Digitizing work processes Archives - Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better

AI in finance could free up at least four hours per week

Alexandros Pantelakis — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:14:20 +0000

“Businesses, big and small, struggle with limited resources and time. Automation allows them to reduce the time spent on manual processes.” Laurent stated at the beginning of our discussion.

This transformation is impactful for finance teams, who often bear a heavy burden of time-consuming, repetitive tasks. Laurent’s research quantifies this burden:

“Finance teams in SMBs often spend significant hours each week chasing down documents and invoice approvals–at least 4 hours per week for the majority of finance professionals, according to a recent Yooz survey, with nearly a quarter of respondents spending 7 or more hours per week on this task.

“Automation can cut down this time drastically, allowing teams to focus on strategic planning and decision-making.”

These statistics highlight the potential for a significant shift in how finance professionals spend their time. By automating these routine tasks, finance teams can redirect their efforts towards more strategic, value-added activities.

The analytical capabilities of AI also promise to revolutionize financial decision-making. As Laurent notes:

“AI algorithms can analyze large data sets, providing insights and predictions that enhance decision-making processes in just minutes.”

This rapid analysis can provide finance teams with deeper insights, enabling more informed and timely financial strategies.

The strategic impact of AI in finance

While efficiency gains are impressive, Laurent points out that the benefits of automation extend far beyond mere time savings:

“Automation allows SMBs to grow sustainably and manage larger volumes of work with the same or even fewer resources.”

“As businesses grow, the volume of tasks increases. Automation provides the scalability needed to handle increased workloads without proportional increases in operational costs. This allows SMBs to grow sustainably and manage larger volumes of work with the same or even fewer resources.”

This scalability is crucial for finance departments, allowing them to handle increasing complexity and volume of financial data without a proportional increase in team size.

Accuracy is another critical benefit. Laurent emphasizes:

“Automation also improves accuracy by minimizing human intervention which reduces the likelihood of errors and enhances the accuracy of operations. This is especially beneficial in functions like finance, where timely and accurate data is crucial for decision-making and compliance.”

In finance, where precision is paramount, this improvement in accuracy can significantly reduce risks and enhance overall operational reliability.

Unlocking strategic potential in finance teams

Perhaps most excitingly, Laurent Charpentier shared insights into how automation can unlock strategic potential:

“We found that 77% of finance professionals report feeling that their potential to contribute strategically to business outcomes is significantly hindered by a lack of acknowledgment of the extensive operational pressures they face daily.

“When asked about potential resolutions, automation was highlighted as critical, with 88% of finance teams emphasizing its importance for strategic engagement.”

These statistics underscore a crucial point: automation isn’t just about doing things faster or more accurately – it’s about elevating the role of finance professionals within the organization.

By freeing up time and mental energy, automation allows finance teams to focus on more strategic, value-added work.

Laurent’s vision for the future of finance is clear:

“It’s encouraging to see automation amplified with artificial intelligence, resulting in improved productivity without the need for additional headcount.”

“It’s encouraging to see automation amplified with artificial intelligence, resulting in improved productivity without the need for additional headcount, which is particularly advantageous for SMBs operating with tight budgets.”

This perspective challenges finance departments to think creatively about how they can drive organizational growth and success through technological leverage.

Security considerations in financial automation

Laurent also highlights the importance of security in this new landscape:

“I think it’s also important for businesses to consider the security benefits and risks of AI tools. On one hand, AI-powered fraud is on the rise. However, AI is one of the most powerful tools to combat it.

“Businesses can fight fire with fire by utilizing AI-enabled systems for anomaly detection, vendor risk assessment, advanced data analysis and predictive analytics, natural language processing (NLP), and more, to repel AI-powered attacks.”

This insight underscores the dual nature of AI in finance – while it presents new security challenges, it also offers powerful tools for protecting financial data and processes.

The human element in automated finance

Finally, Laurent emphasizes the enduring importance of human expertise in finance:

“Automation should augment job functions, not replace human workers.”

“Automation should augment job functions, not replace human workers. I believe automation unlocks the strategic potential of finance teams, enabling them to operate at a higher, more valuable level.

“This shift allows teams to concentrate on business innovation and long-term planning rather than getting bogged down by repetitive, manual tasks. Humans are indispensable, and automation should be a powerful tool in their arsenal to enhance their roles and deliver greater value.”

This perspective highlights that the goal of automation in finance is not to replace humans, but to empower finance professionals to achieve more.

What does this mean for HR Professionals

As finance roles evolve, HR professionals will need to adapt their recruitment, training, and development strategies.

The focus may shift towards hiring finance professionals with strong analytical and strategic skills, capable of leveraging AI tools effectively.

Additionally, HR teams may need to facilitate upskilling programs to help existing finance staff transition into more strategic roles.

As we witness this revolution in finance, it’s clear that AI and automation are not just changing processes – they’re reshaping the very nature of financial work.

By maximizing the use of these technologies, finance teams can elevate their role, providing more strategic value to their organizations and driving business success in new and exciting ways.

The post AI in finance could free up at least four hours per week appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The role of AI in talent acquisition: a study for recruiters

Alexandros Pantelakis — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:08:37 +0000

Are you trying to find the right candidate for a critical role at your organization? Well, posting the job description on multiple online portals is not the only thing that needs to be done.

The process involves a lot more, such as screening all the applications, shortlisting the best-suited candidates, arranging their interviews with concerned departments, etc.

At times, this can get overwhelming for recruiters, taking up a lot of their valuable time and resources.

What if we tell you that AI can be a solution to this age-old problem?

Artificial intelligence is the new buzzword, which is slowly changing the entire business landscape. More and more businesses are leveraging the power of technology to streamline their operations.

According to the McKinsey Global Survey 2024, 65% of organizations are using artificial intelligence and deriving great business value from it. A lot of them are utilizing AI to transform their hiring process and reduce the workload of the recruitment team.

Workable’s AI in Hiring Survey further explains how artificial intelligence is becoming the future of talent acquisition. Thus, it wouldn’t be an overstatement that AI-powered recruitment is a trend, which is here to stay!

Artificial intelligence: an overview

Artificial intelligence is a form of technology in which software can replicate human thought processes to perform certain tasks.

These tasks can include everything from language translation to problem-solving, visual perception to decision-making. In present times, every human being is using artificial intelligence in one way or another.

Role of AI in talent acquisition

Nowadays, talent acquisition is not limited to filling roles. It is also about building a strong and functional team for an organization. But this can turn into a challenge, especially when you have limited time and resources.

This is when the concept of artificial intelligence comes into the picture, offering a revolutionary approach to talent acquisition.

