Three ways Google MUM will reshape your EVP, and recruitment, globally

Since mid-2021, the tech world has been buzzing with the news that Google will soon start updating its Search algorithm with the new and powerful AI-powered Multitask Uniform Model (MUM).

From 2022,  this set of “highly intelligent” algorithms (a thousand times more powerful than the current model, according to Google) will supplement, and eventually supersede, the current ones. MUM will allow the Google Search engine to become highly intuitive, more global, and more organic. Given Google’s prominence in the search world, this is very exciting indeed.

This new algorithm is set to dramatically change the way we approach Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with the following key features:

• MUM redefines a user’s search experience: MUM will smartly give you search results, not just across multiple content formats but also across relevant topics of your search.
• MUM removes language barriers: Google will retrieve high-quality results written in one language and then reproduce them in another. It is set to be able to understand 75 languages.

So, why should a HR Leader care about Google MUM?

By now, your digital marketing colleagues should be busy preparing to update their Digital Communication strategies, but should a HR leader care? Absolutely. The way current and future employees search for information about your company will be significantly impacted.

Here are three ways Google MUM will impact talent acquisition on a global scale, and how you can prepare.

1. Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) will only be as strong as its weakest link

With its ability to serve content that transcend language barriers, MUM will allow global content to become highly searchable and visible to anyone in the world. This means that any company news in, say, Mandarin or Portuguese will now be easily accessible to a job seeker in whatever country she resides in. To safeguard their EVP, companies will need to pay a lot more attention to issues such as employee complaints or reputational risks on a global basis.

Some considerations for HR could be: 1) Developing a robust HR-related crisis communications plan with global EVP-specific interventions, or 2) Investing in social listening and online sentiment monitoring across key talent markets your company operates in.

2. You will need a holistic HR digital communications strategy

MUM will rely less on written content and keywords, and crawl the internet to deliver search results across multiple formats. (Think images, graphics, animations, video and even audio content types). HR leaders will need to step into the shoes of a Digital Marketer and drive HR efforts in tandem with developments in the digital space to reach out to potential talent pools more effectively.

MUM presents a huge opportunity for HR to integrate a strong digital communications strategy into a holistic HR / talent acquisition strategy. The keywords here will be CONTENT, CONTENT, and CONTENT across online/social media platforms and a variety of engaging formats to reinforce the company’s EVP, brand image and positioning in the talent space.

Some quick examples of content ideas could be employee video testimonials and interesting podcasts pertaining to recruitment, company culture or career development.

3. HR should focus on meaningful and authentic content

MUM will take on more complex queries and seek to make its results more relevant and relatable to the user. Content that is deemed as more genuine and authentic will likely take precedence. It means that companies should expect to be scrutinized by job seekers at a much higher level – not just for their words and actions but for what they stand for.

Today most HR organizations rely on tools such as LinkedIn or Glassdoor to communicate their EVP, maybe Quora for the most tech-savvy companies. However, Google will likely remain as the entry point for most job seekers searching for information about potential employers.

This presents opportunities for HR to involve employees (past and present) in their content strategy, where employee-generated content portrays the company’s core values with authenticity. This could be, for instance, a podcast series where employees speak about their various job responsibilities, or personal achievements, through stories emanating from their daily work experiences. There is a myriad of creative possibilities to create such meaningful content.

The no-regret move … a new HR + Marketing partnership

MUM’s long-term impact on recruitment is still a moving target, but HR leaders should start to proactively turn their attention towards high-quality CONTENT that authentically and consistently communicates the company’s EVP to employees (current and future) through a range of multimedia channels.

This is where your in-house Digital Marketing teams, and professional Digital Marketing Agencies, should come into play to bring these ideas to life.

These are no-regret moves that HR leaders can make today… to be ready for tomorrow.