EP23: Acquire BPO - Fostering An Authentic Culture Through Uncertainty (with Ivy Paraluman De Borja)

All-In Recruitment is a podcast by Manatal focusing on all things related to the recruitment industry’s missions and trends. Join us in our weekly conversations with leaders in the recruitment space and learn their best practices to transform the way you hire.

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Transcript 

The transcript has been edited for clarity.

Lydia: Welcome to yet another episode of All-In Recruitment by Manatal, where we explore best practices, learnings, and trends with leaders in the recruitment space. If you've liked our content so far, please subscribe to our channels via YouTube and Spotify, and stay tuned for our weekly episodes. 

My name is Lydia, and with us today is Ivy Paraluman De Borja, VP of People and Culture for the Philippines at Acquire BPO. Good afternoon, Ivy. Thank you for joining us on this podcast.

Ivy: The pleasure is mine, Lydia. Thank you so much for having me. Good afternoon to your audience. 

Ivy’s Experience In the HR Field 

Lydia: Ivy, tell us about your passion for HR. I see that you've had vast experience across the HR spectrum. So, what's kept you in this field?

Ivy: I've had 17 years of experience in this space. I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to work all the way from recruiting, where it all starts to mainstream people in culture to while offboarding. So it's an end-to-end experience. 

As for passion, I like helping the people that work for a company and the company to achieve its goal and sustainably grow where it intends to, whether that's here or to expand across the world. That's what I want to do.

Lydia: And you’ve been with Acquire BPO for a couple of years now. The company is focused on outsourcing services. And there's an interesting hashtag there. It's ‘acquire the A-Life.’ So, tell us more about this.

Ivy: Sure. So, Acquire BPO is all about connecting the world in a safe and, of course, flexible manner. And that's what outsourcing is about, right? Developed countries are having a lot of difficulties in hiring diverse talents that can be available 24/7. Anywhere a time. That's what we do for our clients. 

What is the A-Life? The services that we give to our clients are that lifestyle of achieving. We're big on setting our goals and creating our personal impact to contribute to the goal of the organization. And if we do this right, our organizational goal should also impact our personal goals. 

So, as people join Acquire BPO, they have to see their place under the sun and what it means for them in their careers and their families, too. Or whatever is that combination of importance that they come here for personal growth, career opportunities, and a better life for their family. The A-Life is about achieving those as you create an impact on the organization.

Lydia: And what are some talent strategies that you've employed at Acquire BPO, especially those that have worked in the past couple of years?

Ivy: That's a million-dollar question. And there are always textbook answers to that. Probably if we talked maybe a few years back, my answer would be, “You have to be solid about your brand.” This and that. But the pandemic has challenged everything that we know about attracting talent. 

So today, just to be brief about it, our talent strategy is a combination of an employee value proposition that's not about the company but about the deal. The human deal that our candidates are seeking and positive candidate experience. So, it's a combination of those two and a value proposition. What I really mean is a segmented approach to offering that value proposition. It means understanding who the audience is. It means creating variations in our offerings because It has to appeal. It has to make sense. It has to be important to different segments of people that we want to join Acquire.

Lydia: How do you go about identifying that? You also mentioned a little bit about the EVP projecting what candidates are looking for. And that obviously requires you to have some knowledge of the audience. And how do you go about understanding that? I imagined it's an evolving process as well.

Ivy: It is. It's an evolving process because aside from the fact that the market is evolved, the truth is, it's not only the talent market that changed. It's also how the business operates and what commercial markets we are pursuing. They say, “When you listen to your CFO, you follow the money,” right? 

Where the opportunities are is where you go as a company and as an entrepreneur. So, what we've done so far is seize every opportunity to deliver more and deeper services to our clients, both existing and new. 

For example, today, it's very hard to recruit software developers. I hear the world complain, “Where did all that talented developers go?” And so you come to the likes of the Philippines further, an abundance of talent relatively. And there are economies of scale that you can leverage from. 

So, knowing that that's where we're heading as a business, instead of just providing just back office support chat services, we now employ people with deep knowledge and licenses for our clients.  