An efficient AI-based tool can handle a variety of tasks:

Job advertising
Candidate sourcing
Applicant screening
Shortlisting candidates
Skill assessment
Scheduling interviews
Onboarding

Also read: Grow your talent pool with AI

Key benefits

In the current scenario, the increasing importance of AI in job recruitment cannot be ignored. There are several ways in which artificial intelligence can make things easier for organizations and their recruitment teams.

Here are a few key benefits of using AI in HR recruitment:

Improved hire quality: Screening all applications you receive for a job position is undoubtedly the most complicated part of the hiring process. It not only requires a great amount of time and effort but there is also a chance of accidentally losing a high-potential candidate. Since AI-based tools use a specific set of algorithms, they can sift through the mountain of resumes in minutes. Only candidates with a profile matching a certain job role get shortlisted, improving the overall hire quality.
Time and effort saving: By using AI in the recruitment process, you can automate several tedious tasks like candidate sourcing, CV screening, etc. This can expedite the hiring process and save a significant amount of effort.
Bias mitigation: In the manual recruitment process, there is always a chance of unconscious bias based on gender, age, and more. According to research, 48% of HR managers admit that bias affects the candidates they choose to hire. AI-powered recruitment tools purely focus on an individual’s skill set. Hence, there are fewer chances of any kind of bias in decision-making.

Also read: How to use AI for human touch in recruitment

There is no denying that the use of AI in recruitment is reshaping the future of talent acquisition. By leveraging technology, recruiters can find the right talent while saving a significant amount of time and effort.

Are you also a talent acquisition leader, struggling to streamline your administrative tasks? If yes, harness the power of artificial intelligence and say goodbye to the time-consuming, manual hiring process.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2024

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 19:07:52 +0000

Our previous edition highlighted a tightening job market, with fewer available openings and more candidates vying for each position than usual. Economic factors like layoffs are driving more extensive job searches, increasing competition.

In this edition of Hiring Pulse, we will explore these topics in depth, providing insights into the market dynamics observed throughout June.

Let’s begin.

How we’re looking at data

We’ve adopted two methodologies in how we look at the Hiring Pulse dataset. For Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire, we’re measuring each month using the average of 2019, the last “normal” year, as a baseline index of 100.

For job openings, we’re taking a different route – simply, the average number of job postings per company. This gives us the opportunity to gauge overall recruitment activity and whether that’s going up or down.

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)

Total Job Openings (JO)

Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of June are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of June against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

While June 2024 maintains a prominent place with 84.2, which is higher than some previous months, it still reflects an ongoing trend of relative efficiency in hiring processes compared to earlier years.

Across the dataset, a discernible pattern emerges with mid-year months often showcasing lower time indices compared to earlier and later months. This trend suggests a potential seasonal influence or strategic adjustments in hiring practices during these periods.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

As stated above, we’re displaying this as an average of job postings per company in the network. And because this is not contingent on job opened/filled dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, we can simply look at the raw job open numbers up to the end of June.

As usual, examining the four company size categories – 1-50, 51-200, 200+, and the overall average – reveals interesting insights.

Small Businesses (1-50 FTEs): From June 2023 to June 2024, there’s a slight decrease from 6.5 to 6.1 job openings. While still robust, this decrease might indicate a stabilization or a slight cooling off in hiring intentions compared to the previous year.

Medium Businesses (51-200 FTEs): June 2024 shows a consistent trend with 6.2 job openings, maintaining a stable demand for new hires compared to June 2023 (5.6), suggesting sustained growth or replacement hiring within this sector.

Enterprises (200+ FTEs): There’s a noticeable decline in job openings from June 2023 (17.1) to June 2024 (15.3) among large enterprises. This reduction might reflect a strategic adjustment in hiring plans or a shift in focus towards optimizing existing workforce structures rather than aggressive expansion.

You might be curious about how all of this compares to previous years, especially since we’ve covered it in the last couple of our editions.

Note: this is calculated a little differently. For the sake of direct comparison, we’re using January of each year as our baseline index of 100.

As we move into 2024, we appear to be returning to typical patterns, and the decrease you’ve noted is likely due to seasonal fluctuations.

Let’s move on to our next metric: Candidate per Hire

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. Again, remember, this is a trendline using the 2019 CPH average as a baseline of 100, not the actual number of candidates per hire.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through June:

Can you recall our previous edition? We’ll say that again. Candidates are actively seeking new opportunities and this summer isn’t an exception.

April and May showed a stable increase, with 175.2 candidates per hire and now we see a small decrease to 171 candidates per job.

Since we’re conducting year-over-year comparisons in this report, let’s apply that to CPH as well.

Up until now we thought that this year deviates from the trend of previous year, but look at the graph. The spike in June 2023 was really huge. Although the percentage of increase is different between then and now, we see that the final number is pretty much stable.

More specifically, June 2024 saw a slight decrease to 171.0 candidates per hire from the previous year’s peak. This indicates some stabilization after the sharp rise in 2023, but the number remains significantly higher than the years prior to 2023.

This could suggest a continued high level of competition in the job market.

Companies may still be facing challenges in finding the right fit for roles, requiring more extensive candidate pools.

What’s going on here?

The Hiring Pulse report for July 2024 reveals a job market marked by efficiency and strategic adjustments.

Companies are filling positions relatively quickly. This trend of lower TTF indices during mid-year months suggests that businesses may be employing seasonal hiring strategies or making adjustments to streamline their recruitment processes.

Despite economic challenges and layoffs, companies have managed to maintain an efficient hiring process, potentially leveraging technological advancements and refined recruitment strategies.

Small businesses have seen a slight decrease in job openings, indicating a potential stabilization or cooling off in hiring intentions. Medium-sized businesses maintain stable hiring demand, reflecting sustained growth or replacement hiring.

However, large enterprises show a significant decline in job openings, suggesting a strategic shift towards optimizing their existing workforce rather than aggressive expansion.

Coupled with a high number of candidates per hire, which remains significantly above pre-2023 levels, the data indicates a highly competitive job market. Companies are likely facing challenges in finding the right candidates, requiring them to sift through larger pools of applicants.

See you next month!

Thoughts, comments, disagreements? Send them to content@workable.com, with “Hiring Pulse” in the subject heading. We’ll share the best feedback in an upcoming report. Watch for our next Hiring Pulse in July!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

To bring the best insights to small and medium (and enterprise-level) businesses worldwide, here’s what we’re doing with the Job Openings metric: we’re taking the number of job openings in a given month and dividing that by the number of active companies in our dataset, and posting that as an average. For example, if July 2022 shows the average Job Openings per company as 7.7, that simply means each company posted an average of 7.7 jobs that month.

