Talent RISE is pleased to announce that $86,569 has been raised in the 2023 ‘Step Up Challenge’ fundraising initiative which is aimed at helping young people with challenges to finding employment. These vital funds will be used for three life-changing initiatives. These are:

• Tech Academy: The Tech Academy will fund a group of young people through work placements and training to acquire invaluable skills and experience, providing them with a clear pathway into tech roles – a pathway they never thought possible.
• Paid Internship Scheme: Paid internships can be life-changing but are often impossible to secure for the young people we work with. This scheme will fund internships which provide critical experience to help young people gain confidence and secure employment.
• Equal Access Program: This program will support young people from refugee, asylum seeker, or Indigenous backgrounds by covering the cost of training (alongside RISE work readiness support) to provide a platform for future security.

Over 300 global employees from Talent and Talent RISE volunteered their time on September 8^th for the Talent RISE global ‘Step Up Challenge’ initiative. The initiative enters its second successful year running. To date, Talent RISE has raised $194,047 and has helped over 1,000 young people with coaching, mentoring, training and secured meaningful employment for 75 young people.

Karen Graham, Talent RISE CEO ANZ said she humbled with the outpouring of generosity shown. “It is incredibly heart-warming to see our team members rally together with friends, family and clients to help raise $86,569 to help young people facing barriers to employment. Our Talent RISE team are extremely excited to be able to launch these three life-changing initiatives and know the huge impact that they will have on helping fight youth unemployment here in Australia and New Zealand.”

Launched in 2014, Talent RISE is the charitable foundation of Talent – a leading global technology and digital recruitment specialist. To date, Talent RISE has engaged more than 3,000 young people through workshops and mentoring and has successfully placed over 400 into meaningful employment.

According to the ABS, the youth unemployment rate in Australia decreased to 7.7% in June 2023. This figure however remains too high and is more than double that of the general population of 3.5%.

According to Stats NZ, in the March 2023 quarter, the seasonally adjusted proportion of people aged 15-24 years who were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) was 10.3% down from 11.1% last quarter.

Over the years, the Talent and Talent RISE global team has volunteered over 50,000 hours to giving back to charities and community projects and are proud to add the ‘Step Up Challenge’ to the list.

As an Australian-founded business, Talent’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is an important first step in the reconciliation journey. Talent’s mission is to bring real value to people and organisations by building highly skilled and engaged teams, rethinking technology solutions, and improving lives by creating a strong sense of belonging. To truly impact lives for the better, Talent understands this begins with embracing our responsibility to take positive steps towards reconciliation.

Talent is extremely proud to have their first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. Throughout this plan, and future plans, the business is committed to establishing and maintaining a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

Whilst Talent acknowledges that are they in the early stages of our reconciliation journey, the business has taken some fundamental steps to initiate the journey, including becoming members of Supply Nation and creating a RAP working group. The role of the Reconciliation Working Group to date has been to formulate, oversee, and review the Reconciliation Action Plan, and on an ongoing basis they will implement and evolve the actions contained in this plan as we progress in the reconciliation journey. The Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group includes representation from across our varied business units, a range of staff levels and geographic locations.

Talent’s RAP artwork was created by Jordan Lovegrove, a talented Ngarrindjeri artist known for his captivating contemporary and abstract art.

Talent Solutions, the advisory and embedded talent acquisition line of Talent, has today announced a new partnership with Makosi, the global leader in on-demand audit talent.

The partnership will facilitate in helping clients address the current skills shortage being experienced across Australia and New Zealand in the accounting and assurance industry.

Talent’s General Manager – Solutions, Tom Mackintosh commented as follows, “We are thrilled to work with Makosi to continue to help our clients with creative workforce solutions. The collaboration will help alleviate the current challenges faced by the accounting and auditing industry.”

Founder and CEO at Makosi, Darren Isaacs, explains that accounting firms around the world today are facing many impacting side effects due to the shortage of talent in the audit and accounting industry.

“We all understand there is a real serious problem happening when it comes to resourcing in the accounting industry but getting your hands on great talent is just part of the equation. Making sure the talent is trained and equipped to be a part of your organisation is something that is commonly overlooked but very important as it relates to establishing continuity, improving quality, and keeping cost down.”

