Human Capital Solutions, Inc. (HCS), a high-touch, boutique consulting firm specializing
in Retained Executive Search, Professional Recruiting, and Professional Coaching, is proud to
celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2023. What started as a small business operating out of a home
office in Wilmington, N.C. has transformed into a nationally recognized firm with offices in
Boston, Atlanta, Raleigh, and Chicago. HCS is also a member of the Association of Executive
Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC). AESC members operate at the highest standard in
the executive search and leadership consulting profession worldwide.
Founder and CEO Bo Burch started Human Capital Solutions in 2003 after spending 15
years in various Strategic HR, Talent Management Systems, Leadership Assessment, and
Organizational Transformation roles.
Burch is often quoted, “There is nothing more important to a successful organization than
top-performing human capital. But if human capital is a company’s most valuable asset, why is it
not found on the balance sheet?”
This conundrum perplexed Burch during his tenure in human resources with fortune 100
companies and was a key catalyst in creating Human Capital Solutions. In addition, Burch
consistently observed five common, frequent, and inherent flaws within the interviewing, hiring,
and selection process that severely handicapped companies’ ability to attract and retain the best
talent in a highly competitive and global environment. These flaws are 1) HR and hiring
managers are spread thin 2) position descriptions are not aligned nor supporting desired business
outcomes 3) the selection team is not on the same page 4) excessive subjectivity and the need to
increase objectivity 5) company culture is often not clearly defined and thus not clearly
articulated.
Burch found that while these flaws may hinder a company’s ability to attract and retain
top talent, there are solutions: clear and comprehensive hiring strategies, deliberately aligned
position descriptions, consensus among hiring teams, objective hiring tools, and clearly defined
company culture. HCS has utilized these best practices to build a proprietary business platform
with tools that successfully align companies with top professional talent, creating a win for both
company and candidate.
“I grew up in the construction business,” Burch said. “We built all types of amazing
structures and we always worked from a detailed blueprint. After graduating from business
school with a degree in HR, I worked for MASCO, International Paper, Eaton, and later Corning.
I noticed that the products we manufactured were constructed with very detailed blueprints, but
when we deployed people (human capital) to build things, the blueprint was a Job Description.
The rigor and the detail with relevant stakeholder involvement were missing and obscure.”
To construct a blueprint for the hiring process, Burch developed a process called “Zero-Based Position Description Design.” This proprietary process begins with a blank sheet of paper, like Zero-Based Budgeting, and utilizes two proprietary tools:
1) The Desired Business Outcomes Questionnaire
2) The Department Current State Assessment
These two discovery tools are necessary intake to produce a comprehensive Position
Description and Performance Guide which serves as the blueprint for the hiring process. Using
this unique discovery method and a high-touch facilitation process with clients and candidates,
HCS focuses on the desired business outcomes which significantly reduces the subjectivity of the
hiring process and improves the quality of the hire. This process identifies the specific talent for
the client company with a focus on who will favorably impact the organization’s bottom line.
More about HCS:
Human Capital Solutions provides organizations with strategic and tactical solutions for
organizational growth, high-performance work systems, and continuous process improvement,
providing subject matter expertise in Life Sciences, Healthcare, The Industrials, Technology, and
Private Equity. HCS assists leaders and companies who are passionate about working
collectively and intentionally in engaging and rewarding people to accomplish desired business
outcomes with continuous conversations on managing mutual expectations.