For the Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire metrics, we’re comparing a specific month’s trend against the full average of 2019, and we show the result using that 2019 average as a baseline index of 100. For example, if July 2022 shows an average Time to Fill of 30 days for all jobs, and the monthly average for all of 2019 is 28, we present the result for July 2022 as 107.1 – in other words, 7.1% higher than the average of 2019.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Best time tracking software solutions for HR efficiency

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 11:28:00 +0000

14% of organizations have increased their spending on time tracking since 2020. The need for time tracking arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. The world stopped but the employees’ virtual time did not! Time tracking tools have been a game changer; helping HRs track, analyze, and manage employees’ work hours accurately and conveniently.

But, what is the time tracking software? It is a digital solution designed to streamline the capturing and recording of employees’ work hours. With the time tracking software, employees can effortlessly clock in and out of work via desktop, mobile apps, or even advanced biometric technologies like facial recognition.

In fact, time tracking software offers more than just recording start and end times. The robust tools come with features that significantly enhance HR efficiency. Before exploring these features, let’s review some of the best time tracking software available in the market.

Find out the best time tracking software

According to Market Research Future, the time tracking software market is set to grow at a CAGR of 16.5% between 2024-2032. Every organization is part of the bandwagon. What’s holding you back? If you’re not sure which solution to go for, here is our list of the best timekeeping and billing software you can consider for your organization: –

Workable

Workable is a comprehensive hiring and employee management software designed to simplify and streamline HR processes for companies of all sizes. Complementing its existing suite of impressive features, it is now set to launch the best time tracking software for small businesses, medium-sized firms, and multinational companies.

ProWorkflow

A time tracking software known for its user-friendly interface and features like timesheets, project tracking, and reporting. It also allows employees to track their time across multiple devices. It is one of the accessible time tracking solutions for firms with limited budgets.

Wrike

Guaranteeing seamless time tracking, Wrike is popular for its customizable dashboards and advanced reporting tools. It is preferred by organizations due to its intuitive interface and third-party app integration, which makes the life of the workforce pretty easy.

Mavenlink

It is a unified platform with resource planning, time tracking, and project management. Mavenlink is a favorite among HRs due to its optimization of operational efficiency.

Zoho Projects

One of the trendy time tracking software, Zoho Projects tracks billable and non-billable hours, monitors employee performance, and assists in resource management. Its seamless ecosystem with Zoho applications makes it the perfect time tracking tool for medium and large businesses.

Basecamp

Small businesses who’d like to play the field of time tracking should give Basecamp a go. It has a simple interface that ensures inter-team collaborations, time tracking of employees through third-party integration, and enhanced project visibility.

ClickTime

The best utilization of time is possible with ClickTime, time tracking software with detailed timesheets, project allocations and resource planning.

Time Doctor

Remote time management is the need of the hour. Time Doctor gets it and provides in-depth reports on time usage and productivity with tools like screenshot recording, activity levels, and time logging.

With so many options available, you can choose the best employee time tracking software for your organization based on your business needs.

How does effective time tracking enhance HR processes?

Google, Apple, Microsoft, and all the big players use time tracking tools. Here’s how employing the best time tracking program in your organization can help enhance HR processes and improve your efficiency:

Improved payroll accuracy

Unlike manual timesheets, which are more prone to errors and inaccuracies, automated time tracking software can eliminate human error, ensuring accurate records of worked hours. This precision reduces discrepancies in payroll processing, leading to timely and accurate paychecks.

Better project management and resource allocation

With time tracking software, you can analyze the time logs of any specific project to gain valuable insight into project dynamics, learn potential roadblocks within the projects, and access resource allocation. This empowers you to proactively intervene and address any delay, ensuring the employees meet the deadlines.

Additionally, timesheets can show potential resource imbalances within the department. By understanding teams that have extra resources and those that are understaffed, you can ensure all departments have the necessary manpower.

Reduced administrative burden

By reducing inaccuracies in payrolls, streamlining workflows, and automating data entry, the time tracking software reduces administrative burden. This frees up your valuable time, allowing you to focus on more productive tasks such as talent management, developing workforce plans, and more.

Data-driven decision-making

Besides keeping track of employees’ work hours, candidate tracking software provides information on employee work patterns, overall team productivity, and departmental performance. As an HR, you can use this data to make more informed decisions about resource allocation, staffing needs, and workflow optimization.

For instance, you observe that a team spends more time than regular working hours. This could be due to understaffing or workload imbalance. Based on this information, you can understand the areas requiring support and help them accordingly.

Enhanced employee accountability and transparency

Knowing work hours are being tracked can motivate employees to become more accountable and mindful of how they spend their time. What’s more? The data on how employees allocate their time can help managers understand areas where an employee might need support or offer guidance on effective time management.

Having a platform where everyone’s time allocation is visible, enables a deeper understanding of each other’s workloads. This transparency can help create a more cohesive work environment. It’s a win-win for everyone!

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MCS utilizes HR technology to search for excellent talents

Alexandros Pantelakis — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 13:47:58 +0000

MCS is a managerial and organizational consulting company that has been collaborating with client companies since 1977 to create tailor-made projects for the Human Resources area.

We specialize in Human Capital, Talent Development, and Talent Acquisition, and as the only Italian partner of Talentor International, we provide daily support to organizations, both in Italy and abroad, looking to enrich their human resources with talents possessing specific and deeply rooted skills.

We know well that executive search requires particular commitment, sometimes lengthy processes, and real challenges in finding the ideal talent.

Therefore, we take on this responsibility, dedicating hours to reviewing resumes and conducting interviews, often facing the difficulty of engaging even those talents who are not actively seeking employment.

In this regard, Workable has proven to be an excellent tool for us to simplify this process, allowing us to precisely identify candidates suitable for the specific needs of client companies, engaging both actively job-seeking talents and so-called passive candidates.

Reason why we shared our working methodology with Workable also with our international Partner during the Talentor Research Round Table.

Our unique methods and processes for attracting excellent talents

Our distinctive approach in the consulting and recruiting sector is based on a combination of innovative processes and unique methods that enable us to attract and select talent with specific and deeply rooted skills. Here are some key elements of which we are particularly proud:

In-depth competence analysis: We use advanced assessment tools to analyze candidates’ skills in detail. This allows us to identify not only technical skills but also, and especially, the soft skills that are essential for success in the specific role.
Artificial intelligence technologies: We implement AI algorithms to match candidate profiles with the specific needs of companies. This allows us to quickly filter a large number of candidates and select those with the most suitable skills.
Networking and industry community: We are actively involved in professional communities and industry networks. We participate in conferences, workshops, and networking events to identify and attract top talent, creating relationships that go beyond the simple recruiting process.
Training and development programs: We offer continuous training and professional development programs for our consultants, ensuring they have the most up-to-date and relevant skills. In addition to classic training, we also use edutainment techniques and role-playing games that stimulate creative thinking and innovative solutions through experiential learning. This allows us to provide our clients with talent that not only possesses current skills but can also adapt quickly to market changes.
Customized selection processes: We tailor our selection processes to the specific needs of each client. This includes structured interviews, assessment centers, and practical tests that simulate real working situations, ensuring that candidates are not only qualified but also culturally fit for the client’s organization.
Continuous feedback and improvement: We maintain a continuous feedback loop with our clients and candidates to constantly improve our processes. This allows us to quickly adapt to market changes and meet the emerging needs of our clients.

