The hiring may continue. But is the talent proposition changing?
Updated: 3 days ago
When Indian IT firms say the suspension of new and pending applications under the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme will not change their hiring plans, the question worth pondering is
What if the impact on the talent market goes well beyond the number of people companies plan to hire?
The recent restrictions for certain technology companies have brought immigration, workforce planning, and the future of global talent mobility back into focus. For Indian IT firms, the immediate priorities are to keep client engagements running, assess the impact on affected employees, and ensure business continuity. They have acknowledged that they’ve been expecting such a change to come and hence have structured their workforce accordingly.
A company can maintain its hiring goals while the talent market around it may shift significantly. But the talent implications usually take longer to show up.
If the restrictions persist, I see a few areas worth watching.
1. The geography of talent could change.
There is likely to be parallel hiring in India while also building their US-based workforce that requires local presence. The companies will likely plan to deliver more remote work out of India, wherever client requirements allow it.
The result wouldn’t likely lead to more jobs in India. With the focus on AI-led productivity, client demand and the changing economics of delivery will influence the amount of talent companies will actually need.
2. Career expectations may shift.
For a long time, the opportunity to work in the US has been a big part of the career aspirations of many employees. Now the uncertainty around permanent residency could influence decisions about where they want to work, which employers they are likely to choose, and how they think about their long-term future.
Maybe there are a lot more dynamics with the generations now in making career decisions. But employers will need to start looking at how these changes affect different talent segments, rather than assume the impact is limited to a small number of immigration cases.
3. The skills companies value could evolve.
Demand in terms of which kind of specialised technical skills, AI-enabled delivery, and talent who can work effectively across geographies will influence organisations decisions on where and how work gets done and delivered.
This shift towards capabilities building has been in the making in recent times. Now it will accelerate HR’s focus from how many people to hire to if they have the ‘right capabilities’ in the right place.
What should HR leaders be asking?
What are the assumptions about talent mobility that our workforce is built on, and do they still hold good?
What employee segments are likely to be affected by the changes in international career opportunities?
Are your talent acquisition, retention, and learning strategies aligned with where the business expects to grow and how work will be delivered?
Even with the external factors beyond your control, are you giving enough clarity about opportunities available to employees?
As with any large shift, these answers need to be worked out in collaboration between various teams in HR (across talent acquisition, workforce planning, talent development, learning & rewards) and business.
How do I foresee the impact on the Employer Brand?
An employer brand is shaped by what your people believe they can achieve by working with your organisation.
If your value proposition had incentive for employees' possible international exposure or relocation or access to challenging projects, specialist skills, leadership opportunities or the chance to work with global clients from India, then it is time to relook at how you would want to appeal to such career aspirations.
It is not necessary that every change in the external environment calls for a new EVP. But for employers to be aware and revisit any assumptions underpinning their existing proposition and if it is still a reflection of their credible and lived people experience.
We have to remember that employer brand cannot operate independently of talent strategy. If the business is changing with how it hires, deploys, and develops people, those decisions will eventually shape the employee experience and the stories people talk about working there.
The question now is about understanding what does your affected talent segment values next and are you preparing to offer it or a suitable alternative? It is not only about hiring.
Even if the hiring plan remains unchanged on paper, the reasons your talent choose to join, stay, or leave are already changing.
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