“Do not be fooled, lulled or complacent because of the pace of the rebound in the marketplace. There will be shakeout, there will be future recessions, there will be winners in the world of work and — most certainly — there will be those less fortunate. The pandemic provided a bird’s eye view to both those that were agile and those that were not. Winning companies have pivoted assets and priorities. They have changed interviewing processes and hiring packages with a focus on driving mutual alignment between company and individuals.” – Bert Miller, President & CEO, MRINetwork
EMEA
HRO Today, a resource for top-level HR executives and leaders across industries and markets, provides research and current information to help them make informed business decisions. Responding to the difficulties many organizations are having in recruiting for their open positions, the publication recently turned their attention to four companies for their insights on how they are expanding their workforces across countries.
Deliverect. Over the last year, Deliverect’s employee count has quadrupled across nine markets including EMEA. An integration platform for food delivery, the organization has advertised between 20 and 30 roles each month, noting that whilst the pandemic has affected access to talent, being precise and tailored about their needs has delivered success.
Candlefox. An expanding branch of an education marketing brand established in Australia, Candlefox employs an attraction strategy emphasising that they have the small and personable nature of a start-up, whilst enjoying the support of a global parent company as they develop their presence across the UK.
EasyMerchant. At EasyMerchant, drainage and building suppliers, the approach to new hire success is offering candidates the flexibility to think imaginatively in an environment that is receptive to supporting innovative thinking and embracing unorthodox ideas.
Velocity Global. A global expansion solutions provider, Velocity Global strives to ensure that the remote working experience is positive for newcomers. They continue to design global remote strategies for the growth of their firms and to reach out to talent beyond borders.
To access a full account of how these companies are implementing their recruitment strategies, read the full story at Growing Across the Globe | HRO Today.
ASIA PACIFIC
Ford Motor Co’s battery joint venture partner, Korea’s SK Innovation, expects the U.S. vehicle industry to face a battery supply shortage until 2025 because of the long lead times to build production facilities, SK Innovation’s battery unit, SK On, is also considering developing lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP), which have an advantage in cost and thermal stability despite a lower driving range.
According to Kim Jun, chief executive of SK Innovation, the current U.S. battery capacity is far short of meeting demand. Building a factory to meet demand requires a lead time of 30 months, he said, referring to the time needed to supply battery cells domestically, including factory site selection, construction and product testing.
In contrast, China is expected to have a battery oversupply, and Europe’s supply will be in line with demand. Ford and SK plan to invest $4.45 billion each to build three new factories in the United States, with production slated to begin in 2025.
Read the full story at Ford JV partner SK sees U.S. battery shortage persisting until 2025 | Reuters.
THE AMERICAS
Between August 2 and August 6, 2021, PwC surveyed 752 US executives from public and private companies in six sectors: industrial products; financial services; consumer markets; technology; media and telecom; health industries; and energy and power. Seventy-two percent of respondents were from Fortune 1000 companies. PwC’s Pulse Study is conducted on a periodic basis to track the changing sentiment and priorities of business executives.
The study found that companies are balancing changing workforce expectations with the strategic and operational shifts necessary to remain agile. Executives were asked about strategic business changes they will make over the next 12 to 18 months. In a nod to the tight labor market, almost half (48%) will change processes to become less dependent on employee institutional knowledge. They’re also stepping up strategic planning around uncertainties like inflation, consumer confidence and government policy (41%). Over a quarter will also change their operating models, revise their location strategy and increase outsourcing. Tax leaders, for example, are digitizing their function through investments in cloud and automation and process redesign. And many COOs plan to reduce office space, change locations to leave cities or be closer to the talent they need, or move to a hub-and-spoke configuration.
Access the complete findings of the study on the future of work at PwC US Pulse Survey: Next in work | PwC.