Over the years, leading IT talent provider Patricia Connolly has seen many hiring models for Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. “It’s not uncommon for CEOs and CIOs to be asked to do more with less. That’s a mantra we’ve all heard, but unfortunately, it’s even more of a pressing theme right now,” said Connolly. Just as the world thought it was on the other side of covid, ripple effects and new issues are rocking the business world. Supply chain issues, inflation, and the cost of talent have all continued to challenge businesses' growth.

Over the years, leading IT talent provider Patricia Connolly has seen many hiring models for Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. “It’s not uncommon for CEOs and CIOs to be asked to do more with less. That’s a mantra we’ve all heard, but unfortunately, it’s even more of a pressing theme right now,” said Connolly. Just as the world thought it was on the other side of covid, ripple effects and new issues are rocking the business world. Supply chain issues, inflation, and the cost of talent have all continued to challenge businesses' growth.

Founded and headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, Digi-Key Electronics is the recognized leader and innovator in the high service distribution of electronic components and automation products worldwide. Digi-Key offers the world’s largest selection of electronic components in stock and available for immediate shipment and has experienced an impressive growth trajectory over the last several years.

Founded and headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, Digi-Key Electronics is the recognized leader and innovator in the high service distribution of electronic components and automation products worldwide. Digi-Key offers the world’s largest selection of electronic components in stock and available for immediate shipment and has experienced an impressive growth trajectory over the last several years.

As outsourcing costs rise, while finding the right talent is akin to locating a needle in a haystack, CIOs search for solutions to these present-day challenges. Thankfully, global capability centers may offer an answer. Dr. Patricia Connolly, Founding Partner and CEO at SMC Squared, and Jan Ross, Former CIO at nThrive, sat down to discuss these issues and provide their thoughts on what makes global capability centers (GCCs) stand out in today’s talent marketplace.

As outsourcing costs rise, while finding the right talent is akin to locating a needle in a haystack, CIOs search for solutions to these present-day challenges. Thankfully, global capability centers may offer an answer. Dr. Patricia Connolly, Founding Partner and CEO at SMC Squared, and Jan Ross, Former CIO at nThrive, sat down to discuss these issues and provide their thoughts on what makes global capability centers (GCCs) stand out in today’s talent marketplace.

Securing reliable offshore talent to supplement a U.S.-based workforce can be difficult to manage and maintain. This is especially true if a company has no experience with setting up offshore talent pools. Kevin Christ, Partner at Concentre spoke with Squared Away podcast host Gabrielle Bejarano about the advantages of working with SMC Squared in securing a reliable offshore talent pool that is able to fulfill business demands. Christ has been an advisor to SMC Squared since early 2020 and is an expert in the field of business technology consulting having worked in the industry since 1985; and one of the reasons he continues to thrive is due to his dedication to evolving with the industry and learning from the opportunities he encounters through work. Christ has had the opportunity to be an interim CIO on four separate occasions. He reflected on these experiences “that really stretched my thinking. I really thought that as a career consultant I understood everything on their plates. And when I sat on the other side of that desk, I realized that their job is to spin plates and no matter how many they are spinning, someone’s going to hand them one more. So, that was a real education for me, and it’s changed the way that I approach what I do.” Christ goes on to discuss the many challenges and benefits associated with hiring offshore companies and employees noting that some companies do it well and others do not. The cultural differences in the workforce can prove to be especially difficult to work with. And he’s seen companies try to set up their own offshore operation which is very difficult to do. When he “heard of SMC Squared and their approach to global insourcing, it resonated with [him] as a solution to a lot of the challenges of offshore,” reflected Christ. “I wanted to learn more. As I got to know the company and meet some of their clients – the satisfaction levels were high, the service levels were very good and they really, in many ways, have built a better mousetrap,” said Christ. SMC Squared has a unique and innovative approach to outsourcing talent. The company’s success rate in recruiting talent consistently outperforms the marketplace. Retention, cost-reduction, and reliability are at the core of what they do. SMC Squared ensures that they assemble global teams that are an extension of their client’s onshore teams—helping to fill their clients’ talent gaps. Now more than ever IT leaders are struggling to complete in the race for digital talent. The increasing popularity of working with offshore talent companies in India has created its own war on talent. Success lies in finding the right partner to work with on offshore outsourcing initiatives.

Securing reliable offshore talent to supplement a U.S.-based workforce can be difficult to manage and maintain. This is especially true if a company has no experience with setting up offshore talent pools. Kevin Christ, Partner at Concentre spoke with Squared Away podcast host Gabrielle Bejarano about the advantages of working with SMC Squared in securing a reliable offshore talent pool that is able to fulfill business demands.

When Fortune 500 company Ecolab, a worldwide leader in energy, water and hygiene technologies and services, found themselves with a lack of available talent to execute on big ideas they turned to experts at SMC Squared.

When Fortune 500 company Ecolab, a worldwide leader in energy, water and hygiene technologies and services found themselves with a lack of available talent to execute on big ideas they turned to experts at SMC Squared. Gabrielle Bejarano sits down with Malahar Pinnelli, VP of Technology and Managing Director at Ecolab Digital Center (EDC); Supriya Ambuga, Senior Director of Human Resources at Ecolab Digital Center; and Jessica Parker, Senior Director of Client Success at SMC Squared, to discuss Ecolab Digital Center’s Global Capability Center and their successful experience with SMC Squared’s GCC model and recent transition in Bangalore, India. Bangalore is a center of technology and innovation. Companies aim to hire capable talent, “who can be responsible for driving technology innovation,” Pinnelli said. SMC Squared’s business model is unique, providing strategic partners with the ability to accelerate their digital innovation and identifying high-performing teams through a build-optimize-transfer GCC model. “SMC Squared’s model is focused on building an asset over three years using the expense dollars given to the vendor partners,” Pinnelli said. They follow a Global Capability Center - Build, Operate, Transfer Model: Year One: Leader-first approach - find and build the right leadership team for the project Year Two: Build to Scale - create the depth in capabilities and establish any new capabilities Year Three: Optimize the team - create a sustainable graduate recruitment program to find talent SMC Squared takes all the associated risks, and one of their most vital assets to training and retaining employees is incorporating culture from the beginning. Using a global “one-team” approach, SMC Squared creates a seamless integration. “Transfer is never easy; it’s a messy affair. But in this model, this is all part of the plan. The timeline is defined, the expectations are set, and the culture is built, so it’s all about executing the plan,” Pinnelli said, noting that the transition of 400 people for Ecolab was flawless because of the culture that SMC created from the beginning. “A very critical piece here is the culture building,” Ambuga added. “The way we brought team members on from the beginning is really about bringing on people as Ecolab employees from the beginning. They’re hired to fit those needs,” Parker said.