On Friday, February 5, 2021, Helios HR hosted the Human Capital Impact Forum: Future-Proof Your People Strategy for 2021. The virtual event brought together over 150 HR and C-level leaders and was moderated Helios HR’s President, Ethan Gill, and included panelists: Monica Dalwadi, Managing Partner at Baker Tilly; Erin Ogburn, Chief People Officer at Kearney & Company; and Vandana Sinha, Editor-in-Chief at the Washington Business Journal.

Today, I see more and more of our clients utilizing personality assessments in their hiring and employee development practices. In fact, according to Psychology Today, about 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests to assess potential and current employees to make hiring, team building, and developmental decisions.

2020 saw something of a boom in executive coaching. CEOs and senior management found themselves trying to navigate a turbulent, pandemic-struck world, with no one to turn to for guidance. Coaches offered calm, objective support and helped leaders to develop survival strategies on the fly.

As a recruiter, when speaking with candidates a few of the first few questions I ask are, “Tell me about your company culture?” and “What are you looking for in your next job opportunity?” Responses I often receive include, “an environment that allows flexibility,” “a team driven environment”, “a family atmosphere”, “ a place where I can learn and grow”, or “a place where I can make a difference and help take a company to the next level.” In listening to these statements, it provides me with insight into a candidate’s current company culture as well as what the type of culture that they would like to work in.

The Coronavirus outbreak has changed the way we interact with others, and it’s limiting the way companies interact with large groups of candidates and industry connections. Now, more than ever, it’s time to think about keeping connections alive with digital capabilities. Is your business doing all it can to stay in touch with your candidate network?

Compensation planning for the year ahead always involves a certain amount of guesswork. You have to try to anticipate several variables, from your company's performance to trends in the hiring market.