COVID-19 Locked Down HR, But Talkr Says Outsourcing Is Key

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hiring process has changed for many companies. As startups and business leaders continue to find flexibility and explore the multicultural dynamics of the teams they work with, there is also a need to save time and hire the right person. This makes it necessary to rethink the recruitment processes and strategies.

Gartner reports that 21% of HR leaders use data to “shape talent acquisition and recruiting strategies, improve employee engagement, and inform other business decisions.” While the HR and talent analysis aerospace uses so much data these days that it hasn’t led to the most effective hiring process, according to Ben Wyand, Talkr founder and CEO.

Founded in 2016, outsourcing company talkr focuses on creating real-time recruiting experiences for fast startups. Now that venture capitalists are investing more in technology startups, it has become a necessity for startups to rent well. Startup founders have increasingly turned to outsourcing their hiring process because it helps them focus on what really matters. This has left a gaping hole for players like Talkr to fill.

Speaking to VentureBeat, Wyand said Talkr helps start-ups just before and just after making an investment. Knowing that companies struggle to control their messages early in development, Talkr helps integrate outsourced employees into its customers’ businesses. The company also offers local HR support, IT support, office space and consultancy.

North Macedonia, the new outsourced support hub

One of Talkr’s differentiators, according to Wyand, is its outsourcing hub in North Macedonia, a country he said has stood out long before that. Wyand noted that extensive research demonstrated the unique advantages of North Macedonia over traditional outsourcing companies in more common outsourcing hubs such as Poland, Bulgaria, India and others. According to Wyand, North Macedonia offers proximity to European markets and the fact that it is a small country with incredible talent but few startups – leading to a talent surplus.

“It means the best talent is accessible to us,” Wyand said. “Not being in the EU means there hasn’t been the brain drain seen in some other EU outsourcing hubs either. In addition, the cost of living in North Macedonia allows you to hire incredible, highly skilled talent at a distinct cost savings compared to other outsourcing hubs.”

Outsourcing is now the HR key

In a McKinsey Survey of more than 80 chief human resources officers (CHROs) at some of the largest organizations in the United States and Europe, more than 90% of respondents predicted significant changes in the HR business model over the next two to three years. While the nature and purpose of the HR function has been evolving for years, the demands of the pandemic have dramatically accelerated this transition.

With the Great layoff As a result of drastically increasing turnover in organizations, outsourcing has become an important part of the HR process. Talkr wants to take the lead in the broad outsourcing conversation with its solution. Wyand told VentureBeat that the way Talkr works makes hiring great people super easy, cost effective and truly scalable.

“By working with companies early on, we can grow with them and support their needs as new challenges arise. For many of our clients, we are their first venture into outsourcing support talent — and after overcoming many of these challenges firsthand, we are able to guide them through the process,” he said.

With the rise of remote and hybrid workWyand noted that North Macedonia offers Talkr the capacity to help startups build successful teams remotely.

More about Talkr

Talkr has helped companies like The Mothership, a startup focused on multichannel marketing. The Mothership uses Talkr services to expand its support team to help manage the multiple brands it has continued to acquire. Other startups that rely on Talkr’s proficiency include: PrettyDamnQuick, which recently launched its new Shopify app to give its customers Amazon-like delivery power. An Israel-based video interview platform, myInterview† also uses Talkr’s services to hire for its support team.

While Talkr had a workforce of 60 before COVID-19, the pandemic shrank that number to three. However, the company has returned to its pre-pandemic workforce and Wyand believes the benefits of North Macedonia combined with a new openness to remote work and remote/distributed teams means Talkr is ready for the next phase of its growth.