EP80: rf IDEAS - How to Create a High-Performing Team

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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This transcript has been edited for clarity.

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Lydia: Welcome to the All In Recruitment podcast by Manatal, where we explore best practices, learnings, and trends with leaders in the recruitment space. If you like our content, please subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Spotify to stay tuned for weekly episodes. I'm your host, Lydia, and joining us today is Jennifer Bauer of rf IDEAS.

Welcome to the show, Jennifer. Thanks for joining us.

Jennifer: Hi, Lydia. It's an absolute pleasure to be with you.

Making an Impact Within the Organization

Lydia: So, Jennifer, what's kept you in the human capital space? I mean, it’s a new experience and you would have seen quite a number of transformative phases, I presume?

Jennifer: Oh, absolutely. That’s probably an understatement. But for me, I have always been very passionate about the human capital space. Quite honestly, what I love most is the ability for me to make an impact within the organization on such a deep level, the people function is just so critical. The individuals within the organization are obviously the ones that are driving those business results. So, getting the right people in the right seat. It sounds simplistic enough, but as we know, it’s not always that easy. And to answer the second part of your question, yes, the evolution of the function has been vast. To be honest, from my vantage point, it’s really inspiring to witness the shift in how the human capital function is viewed.

Lydia: There’s also, we’ll go into this later, in terms of becoming a fully-fledged partner to the business, specifically in human capital or human resources. But in terms of the real rewards of staying in the human capital space, what kind of impact has that brought to you in your own career?

Jennifer: For me, it’s been so fulfilling to be able to see various initiatives come to life. Just the way that the world has shifted—and I know we’ll speak about that in a little bit, with the pandemic—it gives you a sense of gratification to be a leader in the space and help drive the things that employees really care about. How do we keep them engaged? What’s preventing them from participating in LinkedIn messages when they’re being targeted themselves? And how do we maintain their engagement and excitement, making them want to stay with us over another organization?

Seeing the fruits of that labor, the positive impact on retention rates, engagement scores, and the cultural shift—it’s incredibly rewarding. Personally, it’s a huge driver for me to remain in this space, just to keep pushing forward.

Leading with Empathy

Lydia: Now, the past couple of years, maybe three years, or four years now entering into the fourth year of the pandemic period, we come out of that, but the past couple of years have been pivotal for so many businesses that are coming out of it.

So, what are some of the areas that you prioritized, maybe during this recent past, in your current role at rf IDEAS? Could you also tell us a little bit more about the business itself?

Jennifer: Absolutely. I think first of all, pivotal is the perfect word to use in this particular situation because the pandemic really just shifted the world of work entirely. Honestly, for the first time in a really long time, employees began to sit down and reflect on what they wanted out of work, what they wanted from their boss, from their teams.

Here at rf IDEAS, I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by forward-thinking leaders who not only recognize the shift but also want to remain at the forefront. So, a bit of background about rf IDEAS: we specialize in contactless authentication solutions. We’re within the tech space, and it’s a very exciting space to be in, given the markets we serve for our customers and stakeholders.

For us, in terms of our employee base, we had to prioritize our people leaders. These individuals are absolutely critical to success, especially in this area. So, we made a conscious effort to equip them with the necessary skills and competencies to truly lead in today’s landscape.

Some examples of what we’ve personally done: we started off with a leadership development program that covered topics like mindfulness, authentic leadership, and the importance of empathy in the workplace.

We definitely didn’t want this to be a checkbox exercise or a one-and-done. We know that to really move the needle, you need constant practice—flexing those muscles. So, we’ve built upon that initial program and its learnings, carving out future training.

This program will span two years, going into year two this coming July. It’s vital for us at rf IDEAS to invest in our leadership, ensuring that these mid-level managers are supported and truly understand their critical role in the workplace, and arming them to deal with the shifts we’re experiencing.

Moving Beyond Employee Relations to Strategic Planning

Lydia: This shift in the human or rather in the organization itself, that comes from a period of intense disruption is also going to affect the human capital function in and of itself.

So, in your view, how has the function of professionals in the human capital space evolved in these years?

Jennifer: Well, even right there, the terminology itself has shifted. HR has adopted the naming convention of human capital in recognition of that very evolution.

Years ago, the HR function was seen as a very tactical piece of the business. If you had an employee relations issue, you’d go to HR. If you needed an employee handbook update, you’d go to HR. You get the idea. And yes, we still handle these tasks today.

But now, human capital is truly viewed as a business partner—right there on the front lines, driving the strategy of the people function. It’s not by chance; it’s a very intricate, data-driven process led by human capital.

Lydia: In terms of evolving to become that strategic business partner or taking those steps in order to have a seat at the table, so to speak, how can human capital, as the function evolved, become a strategic partner to the business?

Jennifer: So, human capital really needs to have a solid understanding of the business in totality. I think part of the disadvantage years ago, and the way that human capital or HR was viewed years ago, is that they were seen as a tactical piece of the business. Perhaps that’s all they thought they were. They didn’t have a full picture of the business as a whole. To be an effective partner in that, just like operations, marketing, development, engineering, and sales, every piece plays a part.