These methods and processes distinguish us in the consulting and recruiting market, and we are particularly proud of the results we achieve for our clients.

Our dedication to a personalized approach and the use of cutting-edge technologies allow us to attract and select high-level talent, always ensuring maximum client satisfaction.

Exploring the potential of using Workable

The first standout feature is undoubtedly Workable’s intuitive interface and customization options, which allow us to tailor the recruitment process to specific needs.

From simply inputting crucial role and requirement information, this cutting-edge online recruitment platform seamlessly manages the rest of the process.

Through targeted distribution, it spreads our job postings across a wide range of online platforms, ensuring broad visibility and coverage.

Thanks to this effective distribution strategy, we reach a vast and diversified number of potential candidates, ensuring that no opportunity is left unexplored in our search for the ideal talent.

Keyword: perfect candidate

Thanks to Workable’s job post distribution feature, our advertisement is distributed across a series of online channels and social media, capturing the attention of a wide audience of potential talents actively seeking new job opportunities.

But it doesn’t end there. Workable offers another essential feature for executive search: keyword search.

With this option, we can identify a broad pool of passive talents, those who may not be actively seeking a job change. Identifying such profiles, characterized by exceptional skills and experiences, allows us to more effectively meet the needs of client companies, offering them a broader and more qualified selection of potential candidates.

The satisfaction of success

Our experience with Workable demonstrates that finding the perfect candidate doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task. With the right tools and approach, it’s possible to streamline the recruitment process and achieve extraordinary results.

Today at MCS, we are able to identify and engage the ideal talent for our executive searches, performing more efficiently, transparently, and rewarding. The experience with Workable has marked a turning point in our role as recruiters, and we couldn’t be more satisfied with the results achieved. Workable is exactly what we needed.

Elena Di Maio is currently the Communication Manager at MCS. She is a Marketing Executive Specialist with extensive experience in TTL Brand Communication, Digital Marketing Communication, and Press Office, primarily acquired at a multinational automotive company. In recent years, she has worked as a Web Master, Social/CRM Communicator, and Content Editor. Her specialization lies in designing and managing communication campaigns across OOH, ATL (press, TV, email, social media), and in Event/Exhibition Planning.

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Grow your talent pool with AI

Alexandros Pantelakis — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 14:29:39 +0000

The increasing demand for skilled talent is a challenge for many companies so this why you need to grow your talent pool with AI. Traditional recruitment methods often fall short.

They are time-consuming, costly, and limited in scope. However, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) offers a promising solution. AI can significantly expand and enhance talent pools.

A 2023 McKinsey report indicates that 55% of organizations now use AI in at least one business unit,. This growth reflects AI’s expanding role in enhancing efficiency and innovation across various sectors.

Early adopters already see the benefits

Traditional recruitment faces several challenges. It is often slow and expensive. Finding the right candidates can take months.

This delay can hinder a company’s growth and competitiveness.

Additionally, traditional methods may not reach a diverse range of candidates.

AI is changing the recruitment landscape. It offers tools and technologies that streamline the hiring process.

Early adopters of AI in recruitment have seen significant benefits.

These include faster hiring times, reduced costs, and a broader reach. By leveraging AI, companies can stay competitive and attract top talent more efficiently.

AI-driven talent sourcing

AI can transform the way companies source talent. It helps identify both active job seekers and passive candidates.

Passive candidates are not actively looking for jobs but may be open to new opportunities. AI tools can scan social media and professional networks to find these potential candidates.

Using diverse recruitment channels is crucial. AI can help companies leverage online job boards, social media platforms, and industry-specific forums.

This broadens the reach and increases the chances of finding top-tier candidates. By using AI, companies can attract a more diverse and qualified talent pool.

Integrating AI with existing HR systems

Seamless integration of AI with existing HR systems like Workable is vital to grow your talent pool with AI.

AI can enhance Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). This integration streamlines candidate tracking and communication. It also automates administrative tasks, saving time and resources.

Integrating AI with existing systems can pose technical challenges. However, this depends on the software you use and how user-friendly it is.

A well-integrated AI system can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process. It ensures that companies can quickly and accurately identify the best candidates for their needs.

Additionally, companies are addressing the AI talent shortage by investing in upskilling and reskilling their workforce. Accenture, for instance, aims to double its AI workforce by combining hiring, acquisitions, and extensive training programs.

Enhancing candidate engagement with AI

Continuous engagement is crucial. AI can keep candidates engaged with personalized content and updates. It can also help schedule interviews and provide real-time feedback.

This makes the recruitment process smoother and more appealing for candidates.

The role of AI in talent analytics

AI-driven talent analytics offers significant advantages. Predictive hiring is one such benefit. AI can anticipate future hiring needs based on data analysis. It can analyze market trends and talent availability to inform recruitment strategies.

Skills and performance analytics are also crucial. AI can evaluate candidates based on their skills and potential.

This includes AI-driven assessments and performance tracking.

By focusing on skills and potential, companies can make more informed hiring decisions. AI helps ensure that the candidates selected will excel in their roles and contribute to the company’s success.

Leveraging AI for talent pool diversity

AI can play a vital role in enhancing diversity within talent pools. It helps identify underrepresented talent by analyzing broader data sets. AI tools can detect diverse candidates and reduce unconscious bias in job postings and selection processes.

Crafting inclusive job descriptions with AI assistance ensures that language and requirements are free from bias.

This attracts a wider range of candidates. Tracking and analyzing diversity metrics with AI allows companies to adjust their recruitment strategies based on data insights.

This continuous improvement fosters a more inclusive hiring process.

Future trends in AI-enhanced recruitment

Emerging technologies will continue to shape AI in recruitment. Advancements in machine learning and natural language processing will enhance AI capabilities.

These technologies will enable even more precise candidate matching and predictive analytics.

The role of HR professionals is also evolving. As AI becomes more integrated, HR professionals will need to develop new skills.

Understanding how to use AI tools effectively will be crucial. Preparing for these changes will help HR professionals stay relevant and effective in an AI-driven landscape.

