HRTech Interview with Michelle Mason, Chief HR Officer at Talent.com

1. Can you please share a few words about yourself and your journey as the Chief HR Officer at Talent.com?
Sure! When I joined Talent.com last September, I brought more than 25 years of international corporate life and strategic consulting experiences with me. I had already worked in many parts of the world, across multiple industries and with founders and companies in different stages of growth. I was looking to be part of a new adventure and to help build something special with people I cared about. I found all of those things (and more!) at Talent.com. If I’m being honest, our mission when I first arrived seemed very straightforward. We needed to build stronger foundations so that we could pivot from an amazing start-up environment to an incredible young company that could grow and scale our operations and our offering. Let’s just say that while the mission remains largely the same, the path to get there has not been straightforward thanks to factors both internal and external, including macro economic issues.

2. What attracted you to move into the HR technology and talent management space?
I love humans. Does that sound strange? I do though and in the world of HR you often get to see the best and worst behaviors on display. One of my philosophies is to expect for and seek out the best in people and if witnessing poor behavior, to assume that there are root causes to address. When I’m at my best, I’m solving tough business problems and enabling and supporting people. I often feel the same “best/worst” aspect in the tech industry and certainly HR technology. Over the last couple of decades, I’ve seen technology infiltrate the HR profession for better and for worse. One of the attractions of Talent.com was the idea of having a front-row seat and seeing how HR tech evolves. And wouldn’t it be great if I were able to help influence what we do and how we do for the better?

3. Brief our audience about Talent.com and give an overview of its standout solutions.
Established in Montreal in 2011, Talent.com is an online recruitment platform whose mission is to connect the world to work, matching job seekers with companies or recruitment agencies. Operating in 77 countries, Talent.com also offers relevant tools for anyone looking for their next career move, such as a tax or salary calculator, sharing the average salary rate across regions and industries. The platform is known for its personalized support to companies, recruitment agencies and job seekers in finding the best professional opportunities.

4. In a study conducted by Talent.com, 38 percent of women opine that physically returning to the workplace may grant them a secured job. What is your thought on it?
Physically returning to the office to prove one’s worth, especially for someone with little experience, those starting a new job, or anyone working in an industry where there are cutbacks (e.g., in technology), seems logical.
This statistic is interesting because it goes against many of the trends we are currently seeing, such as quiet quitting and working remotely. What is even more interesting is the parallel between men and women; 48% of men think that physically returning to the workplace demonstrates their value. We might wonder if women are less willing to go back to the office because they may have more mental workload at home. Another survey along these lines might be interesting.

5. What is your opinion on the Leger survey that states 6 out of 10 Canadians agree that salary transparency would improve gender pay equity?
I agree with the 60%, and believe we will continue to make progress in this area over time. Pay equity is not something that can happen overnight given different starting points, definitions, and a variety of approaches to total compensation and benefits. Most companies including ours are working to improve their approaches and achieve more transparency. The evolution of legislation in certain parts of the country and world (Colorado, New York City, Prince Edward Island, etc.) will help to accelerate progress.

I also believe it’s the responsibility of company leaders to use all tools available to encourage a place of equity for everyone to feel welcomed, considered and respected in the workplace.

6. How does Talent.com foster a work culture that promotes work-life balance for women employees?
● Flexible work arrangement: Hybrid working model, flexible schedules. A balance of working from home and from the office depending on the legislation of the region where employees are based.
● Code of conduct guidelines provided to all employees to avoid any discrimination, harassment or unwanted behavior and keep each individual responsible for potential misconduct.
● Complete range of insurance and benefits to provide a motivating and competitive work environment.

7. The survey conducted helps to understand the challenges faced by women employees. What according to you can be the measures to address them?
The challenges referred to here are the ones usually faced by women in the workplace: extra mental weight, lack of consideration, discrimination, pay inequality, etc.
● Conduct regular pay equity assessments: Reminder that salary transparency is an effective tool to close the gap in value given to women in the workplace compared to men,
● Establish and grow a DE&I program,
● Provide flexibility in work arrangements,
● Offer career development opportunities,
● Establish a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination,
● Provide access to physical and mental health support.
All these initiatives aren’t beneficial to only women but participate in the building of a sustainable workplace for all employees.

8. What is your opinion on aligning technological advancements like AI and ML for managing day-to-day operations?
● I see great potential to improve efficiency and automate repetitive/time-consuming tasks, leaving more time for creative and complex work. I love spell-check and anything else that supports accuracy and reducing the chance of errors. AI and ML have proven that they can help to scale operations.
● At the same time, we need to be careful to not depend too much on technology. Using AI shouldn’t prevent us from relying on the good judgment of experienced employees. It can’t replace human skills for management or social related jobs.
● Excellent communication and building strong relationships between leadership and the operational teams simply can’t be replaced by implementing AI or tech support. It’s entirely possible for a company to stay on top of industry trends, without jeopardizing how it treats employees or jumping too fast to conclusions about what can be fully automated.

9. What advice would you give budding entrepreneurs and leaders aspiring to venture into this industry?
● Understand the market and the needs of both recruiters and candidates
● Provide services that add value to the job seeking experience
● Stay user friendly on all devices
● Develop strong relationships with recruiters and other players within the industry
● Leverage technology for the solutions you offer

10. Finally, what are your future plans for your company, and how do you see it evolving in the years to come to stay ahead of the competition?
● Continue to provide the best solutions to connect the world to work with a complete job-seeking experience (an all-in-one platform solution)
● Always improve our range of products and services
● Strengthen our teams with experts in their domains to accelerate our growth.
● Keep on listening to our users and clients to provide them with the most accurate solutions to find talent or their dream job
● Continue to provide our clients with customized and personalized support

Discover the full potential of your Hrtech strategy with our comprehensive Hrtech News and Hrtech Interviews.