Ep 787: How Belonging Transforms Talent Acquisition

Ep 787: How Belonging Transforms Talent Acquisition

From Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring? by Matt Alder

April 21, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 787

About this episode

The episode discusses how belonging can transform talent acquisition and improve organizational outcomes.

Many organizations are struggling with attrition, disengagement, and costly mis-hires that quietly destroy value. The real problem isn't finding talent, it's creating conditions where people can perform. Research suggests that when people feel they belong, organizations see significant gains in productivity, retention, and innovation. Belonging can be measured, built into how work gets done, and connected directly to business outcomes. So how can talent acquisition use belonging to change how it hires and the strategic value it delivers? My guest this week is Eric Knauf, Founder and CEO of BelongHQ and author of The 56% Solution. In our conversation, he shares a practical framework for measuring belonging and explains how it could reshape TA's role in an AI-driven world. In the interview, we discuss: The five pillars of belonging Measuring belonging against business outcomes Why workforce planning comes before EVP Breaking roles down to the task level Belonging as a talent differentiator Shifting TA from seats to strategy The hidden cost of untapped potential Building trust during the recruiting process What does the future look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow…

People in this episode

Host: Matt Alder

Guest: Eric Knauf

Topics covered

  • belonging
  • talent acquisition
  • employee engagement
  • workforce planning
  • AI in hiring
  • productivity
  • retention

Keywords

  • belonging
  • talent acquisition
  • employee retention
  • workforce planning
  • productivity
  • AI
  • hiring strategy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BelongHQ

Books & works: The 56% Solution

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