With Brexit looming, artificial intelligence knocking at the door, and an unemployment rate at its lowest since 1974, it’s no secret that today’s labour market is undergoing some pretty dramatic changes. The effects of these trends are largely unpredictable and employers are scrambling to attract and retain talent when faced with so much uncertainty.
Navigating the recruitment minefield to find the right talent for your company has always been difficult. However, never before has it been so essential, or so involved. Job seekers are now looking for more than a high salary; they require, understandably, an enjoyable work environment that makes them feel valued. To win the battle for talent, more employers are finding that they need to attract workers with an employment brand and appealing working environment, including benefits like free fruit and onsite gyms to flexible working hours and secure pension plans.
Setting the tone for an employment brand: the importance of the hiring process
Still, there’s no amount of fresh fruit in the world that will win a company the battle for talent if its employment brand is not also reflected in its application process. A company’s hiring process sets the tone for its work environment. For many candidates, their application will be the first time they interact with a company. Just as the applicant has tried making a good first impression by submitting a captivating cover letter and CV, so too should the company strive to make the application experience as smooth as possible. The essential component here is clear, effective, and timely communication.
With few exceptions, the best way to ensure that the needs of your applicants are being met is by turning to an applicant tracking system (ATS). HR software like Personio incorporates ATS elements already. They can make the difference between attracting talent that is enthusiastic about working for your company and struggling to find the right people to join your team. It makes the application and hiring process simpler for all parties involved, saving your HR team time and your business money, all while ensuring that job applicants interact with your company in a positive way.
Application tracking systems help to streamline the following task areas:
1. Reminders
One of the most helpful ways an ATS reduces the workload of an HR department is by automating the sending of reminders for interviews, evaluation meetings, and filling out feedback forms.
2. Emails
An ATS includes helpful templates that can be automatically filled in with the applicant’s data. No longer will your HR department need to write emails from scratch.
3. Scheduling
Making sure all relevant parties are present for the different interview phases is a breeze, as is scheduling time to discuss and evaluate the candidates. The ATS recognises and assigns tasks to the appropriate individuals.
4. Document management
Candidate documents are stored safely and organised into a candidate profile. You’ll never lose track of your applicants. If you’ve decided to no longer consider a candidate, you can easily and securely purge their information from your system.
All of these aspects will reduce the amount of time the applicant will need to wait for a response, preventing the hiring process from wearing out the candidate, instead making them feel valued, even if they are not selected in the end. For your HR department and those evaluating candidates, an ATS provides a centralised structure for managing applications, offering ultimate transparency to this important decision-making process.