Editor's note: Welcome to "Ask the Expert" where each week, a member of the SSON Global Advisory Board answers a common question in the shared services/GBS space. If you have a question you'd like to ask the advisory board, let us know by emailing info@ssonetwork.com.
This week we are excited to have a very special contributor to the series. Angela Mangiapane is the President of Mars Global Services and is set to be a keynote speaker at SSOW in March. If you are interested in seeing Angela speak in person, register for SSOW today.
Great talent is always right in front of us – our own Associates. That’s why it’s crucial we continue to grow and develop our people by creating a learning environment that also encourages experimentation. By demonstrating new skills are always being learned in a GBS, it not only helps retain current Mars Global Services Associates, but it also becomes an attractive training ground for colleagues in other parts of the business. It’s for this reason that as a company, Mars continues to invest not only in new capabilities such as Generative AI, but we also strive to keep our leadership skills updated. The world we live in has become more complex, and with that in mind, leadership needs to continually adapt and evolve as we think of what our Associates face both within the organization and outside of it. This is why we’re so proud of Mars University, a platform offering comprehensive functional, digital and leadership colleges. Colleges are available to all Mars Associates.
In my experience, LinkedIn is a powerful platform to recruit top shared services talent. Depending on an organization’s reach, global job boards can help reach talent around the globe. This can expand an organization's capabilities and expertise, while attracting candidates with a better understanding of local markets, eliminating language barriers, and expanding outsourcing partnerships. What’s unique about LinkedIn is that it also provides companies the opportunity to highlight their work and evolving capabilities by actively sharing updates on their company profile, further attracting top talent.
Partnering with professional associations like SSON only increases visibility among subject matter experts. It also provides an additional platform to demonstrate the capabilities and expertise of your organization and facilitates moments to connect and network with industry professionals.
Lastly, at Mars, we understand the world we want tomorrow starts by how we do business today. As a leader, the world I want tomorrow is one with more diverse leadership, which is why we’ve partnered with universities across the Americas and Europe to strengthen our internship programs, including prioritizing efforts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In the United Kingdom, we also partner with organizations like PSALT, which help us further efforts to remain an inclusive employer for all. Developing a diverse early talent pool is a great way to recruit future Associates and fulfill our commitment to inclusivity at Mars.