By expanding and enhancing talent pools, AI offers significant benefits. From improving recruitment efficiency to personalizing the candidate experience, the advantages are clear.

As technology evolves, staying informed about future trends will be crucial. Embracing AI in recruitment can help companies attract and retain top talent, ensuring long-term success.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for May-June 2024

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 13:00:00 +0000

April’s Hiring Pulse presented some striking observations. Job postings have significantly decreased compared to previous years, and the candidate pool returned to more manageable levels.

This double edition of Hiring Pulse will delve into these matters further, offering insights into what unfolded in the market during April and May. Let me remind you that the data we’re examining is based on the completed months prior to the current period.

Let’s begin.

How we’re looking at data

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)

Total Job Openings (JO)

Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of May are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of May against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

As noted in our previous edition, there is little fluctuation in the Time to Fill Metric this time around. It increased modestly by 1.1 points, from March’s 81.5 to April’s 82.6. However, in May, we see a drop of 1.8 points, mirroring last year’s pattern.

We’ve previously observed that January’s spike is likely due to hiring teams being stretched thin over the holiday season, with the return to ‘normal’ levels in February and beyond resulting from teams catching up on filling crucial roles within their organizations.

This month follows the same trend – just business as usual. This is reassuring until you examine the next metric – Job Openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

As usual, examining the four company size categories – 1-50, 51-200, 200+, and the overall average – reveals interesting insights.

The key statistic to focus on is the average number of job postings across all company sizes within the entire Workable network. This figure has decreased to 8.1 job postings per company on average in April and May, down from 8.6 in February and 8.2 in March. Notably, this shows stability compared to the same period last year, when the numbers were down by almost 1 point.

However, trends differ within the enterprise-level category (200+ full-time employees). This group saw an average of 16.5 new job postings in March, increasing to 17.3 in April and slightly decreasing to 17 in May.

Medium-sized businesses (51-200) experienced a notable drop in March (6.8), followed by an increase to 7.5 in April and a slight decline to 7.1 in May.

Small businesses (1-50) have shown relatively stable activity, with 6.8 job postings in March, 6.4 in April, and 6.5 in May.

Remember the example we shared in our previous edition? Let’s update it with May’s numbers:

For a typical enterprise-level company with 250 employees, May’s average of 17 job openings means 6.8% of the payroll is looking for new hires—one in every 14.7 positions needs filling.

For medium-sized businesses with around 125 employees, 7.1 job postings in May translate to 5.7% of the workforce, or one in every 18 employees. These companies are hiring slightly more per capita than in March.

In small businesses with about 25 employees, May’s 6.5 job postings mean a significant 26% of the workforce needs replacing or hiring for new roles—more than one in four employees. Imagine in a small office, for every four people, one is a new hire. This makes quick onboarding crucial, as delays can be costly for small, agile businesses.

You might be curious about how all of this compares to previous years, especially since we’ve covered it in the last couple of our editions.

Note: this is calculated a little differently. For the sake of direct comparison, we’re using January of each year as our baseline index of 100.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. Again, remember, this is a trendline using the 2019 CPH average as a baseline of 100, not the actual number of candidates per hire.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through April and May:

Enough with the roller coaster effect. Candidates are actively seeking new opportunities after a prolonged period of decline.

For those who need a refresher, the Candidates per Hire metric has been steadily climbing (with occasional months of moderate drops or stabilization) since around mid to late 2022. Then, suddenly, there was a dramatic drop. If the shift from January’s 189.9 to February’s 182 felt significant, then the drop to March’s 161.6 was nothing short of dramatic.

But now, rejoice! April and May show a stable increase, with 175.2 candidates per hire. This echoes figures from last August, but we’re feeling more optimistic now, hoping this trend will continue to rise. Another roller coaster ride? Hopefully not.

Since we’re conducting year-over-year comparisons in this report, let’s apply that to CPH as well.

Here’s a new observation. Through year-over-year comparisons, it’s evident that this year deviates from the trend of previous years, which typically saw a decrease during this period, suggesting a possible seasonality. Why might that be?

Candidates are actively searching for opportunities post-March, and we believe there are two main reasons for this. Firstly, there are fewer job openings this year, and secondly, layoffs are on the rise. Consequently, candidates are casting a wider net and submitting their resumes to more open positions than they did previously.

Let’s delve deeper into this.

What’s going on here?

The current job market appears to be tightening, with fewer available job openings and more candidates applying for each position compared to the typical trend for this time of year.

This shift in the job market is likely influenced by economic factors, such as layoffs, which are compelling candidates to conduct more extensive job searches. Companies may find themselves receiving more applications per open position, while job seekers may face increased competition in their pursuit of new opportunities.

One way to stay pace with your competition is not just to maintain product competitiveness, but to also acquire and retain the best talent that’s out there. A solid HR suite may be what you need to stay up there atop the hill.

See you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for May-June 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to use AI for human touch in recruitment

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:57:46 +0000

Recruitment is a necessarily human-facing field, and AI recruitment tools can’t automate all of the in-person interactions you need for a good candidate experience.

So the question is, how do you balance the efficiency of AI in talent acquisition with genuine human interaction as a recruiter?

It’s a delicate balance, but achieving that balance between recruitment process automation with human oversight can help you find talent faster and better than ever.

This post will offer actionable insights on how to balance AI in talent acquisition with your human oversight – identify where in the recruitment process AI can be most helpful, and how to get started using it.

Benefits of AI in hiring

AI recruitment tools make life easier for you as a recruiter by automating time-consuming tasks – they take care of the work that takes the most time but produces the least results.

Integrating AI in recruitment allows you to focus on more strategic tasks, and gives you more time to connect with the candidates you shortlist, interview, and hire.

This is a key point: AI should be used to enhance the recruitment process, not replace it.

If you’re new to generative AI tools, there are a few benefits of AI in the hiring process worth considering:

Efficiency: AI recruitment tools can speed up your initial candidate screenings
Improved candidate matching: AI tools can analyze large amounts of data and format it in a way that’s easy to use and understand, so you can match candidates to roles more accurately
Reduced bias: Using AI in your hiring process can help mitigate unconscious biases you might not be fully aware of and focus purely on qualifications and skills-based hiring

Getting started with AI in recruitment

If you haven’t used AI tools before, integrating them into your existing hiring process can seem a little daunting.

Not to worry though. AI recruitment tools aren’t hard to learn – you just need to spend a little time with them. Here’s how you can get started:

Identify your needs

Start by assessing your current recruitment processes. Are there any repetitive administrative tasks that can be easily automated? If you could snap your fingers or wave a wand, what tasks would you train a robot to do for you if you could?

Clearly define your goals. Do you want to improve efficiency in your hiring process? Reduce your time-to-hire?