If you want a seat at the table and want to ensure that your HR team is evolving, you really need to understand—especially your HR leader—all of the inner workings of the business. Then, put your own data points in place. All of these functions should be held accountable, and human capital is no different. We absolutely should be holding ourselves accountable and have metrics that we share with the leadership team. When we’re driving the efforts that showcase the value, we continue to secure more buy-in.

Empowering Teams Through Inclusive Leadership

Lydia: Going back to the leadership development programs, all those different interventions are put in place so that leaders are attuned to what employees are looking for these days and how to turn that team into a high-performing one.

So, going back to that, what are some ways that leaders can nurture or even empower their teams to become high-performing and healthy in that regard?

Jennifer: It’s a really great question.

I always say, if you want a high-performing team, be prepared to set the example. Unfortunately, with some leaders, you might see complacency. They think they’ve hit a certain rung on the ladder in terms of their leadership, and that means they get to maybe go on autopilot. That’s a dangerous mindset to have. So, as we know, healthy cultures are extremely hard to build but surprisingly easy to fall apart or become toxic.

Beyond setting the example, people leaders have to exude inclusion. We often hear these—I call them trigger words—so they’re just very much in the space right now: diversity, equity, and inclusion. But managers and people leaders really need to live by these, especially the inclusion piece. To be truly inclusive, you need to be a leader who creates a safe space where everyone’s voice can be heard.

So, if you want to continue to have a high-performing team where new and exciting ideas are being had, you need to master inclusivity at a minimum.

Lydia: In terms of going back to the market, or the talent space, to get these people in, what goes into attracting and retaining top talent in rf IDEAS? Are there any insights you would like to share into that process that will be useful to listeners?

Jennifer: Sure, absolutely. It’s another great question. So, attraction and retention have always been challenging—they’re challenging even for the best of the best. Going back to the pandemic a little bit, there was definitely a shift, and I’d argue it’s more challenging than ever. Couple that with applicants’ ability to do their own research at this point, and the challenge becomes even greater.

For the attraction piece, we know that gone are the days when employees are just aimlessly clicking ‘apply’ and hoping for a callback. They’re really digging in. They’re doing their research, just like reading the latest restaurant review.

At rf IDEAS, we make sure that when they do their research, they find very positive things about our organization. We want them to have the inside scoop. So, we frequently ask our current staff members to potentially write Glassdoor reviews—certainly at their own willingness, of course; we would never mandate that. But quite a few of our staff members have taken part in that, and it’s really phenomenal. Whether the feedback is good or bad, it’s crucial to hear it and act on it. The acting piece is critical.

I’ve heard from candidates who say, ‘I went on your Glassdoor, and you’ve got such great reviews from your current employees.’ That really drew me in because you don’t often see that in today’s landscape. Everyone is trigger-happy with the keyboard, able to write a review at a moment’s notice. Our staff members are very fortunate—they really love what they do and love working for us.

So, here’s a piece of advice I’d share: If you’re aiming for a great culture or wanting to build a better one, leverage the talent you have. That’s a great place to start.

Communicating the Benefits of People Strategy to Stakeholders

Lydia: That’s great. Also, in terms of ensuring you’ve laid a solid foundation for your employer brand, which will continue to attract new and interested talent, it might take a little longer for them to express interest or apply for a job within the organization.

So, when considering strategies for the business to meet its needs, is there such a thing as future-proofing people’s strategies? Alternatively, can we realistically forecast business needs?

Jennifer: I don’t know if there’ll ever be, to be honest, a way to foolproof it. But believe it or not, what I’ve learned in my years of doing this is that simplicity is best. Especially because, in theory, if it’s done correctly, the executive leaders will be involved, and you need their buy-in.

So, if you make this strategy too complex, too hard to follow, they’re going to have difficulty wanting to maintain it. You also need to paint the picture of how the people strategy ties into their world and how it’s going to benefit them. If you can tie what you’re doing into their world appropriately, you’re in a really good position to maintain and evolve the initiatives that you set out to do. Ultimately, you’re going to get more of that buy-in. But again, I don’t know if there’s a surefire, foolproof methodology to really ensure that all bases are covered at all times.

Refining Recruitment Strategies with Technology

Lydia: In terms of technology, and we’re going back to what you said about being data-driven being absolutely key these days when you can get data points from so many different sources that would inform the strategies that you’ve come up with. There’s also technology in terms of actual recruitment.

So, what would you say is the impact of recruitment technology for hiring, and some of the benefits that you might have seen in using this?

Jennifer: Absolutely. Well, first of all, recruitment technology has come such a long way. It really does offer numerous advantages for hiring in today’s world. So, the impact of that can be seen and felt with increased efficiency, the ability to source candidates that align with qualifications and competencies within the job and the job description, and overall, what I’ve found is that these technologies really tend to offer a great candidate experience as well.

