Let me share a practical example of how A2A transforms the TA function from a reactive service provider to a strategic business partner.
The Scenario: Multi-Business TA Alignment
Meet Sarah, a TA Leader supporting six distinct business units in a large corporation:
- Technology Division
- Commercial Sales
- Operations
- Customer Service
- Product Development
- Shared Services
Originally, Sarah’s team operated in a traditional recruitment model – receiving requisitions and filling positions. While efficient, they struggled to anticipate needs and often felt disconnected from business strategy.
The A2A Workshop Journey
Step 1: Goals Alignment
Sarah organised an A2A workshop with her Talent Advisors and business unit leaders. In just one hour, they:
- Mapped each business unit’s strategic goals
- Identified talent implications
- Captured current and future skill requirements
For example:
- Technology Division Goal: Launch three new digital products
- Talent Implication: Need for 50+ software developers and AI specialists
- Timeline: Next 18 months
Step 2: Blocker Identification
The workshop revealed hidden obstacles:
- Internal:
- Siloed talent pools between divisions
- Inconsistent skill definitions
- Limited visibility of internal talent
- External:
- Competitive market for tech talent
- Rapidly evolving skill requirements
- Geographic constraints
Step 3: Strategy Development
Using A2A’s collaborative framework, they developed targeted strategies:
- Build internal talent marketplace
- Create cross-divisional skill development programs
- Implement AI-powered skill mapping
- Develop targeted employer value propositions per business unit
Step 4: Action Planning
The team created specific activities aligned to each strategy:
- Q1: Launch internal talent marketplace platform
- Q2: Implement AI skills assessment tool
- Q3: Roll out cross-divisional mentoring program
- Q4: Deploy predictive hiring analytics
The Impact
Within three months of the A2A workshop:
- Business Understanding
- TA team could articulate each division’s strategic priorities
- Business leaders understood TA’s strategic value
- Shared language for discussing talent needs
- Proactive Solutions
- Shifted from reactive hiring to strategic workforce planning
- Identified internal mobility opportunities across divisions
- Developed targeted talent pipelines aligned with future needs
- Measurable Outcomes
- 30% reduction in time-to-hire
- 25% increase in internal placements
- 40% improvement in hiring manager satisfaction
- 50% reduction in agency spend
Key A2A Benefits for TA
- Visibility
- Clear view of business priorities
- Understanding of interdependencies
- Early warning of talent needs
- Alignment
- Shared goals between TA and business
- Agreed success metrics
- Common understanding of challenges
- Action-Oriented
- Concrete plans rather than theoretical discussion
- Clear ownership of initiatives
- Defined timelines and deliverables
Making It Work
The secret to Sarah’s success was treating the A2A workshop as the starting point, not the destination. Her team:
- Scheduled quarterly A2A reviews with each business unit
- Used the A2A framework to track progress
- Adjusted strategies based on changing business needs
- Created a feedback loop for continuous improvement
Practical Tips for Implementation
- Start Small
- Begin with one or two business units
- Focus on quick wins
- Build credibility through early successes
- Prepare Well
- Gather business data beforehand
- Understand current talent metrics
- Identify key stakeholders
- Follow Through
- Document all commitments
- Set clear review dates
- Measure and communicate progress
The A2A framework transformed Sarah’s TA function from a hiring service to a strategic talent advisor. By providing a structured approach to alignment and action, A2A enabled her team to demonstrate tangible business value beyond traditional recruitment metrics.