Knowing what you want to achieve will help you make the most out of these tools. Look at things like sorting resumes, scheduling interviews, and sending follow-up emails.

Choose the right tools

You can train AI recruiting tools to shortlist candidates based on a set of predefined criteria you set. That right there can free up more time for you to engage with the candidates and do your final decision-making.

Implement gradually

Start small. Begin by automating one or two tasks you identified. This way, you can test the tools out for yourself without overwhelming yourself or your team. Measure the results and make any necessary tweaks.

The key to the successful use of AI in talent acquisition is continual testing and improvement. It’s an iterative process.

Train your team

Proper AI onboarding for your recruitment team will help them make the most out of these tools. Organize training sessions to help mitigate any resistance to adoption. Open the floor to getting feedback from your team and find any parts of your AI recruitment workflows that need improvement.

Tasks AI can handle without human intervention

Using AI for automating hiring processes can save you a lot of time and administrative burden when it’s used for repetitive or data-intensive tasks. That allows you more time to build genuine relationships with your candidates.

There are a few places where you can start.

1. Initial resume screening

AI is very good for resume screening and can filter resumes for keywords and qualifications very quickly. That speeds up the initial screening process so that only the most qualified candidates move forward to the next stages.

2. Writing interview questions

Using ChatGPT and Workable AI together can help you make personalized interview questions and even evaluate the best answers. Try out the Workable interview question generator and then edit and fine-tune its output to make the questions more specific to the role.

3. Candidate sourcing

Why reinvent the wheel and start from scratch every time you hire for a new role if you don’t have to?

Integrating AI in recruitment can help you source candidates easily find past applicants, add them to your recruitment pipeline, and improve its decisions based on which candidates did or didn’t make it.

Maintaining human interaction in an AI-driven recruitment process

While AI can be a huge time-saving tool in recruitment, it can’t do your job for you. It’s there to help you and your team, not replace you.

Striking a balance between AI with human interaction is key to building strong relationships with your candidates and ensuring they have a positive experience.

Human-led follow-ups

AI in talent acquisition can handle the initial candidate sourcing and resume screening. You or someone on your team should take over from that point and handle the follow-ups.

Reach out to the shortlisted candidates personally. Having an AI chatbot do that part of the process is a bad idea. People can generally catch onto when they’re talking to an AI chatbot and it rubs them the wrong way.

Follow-up with a personalized email addressing specific points from the candidate’s resume or application. This way, your candidates feel valued and not like a faceless number in an automated system.

Assess culture fit

There are certain things that language learning models (LLMs) can’t evaluate, no matter how sophisticated they are. Soft skills like leadership, initiative, and communication are some of them.

AI can speed up the process of candidate shortlisting, but the final decision should involve the judgment of a human recruitment expert. That can only come from you or someone on your team.

During the interview process, assess the candidates’ communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with your organization’s culture.

Empathetic feedback

AI tools are designed to be friendly and helpful and to be aligned with human values, but they’re not capable of true empathy. Not yet, anyhow.

Refine the candidate evaluations you get from AI with your own personal insights and constructive criticism. Encourage an open, two-way dialogue where candidates can ask questions and be assured of getting an answer from a person.

Enhancing the candidate experience with AI

Combining both AI efficiency with human oversight can elevate your candidate experience to a new level. Here’s how to make the best out of both.

1. Timely communication

Your AI chatbots can provide instant answers to any common candidate questions. For anything more complicated, specific, or involved, you can delegate to a human recruiter.

Regular updates on the candidate’s application status should be automated if possible. Use AI tools to let your candidates know what’s going on.

2. Personalized feedback

AI can generate personalized feedback to help you prepare assessments. However, that feedback should be supplemented with your own insights and personal notes on the candidates’ performance.

3. Efficient scheduling

Candidates can use AI self-scheduling tools to choose interview times that best fit their schedules. That cuts out a lot of the unnecessary back-and-forth communication, so you can spend more time preparing for the interview itself.

Use AI to make recruiting easier, so you can focus on what’s important

AI hiring tools can handle the drudgery and repetitive tasks, so you and your recruitment team can step in and make the candidate experience more personal and empathetic.

Are you curious about how you can use AI to improve your hiring strategy? Check out Workable’s AI features and start planning on using these tools to set your organization apart.

The post How to use AI for human touch in recruitment appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Heather R. Younger is a well-respected keynote speaker, author, and leadership expert known for her work in employee engagement, workplace culture, and leadership development.

As the founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, she helps organizations create environments where employees feel valued, engaged, and empowered.

Heather is the author of three books, “The 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty,””The Art of Caring Leadership,” and “The Art of Active Listening,” offering practical strategies for building strong relationships with employees and fostering a positive work environment.

Through her writing, speaking engagements, and consulting work, Heather R. Younger continues to inspire leaders to prioritize empathy, compassion, and authenticity in their interactions with employees, ultimately driving organizational success and employee loyalty.

Find Heather R. Younger on Linkedin.

Johnny C. Taylor

Johnny C. Taylor is the President and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest HR professional society.

With a background in law and HR leadership, Johnny brings a unique perspective to his role, advocating for HR professionals and shaping policy on issues such as workplace diversity, employment law, and workforce development.

Under his leadership, SHRM has expanded its reach and influence, providing resources, training, and certification programs to HR professionals worldwide.

He authored the national bestseller, RESET: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval, offering a candid, forward-thinking vision for leaders to reimagine their company cultures amidst global upheaval. The book presents data-driven strategies to fundamentally reset all aspects of work.

Johnny is a frequent speaker at conferences and events, where he shares his insights on topics such as the future of work, talent management, and HR innovation.

Through his work at SHRM and his advocacy efforts, Johnny C. Taylor Jr. continues to drive positive change and elevate the HR profession on a global scale.

Find Johny C. Taylor on Linkedin.

Josh Bersin

Josh Bersin is a globally recognized HR thought leader, analyst, and educator, known for his expertise in the intersection of HR, technology, and business strategy.

He is the founder of The Josh Bersin Company , a leading research and advisory firm in the HR space. Josh has been at the forefront of analyzing and predicting trends in HR technology for over two decades.

He is a writer and speaker, sharing his insights on topics such as digital transformation, talent management, and the future of work.

Josh Bersin is also known for his annual “HR Technology Market Report,” which provides an in-depth analysis of the HR technology landscape and highlights emerging trends and innovations.

Through his research, writing, and consulting work, Josh Bersin continues to shape the conversation around HR technology and AI, helping organizations leverage technology to drive business success and enhance the employee experience.

Find Josh Bersin on Linkedin.

Ben Eubanks

Ben Eubanks is an HR analyst, author, and speaker specializing in HR technology, talent management, and workplace innovation.