“Developing this relationship with the Talent Solutions team is exciting for Makosi as it allows us to complement each other with our services and provide a complete set of services.” Added Isaacs.

Makosi partners with accounting teams around the world to deliver high-quality variable workforce solutions, including audit, assurance, and advisory services. Makosi use leading edge technology to drive efficiency and transparency to hiring, onboarding, and project management.

Talent has today announced Meagan Jeffery will be joining the company as Global Chief Information Officer, effective immediately.

Meagan will work closely with Talent’s Global CEO, Mark Nielsen, and the wider Talent team, focusing on building Talent’s technology function, leveraging enablers such as data and AI and also provide contractors and customer with the highest level of service.

Meagan joins Talent following an extensive career spanning more than 25 years in the technology sector. She has held roles in retail and investment banking, superannuation, insurance broking, energy, utilities, and federal and state government. In recent roles she has advised and supported boards, CIOs and IT executives with strategic planning, digital transitioning, and sourcing of technology services.

Having worked in Australia, South Africa, and the UK (London), Meagan is cross-culturally sensitive and able to provide effective, hands-on leadership and motivation to teams with varied cultures, work ethics and social customs.

Commenting on the appointment, Meagan Jeffery, said “It’s an honour and exciting for me to be joining Talent and an exceptional team. I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities this role will bring. It will be our mission to rethink technology and strive for digital transformation to make a real impact to the organisation and our customers. I am also fortunate that with Talent I can continue CIO advisory services and maintain my board career.”

Talent Global CEO, Mark Nielsen, said he is thrilled on having Meagan join team Talent, “As we continue to take Talent to the next level, I am extremely excited to have someone of Meagan’s calibre join our global team. Our goal is to ensure we build out a world-class technology infrastructure that supports the step-change we are going through. Not only will Meagan bring her expertise to the Talent business but to our Avec service line and our customers.”

Despite a slowing market, tech and digital salaries are remaining strong with continuous competition within key industries to secure top talent. Today, Talent is pleased to release ‘More Than Money Salary Guide 2023’ featuring key salaries, roles and skills that are in demand for the Australian market. Please find the report HERE.

The report features salaries and contract rates for key tech positions in 2023, market insights from Talent’s Managing Director team and experienced recruiters, as well as hiring trends and predictions for the 15 cities in which Talent operates across ANZ, EMEA and the US.

The report showcases the most in-demand tech skills for 2023 and provides a range of stats on the local tech talent pool, skills trends, stats on the cost of living across multiple cities, and the benefits beyond salary that candidates are looking for.

Key findings include:

• Tech salaries and contract rates have increased 15-20% on average globally
• Professionals with security skillsets are in high demand. Security salaries have seen average growth of 20% in the past year
• Data Analytics, Testing and Cloud Infrastructure roles have had the highest contract rate growth at 15-20% on average since 2022
• 95% of candidates prefer either a fully remote or hybrid model of working
• The fastest growing tech skills in 2023 are Cybersecurity, Data Analysis, Microsoft Azure and Python (Programming Language) (source: LinkedIn Talent Insights)

Demand remains high for the following skills:

• Microsoft Azure
• Cybersecurity
• Data Analysis
• Python (Programming Language)
• Help Desk Support
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Industries that are thriving include:

• Financial Services
• Mining & Utilities
• Renewable Energy
• Hospital & Health Care
• Government / Public Sector
• Higher Education

Matthew Munson, Talent Managing Director NSW, shared his predictions for 2023, “The beginning of 2023 is showing a continuation of the trends we saw at the end of 2022. The headwinds caused by rising global inflation, the resulting interest rises and the ongoing impact of the Ukraine war on supply chains continues. What we are seeing is a knock-on effect on organisations hiring confidence, as employers are unsure of how this year will play out and how long the global inflation problem will continue. The result is a market that is similar to the pre-pandemic conditions, with employers either taking a cautious or bullish approach. The more cautious have decreased hiring and in some cases implemented hiring freezes, whereas the more bullish are taking advantage of the market to increase their hiring whilst their competitors hesitate.”

