurement
HR’s View Procurement’s
View
HR

Both

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LOOKING AHEAD

While having C-Suite support can help bring With the stakes so high, executives and talent

about change, it is up to talent acquisition leaders agree that working with an outside

leaders to bridge the gap with their colleagues partner can transform their organizations’

across the business and align on strategies, approach to talent. Our research reveals

goals and metrics. This will enable them to that companies using Recruitment Process

prioritize their investments in technologies and Outsourcing (RPO) service providers rate their

resources that will help them adapt and succeed talent acquisition functions’ effectiveness 20

in today’s ultra-competitive and ever-evolving points higher than non-RPO users.

labor market.

For Cielo, RPO means, “Partnering with an expert to

design and execute a customized process to deliver
exceptional business results. Working together
collaboratively and seamlessly to transform your
organization’s approach to talent acquisition.”

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 Earlier in this report, we compared how different Respondents who said they have not partnered with an RPO
stakeholders viewed the effectiveness of their talent provider shared organization and manager preference to not
acquisition functions. Now we compare how RPO users view outsource business services as the most common obstacles
the effectiveness of their talent acquisition functions with to pursuing outside help. At this critical time, NOT doing
those that do not invest in RPO, taking a close look at the top something just on principal is NOT an option – particularly
strategic and core priorities stakeholders identified: considering the significant impact changing the way you
attract, hire and retain talent can have on your organization.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
100
RPO USERS

80
+21%
+16% +21%
+18%
60
NON-RPO USERS

40
It is time to evaluate your current talent
Innovating to Identifying & Demonstrating Delivering
Meet Demands Defining Metrics Agility Quality Hires strategy and challenge your organization to

CORE PRIORITIES
100
CONSIDER A CHANGE
IN ITS APPROACH.
RPO USERS

80
+18%
+14%
+18%
+19%
60
NON-RPO USERS

40
Communicating Delivering Sourcing Great Using Recruitment
EVP Great Experiences Talent Analytics

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ABOUT CIELO
Cielo is the world’s leading strategic Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
partner. Under its WE BECOME YOU™ philosophy, Cielo’s dedicated recruitment
teams serve clients in the financial and business services, consumer brands,
technology and media, engineering, life sciences and healthcare industries. Cielo
knows talent is rising – and with it, an organization’s opportunity to rise above.

For more information, visit cielotalent.com.

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DEMOGRAPHICS AND METHODOLOGY
As organizations assess their talent acquisition strategies,
collaboration among HR, procurement, business, and C-Suite COMPANY SIZE
leaders is paramount. Companies need a clear view of what
100,000+
is happening with their talent acquisition and retention today
50k-100k
and what needs to change for the future. This global report,
based on data collected by Aptitude Research Partners 25k-50k

in July and August 2018, examines how more than 1,100

10k-25k
stakeholders view talent acquisition priorities, effectiveness,
5k-10k
metrics and technology and provides recommendations
for closing gaps in perceptions. We also surveyed 200 job 2,500-5k
seekers on their experiences as candidates.
< 2,500

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

INDUSTRIES FUNCTION

Advanced Manufacturing, Auto, Aerospace, Defense

Consumer Brands, Retail

Financial & Professional Services, Insurance, Legal, Real Estate Human Resources (69%)
Healthcare
Business (25%)
Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals

Technology & Media, Computer Software, Media, Telecom

Procurement (6%)

Government, Non-Profit, Education, Other

0 50 100 150 200 250

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 REGIONS

EUROPE
400

MIDDLE EAST
NORTH AMERICA 50
400
LATIN AMERICA
135 ASIA PACIFIC
125

STAKEHOLDER POSITIONS 200 CANDIDATES SURVEYED, BY GENERATION

400 120

100
300
80

200 60

40
100
20

0 0
C-Suite EVP/SVP VP GM/MD Business Baby Boomer Generation X Millennial Generation Z
Manager

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