Building More Effective Talent Pipelines For The Future

Welcome to the Vantage HR Influencers podcast. This podcast is sponsored by Vantage Circle, the simple and AI powered rewards and recognition platform for employee engagement. Talent pipeline is not just another corporate term, but a dynamic framework in the realm of human resources. Imagine it as a carefully woven tapestry of potential, a pathway through which raw potential morphs into exceptional proficiency. This ingenious system flows to the very heart of an organization. However, as with any captivating tale, the journey of a talent pipeline is not without its twists and turns. So let's embark on a journey where we unravel its inner workings, grasp its significance, and explore the art of nurturing a continuous stream of brilliance while navigating the labyrinth of modern dynamics.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Hello, listeners. Welcome to another episode of Vantage Influencers podcast, where we explore a wide range of HR topics that are sure to grab your attention and inspire you. I'm your host, Sanjeevani Saikia, and today we will be having a conversation on the talent pipeline, and for the same, I have with me Sulbha Kaushal Rai, Chief People Officer at RenewBuy. Hi, Sulbha.

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Hi, Sanjeevani.

Sanjeevani Saikia: First of all, I would like to wholeheartedly thank you for giving your invaluable time and joining us in today's episode. Before we dive deeper into today's topic, talent pipeline, could you kindly walk us through your corporate journey so far?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Sure, Sanjeevani. Thank you so much. Pleasure to have you. Thank you for helping me and making me part of the show. Really appreciate it. So regarding my corporate journey, I started with the Big Four, EY, and spent some fantastic eight, nine years there, where I handled a wide range of responsibilities, from HR operations to corporate HR, to several global initiatives. And then, you know, EY is famous for creating entrepreneurs, and I think that rubbed off on me. I started my own entrepreneurial journey post EY, and I created my own HR strategy consulting firm called People Matrix. That was, again, a fantastic phase of my life where I learned a lot, had the opportunity of meeting people from different industries and verticals, and worked with large organizations, SMEs, and even startups. So again, immense learning, and an extremely enriching and personally satisfying journey. Then RenewBuy happened. RenewBuy used to be a client of my own consulting business, so I consulted for RenewBuy for about a year, and then joined full time as Chief People Officer. So I've been working with them since 2017, and yeah, that's been my journey so far.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Wonderful. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. It has truly been remarkable. So about today, we'll be discussing the talent pipeline. To get us started, could you, first of all, define this particular concept? So in your experience and expertise, what do you think the talent pipeline is? And also Sulbha, why do you think this concept is so significant?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Sure. So Sanjeevani, the way the pipeline is defined is, basically, it is the strategic approach organizations use to attract, develop, or retain people across different skills and qualifications, which helps them fulfill the current as well as the future requirements of the organization. Basically, the entire component of a talent pipeline literally starts from how you source, how you recruit, select, onboard people, and then finally merge them into the organization. And it has become a very relevant topic in times like this, because organizations have been evolving, and they have to quickly respond to the micro as well as the macroeconomics of the environment in which we operate. So I have, in my own personal journey, also seen, not just in my organization, but in any other organization that I keep interacting with, that pivoting has become very crucial for a lot of organizations and important for their own survival. And when organizations are pivoting and taking a different stance, that's when a very important talent pipeline comes into the picture, where they have to ensure that they actually have the right talent and a continuous talent supply. Because, all said and done, creating a talent pipeline is time and cost consuming. But if somebody is already investing in this, already keeping a tab on the kind of people the organization may need today or for tomorrow, continuously identifying people reduces that time and cost effort. It also, once you have a pipeline, as the word itself says, you're also prepared for the future and you're able to anticipate who could be your possible successor. So it beautifully aligns to succession planning. And also, like I said, as organizations pivot, there is a need for skill and competency alignment or realignment that may be required. So once you identify your talent and are able to map them, I think this concept comes in very handy, where organizations are quickly able to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment. And if you have spent time and invested in creating the talent pipeline, not only do you save the cost, but you also ensure that the people have a great experience and they are the ones who deliver as per expectations. And we all know engaged employees are the most productive employees. So I think all of that are the additional benefits, and that's why it is so significant and so important to have them. Yeah, so when it comes to a talent pipeline, it's important to have a group of qualified candidates ready to hire when needed. So I just talked about the continuous supply, so how difficult or easy is that? If I talk about hiring in India, particularly, I think within India we are in a great space now. We do have a large volume of qualified people. But yes, getting the right fit in terms of the exact requirements can sometimes be a challenge. But I think organizations are investing their time and effort into ensuring they are on a continuous lookout for the right talent, and are also ready to invest. So they have different programs, for example, campus to corporate. I think a lot of organizations have adopted that approach, which helps these students quickly become productive in the organization. And even for lateral hires, with so much focus and investment going into this, organizations have designed different programs and methodologies where they keep identifying skilled talent and upskilling them to make them more relevant to the organization.

