Capella BUS 3040 - SAP's Inclusive Approach to Recruiting

SAP's Inclusive Approach to Recruiting

As part of your assigned reading for this unit, you read the "SAP's Inclusive Approach to Recruiting" case study (attached). Respond to the two questions below in a 2–3 page paper. Include enough detail to provide context for your ideas and to demonstrate your understanding of these concepts. Also, be sure to include all necessary APA citations and a references page. Submit your responses in a Microsoft Word document.

Questions

1. What recruiting methods described in the case supported SAP's need for talented workers who help the company innovate?
2. Suggest at least one other recruiting method that would help SAP remain a strong, innovative company.

Requirements

• Written communication:It should be free of errors, so the overall message is clear.
• APA formatting:Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style.
• Number of resources:Minimum of two scholarly resources. Distinguished submissions will likely exceed that minimum.
• Parts of paper:
  • Title page.
  • Body of paper.
  • References page.
• Font and font size:Times New Roman, 12-point.

CRITERIA

-Explains the recruiting methods that support SAP's business strategy and provides specific examples.

Describes other recruiting methods that would support SAP's business strategy.

Writes in a scholarly manner by providing validation and scholarly evidence. Writing is free from grammatical and mechanical errors, adheres to APA style, is concise, and ideas are cohesive and logical.

SAP’s Inclusive Approach to Recruiting
Headquartered in Germany, SAP makes software that businesses use to keep
the enterprise running smoothly and efficiently. Its 65,000 employees work in
more than 130 countries. Given that the company sells complex business
systems rather than famous consumer products, recruiting includes educating
workers about the company.
SAP’s recruiting strategy is based on the idea that its human resources are a
source of competitive advantage. Co-CEO Bill McDermott has said SAP is
constantly recruiting “young, brilliant minds” and training people, because
“sustainability is much more than natural resources. It’s also people resources.”
SAP cultivates the image of a leader in innovation. The careers page of its
website says, “We respect the individuality of our employees,” and represents
this with a transparent process linking each applicant to any relevant openings.
Candidates also may set up a “job agent” to send notifications of new openings
meeting specified criteria, read “Advice Bytes” stories from employees, and sign
up to follow SAP on Twitter.
Where SAP’s idea of sustainable human resources really stands out, however,
is in an initiative to recruit workers with autism. These workers have trouble
finding jobs because they struggle with social tasks like interviewing and
networking. For SAP, however, hiring people with autism is not just a matter of
accommodating people with disabilities, but one of identifying an oftenoverlooked group of workers who bring value to the table. The autism spectrum
includes a wide range of conditions from high functioning to severe, and some
individuals are not only able to work but gifted in some areas. For example, their
thinking patterns may be highly structured, and they may pay careful attention
to details. For some jobs, such as writing manuals and debugging software,
these ways of thinking are exactly what SAP needs. The company therefore has
a target that by 2020, up to 1% of its workforce will be employees with autism.
SAP tested its recruitment of workers with autism in Germany and India;
based on the pilot program’s success, it rolled out the effort to Ireland, Canada,
and the United States. A Danish training and consulting firm called
Specialisterne screens candidates. Those who pass the screening are referred to
SAP. After SAP selects employees, it provides adaptation training to help them
adjust to working on teams, and it assigns them to a mentor. In exchange for
this extra effort, the company sees a competitive advantage. Luisa Delgado, a
member of SAP’s executive board, put it this way: “Only by employing people
who think differently and spark innovation will SAP be prepared to handle the
challenges of the 21st century.”