Simon Yeung, Talent Managing Director VIC, said there were significant changes to the national landscape, “There have been a number of significant changes to the national and local economic landscape, particularly in the past six months, which have affected the Victorian tech sector and the IT labour market, however the tech sector nationally remains strong. As 2023 unfolds, we predict a steady and stable balance between market demand and suppl as the economy rides out the last of inflationary forces. We are seeing a rise in businesses requiring their employees to work onsite for minimum 2-3 days, but with candidates still in the driver’s seat, flexibility remains strong on their agenda.”

The global technology market is evolving and growing. As a $5 trillion global industry, it has significant power in both providing opportunity to the workforce as well as rapidly disrupting the international work landscape. Although candidates are proceeding with caution, the tech skills shortage remains, meaning top talent is still in the driver’s seat.

* Figures are based on data provided to Talent from our clients, with additional sources cited.

​New research from Talent reveals that 59% of candidates looking for new work say that a company’s commitment to environmental sustainability influences their decision to accept a job offer. Taking a deep dive into how much companies and candidates are focusing on environmental sustainability, Talent is pleased to release ‘Sustainability: Awareness to Action’.

The report outlines findings from a survey of over 400 global employers and tech candidates across Australia, New Zealand, UK & US. You can access the report HERE

The research aims to highlight the amount of influence that environmental sustainability has on the hiring market with candidates, and where businesses can bridge the gap between their current sustainability initiatives and candidate expectations.

The report revealed the below key findings across all markets:

• 84% of candidates say that it is important for them to work for a company that prioritises environmental sustainability.
• 82% of candidates feel that businesses have an obligation to minimise their environmental impact and 91% of companies agree, however 50% of candidates feel that companies are currently not doing enough in this space.
• 59% of candidates say that a company’s commitment to environmental sustainability influences their decision to accept a job offer whereas 59% of companies are either neutral or disagree that their sustainability efforts have this impact.
• Environmental sustainability was ranked as the third most important business priority by both candidates and employers.

Mark Nielsen, Global CEO Talent, commented on the findings. “There is no questioning the impact of climate change and that the time for action was yesterday. We all have a part to play not only as individuals but as businesses as well. With combined action, we can deliver a more sustainable world with better outcomes for all. These insights are even more proof that strong ESG strategies are crucial when going through the hiring process.”

Talent’s vision is to build a better world of work for all.

Talent is pleased to release ‘DEI Hiring Toolkit: Less Talk, More Action’, a brand-new introductory guide aimed to help businesses create more inclusive recruitment experiences for candidates and contractors. You can access the toolkit HERE

Focusing on six core areas in the hiring process – the job description, sourcing, shortlisting, interviewing, offering and finally onboarding. The guide has insights, tips, personal stories, and key takeaways which businesses can put into practice now.

The guide features personal stories from leaders working in the DEI space discussing a range of topics including ageism, youth employment, working parents, disabilities and more.

Key takeaways include:

• Diversifying the interview panel
• Revaluating job descriptions and ads
• Shortlisting with diversity front of mind
• Thoroughly considering how you can offer tailored support

Mark Nielsen, Global CEO Talent, said focusing on DEI is a must for all leaders. “There is so much to unpack and continue to learn around DE&I in the workplace. Leaders must be aware of the ever-changing world of work and address that what might work for one person, might not for another. Authenticity and vulnerability allow for real conversations. There’s no denying that diversity in the workplace is extremely beneficial for building company culture, engagement, and performance. Not only that but it creates an environment where people love coming to work because they can be their most authentic self.”   

Kara Smith, Talent Auckland Managing Director, commented that there needs to be a bigger focus on inclusion throughout the hiring process. “We’re talking to many clients who acknowledge the importance of diversity and are actively driving this in their attraction strategies. But what about inclusion? What support will be there to help your more diverse talent be fulfilled and engaged? What data or stories are there within your environment to help you understand your starting position? We must be genuinely interested and curious about the experiences (both at work and outside of work) for more diverse talent to understand where you are starting from and what you need to tackle next. And it might not always be a comfortable conversation either.”

Talent’s vision is to build a better world of work for all.