If you look at those examples, a typical customer service agent would have a different set of needs compared to the needs of a software developer, such as the job profiles and the persona. We're getting a little bit technical here. The persona of the candidates that we're pursuing fit the job that we need them employed for are different. Polarity is our best friend at this point.

“We need to have a solid understanding of what success means to our clients from the very beginning. What makes a position successful? Knowledge, skills, even soft skills, and behavioral competencies. Then we go out there and search for the potential in the market.” 

Once we've vetted that, we go back to our clients and solidify the plan. That's where our branding, sourcing, and drive actually start. Once we have a solid understanding of the match between the requirements and what's available in the market, then we deep dive and differentiate.  

Locating Talents and Communicating Culture

Lydia: You brought up a key point about talent. Especially the software developers that you were talking about. It's hard to locate them. And, of course, the urgency to hire tech talent today is beyond anything we've seen before. 

And usually, hiring for this type of talent takes place for the skill first and the conversations about culture, whether it's cultural fit, adaptability, culture add, or even enrichment. Sometimes, it's not easy just to determine these things from the get-go. So, how might recruiters and hiring managers communicate culture effectively, especially for those who are coming in as new hires?

Ivy: Well, there are specific offerings. If I were the technical headhunter and I'm recruiting for, let's say, a software developer, that person would naturally have a list of the criteria that that person is looking for because candidates in that space pick us. It's not the other way around.

So, how do they sell? How does the conversation go? It's about being transparent from the very beginning. Not wasting anybody's time and just stating as is what the deal is. But we don't stop there because these are interesting times. These are times for companies to listen. Take notes. And actively go back to the company, organization, management, and feedback. Of course, research studies are there, but our obligation as headhunters is to say, “This is at the micro level what I am seeing.”  

So, while I sell this, this is what the market is coming back with. And so that's how we refine our ever-evolving value proposition for that segment of the business.

Lydia: We're also seeing a multi-generational workforce with more and more of the Gen Z coming in, and they're the youngest in the workforce. So, what are some tips for the audience on how to facilitate this multi-generational workforce in terms of culture building?

Ivy: This is a great question. I was in Singapore a couple of months back. And that was the topic that I moderated for; the differences between Millennials and Gen Z. And soon, Gen A (Alpha) will also hit the workforce. So today, Millennials would be the bulk of what we see in the market. They are about empowering them, letting them have that drive between their personal lives and work, and garnering the boundaries. 

They're very much into collaboration, collaborative workspaces, and these quality open spaces that you see. However, we need to be mindful of these things as well. 

“When we design the workspace, for example, the way that we communicate is very important. For formal communication, email works. However, it does not work for these workforces, whether that's Millennial, Gen Z, and I'm pretty sure, Gen A as well. So, rapid communication and a way to reach them right through their fingertips cannot be underestimated.” 

And I cannot stress that enough. These are generations who would raise their hand if they were passionate about a topic. Who would tell you that they have this, let's say, education or other experiences, and they want to be a part of a project. When it comes to talent development for these people, they know what they want.  

And so what you have to do is tell them what the opportunities could be. And let them volunteer. Agile talent management is what works. So far, we've talked about workspaces, communication, and a way to help them grow within the organization as they see themselves. 

But that differences have to be studied because there are studies now that say the succeeding generation is not as collaborative as the Millennials. 

They have somewhat of a combination of the Gen Xers, where they value their private space. There's an interesting study about that. And so, we need to be deliberate in our research, to understand whether we should invest so much in an open workspace or invest in a certain portion of a floor as open space while having other areas as cubes or make rooms for a little bit of privacy so that it works for both types of workforces.

Lydia: There's also some emphasis on having individuality come out, even in the workplace. So, I suppose that also has to factor into the spaces that are designed and the areas in which they can project that individuality and allow themselves to be seen. 

Ivy: A very good point. Earlier, we talked about customizing the value proposition and making it about the human that we bring into the fold. Not about a company was a nice poster out here talking about all the things that it does and how great it is for the world to see it.  It is about whether they reason out, connect, and see themselves in that journey that the company says it wants to take.  

