The art and science of attracting today’s next-gen workforce is digital by design

Pages177-181
Published date14 August 2017
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-05-2017-0031
Date14 August 2017
AuthorJignasha Amin Grooms
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour
On another note
The art and science of attracting today’s
next-gen workforce is digital by design
Jignasha Amin Grooms
Jignasha Amin Grooms is
Senior Vice President of
Human Resources for
Epicor Software, Austin,
Texas, USA.
Abstract
Purpose The digital transformation of talent acquisition is underway. In fact, for the global software
company Epicor Software, it has been de facto standard for some time now and has been playing a vital
role in helping fuel the company’s growth.
Design/methodology/approach This is an opinion paper based on real-world experience and
industry-related education.
Findings The HR professional of today must master many skills in this area that are digital by design.
Originality/value This is an original paper written for Strategic HR Review.
Keywords Human resource management, Talent, Talent management, Human capital
Paper type Viewpoint
According to Constellation Research industry analyst R Ray Wang, 52 per cent of
Fortune 500 companies have either gone bankrupt, been acquired, ceased to exist,
or dropped out of the Fortune 500 since 2000. The pace of change has increased,
competition has intensified and business models have been disrupted.
Epicor, a 40-year-old business software company, is no stranger to change. With 3,800
employees and operations in 150 countries worldwide, Epicor has been evolving into a true
global company and transitioning its products from an on-premises software delivery
model to a cloud software delivery model. To execute its business strategy incorporating
24/7 “Follow the Sun” global product delivery and customer support, Epicor sees talent
acquisition as critical to supporting this transformation. To this end, the company has put
in place very specific digital strategies for talent acquisition to enhance the company’s
proficiency in attracting and acquiring today’s top talent.
Characterizing the candidates of today and tomorrow
Like many technology companies, Epicor has been keen to attract millennials. Tech-savvy
and creative, these individuals have grown up immersed in technology – critical for a
company that designs software. We need these young people to ensure our products are
“business-ready” and appeal to this new generation of buyers. But to attract and retain their
new and fresh ideas, we have needed to retool our workplace and our approach to
engagement.
Millennials have higher expectations of work and higher self-worth. They demand more
from an employer than previous generations and, in many cases, this extends to financial
compensation. In many instances, this is because the cost of living in major metropolitan
areas has become quite costly. Case in point: Orange County, California, where an annual
DOI 10.1108/SHR-05-2017-0031 VOL. 16 NO. 4 2017, pp. 177-181, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 STRATEGIC HR REVIEW PAGE 177

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