Most Indian firms look to fill open roles internally: LinkedIn report

The country's competitive talent market is fuelling a significant internal shifts within the organisation as 93 per cent of the companies polled in India said they are looking to fill open roles internally in the post-COVID-19 era, according to a report.

According to LinkedIn's 'Future of Talent' report, more than nine in 10 (93 per cent) companies in India are looking to fill open roles internally in the post-COVID-19 era.

The report stated that seven in 10 companies in India said the main reason they hire internally is to gain an insider's perspective or a sense of progress.

It also stated that when hiring internally, the top-three skills that companies in India look for are good communication, problem solving skills and time management.

LinkedIn's 'Future of Talent' report was commissioned to independent market research firm GfK, which conducted this online survey with over 3,500 respondents from small, medium and large enterprises across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region including Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.

The report further showed that upskilling will be core to the talent strategy, and trends such as internal mobility, data-led hiring decisions, and improving employee experience will be in focus for employers in 2021.

To keep pace with today's rapidly digitising business needs, companies are also keen to upgrade the capabilities of their workforce.

Taking cue, 95 per cent of companies in India have dedicated L&D (learning and development) programmes to help employees learn new skills and prepare for the future, according to the report.

While skills take the centrestage, many companies in India are also leaning on data analytics to tap into relevant talent pools when hiring today.

The report showed that 91 per cent companies in India use data to make informed talent-hiring decisions, while 53 per cent frequently use data to map skills with open position requirements.

To make remote hiring even more efficient, nine in 10 companies are also merging roles to reduce talent acquisition costs today, it added.

Meanwhile, it noted that with a second wave accentuating India's remote working needs, HR will play an even bigger role in determining the future of talent. Nine in 10 companies agreed that HR will now play a key role in helping organisations streamline their business, shape their strategy, and hire more efficiently, even beyond COVID-19, it added.

As remote work becomes a continuing workforce trend, HR professionals are encouraging companies to prioritise employee experience and keep their remote staff engaged today.

More than eight in 10 (85 per cent) companies in India are already holding more engagement activities to keep employees inspired and connected with their teams despite working in isolation, it noted.

The report also revealed that companies in India are significantly more open to hiring remote staff when compared to other APAC countries.

Given India's greater preference for remote staff, more than nine in 10 (94 per cent) companies are building a good employer brand by having an active social media presence, and sharing more about their vision and focus on innovation.

In fact, 4 in 5 (80 per cent) companies have already experienced an increased pool of qualified candidates because of their efforts in employer branding, it stated.

Linkedin India Director (Talent and Learning Solutions) Ruchee Anand said, "As remote work continues to disrupt the way we work, HR will play a greater role in helping companies absorb new hiring trends to build the future of talent."

She added that in 2021, India will see more companies merge roles, upskill their employees, and hire internally to maximise business growth without expanding operational costs. "Data-led hiring practices will also play a critical role in helping firms engage with their employees, attract the right talent and hire more effectively in 2021.