So yes, individuality is definitely important. But I always say this, “Be deliberate in the study to understand how they differ and how similar they may be.” Because that would have a lot of impact on your benefits plan and on the perks that will be bang for your buck as a company, at the same time, your workspaces, the way that you deal with the way that you communicate, attraction, and develop your talents are also essential. 

Building a Strong Cultural Initiative Amidst the Ever-Changing HR Trends

Lydia: Ivy, we're also seeing plenty of different trends in the people space, in HR, in recruitment. Essentially everywhere. We also see hybrid work, layoffs within bigger remote workforces, and some people even wish to go back to their office. To this group of people, having a great workspace to go back to would be excellent. 

So, what are some cultural initiatives you've looked into that might encourage culture building amidst all these different pockets of work arrangements that we see today?

Ivy: These days, listening is the C-suite's best habit. I had the privilege to sit down with Dave Ulrich, an HR management expert, and one of the questions that I asked him was, “What listening means today? 

And he said, “The most effective executives today are the ones who, when they turn their ears on, really see and hear from the perspective of the talking person, not through the lenses of the organization.” 

And so, going back to the question of how we develop a culture for the multi-generational workforce amidst a rapidly changing environment, layoff, hybrid, quiet quitting, quiet firing, there's a lot of phenomena to consider. 

It's about knowing what is truly happening down on the ground in your organization. I wish I could tell you now that, “Oh, we formulated this. And this is how we do this.” But I would be lying. And it will be a sales pitch if I tell you that what we're dealing with today is the best of what we could do during such a turbulent time. 

But I'll tell you this. The values of these trends serve as our strong anchor, not only to succeed as a business but for us to be chosen over and over by our own employees against other opportunities and newcomers alike. And the fact is that we are a team of authentic individuals. We are authentic, and we show it through transparent communication. Acquire BPO is not a place where we sugarcoat when we coach. 

When someone needs to improve, we say it. And we ask what that person is going to do about it. We give some tough love so that we don't fall into situations where we fail as a business and will be one of those that have to layoff at this time. 

Lydia: And what are some ways that you've approached talent retention?

Ivy: Again, that’s a million-dollar question. So many CEOs and executives scratch their heads and question, “What do I do during times like these?” The world calls it the ‘Massive Resignation.’ Some say it's the massive revolution of talent. For us, it's the peak of our opportunity to be able to crystallize who we are and who would choose to stay with us. So our retention strategies are to go back to the human deal. 

So, if you were an employee today, who are you, and what are you looking for? Why did you come here? Why are you staying? It's about going back to the why. But you can't do that for a workforce of 10,000 people, especially in this business. Right? 

So, we consciously studied what's important for the types of employees that we have. We collaborate with organizations in this industry, such as the Call Center Association of the Philippines, or the IT-BPM organization (IBPAP), who would both have guidance on what works and what does not for our workforce. 

Let me give you an example. If we are talking about that part of our population who take the calls and chat with our customers for that line of business and those types of employees, cash is still king. So, it's very important for us to always ensure that we know and stay up to where we want to be in our compensation strategy. There's a sweet spot there that does not just happen. 

We consciously study that. For the developers, which we were just talking about earlier, flexible work arrangement is already a staple. But on top of that, we continue to try to understand what their appetite is. 

Is it about PROS Training for another application? Is it about starting to train them to be working managers now? Because teams grow, and who says that a software developer cannot be a team supervisor while doing the work of a programmer? It's still about where you want to be and how we co-create that future for you. 

For other types of talent, the time they allocate for work is very important. Don't mess with that. Don't mess with their pay. Right. And give them the perks that they enjoy. 

Lydia: One more question on the EVP that you mentioned earlier, how do you measure the success of an employer branding campaign or a strategy?

Ivy: If we focus on recruitment, firstly, when you create advertisements, how many people go through them? How many clicks do you get? What is your reach? That's a very straightforward number versus your maximum capacity. So, we always have recruitment operates this way, right? You have to have your target number. You know what the best-case scenario is. And then, you carefully create your plan to get there. So, for employer branding, that would be your reach, the engagement, if we're talking about social media. 