Sanjeevani Saikia: I'm very interested in learning how talent pipelines have evolved in recent years to adapt to changing workforce dynamics and technological advancements, for that matter. So could you please share some insights on how talent pipelines have transformed to address the challenges posed by the evolving workforce and technology?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Yeah, so I think we have seen it evolve, and workforce dynamics and technological advancements have really sped up the process. So some of the strategies that organizations have adopted include going with a data driven approach. I think that's extremely important. There was a time when organizations loosely looked at only the skills and started calling people, but with a lot of big data and advanced analytics available now, organizations are using that approach and those insights to identify where the talent gaps are and what the future needs could be. And then they're able to take much more informed decisions in terms of what kind of talent they need and where they need to source it from. So I think there is more precision now, and that's building in here. Also, nowadays another strategy being adopted is agile workforce planning, which means the planning is no longer just about how many open positions or how many people need to be hired. I think workforce planning is being replaced by more agile and adaptive approaches, where organizations are continuously doing scenario planning and preparing the future workforce, and accordingly balancing and strategizing their talent pipeline. And we also see that gig workers have started integrating into the economy. So I think that is also another great strategy for talent pipelines, where we leverage the expertise of these gig workers. When an organization finds it challenging to quickly replace people or find the right alternate, these gig workers come in very handy, and it's a great strategy to fill in the gaps and get the best talent to complement the core workforce. So I think these are some of the strategies, apart from that. Now the world is really becoming a smaller place when it comes to sourcing talent. The global workforce is available across different parts of the world, and even the global talent pool is available with the rise of work from home or virtual collaboration. It goes beyond geographical boundaries. So I think this is also something organizations can look for and adopt when scouting or preparing their organization.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Okay, so you have lucidly explained this particular question. So again, I believe that a strong employer brand is crucial for attracting top employees and improving the talent pipeline. It's important to have proper employer branding strategies in place for the talent pipeline to be impactful. With that in mind, I'm eager to learn about effective strategies and best practices that companies can implement to strengthen their employer brand. So what do you have to say about this particular aspect?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: I think creating an employer brand is extremely important, and in times like this, where people have far more information at just a click of a button or a tap of the fingers, brands really need to stand out. And even employees these days are extremely conscious, and they do their homework before really signing a contract. So for organizations to be able to attract top talent to the talent pipeline, some of the strategies they can use to build a strong employer brand include, first and foremost, communicating and defining the core values, what the organization really stands for, what is close to its heart. It cannot be overemphasized that the value system defines the organization. And if you want people to live those values, it's extremely important that you make them available, because they also play a huge role in creating your personalized employer brand. So communicating these values authentically and consistently, establishing that it's not just words, that it's how you live and breathe those values, it should also be consistent in your messages and communication, and people should be able to believe that. So that's important. Another important aspect of creating a strong employer brand is giving candidates the right, positive experience. It's very important, right from the first phone call, through their interactions, their onboarding, to their first day in office. I think it's extremely important that as an employer, everybody, not just one person, it is not just the responsibility of the HR team or a particular department, it is the responsibility of everybody to ensure that the candidate has a positive experience, because nothing works better than the experience itself. No matter how much you talk about it, the experience itself is extremely important. And organizations must also focus on their social media presence, because the kind of workforce we have today, the Gen Zs and the millennials, are extremely savvy on social media. So for an organization to present its brand and create a brand presence, it's extremely important to have a strong and, more importantly, engaging social media presence. And one way, while an organization can obviously talk about itself, nothing works better than having your employees as your brand ambassadors. I think that is more trustworthy and more relatable, and in the context of our conversation today about the talent pipeline, it's all about attracting talent. If your employees become your brand ambassadors and share their authentic stories, testimonials, and experiences, that humanizes the organization and provides insight into the company culture, environment, and opportunities. That's something which is very important in creating a good brand for the organization.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Wonderful. I think you'll agree with me on the fact that a talent pipeline again plays a very critical role in promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. So I had to ask you this question, since right now diversity, equity and inclusion is very important. By focusing on diversity and inclusivity at every stage of the talent pipeline, companies can create a workforce that reflects a wide range of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. So our listeners and I would be keen on learning about actionable steps that can be taken at various stages of the pipeline to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce. So basically, how can organizations ensure that their talent pipeline initiatives actively foster diversity and inclusivity in the workplace?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Good question. I think DEI is no longer a tick the box exercise. DEI is no longer just good to have, I think it's a must have. And it's not only restricted to gender, it has many more dimensions to it. To be able to foster DEI at the workplace, I think it's very important that all the stakeholders involved in creating the talent pipeline understand its importance. I think it starts from the why, why it's important to them and what value it brings. So to be able to foster diversity, it's important that organizations first invest in DEI training itself, teaching recruiters and hiring managers how to set aside their unconscious biases and embrace diversity and inclusion. That's extremely important, and I think it starts there. Then, in the way talent is sourced, to ensure DEI prevails in the true sense, I think it should be mandated for the sourcing team to look for diverse experience, diverse communities, and diversity in different forms, including different educational backgrounds or colleges. A lot of times people also have a bias toward hiring from their own college, city, or previous company, and I think that bias has to be broken, and people should be open to exploring more widely. In fact, I was listening to a very good podcast with the Disney founder, and he was saying that he would never hire people who insisted on only bringing in people from their previous organization. He would say there's no need to only get people who have already worked together, that you should explore more, because what's the fun of just working with the same people all the time? I found that very interesting, and I think that's where it starts. There should also be an unbiased recruitment and selection process. Just because there's an affinity for a particular college, location, or gender, that has to be totally weeded out from the process. People should be trained to conduct more structured interviews, and they should look at resumes without the other details about the candidate, focusing only on the experience, almost like a blind resume where only the experience is shared and not the other details. That way you're objectively looking at the resume. And in fact, the number of people on the interview panel should also, if possible, be diverse, so you get a fair evaluation of the candidate. Also, some of the things we can do to ensure we're fostering DEI in the workplace, since we spoke about employer branding in the previous question, is to look at how we can do more inclusive employer branding. So when, as an organization, you talk about being an inclusive organization committed to equality, that also reflects and helps you attract talent from different walks of life and different kinds of experiences. I think that also helps in fostering this.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Yeah. So as you've mentioned about unconscious bias, I think unconscious bias is very much prevalent. Do you think it's more prevalent after the talent pipeline is prepared, or before, during the process itself?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Unconscious bias plays a role at various levels, actually. Sometimes even before a candidate comes in, a lot of times we have this ideal candidate in mind, and in fact, in the way we prepare job descriptions, apart from the roles and responsibilities, when we specify the kind of experience or background we want, it starts to play a role from there itself. So it's important to focus on the objective and the kind of experience you want on the table, and not focus too much on things that can hamper the DEI principles or the culture you want to create in the organization. And like I said, during the process, that's where training comes in as a help, where people are made aware of their unconscious bias. And building on the last question, I think we should also create certain metrics and goals around this, because something that gets measured can be managed. That also gives a reflection of whether we're operating with any unconscious bias, and whether we're able to recognize it and take corrective steps.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Yeah. So Sulbha, we are arriving at the end of today's episode, but before we let you go, there's one last thing that both our listeners and I would like to know your take on. So with the rise of remote work, how can organizations adapt their talent pipeline strategies to effectively recruit and onboard remote employees?

