How can you be sure you are hiring for fit in 2021 & beyond? Listen to Simplify.hr’s Marc Privett focus on being people-purposed - TopCo Media

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Marc Privett is the General Manager of Careers24 and Simplify.hr at Media24 (Pty) Ltd., South Africa’s leading jobs destination. He has extensive marketing, product and operational management experience with leading online organisations both locally and abroad. He has worked with FTSE100 companies and start-ups alike within the online classifieds, gaming and search spaces, with a focus on maximising revenue and market share. 

This year, Marc will be in attendance at the Future of HR Summit and Awards, happening 23-24 November. Simplify.hr has been a strategic partner of this event for the past few years, and this year the company will be taking on the position of the coveted Gold Sponsor. 

In the latest Business Unusual podcast, Ralf Fletcher, CEO of Topco Media, engages in conversation with Marc as they discuss his evolution in the industry and top tips on building good cultures in organisations. Marc goes in depth on themes such as the need for mobility and flexibility as a result of the pandemic, recruitment challenges and solutions, and keeping abreast of digital trends.

Key takeaways to listen out for in this podcast:

• Sometimes ‘building a plane while flying it’ is necessary; we need to build to address a certain need in the public. This is what HR is like in the current pandemic situation. We must learn on our feet. 
• Things have become digitised! Thus, the way we recruit has to become digitised too now. However, we must be aware of the implications of shifting from in-person to online methods. 
• The ‘future’ has become the ‘now’. Technology such as AI and Machine Learning have led to job losses, yes. However, we are also witnessing many successes as a result of these innovations; this innovation has enabled and accelerated remote work environment adaptation. 
• Digitisation changes things in HR, but the fundamentals still remain the same. At the very core, HR is still about people. 
• Digital is not ‘what’ you do, it is a methodology or way of doing things that happens to be cost effective. 
• Great change management/training in an organisation is essential for adaptability and flexibility. A successful company can manage change because they have assembled a strong team which they continuously train and upskill. 
• People are hiring less and less based on how much experience (years on CV)  a candidate has. In today’s current climate, it is all about a potential employee’s attitude and culture fit. 
• The job market is currently not addressing the bottom end of the market. This must be given attention as soon as possible. It all boils down to education issues in the country, which is a vicious cycle that must be broken. 
• Recruitment Tip: Diversity is great for problem-solving in companies. Allow the variety of perspectives and the different people in your team to have a voice and make an impact on the organisation as a whole. 
• When it comes to remote/digital work, show your employees some extra support. Everyone’s circumstances are different. Try to be more empathetic and employ those necessary soft skills.

Marc Privett has held various business leadership roles within online businesses, with a focus on revenue and market share growth. He possesses over 21 years local and international general business management, product management, digital marketing and business operational management experience with a focus on maximising revenue and market share. Marc also oversaw the development of Simplify.hr, a cloud-based recruitment process management solution aimed at the South African market. Simplify.hr has gained a leadership position in its market and proudly supports some of South Africa’s most well known companies.

*Check out the latest edition of the Public Sector Leaders publication here.

For enquiries, regarding being profiled or showcased in the next edition of the Public Sector Leaders publication, please contact National Project Manager, Emlyn Dunn: 

Telephone: 086 000 9590 |  Mobile: 072 126 3962 |  e-Mail: emlyn.dunn@topco.co.za