Client: Public Organization

Sector: Infrastructure

Responsibilities: Research design and analysis, implementation

Challenge: A Talent Acquisition team received feedback from candidates and hiring managers about inefficiencies in the hiring process leading to a poor hiring experience. The team wanted all changes approached with a DEI lens.

Solution: My partner and I carried out a thorough examination of the existing recruitment process, from various perspectives and identified opportunities for improvement. We crafted solutions ranging from quick wins to more complex, impactful changes with a balance of inclusivity, effectiveness and efficiency. These solutions were operationalized with a keen focus on supporting the necessary change management.

Outcome & Impact: Our rigorous process and recommendations impressed the Talent Acquisition team, leading to the implementation of 90% of our proposed solutions.

Methodologies: The project utilized various research methods including Interviews, Ethnography, Co-creation, and Secondary research.

Duration: 16 weeks+

A large public institution in Toronto, employing over 700 employees, wanted to enhance its recruitment procedures. Triggered by feedback from various parties, the institution aimed to revise its process thoughtfully and inclusively.

Initial project steps involved in-depth discussions with the Talent Acquisition team to understand their roles and contributions to recruitment. We held 2-3 meetings with each team member, reviewing the current recruitment procedure, understanding its logic, and learning areas of concern. From these conversations we identified five crucial stakeholder groups: internal and external candidates, hiring managers, the Talent Acquisition team, and the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team.

Next, we conducted joint targeted interviews with each stakeholder group.

Internal Candidates: Explored their awareness of job openings, motivations, experiences, and feedback on the hiring process.

External Candidates: Investigated their discovery of the role, interest in the organization, understanding of hiring timelines, perceptions of the process, and areas of confusion.

Hiring Managers: Assessed their relationship with the TA team, the effectiveness of current processes, areas needing improvement from their perspective, and expectations of the TA team.

Talent Acquisition Team: Delved into their responsibilities, time allocation, challenges, inefficiencies noticed, and feedback received.

DEI Team: Focused on potential collaborations with TA and early opportunities for inclusive changes.

In order to thoroughly understand the recruitment process, I carried out a detailed ethnographic study. This involved conducting three immersive observation sessions with a key member of the Talent Acquisition team, specifically one whose role required they interact regularly with other team members, hiring managers, and adjacent teams. The purpose of these sessions was to closely observe the recurring recruitment workflows, enabling me to identify key moments in the process and potential areas of improvement. Additionally, I examined the existing applicant tracking system and other tools used by the team to gain insight into their usage and the candidate's perspective from a tool standpoint.

To distill the insights gathered, I conducted a comprehensive analysis using Miro, mapping out the complete recruitment process from each stakeholder's viewpoint. This visualization allowed for the identification of successful practices, inconsistencies, and areas of concern across different groups. Recurring themes and their impacts on the process were also highlighted, providing a robust foundation for improvement strategies

My partner and I’s solutions systematically addressed each stage of the recruitment process. By focusing on the experiences of each stakeholder group, we proposed specific changes to enhance their experience and outcomes. Using an inclusive approach, we evaluated who would most benefit and who might be disadvantaged by each recommendation. These solutions were presented to the project and TA teams, iteratively refined based on feedback, and eventually presented to the leadership. The measurable outcome was the approval and incorporation of these recommendations into the recruitment process, enhancing stakeholder experience and inclusivity

The implementation phase commenced by executing low-effort, high-impact solutions in collaboration with the Talent Acquisition team. This involved creating new workflows, introducing templates, and recommending the adoption of new vendors to support critical aspects of the recruitment process. Additionally, we phased out outdated processes while updating and establishing new policies. To ensure a smooth transition, we developed educational and informational content to facilitate understanding and adoption of the changes