Why talent professionals need to think beyond boundaries

If Talent Acquisition (TA) professionals are serious about optimizing and retaining their organization’s talent pool, joining the “dots” between talent acquisition, management and development and adoption of a truly 360-degree approach is imperative.

Based on our TA Organizational Structures Report, we surveyed our global membership to understand their current positions on these critical TA questions.

What they told us highlighted a significant need for better integration of TA functions with other HR disciplines, including learning and development, employee engagement and performance management. This underscores the critical importance of TA teams collaborating more extensively with every business unit.

Moving to “boundaryless HR”

They’re not alone. According to consulting firm Deloitte, “boundaryless HR” signifies a shift where managing people becomes an organization-wide capability. For Deloitte, this means HR serves as a platform that equips leaders, managers and workers with the tools, information and real-time data they need to handle more HR tasks themselves. 

The challenge lies in ensuring talent strategies seamlessly align with the organization’s overarching objectives. How do you get there from here? The key driver must be integrating TA into a holistic strategy for managing and developing human capital, rather than allowing it to operate in a silo.

Fostering a collaborative environment where ideas are freely shared and innovation is encouraged will elevate your TA function from standard to standout. This approach aligns with the need to help your company address today’s challenges, including significant skills gaps, advancing technology, increasing competition, demographic changes and the ongoing backdrop of economic uncertainty.

Clear career pathways and TA development opportunities

Breaking down the barriers that separate TA from other HR functions requires a multifaceted approach. This includes hiring from outside the organization, upskilling current employees, leveraging contingent workers or a combination of all these strategies.

The findings also highlight that thriving TA operations are the ones where it’s not just about filling vacancies but where they genuinely contribute to business strategy and growth. 

To achieve this and foster consistent stakeholder engagement, it’s essential to solicit feedback and demonstrate that it is acted upon. This approach reinforces the perception of TA as a strategic business partner rather than just a support function. Additionally, conducting regular dialogues with the C-suite and board to stay updated on new ventures or strategic pivots is advisable.

Related: New survey indicates significant pivot toward skills-based and AI-backed hiring

Finally, research shows that high-performing companies place a strong emphasis on internal hiring, utilizing talent intelligence tools to uncover hidden talent and continuously developing internal resources to address skills gaps. LinkedIn data also shows that employees stay at companies almost 2x longer if the employer is highly committed to internal hiring. 

Therefore, we recommend TA organizations establish clear career pathways and ongoing talent acquisition development opportunities – another reason to embrace a boundaryless HR philosophy.

Emma Mirrington is CEO of The Talent Labs, a global membership organization for talent acquisition, management and development professionals.