Guest Forum - The Tact Group

on tuesday, march 18th, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, jobnet's guest forum will host tact representatives, aliza oz-pippman, recruitment manager at tact testing systems ltd, and tali ben david, recruitment manager at tact computers and systems ltd.
aliza and tali told us about the nature of the tact group, which has been operating for 18 years, the challenge of managing hundreds of outsourcing worker scattered around the country and why it pays to be employed through outsourcing.

the tact group is a group of privately owned companies that provide business and technological solutions in the fields of software and outsourcing. the group was founded in 1990 by former members of israeli air force and intelligence corps software units, and is currently in the process of constant growth. today the tact group employs 500 engineers, software personnel and technicians who are experts and leaders.

which companies are on your list of clients?
tali: "tact has a range of customers in five main fields: security, high tech, banking and finance, telecom and the public sector. our clients include the air force, the navy, alta, israel aerospace industries, tadiran, ibm, comverse, partner, clalit health services, aci, elbit, bank leumi, bank hapoalim, indigo, cisco and microsoft."

what are the tact group's main areas of operations?
tali: "the tact group has a number of centers of business activity and specializes in a range of issues such as software, data processing systems, qa and systems testing, outsourcing, etc. the unique structure of the group, which consists of professional and autonomous centers, allows synergy while providing focus and fostering professionalism."

why do your customers prefer to contract out computer projects?
aliza: "in most cases clients are unable or disinclined to manage an it project independently. they lack experience in the field and rightly believe that a reputable, experienced organization like tact will be able to ensure the success of the project or find the right worker. sometimes these are temporary projects and the company realizes it won't be able to offer the employee who gets hired job security and opportunities for professional development, so it turns to us and we offer workers these advantages, including professional courses at the company's expense in order to improve professional abilities."

aliza oz-pippman (left) and tali ben david (right),
 human resources managers at tact

what is the your credo on the issue of human resources management?
aliza: "at the tact group, like at many other high-tech companies, tremendous efforts are invested in recruiting quality human capital with which to face the new and changing challenges that confront every high-tech company. human capital is really the most important component in the group's effort to provide its customers leading, quality solutions in the fields they're engaged in."

tali: "the tact group's managers and human resources personnel are patient, attentive and sensitive to employees' wants and needs. the fact we are attentive, alert and sensitive to the individual needs of company workers strengthens their faith in their employer and boosts the motivation that is so crucial in getting the job done right."

how is the process of recruiting workers for various clients conducted?
tali: "the recruitment process is based on the customer's demands, and its duration and approach depend on the type of contents the customer specializes in. all of the candidates who come to the client go through thorough, quality screening by us. the foundation of the process consists of an in-depth phone interview with the candidate by one of our coordinators, and if the customer is interested in going forward with him, the candidate comes to us for a one-on-one interview and professional testing."

aliza: "every client has its own uniqueness. the longer processes are conducted in the security sector because they require a security clearance, unlike the private sector, which includes high-tech and telecom companies, where the processes are shorter, ranging from two weeks to one month."

how does a company with 500 employees maintain contact with distant workers?
tali: "our employees are given very dedicated treatment, thanks in part to our mobile human resources unit. every tact activity center is appointed a human resources manager who visits them every month and holds an individual conversation with them. on their first day every new employee receives a basket of chocolates sent to their place of work. the human resources manager and the division manager greet him and we make a point of calling to welcome him when he takes up his post. we also notify the employees at the site that a new employee is coming so they can give him a proper welcome."

this sounds like a substantial investment that forces you to work to retain employees.
aliza: "in light of the awakening of the market lately, which leads workers to look elsewhere, it's of the utmost importance to strengthen the employees' satisfaction with the group. without retaining the employees hired by the company the concerted efforts of the recruitment department are worthless. thus we've developed special programs to provide workers professional training and career advancement, which is critical in securing the workers' satisfaction and the company's business success."

tali: "keeping employees in the group and boosting their sense of belonging and motivation requires hard, intensive work at the human resources department, where the starting point must be handling every employee on an individual basis. our employees receive individual care that contributes to their stability and the quality of service they provide the customer."

what kind of people are you looking for?
tali: "at the moment there is extensive demand in the security sector, therefore we're recruiting people with security clearances. we're also looking for professional workers in fields like software testing, software and hardware development, system engineering, algorithms, physics, mechanical engineering and system personnel. we have a variety of offers for candidates since we work with a broad spectrum of customers."

aliza: "on the personal level tact employees are characterized by professionalism, creativity and an ability to maneuver in the field. we're looking for people who have creative thinking abilities and know how to fit into a team. candidates looking for stability and personalized attention and who would like to acquire expertise in the field of testing or software belong here, in the tact family."

why, in your opinion, is being employed through outsourcing worthwhile?
aliza: "tact outsourcing employees generally receive the same salary conditions and side benefits they would have received had they been employed by the companies where tact executes projects. sometimes the worker even benefits from both worlds, receiving benefits from tact, such as gifts, company activities, etc., along with benefits from they company where he's posted."

on cooperation with jobnet:
aliza: "jobnet is the website we've been working with the longest - over four years now. every year we increase the number of positions we advertise on the site, which now comes to 35 ad slots. the site is professional, focused and easy to use, both for us as employers and for job candidates."

tali: "of all of our recruitment sources, jobnet provides us the largest quantity of quality resumes."

in conclusion, why do you recommend jobnet users join the tact family?
aliza: "the modern job market, especially in the it industry, is subject to frequent swings and changes stemming from external factors, technological changes and other factors. our big advantage for the employee is the ability to guarantee him employment security and professional development in a wide range of projects." 


for the hebrew article