Tapping Into Untapped Talent

2020 research from Accenture and Harvard Business School explores the phenomenon of “hidden workers,” or the millions of people who want to work and are actively seeking work, but who remain “hidden” from most businesses that would benefit from hiring them by the very processes those companies use to find talent. The research estimates there are more than 27 million hidden workers in the U.S. alone. They include caregivers, veterans, immigrants and refugees, people with physical disabilities, relocating partners and spouses, those with mental health or developmental/neurodiversity challenges, those from disadvantaged backgrounds or populations, people who were previously incarcerated and those lacking traditional qualifications.

As record lows in unemployment, coupled with the Great Resignation, continue to limit workforce growth, how can organizations connect with this hidden talent, and what needs to change in existing hiring and recruitment practices?