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What’s Hot & What’s Not
Recent reports and happenings that could affect your world. Through our extensive research channels, Rocket-Hire keeps an ear to the ground to learn what’s changing.
BREAKING NEWS
Hewitt Acquires Exult: HR BPO Market Consolidation Is Underway
Thursday, June 17, 2004
By Lance
Travis
Consolidation is inevitable in a maturing market, and the Human Resources (HR) Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) market is no exception. The latest is the combination of Hewitt and Exult, with Hewitt paying about $690M in stock to acquire Exult. Customers of HR BPO services benefit from economies of scale and scope created by larger merged companies.
The Bottom Line: The combined Hewitt and Exult will offer a more complete line of HR services and be better able to offer its customers transformational services.
Conclusion: HR BPO is one of the strongest segments of the BPO landscape. According to our November 2003 BPO survey of 200 companies, nearly 30% of companies outsource one or more HR processes. AMR Research predicts that this number will increase to 50% within the next two years. The AMR Research Report “Building the Case To Outsource HR,” April 2003, concludes that service firms that offer transformational services are a better choice for the long term.
http://www.amrresearch.com/Content/view.asp?pmillid=17369
Related to guest article by Raghav Singh, SPHR
June 2004
Strategic Partnerships Formed
“Generator Group is excited to announce that we have developed strategic partnerships with OnCourse Group and Rocket-Hire to extend capabilities in the areas of organizational development, executive onboarding, and online screening and assessment. These partnerships are structured to enhance the effectiveness and return on investment for the recruiting services Generator Group provides to clients.”
HOT
Let’s Hire Like it’s 1999!
Is there really a hiring boom going on? The latest findings from Manpower would suggest a resounding “YES!” Their annual survey of 16,000 US companies revealed that 30% plan to add to their payrolls in the July to September period. That is up from 20 percent a year earlier and 28 percent in the April to June period and compares favorably with data recently released by the Department of Labor. The highest figure reported by Manpower occurred in early 2000, when the dot-com boom drove an optimistic 35% of companies to report plans to add more people.
Manpower’s report is highly-regarded and often referenced as the most extensive of its kind. Its broad metrics often reflect and confirm other work and labor indicators produced by both the government and private-sector firms.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=5421211
NOT
CIOs NOT Hiring Tech Staff Like it’s 1999
A recent survey from Robert Half International is less than optimistic than when it comes to hiring trends in the IT world in 2004. According to their survey of 1,400 CIOs, “8% plan to add IT staff during the third quarter. Another 3% said they were planning cutbacks, while 88% expected to maintain current personnel levels.” A drop from the previous quarter, the report cites a more measured and cautious approach to adding staff as the primary factor in the modest findings.
Nonetheless, many technical skills are still in high demand: “About 84% of all CIOs interviewed cited Microsoft Windows administrations skills when asked which skills were needed most within their IT departments. Visual Basic development and Check Point firewall administration skills ranked second and third among desired skills, with 46% and 41% of the responses respectively.”
HOT
Online Screening in Retail Settings Still Surprises Many
The news is in: We’re still innovative! A recent AP piece by Adam Geller reveals that self-service job applications and screening are still attracting media attention and surprising applicants. The report notes, “A growing number of retail chains and similar businesses frustrated by near-constant employee turnover are entrusting the first step of the hiring process to computers, designed to zero in on applicants likely to do a job well — and stay a while.” But rather than focusing on the “golly gee” high tech factor, Geller’s article — fortunately — emphasizes the greater efficiency and hiring accuracy of automated assessment.
Check out the latest in perceptions of in-store, self-service assessment – and some great findings.
HOT
Legendary Assessment Guru Releases New Tool
Hogan Assessment Systems has just released an in-depth assessment for screening applicants for security positions. “The Hogan Security and Law Enforcement Report is founded on our extensive experience in the field, such as work we have done in screening candidates for highly sensitive positions in airports,” said Dr. Rodney Warrenfeltz, managing partner for Hogan Assessment Systems.
It’s always interesting to see what Robert and Joyce Hogan, founders of Hogan Assessment Systems, are cooking up down in Tulsa; they are true legends in employee and leadership assessment. Their widely used assessment tools, including the Hogan Personality Inventory and Hogan Development Survey, are considered best-in-class by many in the fields of HR, selection and hiring.