Feature Continued:
Enterprise-Wide Talent Acquisition Process
Gives McKesson a Strategic Advantage
Recipe for Successful Adoption: Give Business Units Ownership
of the Solution
From a technology standpoint, the talent acquisition project represented a key addition to McKesson's deployed PeopleSoft modules. Integrating a new piece to connect functions already in use in the enterprise would require a significant leap of faith on the part of business level managers. In spring 2005, Seifert and Fusco presented the vision to business unit and HR stakeholders.
"The most difficult challenge in the beginning was in convincing people to agree to the software. We showed them a decidedly vanilla version, but the plan included targeted customization to the McKesson environment and functional needs," says Seifert. "In the past, managers had been using different recruiting platforms and software across the different business units."
"We showed them the basic system and got their input,” she continues. “Once business unit recruiting leads explained their specific requirements, they gained a sense of ownership in the solution, and they saw it in a different light. This wasn't just about recruiting, it was about placing a cornerstone linking key pre- and post-hire functions. That idea got people on board."
Once business unit recruiting leads explained their specific requirements, they gained a sense of ownership in the solution, and they saw
it in a different light.
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New Functionality Streamlines Requisition, Approval and Reporting Processes
Today, McKesson's talent acquisition system is improving day-to-day processes and productivity for participants across the enterprise. "On a tactical level, our in-house staff was able to make life better with significant improvements that relate directly to how our recruiters and managers operate," says Slater.
Fusco led the effort to implement tactical features into the system, and notes that the project team responded to needs originally brought to light by HR and business managers during the planning process. "Three technology enhancements make our new system different than others," notes Fusco. "First, there is the email approval function. This was not something available directly through the software we were purchasing. An automatic email approval of a requisition can dramatically reduce phone and paper communication, but it also simplifies what is being done--one less layer of communication."
"The second thing we did was to adapt that approval function to work through BlackBerry(TM)," he adds. "Enabling approval through the BlackBerry gives managers the freedom to work remotely, without having to wait for computer access to move the recruiting process along."
Enabling approval through the BlackBerry gives managers the freedom to work remotely, without having to wait for computer access to move the recruiting process along.
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"Finally, we added ResumeMirror as an additional function," he notes. "Recruiters can send a resume from an Outlook inbox directly into the recruiting system and connect that resume to the right requisition. ResumeMirror 'reads' the resume and automatically parses information into appropriate fields in the system. Candidates use the technology to upload their resume when applying for a job, rather than having to copy and paste into the system. This proved very effective for end users, including both candidates and recruiters."
Measuring, Managing, and Improving Talent Acquisition Performance
Following initial rollout in late February, 2006, the value of McKesson's talent acquisition project became quickly apparent to all involved. "At a tactical level, managers know what's in their pipeline," notes Slater. "They can go in and see for themselves, and they're amazed. In March alone, we had 23,000 candidates applying for positions. 500 of those candidates were internal."
In addition, Slater points out that nearly 900 new job requisitions were created through the system in the first month. Over half of those requisitions were created by managers, something that couldn't have been done previously. The system enables managers to look at their own needs, look into their own pipeline, and take action without requiring administrative involvement.
The system enables
managers to look at
the their own needs,
look into their own
pipeline, and take
action without requiring
administrative
involvement.
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With the ability to measure, manage and improve talent acquisition efforts on a continuous basis, McKesson now enjoys an added strength in the recruiting marketplace. "The qualification, time-to-fill, and job requirements for a nurse will be quite different from warehouse worker, but we have to include both in our process," says Seifert. "We have an incredible variety of positions in the company, and now we have a recruiting system flexible enough to accommodate all of them."
A Foundation for Continuous Improvement
Moving forward, Slater and her team will work to develop broad talent management capabilities, building on the foundation of integrated payroll, talent acquisition and performance management systems. "Ultimately, we need to improve our ability to see exactly where the needs are, understand our bench strength, assess our in-house skills, and focus our education effort," Slater notes.
It's not about the tools and technology, it's about continuous improvement.
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"Today, we have a system that is broad enough to accommodate new technologies and processes," says Slater. "It's not about the tools and technology, it's about continuous improvement. Our ability to evolve our systems and processes is as important as the tools themselves, and we've proven that we have that ability. That's what keeps McKesson at the front of its industry."
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