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When the pandemic hit the world in 2020, a lot of things had to be adjusted to make way for the new normal. From social distancing to the wearing of masks, our daily lives were considerably different, to say the least. This extended to the way employers hire new staff as well. With in-person interactions discouraged, employers had to turn to the digital space so that they could hire employees remotely.
Now, over a year since the start of the pandemic, the digital transformation of the hiring scene is quite apparent. A Sage report found that 24% of businesses are currently using artificial intelligence (AI) to acquire talent and around 56% of hiring managers have plans to automate their hiring processes in the next year. Seeing how prevalent the use of technology is in recruitment presently, it is important for you, as a hiring manager, to keep up with the trends when hiring your hourly workers. After all, adopting such technologies will not only increase your hiring efficiency but also help you reach out to more job seekers.
In this article, we’ll deep dive into some of the emerging technological features used in recruitment that can help make your hiring better and faster!
1. Videos
As mentioned before, physical interactions were advised against while the pandemic was at its full peak. As a result, many employers turned to video conferencing platforms such as Skype and Zoom to conduct their interviews. While this may not exactly be the same as physical interviews, it does allow hiring managers to achieve the main objective of the interview - assessing whether a candidate is a right fit for the job position.
Aside from that, companies are also inviting candidates to answer a series of questions before meeting them for a ‘live’ interview. This is to gauge their personality fit and ensure that they are evaluated based on standardized questions, minimizing any forms of bias during the selection process.
2. Smart Features
Smart features such as AI and automations help to reduce the tedious tasks taken up by hiring managers. For example, Workstream’s smart screening feature uses AI to pick out the most suitable candidates based on the employers’ requirements. This also helps to reduce bias by using data, objectivity and predictive models. Not to mention, they no longer have to go through the resume of each and every applicant, thus significantly reducing the time spent on hiring.
Automated features also hasten the process as the managers’ actions are no longer required for the application to move on to the next stage. Moreover, it allows them to focus on more important aspects of the job such as running their business itself. At Workstream, the automated scheduling function lets candidates choose their interview dates based on the managers’ availability. This helps reduce the back and forth that is usually expected when setting up an interview date using traditional methods.
3. Instant Messaging and Chatbots
Instant messaging platforms have made it much easier for individuals to communicate with each other during their free time. Combine this with automations and you’ll create chatbots that are able to respond to your applicants more promptly. And given that the top frustration of job seekers is employers who do not respond swiftly, this feature will definitely make your hiring process better. Using this as part of your recruitment creates better engagement with your candidates and thus, increases the success rate of your hiring initiatives.
4. Applicant Tracking System
Another technological feature that is widely being used by hiring managers now is the applicant tracking system (ATS). This organized hiring tool handles a business’ hiring needs electronically. It also makes it easier for managers to know where a candidate is at in their hiring stage so they know what their next course of action should be. Needless to say, having this feature saves a lot of time as managers no longer need to scramble around for information on a candidate since the ATS provides a holistic view of the hiring progress.
Workstream also provides its clients with an ATS dashboard. The best part? The stages in their ATS can be tailored and automated based on the company’s needs. This all-in-one applicant dashboard has served many businesses such as Chicken Salad Chick who reported that their hiring became significantly more efficient after implementing Workstream’s ATS in their hiring strategy.
5. Third-party Integrations
Lastly, the advancements in technology have made it possible for companies to integrate their hiring software with third-party services to expedite the recruitment process and improve their hiring strategy. This creates a seamless flow of hiring that makes the process more efficient than it was before. Workstream, for example, is integrated with over 25,000 job boards which allow their clients to cast a wider net while searching for suitable job candidates. Integrations with background check vendors and HR/payroll platforms are also possible, making employee onboarding a much smoother process.
Summing Up
The prevalence of technology in hiring was undoubtedly accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that you’re not falling behind your competitors, adopting such hiring tools to boost your hiring efforts is imperative to the success of your business. What’s more, with the tight labor market the hourly worker industry is facing, these tools may become more of a necessity rather than an advantage to have over other companies.
If you would like to utilize these features in your hiring, look no further. Apart from the technologies featured above, Workstream has a lot more to offer depending on the needs of your business. Book a demo with our hiring specialists today and they will tell you how we can best meet your hiring needs!
