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Redesign the Talent Acquisition Structure

Design an in-house recruitment team structure that adapts to fluctuating internal and external factors.

Book a call with an analyst to define focused outcomes, determine the required jobs, and design and implement a customized TA structure. Understand how:

  • Redesigning the TA structure is not a simple decision and there is no universal TA structure or formula. Given that there are so many structure choices and factors to evaluate, organizations risk having a structure that is not aligned with the hiring landscape, the organization’s needs, or its strategic objectives.
  • Misaligned structures result in negative consequences for the TA function and the organization, such as talent acquisition process inefficiencies, team member burnout, lost productivity, decreased candidate satisfaction, and missed opportunities.
  • Stakeholders are often resistant to structural redesigns due to the negative stigma surrounding "restructuring.”

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Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • There is no universal Talent Acquisition (TA) structure; creating a customized and adaptable TA structure that aligns with the organization’s goals and supports the talent acquisition strategy will be most effective as internal and external factors continue to shift.

Impact and Result

  • Understand the TA process and identify inefficiencies, root causes, and gaps to avoid carrying them into the new structure.
  • Adapt the TA structure to the TA landscape and tailor it to the organization’s strategic objectives by preserving strengths, resolving challenge areas, and addressing structural implications.
  • Engage stakeholders in the redesign. Use stakeholder feedback to inform design principles, and keep stakeholders involved in the process to ensure buy-in.
  • Create a TA structure that supports strategy delivery and focuses on the organization’s future needs to allow for scalability and adaptability, reducing the need for frequent structure redesigns.

Redesign the Talent Acquisition Structure Research & Tools

2. Determine the jobs required to meet needs

Decide which activities are completed by the TA team, establish how TA activities will be completed, create TA activity groups, select jobs responsible for each group, and build adaptability into the structure.

TA Role Catalog
TA Structure Catalog
Centralization Diagnostic Tool

3. Design the TA structure

Determine the required quantity of positions for each job, update the reporting structure, and gather feedback.

TA Headcount Guide
TA Headcount Calculator
Supply and Demand Forecasting Job Aid

4. Communicate and implement the new structure

Create a communication plan, anticipate stakeholders’ reactions, and support team members through the transition.

Change Action and Communication Plan
TA Structure Presentation Template
Change Communications Job Aid
Change Reactions and Responses Tactics Catalog

Workshop: Redesign the Talent Acquisition Structure

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Define the desired outcomes of the TA structure

The Purpose

  • Identify strengths, challenge areas, and structural implications to inform the redesign. Establish design principles, goals, and metrics to guide the redesign.

Key Benefits Achieved

Informed and defined design principles to guide the TA structure redesign.

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Identify strengths, challenge areas, and structural implications for the new TA structure.

  • Defined strengths, challenges, and structural implications.
1.2

Finalize goals and establish design principles.

  • Goals to track success and five to ten design principles.

Module 2: Identify the level of centralization of TA activities

The Purpose

Establish how TA activities will be completed and define the level of centralization.

Key Benefits Achieved

Selected metrics and defined level of centralization for the TA structure.

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Select metrics to track progress toward goals.

  • Metrics to track the impact.
2.2

Decide which activities will be completed by TA.

  • TA team activities and responsibilities.
2.3

Determine how each TA activity will be completed (centralized COE or decentralized by organizational unit).

  • Level of centralization for the TA team.

Module 3: Create TA activity groups to inform required jobs.

The Purpose

Group TA activities to identify jobs that will be responsible for completion of the assigned activity group.

Key Benefits Achieved

TA activities grouped to inform required jobs.

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Evaluate the workload for each TA activity given their required time, effort, and volume.

  • TA activity cards with identified workload amount.
3.2

Use activity cards to group similar TA activities.

  • TA activity groups to inform required jobs.

Module 4: Determine required TA jobs

The Purpose

Finalize jobs and plan for workload fluctuations.

Key Benefits Achieved

Balanced jobs and an adaptable TA structure.

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Select jobs responsible for each activity grouping.

  • Required jobs.
4.2

Balance selected jobs and activities.

4.3

Document strategies to adapt to workload fluctuations.

  • Workload fluctuation strategies.

Module 5: Design the TA structure

The Purpose

Estimate headcount requirements to determine the quantity of positions required for each job.

Key Benefits Achieved

Defined headcount, finalized reporting structure, and completed presentation to provide to stakeholders.

Activities

Outputs

5.1

Determine the required quantity of positions for each job.

  • Estimated TA headcount.
5.2

Create an updated reporting structure.

  • Reporting relationships.
5.3

Complete the TA Structure Presentation Template.

  • TA Structure Presentation.
5.4

Identify next steps.

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About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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Guided Implementation 1: Define the desired outcomes of the TA structure.
  • Call 1: Discuss the plan to engage key stakeholders and gather information about the current and future states.
  • Call 2: Identify strengths and challenge areas, structural implications, and discuss project constraints and limitations.
  • Call 3: Review selected design principles, goals, and metrics.

Guided Implementation 2: Determine the jobs required to meet needs.
  • Call 1: Discuss who will be responsible for completing TA activities, how activities will be completed, and the workload associated with each TA activity.
  • Call 2: Understand how to group together activities that will be completed by the TA team and select jobs that will be responsible for their completion.
  • Call 3: Review selected jobs and ensure balance and adaptability.

Guided Implementation 3: Design the TA structure.
  • Call 1: Discuss tools that will help inform the quantity of positions required for each job.
  • Call 2: Review the updated reporting structure and plan to gather feedback to finalize the structure.

Guided Implementation 4: Communicate and implement the new structure.
  • Call 1: Plan to communicate changes, support team members through the transition, and discuss next steps.

Contributors

  • Lou Adler, Author & CEO, Performance-based Hiring Learning Solutions
  • Estefano Castillo, Talent Acquisition Specialist, TikTok
  • Kevin Fowler, Executive Director, Human Resources, Tyler Junior College
  • Keirsten Greggs, Founder, TRAP Recruiter, LLC.
  • Minh Hua, Chief People Officer, Private Equity (Tech)
  • Dhara Majmundar, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Herjavec Group
  • Katherine Moody, Author & Consultant, Consultative Recruiting Strategies
  • Jennifer Newbill, Director, Emerging Talent, Dell Technologies
  • Lucy Norman, Associate Vice President, Talent Acquisition, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Audrey Pham, Senior Talent Advisor, HCSS
  • John Vlastelica, CEO & Founder, Recruiting Toolbox
  • Anonymous

Related Content: Talent Acquisition Strategy and Process

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