Employersí Think-Tank Creates First Recruitment Prediction Model

A think-tank of major employers led by Profiles Resource Management is to unveil a breakthrough strategic hiring prediction model. The blueprint for accurately foreseeing and planning resource requirement follows Profilesí ëWar for Talentí event, hosted by Computacenter and attended by recruitment directors from blue-chip companies including Microsoft, T-Mobile and Siemens.

The model is the first embodiment of predicting strategic recruitment requirements ñ the Holy Grail of recruitment strategy. Successfully tested by the think-tank participants, it details how companies can build their own long - and short - term talent pools to increase the number of direct hires and increase the speed of introducing new staff.

Computacenter is growing its Professional and Managed Services business and has recognised the strategic importance of attracting and developing the right talent. ìLeading businesses now realise that they have to take a more strategic approach to recruitment and to identifying potential critical staffing shortages. Finding great people is something we believe we cannot leave to chance,î says Sharon Syal, head of recruitment at Computacenter

ìDirect hires through effective strategic planning typically take just 25 days, as opposed to up to three months required by adhoc hiring,î says managing director of Profiles Sue Brooks. ìCurrently, only as few as 40 per cent of hires are direct. Our new model aims to double this figure.î

ìWe are pleased to be a part of the working group developing the strategic model,î says Penny Davies, head of human resources operations, T-Mobile UK. ìEvery candidateís experience should be consistent with company values so we not only recruit the best person for the job but everyone with whom we have contact feels positive about the corporation.î

ìResource planning and prediction is crucial for fostering workplace diversity by eliminating chance and enabling greater control of the recruitment process,î says Helen James, group recruitment manager of Siemens, who also attended the think-tank. ìIt enables us as a company to drive the brand into new candidate markets and so target new customer groups as well.î

Daniel Padbury, European recruitment manager of Genworth Financial adds: The development of predictive and accurate methods of resource planning are critical in ensuring that companies hire for tomorrow and not today. In an increasingly competitive recruitment landscape this gives us an advantage in being able to plan our headcount more precisely and target key candidate groups to give our business competitive advantage.

For more information, please contact Sue Brooks, Profiles on 017843 227801.