If this is an employee referral program, or community referral program, which we do by engaging the community and reward them, it is about the number of people that are referred to you. That’s step one. 

Step two, how many of these do you convert? Where do they fall out? Is it us that did not choose them? Or did they withdraw their application? Did they ghost us? How much of them are retained? Attraction, hiring, and retention are the three focal areas of measurement, and it's a journey for us. 

If we say ‘Do it Like a Champion’ is our proposition for 2022, then it would take us a minimum of seven months to figure out whether it worked for us or not. Because for us, it's six months before we can actually say that a person has decided to stay with us. 

Lydia: It's a very important six months, blocks of six months that we've seen in the past couple of years at least. You're going to look at the disruptive forces, and you're going to look at how candidate expectations have changed. And then measure that against your employer's brand. You will probably see lots and lots of data coming in every blog.

Ivy: Yes, it's a goldmine. Like all those focal areas, we have to pay attention because they tell a lot.

The Importance of HR Technology Today

Lydia: On that note, let's discuss the use of HR technology and data. As you just pointed out, what would you say has been the impact of recruitment tools such as Manatal, for instance, on talent strategies? 

Ivy: In the past, you would spend time on those mundane activities that you burned your time for. Now those days are gone. 

“If we do it right, if we set up technology correctly, it really makes life easier.” 

Second is you're not bound by time in terms of understanding certain issues. As a leader, I could just go ahead, look at my dashboard, read the remarks and understand what am I dealing with. After that, I have some insights. I go to my recruiter and have a micro interpretation of the data that I have. That's one value. 

Next, you feel more empowered because there are times of the day when there's just clarity in your head. When information is available to you, then you can chew through the data and refine your thoughts. And before the dawn breaks, you have an understanding of how to have a better tomorrow. So now, from ease, we are heading to leverage.  

Because now you're armed with data, and you know better. And when you know better, you know how to pivot for a better future. That's leveraged for me. You would have more time to bake lasagna instead of just ordering. These are the real-life impact of not having to spend so much time working manually.

Ivy’s Advice

Lydia: I love how you brought in the work-life balance element. When you have things automated, you would have that time for yourself, where you invest back into your own energy. But at the same time, there are also some of the smaller things that are very important and add value, like the candidate experience, in which you can spend more time nurturing relationships and making sure that you have a great talent pool that is waiting for you when you need them. 

Thank you so much, Ivy. You've clearly had great insight and good perspectives on the different parts of recruitment, right up to culture and people development and how you see each segment of your workforce right now in Acquire BPO. 

What advice would you give someone who is starting out in the talent space today?

Ivy: Love what you do because there will be days when you'll get tired. Human Resources, people, and culture, whatever you call it today, is a thankless job. If you're here for the accolades, you're probably in the wrong place. But if your passion is helping people, and making this world a better place, that's what we do.  

Don't stay here for the paycheck or anything that shallow. Know your why and stick with it even on the bad days. Because the fulfillment that we get once the outcomes reveal themselves is unforgettable. It's that kind of high that makes you say and affirm that you made the right decision. You made the right decision for choosing this kind of pain for sticking it out even in the most difficult moments. So, love what you do. Fight for it, even on the most difficult days, because I promise you if you do that consistently. It is well worth it.

Connecting with Ivy

Lydia: That's great. Know your why. Remind yourself of the why, especially when it's difficult. And then when you see the outcome, as you said, reveal itself, reinforce your why.

Thank you so much. Ivy, I'm sure our audience would want to know where to find you or maybe even connect with you. So, where can they find you? 

Ivy: Sure. I'm on LinkedIn. I'm quite active there. I like engaging with the bright minds that you find on LinkedIn. There's always someone new that you connect with and learn from. I'm also on Facebook and on Instagram. I go by just ‘Ivy De Borja’ on Instagram, and ‘Ivy Paraluman De Borja’ on Facebook. 

‍Lydia: And we have been in conversation with Ivy Paraluman De Borja, VP of People and Culture for the Philippines with Acquire BPO. If you like our content, please subscribe to our channels and stay tuned for more weekly episodes from All-In Recruitment. Thank you.