Throughout its eight year history, the CSC Program has proven to be an effective method for attracting, developing, and retaining talent. The program draws in millennials by giving them cause-based projects and appeals to more experienced IBMers by contributing to IBM’s reputation. It develops and retains talent by providing participants with a transformative experience to develop their skills while also deepening participants’ connection to IBM.
Attracting New Talent
The CSC Program is a powerful tool for attracting millennial talent because it is both cause and skills based. Inspiring the Next Generation Workforce, The 2014 Millennial Impact Report, a Case Foundation study, reports that millennials want to work at a company that reflects their values and uses their skills in service to a cause. According to the study, more than 50 percent of millennials were influenced to accept a job based on that company’s involvement with causes. Ninety-seven percent of millennials prefer using their individual skills to help a cause. Millennials are interested in the program because its projects address a variety of causes, including but not limited to, education, information technology, communications, health, and agriculture. Those projects also leverage the skills of IBMers from a wide array of fields, including, but not limited to: consulting, information technology, project management, finance, sales, and engineering. Additionally, if the CSC Program positively affects IBM reputation, it may be less expensive for IBM to attract more experienced workers. CR Survey: Corporate Reputation Affects Talent Acquisition, a 2016 study by CR Magazine, found that 45 percent of 35 to 44-year-olds would leave their current job for less than a 10 percent pay increase to join a company with an excellent reputation.
Developing Talent
The CSC Program’s process of developing talent begins with the first step of selecting high performing, service-oriented IBMers from all over the world as participants, such as Marina Tanaka Takahashi, Global Technology Services Communications Leader; Sujoy Sen, Principal Advisor for Competitive Intelligence; and Katy Brownley, Manager for Emptoris Client Success Managers.
- Showed high performance ratings
- Were members of IBM’s Talent Program
- Had an average of eight years tenure
- Had a history of volunteering
Once selected, CSC participants deploy in teams to locations all over the world working on life-changing assignments to build their skills, while increasing the capacity of local organizations. Marina, from Brazil, developed a social media strategy for an Indian gender equality organization called Akshara where the messages advocate for changes in policy to ensure safer cities for women. Sujoy, from Singapore, supported CerviCusco, a clinic dedicated to preventing cervical cancer, by creating a comprehensive market, services and financial roadmap to scale up and provide more screenings to women in rural Peru. From the United States, Katy assisted the Ikamva National eSkills Institute to enhance the technical skills and e-Literacy of the South African workforce. Since CSC Participants are far from home, they must work in other cultures and address complex issues; they often describe this experience as transformational. Not surprisingly then, participants also report both leadership and skills development such as:
Leadership Development
- 96% of CSC participants agreed (61% strongly agreed) the CSC Program helped them increase their “ability to effectively lead a global team.”
- 83% of participants stated they acquired, practiced, or improved their leadership skills.
Skills Development
- 95% of participants said they acquired, practiced, or improved their teamwork and collaboration skills.
- 91% of participants stated they acquired, practiced, or improved their cultural awareness skills.
- 80% of participants stated they acquired, practiced, or improved their consulting skills.
- 79% of participants stated they acquired, practiced, or improved their communication skills.
- 93% of CSC participants agreed (47% strongly agreed) with the statement that the CSC Program prompted them “to search for other ways to get engaged with local and international communities/or engaged in local and international community activities.”
- 94% of CSC participants agreed (60% strongly agreed) with the statement that the CSC Program “Offered important and unique learning/development opportunities that match my career goals.”
- 89% of CSC participants agreed (20% strongly agreed) with the statement that the CSC Program helped them “make a real difference in the lives of other people/client organizations.”
Retaining Talent
The CSC Program retains talent by providing participants with an immersive way to live IBM’s purpose, values, and practices that deepens their connection to the company. CSC participants’ deepening connection to IBM can be seen in their survey responses:
- 94% of CSC participants agreed (60% strongly agreed) with the statement that after their CSC experience they are “proud to tell people I work for IBM.”
- 88% of CSC participants agreed (47% strongly agreed) with the statement that after their CSC experience they are “extremely satisfied with IBM as a place to work.”
- 87% of CSC participants agreed (49% strongly agreed) with the statement that after their CSC experience they would “gladly refer a good friend or family member to IBM for employment.”
- 77% of CSC participants agreed (34% strongly agreed) with the statement that after their CSC experience they are” less likely to think about looking for a new job with another organization.”
Since Marina, Sujoy, and Katy represented IBM’s purpose, values, and practices in another country, all three participants reported how the CSC Program impacted them personally and deepened their connection with IBM. Marina internalized how large and complex the issue of gender-based violence really is around the world. Her experience also gave her a renewed appreciation for IBM, where, she believes, women have equal opportunities to be heard, rewarded, and promoted. Sujoy was inspired to do more once he returned home. “One day I would like to spend a lot of time working with NGOs to help drive the impact of what they’re doing.” Based on the leadership and skills development noted above, Katy Brownley’s mentions how the project made a positive impact on her career: “Eighteen months after my CSC assignment, I was promoted to management, in a new business unit, and in a client-facing role. My experience with the CSC directly affected my personal and professional growth that allowed me to make my next career step.”
The CSC Program is extremely effective at attracting, developing, and retaining talent because it is cause based, develops skills, and deepens participants’ connection to IBM. Millennials are attracted to companies with cause-based programs like CSC and more experienced workers are drawn to companies with good reputations, often a result of cause-based programs like the CSC Program.
The post IBM Uses the Corporate Service Corps to Attract, Develop and Retain Talent appeared first on New Global Citizen.