Ruder Finn Launches RF TechTalent

Company Expands Employee Engagement Offering with Specialized Tech Talent Recruitment & Retention Programming

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Apr 27, 2015, 08:48 ET

NEW YORK, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ruder Finn, Inc., a leading independent global communications agency, announced today the official launch of a specialized offering under its broader employee engagement practice, dedicated to helping companies engage with both current and prospective technology-focused employees. RF TechTalent, a newly formalized suite of services, will provide clients with the platforms and tools to identify, recruit, develop, and retain technology talent, spanning from developers, engineers to project managers, needed to launch business transformations.

"CEOs and CMOs are all talking about the need for more customer-centricity and rapid innovation, all of which demand cross-border and function collaboration," said Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn. "Senior leadership and HR executives know this kind of transformation hinges upon building the right culture and fostering an environment where technologists can flourish."

Demand for Tech Talent Skyrocketing
With 75 percent of recruiters anticipating hiring more tech professionals in the first six months of 2015 than the last six months of 2014ⁱ, the competition for dynamic tech talent is growing exponentially. Beyond start-ups, traditional companies, ranging from formerly brick and mortar retailers to financial services companies, have also been announcing substantial investments to help transform their business models to adapt to changing consumer habits through a tech-forward mindset.

Tech Job Seekers Also Millennials
Nearly half of the US workforce is projected to be comprised of Millennials in the next five years, which means many companies will need to completely rethink their recruitment strategy.ⁱⁱ Sixty percent of millennials say that a sense of purpose is part of the reason they chose to work for a current employer, but they still feel that 75 percent of businesses are focused on their own agendas rather than helping to improve society.ⁱⁱⁱ

"Millennials, who will make up a significant portion of the tech talent pool, have high expectations around what their employers should be offering them," said Rum Ekhtiar, Executive Vice President and head of Ruder Finn's recently launched RF Radius division. "Companies are no longer just contending with figuring out how to attract key talent, but also curating a culture that keeps them wanting to work there for the long term. For many non-tech companies, recruiting and retaining these types of candidates is simply outside of their core capabilities and extremely intimidating."

Ruder Finn Employee Engagement Accolades
RF TechTalent is part of Ruder Finn's broader employee engagement practice, which is a fundamental part of its work across each of its four strategic pillars–Corporate Reputation & Transformation, Health & Wellness, Technology & Innovation, and Consumer Connection. Ruder Finn's internal engagement campaigns have won numerous top industry awards for many of the world's leading global companies including Citi, MetLife, and Novartis.

The RF TechTalent offering will be led by Ekhtiar and will tap into expertise across Ruder Finn's global practices, talent, and network, spanning industries and functions. Building upon its thought leadership in the overall employee engagement space, the company will be rolling out a set of tools and IP to help companies measure their levels of engagement with current and prospective talent and reposition their brands as attractive places for tech talent, as well as transforming employees into company brand ambassadors.

ABOUT RUDER FINN, INC.
Ruder Finn, Inc. is one of the world's largest independent communications agencies with dual headquarters in the U.S. and China. Founded in 1948, Ruder Finn serves the global and local communication needs of over 250 corporations, governments and non-profit organizations. The agency is organized around four strategic pillars that reflect its core areas of expertise: Health & Wellness, Corporate Reputation & Transformation, Technology & Innovation, and Consumer Connections. RFI Studios, the agency's full-service digital practice, leads the industry in designing and developing internal collaboration platforms, building conversations and communities around brands, and staying top-of-mind in the world of mobile applications. Ruder Finn's work, talent and culture have received industry-wide recognition, including the 2013 and 2014 Bulldog Stars of PR's Global Agency of Year Award in the Multinational Practice category and 2013 and 2014 PR News' Top Places to Work in PR Award. For more information, visit www.ruderfinn.com and whatsnext.ruderfinn.com.

CONTACT:
Meagan Sloan
Ruder Finn, Inc.
(212) 583-2760
[email protected]

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ⁱ http://media.dice.com/report/december-2014-special-report-hiring-survey/
ⁱⁱ http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/executive-development/custom-programs/~/media/DF1C11C056874DDA8097271A1ED48662.ashx
ⁱⁱⁱ http://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/2015-millennial-survey-press-release.html

SOURCE Ruder Finn