Talent in partnership with Yahoo Finance Australia is pleased to release ‘Leaders Building a Better World of Work’, a brand-new list of leaders sharing their insights on what they are putting into action to make a better working world. You can view the list HERE

Featured in the list are Jennie Rogerson from Canva, Mary Haddock-Staniland from Timely, Vanessa Sorenson from Microsoft NZ, and Paul Sigaloff from Yahoo! among others.

The list highlights a thought-provoking side of leadership and provides a comprehensive overview of what all businesses are experiencing in this post-COVID working world from some of the globe’s top leaders. Their insights and the actions they are putting into place provide readers with strategies and knowledge that they can take into the new world of work.

Mark Nielsen, Global CEO, Talent, touched on the role leaders play in creating a brilliant culture. “True leadership is forged through times of crisis and if there is one thing we have all experienced in the past two years is that the way we thought we did business has been turned on its head. The responsibility and demands from leaders have also changed dramatically, and a one-size-fits-all approach to work just doesn’t cut it. Work-life balance, clarity of purpose, a supportive manager, and inclusion are core focuses to team members. To remain competitive, leaders and businesses need to adapt to this new norm.” 

The leaders touched on many different topics. Highlights included:

“People are looking for companies that will engage with them on a personal level, with greater flexibility and work-life balance. Some call this ‘hybrid working’, but I like to refer to it as a ‘borderless office’. If you have a framework that’s very rigid i.e., you have to be in the office two days a week, specifically Tuesdays and Wednesdays, you’re just restricting your teams’ behaviour. Is that really the best way?” Stuart Hughes, Chief Information & Digital Officer, Rolls-Royce

“With so many businesses offering competitive work packages, employees will continue to look to work in places where they truly feel valued and connected to the ethos of the organisation. For long standing companies, I think it’s important to strike the right balance with maintaining traditional ways of working and keeping up with increasing stakeholder demands around sustainability and technology. I think companies that can get that right will see employee satisfaction.” Louise ‘O Driscoll, Sustainability Communications Specialist, Canon EMEA

“For over two years, we’ve been dealing with the impact that living through a pandemic, social justice turning points and other factors have on how employees approach work each day. Companies that are proactive – inviting discussion, initiating events and programs, and providing other support – will enable their teams to not only feel safe to talk about things that in the past were not common practice in the workplace but to feel encouraged and welcomed to speak up.” Nicole Reid, People Experience, Xero

“A better world of work acknowledges that there is no ‘one size fits all’ that truly fits all. To be inclusive at work, is to be fundamentally flexible and dynamic, because that is also at the essence what we all are.” Deborah Choi, Managing Director, Founderland

Talent’s vision is empowering people to build a better world of work for all.

​Talent has been named a recipient of Gallup’s global Top 40 Exceptional Workplace Awards for the fourth year in a row – the only Australian-based company to be recognised in the group of winners.

Talent was recognised by Gallup for putting its team engagement at the heart of the business strategy and creating a workplace culture to match. Talent’s continued pursuit to create a world leading culture saw increased engagement, improved wellbeing, resilient team members and deep connections. This resulted in a better experience for contractors, candidates, and customers. Talent’s strong culture was the key differentiator to the success of the business during COVID. As an award winner, Talent ranks among the most elite organisations around the globe.

Gallup’s meta-analysis on team engagement and performance is the most comprehensive workplace study ever conducted, with data on more than 2 million employees in 276 organisations across 54 industries and 96 countries. Statistically, only 20% of global employees are ‘fully engaged’ – defined as being committed to their work and connected to their workplace. The engagement level at Talent is 80%.

Talent Global CEO, Mark Nielsen, commented on what this award means to the company. “What an incredible recognition from Gallup for the fourth year in a row for Talent. Receiving this award for 2022 is even more gratifying as the past year has been one where leaders have needed to balance empathy towards their team showing their own vulnerability and authenticity, whilst ensuring what we do is correct by all Talent’s stakeholders. The award is recognition that at Talent we excelled at this. Gallup has also highlighted that the purpose of these awards is to recognise and celebrate companies who are reaching new heights of what’s humanly possible with cultures that change the way the world works. This aligns with Talent’s vision, mission and values”.

