Last week, The Christopher Group announced the launch of their Consulting Services Division (CSD). Today, we sit down with CSD President, Pam Noble to learn more about this exciting and disruptive new solution!
What makes TCG’s Consulting Services Division so unique?
I think what makes our approach to solutioning so unique is mostly due to our size, we can be agile and adjust to our client’s needs quicker. Compared to many of our competitors, especially the larger ones, they tend to provide a cookie-cutter approach. Our consulting solutions are specifically customized to each client and utilize consultants that have truly relevant experiences and are experts in their field. Many of our consultants have mastered their specialty in big and small companies across different industries, so they know how to adjust. They know the questions that need to be asked and can provide a customized solution to fit what each client needs in their situation.
Why offer Consulting solutions?
For over 22 years, TCG has become known and awarded for our Targeted Search process. Being able to specialize in identifying the best and right HR candidates for clients has put us on the map. The team at TCG are former HR professionals that have sat in the job and understand the needs of an HR department. We had a lot of clients looking for insights and asking if we offered consulting solutions, so it grew as a natural extension of our close relationship and the trust we’ve developed with our clients. This is all without even advertising. So, we thought, let’s bring in a strong set of individuals who were experts in their field and grow it exponentially.
As we talk to people, they are excited about or our approach and, in many cases, it complements the permanent targeted searches that we conduct. For example, as a Chief Human Resource Officer, they want to understand what the strengths and the weaknesses are of their HR department before they bring in someone new. TCG is able to conduct an HR Audit and provide that HR leader and department a road map. I think because the TCG team has been there, we know the right questions to ask the CEOs and leadership team to uncover and peel back the onion of the organization.
How has COVID-19 impacted HR departments?
I think COVID has impacted how an organization looks at its entire organization and the workforce. HR leaders are becoming more transparent by sharing what is impacting the business, dealing with situations directly while being in lockstep with the CEO, and holding themselves accountable for delivering results. Over the last year, companies have gained valuable insight about their people. This has allowed them to think broader and bolder by looking around the curves in the road – being more creative and dealing with the ambiguity that lies ahead. Leaders are recognizing the important role and skill-set that HR brings to maximizing their human capital. We had an intersection of two big worldwide events, one was COVID and the other was social unrest. These events brought to the forefront how do organizations make sure that they are tending to the needs of your employees when you can’t see them every day? It has really elevated what HR brings to the table and how they bring a community together. More importantly, what are they putting in place to make sure that managers have the tools to manage from afar and learning to do it differently.
Can you tell us a little more about the consultants you are bringing on?
We are very excited about this! We have previous Chief Human Resource Officers from very large, well-known companies, consultants that are known in their space within talent, leadership development, organizational capability, and diversity, equity, and/or inclusion. We did a soft launch of the solution and the new website with the consultants a few weeks back and the feedback was inspiring. Our consultants are so honored and excited to be among a group of exceptionally talented HR professionals within every aspect of HR. I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised with the talent, the names, and even some of the companies that these consultants come from.
This is an exciting time at TCG! What are you looking forward to the most?
I am excited about the different types of assignments that are coming in. This year was disruptive and so people are looking at how to go forward from the disruption; how to make their organization better. Yes, talent development, total rewards, and HR audits are still in high demand but we are starting to see a different focus on realigning organizations. What does inclusion mean? How could we as an organization be more agile and look at the world differently?
If companies are unsure about where to get started, what do you suggest?
We first ask that organizations reach out to us and get the conversation started even if they don’t know where to begin or know what they need. We spend a lot of time, in the beginning, understanding our clients and their organizations. For example, we had a client recently who talked about everything on their plate. We came back to that client and said we hear you, and here are some solution recommendations that could help realign and truly move your organization to the next level. We then help that client/organization implement the policies, practices, or initiatives that will drive their business forward.