He is the founder of HR Tech Awards and upstartHR, a blog and community focused on HR and leadership topics. He is also the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, a research and advisory services firm specializing in HR and talent management. You can find his podcast show “We’re only human” here.

Ben is known for his in-depth research and analysis of HR technology trends, as well as his practical insights into how organizations can leverage technology to enhance their HR practices and improve the employee experience.

He is the author of several books, including “Artificial Intelligence for HR: Use AI to Support HR Functions & Improve the Employee Experience,” which explores the potential impact of AI on HR processes and practices.

Through his writing, speaking engagements, and consulting work, he helps organizations navigate the complexities of HR technology and harness the power of AI to drive innovation and achieve their business goals.

Find Ben Eubanks on Linkedin.

Liz Ryan

Liz Ryan. Liz is the founder and CEO of Human Workplace, a career advisory firm that provides coaching, training, and consulting services to individuals and organizations.

With over 30 years of experience in HR leadership roles at companies like U.S. Robotics and AlliedSignal, Liz brings a wealth of expertise to her work.

She is known for her unconventional approach to HR and career advice, challenging traditional notions of work and leadership.

Liz is a prolific writer, contributing regularly to Forbes and LinkedIn, where she shares her insights on topics such as career development, personal branding, and workplace culture.

She is also the author of several books, including “Reinvention Roadmap” and “Happy at Work.”

Find Liz Ryan on Linkedin.

Laurie Ruettimann

Laurie Ruettimann is a seasoned HR leader turned writer, speaker, and consultant, known for her bold and provocative commentary on HR and workplace issues.

With over two decades of experience in HR, Laurie brings a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective to her work.

She is the author of “Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career,” a book that challenges conventional career advice and encourages readers to prioritize their own well-being and professional fulfillment.

Laurie contributes to publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and The Muse, where she shares her insights on topics such as leadership, employee engagement, and workplace culture.

She is a Linkedin Learning Instructor and the host of Punk Rock HR Podcast & Newsletter

Through her writing, speaking engagements, and consulting work, Laurie Ruettimann empowers individuals and organizations to rethink outdated HR practices and create more human-centered workplaces.

Find Laurie Ruettimann on Linkedin.

Jeanne Meister

Jeanne is a recognized expert in HR technology, workplace innovation, and the future of work.

She is the founding partner of Future Workplace – now part of Executive Networks – a research and advisory firm specializing in HR

She has authored several books on the topic, including “The Future Workplace Experience” and “The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow’s Employees Today.”

Jeanne is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events, where she shares her insights on emerging trends in HR technology, AI, and the digital transformation of the workplace.

She is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Harvard Business Review, where she explores topics such as remote work, employee experience, and the impact of technology on the future of work.

Find Jeanne Meister on Linkedin.

As we conclude our exploration of these influential HR figures, it’s clear that their collective expertise, passion, and innovative thinking are driving significant change in the HR profession and beyond.

From thought leaders shaping the future of work to advocates championing employee well-being and technological innovation, each influencer brings a unique perspective and invaluable insights to the table.

As HR professionals, leaders, and organizations, we have much to gain from their wisdom and guidance.

Let us continue to learn from, engage with, and be inspired by these individuals as we strive to create workplaces that are innovative and thriving for all.

The post Top HR influencers you should follow in 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The rise of the digital humanist: AI at work to stay

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 08 May 2024 20:18:47 +0000

Since the 19th century, we’ve seen a number of large-scale foundational shifts in how we carry out our work and how the surrounding economy operates as a result.

The Industrial Revolution, of course, is an early example – it marks a profound transformation from agrarian, handcraft economies to machine-driven manufacturing.

Enter mechanization of processes, factories, mass production – and ultimately, a workforce skilled in machine operation and maintenance and technical skills, as opposed to artisanal and agricultural work.

Much later, we saw the widespread adoption of computers and the advent of the Internet leading to increased digital transformation of work – allowing for greater automation of basic tasks and especially the development of entirely new industries (SaaS, especially).

Hiring also changed with the entry of the Internet – in tandem with an increased demand for a computer-literate workforce is the emergence of online job postings, digital resumes, tests in the cloud, and virtual interviews, among others.

More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated another paradigmatic shift in the workplace to greater flexibility in work, a booming gig economy, and adoption of new principles. This is something we’ve discussed at length in our workplace studies on the New World of Work (2020 and 2022) and on the Great Discontent (2021 and 2023).

The hiring process was also altered significantly in the fallout of COVID-19, with recruitment going global and a greater emphasis on self-management and agility skills. The traditional employer-employee relationship also shifted, with more people working as independent contractors on a project basis.

AI is just the latest workplace transformation

And now, of course, we have AI in hiring and the workplace. Our survey dataset shows continued disruption of existing working models now and in the future – meaning we’re in the midst of yet another workplace transformation.

In hiring, AI’s role will evolve from being a mere tool for efficiency to a more complex system that enhances decision-making and strategic planning. As AI technologies become more sophisticated, they may offer deeper insights into candidate assessment, going beyond resume screening to analyzing behavioral patterns, cultural fit, long-term potential, and other insights.

This evolution will necessitate a shift in HR roles, where professionals will need to be as adept in utilizing AI technologies as they are in traditional recruitment methods.

The rise of the digital humanist

Another nuanced shift in hiring will be the continued emergence of hybrid decision-making models. These models will blend AI’s analytical prowess with human intuition and emotional intelligence.

We discussed above the importance of this in addressing concerns around bias – as AI systems learn from historical data, there’s a risk of perpetuating existing biases. Human oversight will be essential to counteract this to maintain DEI standards not only in hiring but in the workplace.

AI technology will also penetrate focal areas of HR beyond hiring, including employee engagement, performance management, and even employee mobility, retention, and turnover. The tech can only grow the ability to take proactive approaches in all these areas

Meanwhile, with routine tasks largely dominated by automated AI capabilities, the skillset required for various roles will shift (or even evolve), emphasizing creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. This means rethinking training and development, focusing on upskilling existing employees and onboarding new hires to thrive in a more AI-integrated workplace.

The path ahead of us isn’t about a choice between human-driven and AI-driven work. It’s about pulling the best of both into a single, synergized system. Those who blend the irreplaceable (or rather, irreplicable) human elements with the limitless capabilities of artificial intelligence will spearhead the development of a new ecosystem where technology and humanity can thrive together.

The post The rise of the digital humanist: AI at work to stay appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI-powered employee retention: using data to reduce turnover

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 07 May 2024 20:16:50 +0000

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, the ability to retain top talent is paramount. The cost of employee turnover can be expensive, especially when the numbers go up.

