It’s Time to Get Back to the Basics

When I think about the values that define some of the world’s most successful companies, innovation is at the top of my list. That means not only finding solutions that address existing challenges but identifying emerging opportunities — and knowing when to seize them.?

Take a few of the world’s top companies, for example. Before Starbucks had a coffee shop on virtually every street corner, it was in the business of selling espresso makers — not espresso. It would take a trip to Italy by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz before the company would begin brewing and selling its own brand of coffee in a European-style coffee shop. The same goes for Apple, which dropped the word “Computer” from its name in 2007 as it ushered in innovations in music streaming and mobile phones. Less than five years later, the rebranded Apple Inc. became the world’s most valuable company.?

Examples of innovation exist for many of the world’s oldest brands, too. Decades before Play-Doh became a staple in classrooms and playrooms around the world, it was marketed as a way to clean coal soot off of walls — that is until the transition to natural gas threatened to make the product obsolete. Meanwhile, Wrigley’s chewing gum was initially offered as an incentive to get more people to purchase the company’s core product: baking powder.?

In the workforce solutions industry, innovation has never been more important. Three and a half years into America’s pandemic recovery, there are still 9.6 million unfilled jobs in the U.S. — roughly four million more openings than there are unemployed workers to fill them. At the same time, high costs continue to squeeze companies’ bottom lines, which has led to labor reductions in industries like tech and manufacturing.?

Ignoring opportunities for innovation in times like these is to embrace stagnation, missing out on the transformative potential that lies within our grasp. But as employers, how can we find time to innovate when we’re constantly juggling the unrelenting challenges presented by today’s uncertain economy? The answer, I believe, lies in optimizing basic, everyday tasks to create room for innovation to thrive. When it comes to your workforce, that means having a handle on everything from how you source talent — to the ways in which you manage and maintain a high-level view of your total talent needs. ?

At AgileOne, we are committed to listening and helping our clients think creatively about how to solve their most complex workforce challenges. Overwhelmingly, I truly believe that now, we must collectively take a pause and go back to the basics, if you will. This reset on focusing on rebuilding our foundation will be a key driver to innovating through continued market changes — no matter how large or small:?

1. Contain costs

In an era of razor-thin margins, organizations must embrace cost containment strategies to optimize expenses and ignite growth. This holistic approach involves gaining visibility into spending across labor categories and your workforce, addressing worker misclassification, and exploring avenues like direct sourcing. Furthermore, by consolidating supplier relationships, businesses can unlock the power of volume-based savings, securing the best possible rate for talent. However, it’s not just about cutting expenses; cost containment is a transformative journey toward fiscal responsibility and optimized performance that can help companies of all sizes shape a prosperous future in uncertain business environments.?

2. Break down silos

Many of our newest clients all share something in common: they are turning to AgileOne for the big picture. Tired of an approach that silos off workers into different categories — from temporary workers and freelancers to permanent staff and even robots — they are in search of a holistic view of their organization’s workforce fulfillment needs. In our industry, we call this total talent management. Addressing total talent needs may seem daunting at first. However, it's not necessary to dive into the deep end immediately. Instead, we encourage our clients to break up the process into steppingstones, creating a progressive journey that allows for gradual integration and optimization. By embracing this journey-based methodical approach, organizations can better align their talent strategies, bridge skill gaps, and ultimately achieve enhanced workforce efficiency and success, ultimately driving cost savings.?

3. Source talent directly

One of the most basic — and effective — talent recruitment strategies is direct sourcing. By taking on the responsibility of finding, screening, and selecting candidates, companies can implement stronger employer branding and establish meaningful connections with potential candidates. With AgileOne by your side, you can take direct sourcing one step further, harnessing the expertise of our seasoned direct sourcing team to curate and nurture your talent community. This will enable you to reap the benefits of seamless tracking, meaningful engagement, and efficient onboarding processes for top-tier talent at reduced costs, saving your company’s time and resources.?

4. Prioritize company culture

From ‘Great Resignation’ to ‘quiet quitting’, the historically tight labor market has delivered a dictionary’s worth of new phrases that underscore a common theme: culture counts. Even as economic conditions eventually settle, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to constantly improving company culture. Research shows that leaders have made progress in recent years; yet, only 2 in 10 employees feel connected to their company’s culture. In order to stay competitive, employers should double down on proven strategies, fostering an environment that embraces open communication, allows ideas to flourish, and, above all, places the worker at the center of important decisions.?

5. Seek buy-in

None of these ideas matter if you’re unable to convince your organization’s leadership to charge forward. Having spent my career working with global multi-national company, I understand how a lack of buy-in from senior leaders can doom even the best ideas, often times preventing innovation from happening when it’s needed the most. That’s why I’m so proud of our team at AgileOne , and together we do everything we can to help you build a business case with decision-makers across your entire organization. Working together, we can identify your biggest pain points and design solutions that are tailored to your specific business model, justifying your plan so you can feel confident about convincing everyone from your CEO to your employees on the ground about the merits of your program.

—

At AgileOne, we stand ready to help you get back to the basics, enabling your company to seize the opportunities that exist just around the corner. Reach out to your AgileOne representative or schedule a consultation with us today to learn how we can put our expertise to work for you.