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BACK TO THE FUTURE – Collaboration with Intention

2022 is here and we find ourselves in a very similar situation to the last couple of years with remote work still the norm and companies looking for new and innovative ways to attract and keep good talent.    Understanding how to adapt yet keep the core of who you are as a company intact, is an ongoing challenge that has changed the way in which a lot of us collaborate.  Collaboration tends to be an intrinsic goal that most successful organizations strive to achieve due to the positive effects this mindset has on employees, productivity, and the overall success and growth of a firm.  

Finding ways to allow for a collaborative mindset to permeate a culture and become a part of who that company is takes time and, in most cases, requires a general shift in how we interact with one another.  Sometimes that shift happens gradually and other times it is forced on us, as was the case with COVID-19.  It altered our outlook to a point where most of us were forced to re-evaluate what is important and learn how to thrive in this new environment.

MAKING LEMONADE WITH A SEA OF LEMONS

Here are some of the ways GSG’s Talent Acquisition strategy have addressed the dynamics of the talent eco-system during COVID.

  • Focus on Retention – This is one of the most important goals of any firm, or at least it should be, and it still stands out as one of the most difficult things we do.  There are a myriad number of  factors that play into why someone decides to stay with a firm, making retention a moving target at times.  Focusing on what we can control as an employer and pushing to understand what our consultants value is key to creating an environment of trust and true collaboration.  We strive to provide a holistic experience and foster growth both personally and professionally.  Knowing that contributing to the development of our team through continuing education, providing on-the-job training and tools, and being proactive in our daily approach of managing and communicating expectations helps us to retain the best and the brightest consultants that can execute for our clients.  Our people are what makes us great, and we are committed to providing the best possible experience so we can all focus on what we do best!
  • Efficient Decision Making – Taking it slow to speed up!  Faster connections and more meaningful conversations that focus on motivation, aspiration and passion are key to engaging with and securing top talent in today’s marketplace. With co-location requirements lifted for many client projects, and a hybrid model embraced for the future, virtual interaction has become the norm for both recruiters and our business partners when meeting our consultants for the first time.  Utilizing any one of the multiple video conferencing platforms to interact with both project teams and client business partners has allowed for a more efficient and comprehensive initial conversation from the initial point of scoping requirements to team deployment, resulting in a faster decision-making process for our clients.  This is helping us as a team to more quickly align our top consultants with our client project needs more efficiently than ever.
  • Time Management for Growth and Stability – With the onset of the pandemic and remote work mandates, there were a lot of changes to how we all managed our time and structured our days.  This period of personal and corporate reflection has allowed GSG to take a more comprehensive approach to how we manage growth as a firm, focusing on our core values of relationships, community, diversity, integrity, efficiency and quality.  Achieving growth is a pure function of intentional application of these values and providing mechanisms for collaboration.

CHANGE MAY NOT BE EASY, BUT IT ALWAYS COMES

Learning to adapt over the last couple of years and navigate this ever-changing environment has not been easy.  It’s been challenging on many different levels, from learning how to interact with our coworkers virtually to technology issues to managing your time in a new home office that also serves as a school, a daycare, a home, a second home office and whatever else we needed to make it so that it worked.  It’s been a volatile ride for the most part but being able to lean on my team with the understanding we were all in this together has made it so much easier. 

This is why GSG is dedicated to continuing a high level of meaningful communication, building trust, promoting diversity and delivering true collaboration so that everyone grows and flourishes as the future becomes brighter each day.


Jeremy Overaker is an Associate Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Granite Solutions Groupe and is based in Charlotte, NC.  With nearly 10 years of experience designing and implementing viable talent acquisition solutions, he prides himself on measuring the balance between where personal needs meet professional goals by taking a holistic approach to relationship building.