As the Operations Manager of an IT Services firm which highlights staffing as one of its service offerings, one thing is clear, the need for very specialized, highly experienced IT professionals is greater now than ever. Here are a few points that I am paying close attention to as we try to meet the needs of our clients in 2011.
New technologies are being developed all over the world and the need for a more specialized workforce is much more relevant today than in previous years. This is welcoming news; however, many HR Professionals are struggling to keep up with this large shift in workforce specialization.
In this Blog, I will discuss some of the greatest challenges that are having an impact on the Staffing industry: economic climate, competition and the need to specialize. Understanding these challenges and their potential impact has provided insight as to how our company can stay ahead of the curve.
Economic Pressure
The increased economic pressure is forcing the staffing industry to rethink its service approach as more and more large corporations are looking to internal processes and systems to secure and hire talent. Many of the Fortune 500 companies of today are focused more now than ever on the bottom line and with that comes a certain degree of scrutiny with respect to the way in which business processes are managed. To the average C level executive who may be new to the role or looking to keep the Shareholders happy by targeting AP, eliminating a 3rd party staffing partner may be part of the thought process. While this approach may be obvious, the impacts of trying to “cut costs” with respect to talent acquisition may have repercussions that were not initially considered.
Firstly, staffing and recruiting, from a business perspective are not the company’s core competencies thus creating a potential knowledge gap when screening for the company’s future talent. Secondly, the impact to the core business drivers will be drastically affected or at least misdirected somewhat if efforts have to be shifted to an uncommon practice. Lastly, always, always consider an expert when looking at the “big picture” of your company’s road map and future plan. A little today could mean a lot tomorrow.
Competitive Advantage
Having the competitive advantage is essential when facing unparalleled economic uncertainty. How is an IT services firm like Waggware able to continue to deliver the best IT talent and stay ahead of the competition? Well it’s really an easy one to answer; however, the idea and the realization of that idea are what separate the ‘haves’ from the ‘have-nots’. As a company that plays on a very competitive field, we feel that given the current trend towards more of today’s business processes being driven by Information Systems. By specializing in our services, Waggware will be that point of differentiation. The staffing industry is well populated with agencies that can find you, for example, a welder or an accountant, however, when you try to achieve positive results from a vastly different knowledge base, you will have “fit” issues at some point. Whether it is cultural, organizational or a knowledge gap, that agency was not specialized enough to know and understand your industry and most importantly, your business. The ability to do something and do it very well is what some of the most successful companies in our history were built on and it is this principal alone that will allow the more specialized talent hunters such as Waggware to remain a trusted staffing partner.