Episode 9 | Nitin Mittal

The GCC’s evolution from a localized operation to a strategic global player demonstrates its adaptability to changing business needs. It also highlights the potential of Indian talent, which the GCC has capitalized on. This vodcast delves into the GCC’s hiring strategies, challenges, and successes, providing insights into how organizations can effectively leverage global talent acquisition to drive business growth.

Nitin Mittal, Head of Talent Acquisition at Adani Group – a true talent-superhero marked his presence in our podcast and enlightened us with his exceptional experience. As the former Head of Talent Acquisition for Global Shared Services at Ericsson, Nitin headed the entire talent lifecycle at Ericsson GSSC, from demand planning to onboarding. With a proven track record of success and multiple awards under his belt, Nitin has a distinctive viewpoint on building and nurturing high-performing teams.

How did Ericsson’s Global Capability Center (GCC) in India start, and what role does it play in global hiring today?

In 2010, Ericsson established its Global Capability Center (GCC) in India, a move that came later than many of its competitors who already had a strong presence in the region. The key motivation was to leverage India’s capabilities to manage global projects, particularly for Ericsson.

Initially, the focus was on building telecom and ICT skills within the country. Over time, Ericsson expanded its operations by incorporating R&D roles, pre-sales roles, and enabling functions such as accounts, security, and cloud services. As the organization evolved, so did its commitment to investing in India’s talent pool. Today, India represents 40-50% of Ericsson’s global technology operations, with further plans to capitalize on the country’s expertise to support the company’s global objectives.

At what point did the transition happen where you decided to take care of hiring for a particular process within the group?

In 2013, our CHRO initiated a transformative approach to hiring, aiming to leverage both technological platforms and global delivery excellence to enhance talent acquisition. This journey began with a thorough evaluation of our existing processes, teams, and value addition in sourcing and screening locally.

Our initial focus was on consolidating diverse salary guidelines and legal nuances from various countries into a unified knowledge repository. This foundational step streamlined our global processes and improved efficiency.

We also standardized offer formats, reducing the number from 600 to around 50-60, to simplify and unify global practices. Additionally, we assessed and improved our communication channels, moving from informal methods to robust systems, including a case management system for tracking transactions.

By analyzing data generated from these systems, we aimed to reduce transactional efforts and improve overall efficiency, marking significant progress in our journey toward a more global and streamlined hiring process.

Tell us about the hiring patterns in the country you assisted and how you demonstrated value in taking over hiring for a specific area or unit.

The journey towards optimizing talent acquisition began with standardizing processes and leveraging extensive experience. With a decade of experience in both global and local talent acquisition roles, the focus shifted to enhancing internal hiring processes. A significant project involved streamlining internal recruitment by collaborating with stakeholders and utilizing data to identify internal talent potential. This approach provided insights into which teams could be developed internally, rather than hiring externally, emphasizing cost benefits and skill growth.

The initiative began in 2018, focusing on the Middle East and Africa, where end-to-end talent acquisition was insourced. This included managing external, campus, executive, and leadership hiring, alongside internal talent mobility. The success of this model not only proved to be cost-effective but also added substantial value to the organization. By managing approximately 9,000 to 10,000 hires annually, the global talent acquisition center demonstrated its ability to enhance organizational efficiency and serve as a foundation for developing additional business models and solutions.

What advantages does an internal DCC team have over an external RPO, and why might an internal team be more cost-effective despite the RPO’s local market expertise?

Choosing between Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and in-house recruitment models depends on your needs. A hybrid model, combining teams in various locations like Turkey and Egypt with core teams in India, offers flexibility and personal interaction with senior leadership.

In-house teams provide agility, scalability, and a strong sense of commitment, making them ideal for managing senior roles and ensuring high-quality recruitment. They enable fast changes and internal growth, fostering long-term relationships and better process control.

RPOs are effective for bulk hiring and short-term projects but may lack the depth of commitment and quality control found in in-house teams. While RPOs can be costlier, in-house models often offer better quality and stability for long-term recruitment needs.

How can a GCC business head make a compelling business case for global talent acquisition as a service to a leader in a different country, given your successful experience in replicating this model worldwide?

To effectively build business cases for global talent acquisition, it’s essential to understand the unique value proposition India offers compared to other locations, which goes beyond cost. India’s strong work culture, commitment to quality, and adaptability are key factors that attract businesses.

Tailoring strategies to individual market requirements is crucial, as legal frameworks, cultural nuances, and workforce preferences vary significantly. Effective communication is vital, both internally to sell the vision and externally to attract top talent. Leveraging data-driven insights is essential for optimizing processes, demonstrating impact, and addressing potential challenges.

By designing tailored interview processes, providing personalized support, and showcasing the team’s capabilities, you can strengthen business cases and secure project wins. Ultimately, a combination of understanding market needs, effective communication, a data-driven approach, and tailored solutions is key to successful global talent acquisition.

How to use data and metrics to create a hiring funnel despite limited data visibility in organizations?

Data-driven talent acquisition involves analyzing key metrics like time-to-offer, time-to-hire, and candidate conversion rates. By segmenting data based on factors such as skills, hiring volume, and location, you can identify bottlenecks and optimize processes. Additionally, tracking metrics throughout the hiring lifecycle, from sourcing to onboarding, helps identify areas for improvement, such as screening inefficiencies or offer delays. This data-driven approach also enables you to implement targeted solutions, address biases, and ensure fair hiring practices. Ultimately, leveraging data empowers organizations to make informed decisions, enhance efficiency, and attract and retain top talent.

How do you ensure a full funnel and track every stage of the hiring process, given the challenges of candidate attrition and the need to optimize each stage of the supply chain?

Ensuring data compliance through the use of an application tracking system is vital for effective talent acquisition. By training the workforce to harness the system and emphasizing the benefits of data-driven decision-making, organizations can mitigate biases, streamline processes, and gain valuable insights. Leveraging automated data analysis tools can further enhance efficiency and enable the growth of targeted metrics for measuring performance and driving organizational success.