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Sure. So I think nowadays a lot of options are available, and in the last couple of years, we've seen a rapid evolution from office, to work from home, to work from anywhere. Some of the key considerations or strategies organizations can adopt are as simple as a virtual recruitment process, because a lot can be done now, and we have fantastic tools available. Organizations can also make different investments for candidates in the virtual recruitment process. Virtual onboarding is also something adopted by many, giving new hires an experience of how the organization works, helping them understand the details of the organization, how it operates, and what the expectations are. As I said, a lot of tools and platforms are now available, so once a person is onboarded, how we leverage those platforms becomes extremely important. To ensure the talent we've hired is working effectively in the organization, we should provide an enabling environment, so all kinds of tools and platforms should be made available. There should be formal policies around remote work, so there's no ambiguity, and both employees and their team members understand the policies in place. One of the challenges we've heard and witnessed is that during remote work, team building becomes a little challenging, but there are ways and means for remote team building to happen. I think that's also an important aspect to look at, ensuring there is camaraderie and team spirit while working remotely as well. And how you continuously engage and develop your people is extremely important in a remote environment. There should be a continuous support mechanism, because there could be moments where employees feel disconnected from being in office, so there should be a support system for employees to connect and share. And yes, there should be different kinds of engagement. Engagement doesn't mean only fun activities, engagement is all about conversations, and it can involve different leaders and different teams. An engaging environment where people feel connected to the organization and connected to its purpose, where someone continuously tells them what's expected of them, how they're making a difference, and why they're valuable, I think all of these things are extremely important, more so when you're in a remote workplace, because sometimes messages get diluted or aren't understood in the right spirit. So various levels of communication and connection definitely help in ensuring that the talent you've acquired stays engaged and motivated to deliver.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Yeah, wonderful. We have reached the end of today's podcast. Do you have any message for our listeners? Our listeners would be delighted to hear it from you. Also, our audience might want to stay in touch with you after this podcast, so it would be great if you could tell them how they can reach out to you.

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: So I think the only message is, be like a sponge, be a lifelong learner. I think there's nothing better than to keep evolving and keep learning. I think that's really the true essence of life. You're not growing old, you're only growing wiser. That's the way one should look at it, and I would love to stay connected with your listeners. I'm very active on LinkedIn, and people can find me there under my profile, Sulbha Kaushal Rai. Or if they'd like to write to me, they can also reach out on a personal email. I think our listeners must have taken note of that.

Sanjeevani Saikia: Sulbha, it's been a pleasure to have you as our guest today. Your insights and expertise have been invaluable, and we are grateful for the time you've taken to share your knowledge with our listeners. So, thank you so much. Thanks a lot, Sulbha.

Sulbha Kaushal Rai: Thank you so much, Sanjeevani. I really enjoyed our conversation, and thank you so much once again for the opportunity. Thank you so much.