| | OCTOBER 2024MANAGEHRMAGAZINE.COM19What are some of the major challenges that keep professionals such as you concerned in the HR industry?As the Global Head of Employment Brand at McDermott Will & Emery, my focus revolves around two critical aspects of the employment brand: attracting and retaining talent. When it comes to recruitment, several challenges keep me deeply engaged: Are our efforts sufficient? Are we strategically targeting the platforms and channels where our top candidates and talent are most active? Amid the myriad of possibilities, how can we identify the most impactful strategies? In making decisions, I place great emphasis on data analytics and authentic feedback from our current employees.As we seek to re-recruit our employees and enhance our programs, I contemplate whether our approach to benefits aligns with our employees' desires. Am I genuinely attuned to their needs? Moreover, the significance of taking action on the feedback we gather through internal surveys and engagement assessments cannot be understated. Effective communication of outcomes is paramount, as neglecting their input can lead to disengagement and a breakdown of trust. My foremost concerns are: Are we doing enough? Are we setting ourselves apart in a meaningful way? And, above all, are we actively attentive and responsive to our employees' needs?As the Global Head of Employment Brand at McDermott Will & Emery, could you provide insights into one of your latest projects highlighting the technological and process elements you utilized to ensure the project's success?One of our recent game-changing projects involved implementing a social media amplification tool called Social HP. This tool allows us to create content that our employees can share directly on their social media networks as if they authored it themselves. It has been instrumental in amplifying our efforts in both business-building and recruiting. With Social HP, we can schedule content on behalf of participants, eliminating the need for them to spend time on the tool. It also provides rich metrics that we incorporate into our business development toolkit.The results have been remarkable, with increased applicant numbers leading to a reduction in spending on recruiting agencies. The tool not only enhances internal engagement but also fosters a sense of school spirit as employees share positive experiences about the firm on LinkedIn. Additionally, it serves as an effective communication channel to reach employees who may not regularly read other internal news sources. Overall, the project's success lies in empowering our employees to advocate for the organization and contribute to our employment brand.What are some of the exciting technological trends you envision shaping the future of employer branding in the HR sector?I find it truly exciting to witness the emergence of automation tools in the HR sector, particularly those enabling seamless communication with candidates via text. These tools offer tremendous value in enhancing the candidate experience and streamlining processes. By leveraging automation, we can trigger communication at various stages, allowing candidates to schedule interviews and interact more efficiently. This seamless candidate-to-employee experience is crucial to ensuring a positive and engaging journey for new hires.The ability to set up triggers and push notifications for events like the 90-day mark or annual milestones further contributes to better HR practices. It enables us to be more responsive and proactive in our roles as HR professionals, recruiters, and managers. While automation tools have been available for some time, their adoption has been slow in the industry. This might be due to factors such as cost or the need to adapt to new technologies. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that these automation tools are shaping the future of employer branding and how we attract and communicate with talent.Do you have any final thoughts or key takeaways you'd like to share with us?When it comes to employment branding and attracting talent, my parting advice would be to resist the temptation of doing everything at once. While there are countless strategies and channels to communicate with candidates and showcase your culture, it's essential to focus on a few key elements and excel in them. This principle applies even to social media, where numerous platforms compete for attention. Instead of trying to be present on every channel, choose a few that align well with your brand and target audience, and commit to mastering them. Being excellent in these select lanes will make your recruiting approach stronger and more effective. Remember, quality and authenticity in your chosen strategies will have a greater impact than spreading yourself too thin across multiple avenues. The process of returning to the office should be slower and more considerate of the collective grief, loss of family members, and struggles faced by employees and their families
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