Paul Batchelor, Talent Chairman, commended the team on their brilliant work. “Talent is consistently pushing boundaries, living our values, and above all putting people first. I am thrilled that we are receiving this award for the fourth year running. The commitment from the team globally to ensure that all teams are recognised, growing, and connected is exceptional.”

Georgia Townsend, Talent People Business Partner is passionate about the sensational work culture that Talent have fostered. “Our people are at the core of everything we do here at Talent, and our partnership with Gallup enables us to continually foster a culture that is building a better world of work for all. Every single team member at Talent has won this award, by consistently recognising their team members’ achievements, supporting each other to grow and prioritising inclusion at all levels.”

Winners of the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award put their people at the heart of their business strategy with a core focus on strengths and coaching talent to its full potential to get business results like never before, while improving wellbeing across the globe. The Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award was created to celebrate those who achieve exceptional performance by fostering a culture of engagement. The award honours thriving organisations that have attained world-class performance by making engagement a cornerstone of their business strategy.    

Talent is pleased to release ‘More Than Money Salary Guide 2022’. Please find the report here.

The report features salaries and contract rates for key tech positions in 2022, market insights from Talent’s Managing Director team and experienced recruiters, as well as hiring trends and predictions for the 16 cities in which Talent operates across EMEA, ANZ and the US.

The report showcases the most in-demand tech skills for 2022 and provides a range of stats on the local tech talent pool, skills trends, stats on the cost of living across multiple cities, and the benefits beyond salary that candidates are looking for.

Key findings include:

• Globally on average, counteroffers for tech roles are up 20-30%
• Candidates have 2-3 opportunities on the go
• Tech salaries are increasing 15-30% on average globally
• The ability to work from home is a non-negotiable for most candidates

Demand remains high for the following skills:

• Data Analytics
• Computer Networking
• Python (Programming Language)
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• C (Programming Language)
• HTML5
• Cybersecurity

Industries that are thriving include:

• Information Technology & Services
• Hospital & Health Care
• Financial Services
• Computer Software
• Government Administration

Kevin Board, Talent Managing Director of London, reflected on the year the technology recruitment industry has had, and his predictions for 2022. “London is still undoubtedly the tech capital of Europe and it shows no signs of slowing down. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of being adaptable and embracing change. If you’re unwilling to progress with the times, there’s a strong chance you’ll get left behind and could lose your best talent. There’s no denying the dramatic shift COVID-19 has caused – especially regarding remote work. However, when we look at Inner-City London, the shift towards working remotely is perhaps not as drastic as other parts of the UK. Instead, higher salaries appear to be the main motivator for a new role. Candidates know their worth, with many getting a 20-30% salary increase when they switch to another role – as well as at least 2-3 opportunities at once. Counteroffers are getting higher due to this level of competition with larger salaries becoming the main motivator for taking a new role.”

James Davies, Talent Managing Director of Manchester, discussed the significant impact that COVID has had on the industry in 2021 and its expected effects for the next 12 months. “With a huge 80% of roles now becoming fully remote across the North, it’s safe to say the world of work as we know it has dramatically changed. Salaries are now more similar across the Northern regions than they used to be, closing the gap, and creating greater unison within this part of the country. Candidates are wanting the opportunity to work remotely, as well as greater flexibility for a better work-life balance. The market has dramatically changed, and I don’t think things will ever go back to the way they were pre-COVID. However, while the demand for remote working and increased flexibility has boomed, Manchester remains a hugely innovative hub for start-ups. Having been named the fastest-growing tech hub back in 2019, this still rings true in terms of role progression, tech diversity and digital scope. Tech talent with skills to enable projects in these areas will be in huge demand.”

The technology hiring market is hotter than ever before. As a $5 trillion global industry, it has significant power in both providing opportunities to the workforce as well as rapidly disrupting the international work landscape. With demand for skilled candidates through the roof with tech skill shortages across the globe, competition amongst businesses for top talent is rife. Not only are salaries increasing at unprecedented levels, but our findings showcase that if businesses are to get ahead, they need to offer benefits beyond a pay cheque.

* Figures are based on data provided to Talent from our clients, with additional sources cited.