The Analytics Leadership Consortium (ALC) is a closed network of senior analytics executives from diverse industries who meet to share and discuss best practices, as well as discover and develop analytics innovation, all for the purpose of improving the business impact of analytics at their firms. And while these companies are very diverse in terms of industry, size, and even analytics maturity, they are often working on very similar initiatives. One such initiative is leading and managing analytics teams, as well as attracting and retaining, top analytics talent in today’s COVID-19 reality. Especially in uncertain time where the “how to guide” does not exist, it’s immensely valuable to get some inspiration and tips and tricks directly from fellow analytics leaders, as well as leading experts.

“Unprecedented” seems to be the word that best describes the impact of COVID-19 across society and business. Organizations have been left reeling as work environments have had to transition to remote almost overnight. This sudden and unexpected shift in the operating environment has forced leaders (and HR teams) to quickly adapt to new ways of maintaining day-to-day activities, as well as recruiting and onboarding new hires. In this new operating paradigm, analytics leaders need to know the best technologies and techniques to use for communication and collaboration to keep teams engaged, connected and productive. They also need to know what the landscape looks like for analytics talent and what the longer-term impact will be on the talent marketplace.

Since the ALC is comprised of top analytics leaders, there is always a lot of energy and engagement in a discussion on a hot topic like analytics talent. The ALC complements this energy and enthusiasm with unique insights by bringing in leading experts for webinars and summits. Recently ALC members from Fortune 1000 companies heard from Linda Burtch, founder and managing director of Burtch Works Executive Recruiting. Linda has over 30 years of experience placing analytics professionals in firms across industries and geographies which gives her a unique understanding of the analytics talent pool. Linda’s perspective on the market provided analytics leaders insight into activities happening outside of their organization and region giving them a greater understanding of the talent landscape and where there may be opportunities to capitalize on.

Key topics that were discussed amongst the group included:

• Understanding new and different ways to communicate with your team is critical; identifying the right tools to enable collaboration on projects will keep teams focused and productive

• In addition to managing productivity, the ability to maintain the team culture and human connection is vital; finding new and innovative ways to bring people together virtually will let your team know that they are valued and appreciated

• With millions of layoffs and furloughs occurring over the past five months, now is an opportune time to bring in new talent. The talent pool is wider and with workers working remotely, location is not an immediate issue

• HR leaders and hiring managers should be prepared for the hiring process to move more quickly – from months down to weeks – once technical assessments have been completed

• If your company is in a fortunate position and able to hire new talent, be prepared for a different type of onboarding experience – a much more deliberate and planned one; while some of the physical onboarding procedures can be mimicked virtually, additional touchpoints and a clear plan with metrics will be necessary to assess progress and engagement

• As 2020 unfolds, there will be other pivotal events for leaders to track including: the elections in November, the political landscape in Hong Kong, H1B visas, and heightened cybersecurity attacks.

The ALC is a trusted community designed for analytics leaders to converse openly with these speakers and with one another. Exchanging solutions and approaches that cross industries can provide inspiration for new ways of thinking and addressing challenges in each respective organization.

Additional resources:

• Read a blog on Adapting to Virtual Internships from the ALC Senior Program Director, Lise Massey

• Read a blog on Managing Analytics & Data Science During A Crisis from the CAO of IIA, Bill Franks.

• View recorded webinar Meeting the Talent Needs in the COVID Era.

• Connect with Linda Burtch as a client of our RAN service