So, the cherry on top for me is that with the technology, provided you have the right solution, there’s definite value-add in the data and the insights. That continues to refine the recruitment strategy and really allows HR leaders data-driven insights into what their recruitment strategy has looked like.

So, are we really able to capture the population that we’re looking to capture? Are we missing anyone? If I’ve got these leadership roles, and I’ve recognized internally that while we’ve got a real lack of women in leadership roles, then for me, when I go, and perhaps in my next role, I’m going to want to ensure that I’m targeting appropriately. Technology is a really great way to leverage and ensure that you’re meeting your goals while still ensuring that the appropriate candidates are being pulled into the search.

Lydia: Now, with technology and the increased use of data, analytics becomes one of the biggest skills for a recruiter or someone who is a human capital professional as a whole. So, what might be some traits that you think a professional in human capital should have today, in order to function at its best?

Jennifer: Absolutely. Going back to technology, at this point, it is an absolute must to have an ATS solution. I know size-dependent and resource-dependent, but ATS solutions at this point in time in the game are an absolute necessity. Because without that, you’re not going to be able to then, in a streamlined manner, in my opinion, really understand the data and the infiltration of what are and who are really the individuals that are wanting and trying to apply for the roles in which you have.

Then ultimately, where in the pipeline are these individuals within the process, and maybe is there bias within the process? And those things really can’t get figured out quite easily unless you have some type of technology in the background. So I would absolutely recommend for anyone in this space, if they don’t have an ATS system in place, that would be the stop number one for me: to make sure that they have some type of solution that they can obtain data from.

Lydia: There’s also widespread use of generative AI in many aspects of personal lives. You can just test it out and see how you can learn from it. There are so many use cases around generative AI. How do you think people teams or human capital as a function can benefit from AI?

Jennifer: Yes, we’ve had a lot of discussion on this, actually, as a leadership team. So, AI certainly can offer numerous benefits for many areas within the business provided, certainly, like anything else, each integration is properly vetted. So, we know AI is not going anywhere. We also know that AI is not perfect.

But for people teams, specifically, AI offers the ability to automate and connect with candidates through a very targeted selection search based on key requirements. So, I can now take my job description with my knowledge, skills, and abilities, and I can really pour that into an AI functionality so that I’m targeting the right individuals. AI can also aid in targeted messaging. What’s going to be that captivating message that’s going to just pull that individual in and want to speak with me? AI can help with that. AI can also help with screening, believe it or not.

At a certain point, do I feel human interaction would still be needed in the process? I certainly do. So, soft skills are a critical piece of the puzzle. That’s something that won’t ever be replaced by AI, that human aspect of it. But AI is a tremendous tool, and absolutely, there are lots of use cases for AI both now and, I’m sure, in the future as it gets more refined.

Meeting Business Needs while Addressing Candidate Experience

Lydia: And as we look into the future, Jennifer, how do you envision the future of recruitment in the coming years at least?

Jennifer: So, I personally feel that companies are going to need to keep a good pulse on what candidates want the most and ultimately ensure that they’re meeting those expectations. It’s a balancing act. While meeting the needs of the business. So, if you want to remain competitive and you want to attract the best talent, ensuring that you continue to meet those needs is going to be really critical. Recruitment is a process that should, in my opinion, constantly evolve, and recruitment teams need to stay ahead of what candidates are looking for.

So, be aware of the platforms that they’re targeting to uncover information. We talked a little bit about Glassdoor; that’s very big right now. In five years, that could be another platform, so we need to stay ahead of that. In addition, you’ll begin to see, in my opinion, when it comes to recruitment, what I call a more holistic recruitment process. So, not just the resume, right? The traditional knowledge, skills, and abilities—here’s what I’ve done, here’s where I’ve come from. But really, things like behavioral and cognitive assessments, for instance, might be woven into the hiring process, just to gain further clarity on a candidate’s alignment to a role.

So, I’m seeing a lot of positive enhancements to the recruitment process to ensure that the best fit is not only for the company but also for the candidate, truly to ensure that they’re set up for success. So, like I shared early on, if you can get the right person in the right seat, and you are constantly moving that needle to better the culture, that’s really going to be your secret sauce right there.

Lydia: Absolutely, and human capital is a function. We’ll get closer and closer to the business in the sense with all that real-time data and also the insights into, or rather the visibility into, culture and what makes a healthy, high-performing culture.

Thank you so much, Jennifer. It’s been great having you on the show. Now, drop us your contact details. Should there be anyone in the audience who’s listening in and wants to pick up a conversation with you, they can do so.

Jennifer: Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me, Lydia. It's been a true pleasure sharing these insights with you and for anyone that is looking to further connect with me, you may absolutely find me on LinkedIn. I'd love to connect.

Lydia: And we have been in conversation with Jennifer Bauer of rf IDEAS. Thank you for joining us, and remember to subscribe, stay tuned for more weekly episodes from All-In Recruitment.