It’s not just the cost. Organizational knowledge and familiarity take a hit. Employee morale takes a downturn, as remaining colleagues pick up the leftover pieces left behind. Overall productivity is affected in all this.

A Work Institute report finds that 78% of the reasons employees quit are preventable. What if you could use AI to help in all this? Yes – there are perpetually evolving digital solutions that can predict, analyze and influence employee retention rates.

Understanding employee attrition retention

Why do people leave their jobs? First, they may have found a better-paying position elsewhere. Work-life balance is a factor as well; perhaps an employee wants more flexibility in their work. In another opportunity, they can be better parents, or are able to focus on non-work things like training for a marathon or volunteering in their local community.

Or, perhaps, their career trajectory hasn’t gone the way they hoped – and they see better paths elsewhere. Finally, the company’s culture may not be the right fit.

Normally, you would find out all this information via exit interviews, employee surveys, and periodic reviews.

However, AI can enhance this process by continuously analyzing a broader spectrum of employee data points. This includes performance reviews and engagement surveys to social media behavior and communication patterns.

Your AI bot can comb through all this on a regular basis and not only identify what influences employee attrition and also how these factors interact in complex ways..

Applications of AI in employee retention

Let’s look at the different ways in which you can use AI in employee retention.

1. Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics is one of AI’s most powerful contributions to HR, enabling proactive talent management by forecasting employee behavior. Through sophisticated machine learning models, organizations can analyze historical and real-time data, such as:

employee demographics
performance metrics
engagement survey results

These data points help identify early warning signs that signal an employee might be considering leaving.

By understanding these patterns, HR teams can implement targeted interventions to address potential issues before they escalate.

Real-world application

IBM’s AI-powered predictive attrition model is a notable example of how predictive analytics can revolutionize retention strategies.

With a reported accuracy of 95% in identifying employees at risk of leaving, this tool helps HR departments design personalized retention plans tailored to individual employee needs. This can ultimately reduce turnover rates and boosting engagement.

Extended insight

Predictive analytics shifts HR from a reactive approach to a proactive one that prioritizes employee well-being.

This capability enables organizations to cultivate a healthier work culture by addressing employee concerns and aligning them with strategic business goals.

2. Sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis, powered by natural language processing (NLP), provides organizations with a deeper understanding of employee morale and satisfaction.

By processing and interpreting unstructured data, such as feedback from internal communications, emails, social media posts, and review sites, sentiment analysis can pinpoint recurrent themes that affect employee engagement.

Real-world application

Amazon utilizes AI-based sentiment analysis tools to monitor employee satisfaction across its workforce.

By analyzing comments from internal communication channels and employee surveys, Amazon can quickly identify areas of concern and implement targeted solutions. Through this, Amazon ensures that employee feedback is integrated into strategic decision-making.

Extended insight

Sentiment analysis empowers HR departments to address the nuanced factors that contribute to employee satisfaction.

By continually monitoring sentiment trends, organizations can foster a transparent environment where employee voices are not only heard but also acted upon.

This proactive approach not only helps in mitigating discontent but also strengthens trust and alignment between employees and management.

3. Personalized employee experiences

The customization of employee experiences through AI is not just a tech upgrade but transforms how human resources nurture talent. Companies can use AI to analyze each employee’s performance data, preferences, and feedback to offer tailored career development paths.

This targeted approach can include recommending specific training programs that align with their skills gap, suggesting career advancements based on their success patterns, or even proposing suitable mentors within the organization who match their career aspirations and style.

There’s value in building career paths for your employees – Workable’s Great Discontent survey in 2023 found that 22% of workers say career opportunities are a factor in choosing to move jobs, and that’s up from 15.8% two years earlier. Meanwhile, when asked what could be better about their current job, 23.3% pointed to training and development – up from 20.9% in 2021.

Real-world application

Cigna is one example of AI use in career pathing and internal talent mobility. Faced with hiring for three to five thousand positions on a daily basis, the company realized its own employees were not properly informed of these opportunities within their teams.

To solve this problem, Cigna picked an AI-supported HR platform to surface open roles with its own employees in a setup described by its director of product marketing as a Netflix-style recommendation system based on user data.

Extended insight

Utilizing AI for career pathing allows HR departments to act more like career coaches than administrative bodies, providing employees with a more engaging and supportive work environment. This not only enhances the employee experience but also promotes a culture of continuous improvement and personal development.

You can also use ChatGPT to build a career development plan for your employees – complete with ready-to-use prompts.

4. Automation and employee support

AI-powered tools such as chatbots and virtual assistants represent a significant leap in providing real-time support to employees. These AI solutions can handle a wide range of inquiries related to HR policies, benefits, payroll queries, and job responsibilities efficiently, allowing HR professionals to focus on more complex issues.

This immediate assistance helps in reducing the turnaround time for query resolution, thereby enhancing employee satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Real-world example

As a 300-person company across three different major hubs (Boston, London, Athens) and sales and support on the ground in multiple other locations and time zones around the world, Workable’s HR team addresses numerous needs and questions on a regular basis.

To step up on its communications via an email, Slack, or even Confluence pages, the HR team built an “HR Workabot” trained on all the data, information, and content in its human resources.

This enables employees to immediately get answers to any question, including when the next holiday is, what benefits they have, how to get their tax documents, and more. The result is a speedier and more engaged workforce that knows it can get an answer to anything it needs.

Extended insight

By automating routine inquiries, AI not only streamlines operations but also collects valuable data on the types of queries being raised.

This data can be analyzed to further refine HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are clearly communicated and effectively meet employee needs.

Moreover, the constant interaction with a responsive AI tool fosters a tech-friendly atmosphere that can accelerate digital transformation across the organization.

Implementing an AI-powered retention framework

There are four fundamental steps when introducing AI into your employee retention strategy.

1. Data collection and integration

The success of any AI system heavily relies on the quality and quantity of the data fed into it.

For HR, this means integrating data across various systems – payroll, performance management, employee engagement, etc. – to create a comprehensive view of each employee.

2. Choosing the right AI tools

The market is replete with AI solutions, each offering different capabilities. Selecting the right tool involves understanding the specific needs of the organization and the problem it aims to solve.

It also requires considering the scalability, integration capabilities, and support offered by the vendor.

3. Ethical considerations

As AI systems are fundamentally driven by data, they are susceptible to the same biases present in their training data.

It’s essential for HR professionals to ensure that the AI tools they use are not only transparent but also regularly audited for bias and fairness.

4. Change management and employee buy-in

Implementing AI in HR processes can evoke concerns about surveillance and job displacement among employees.

Addressing these concerns transparently and highlighting the benefits of AI for employees is crucial for gaining their buy-in and ensuring the successful adoption of AI technologies.

Future trends in AI and employee retention

The future of AI in HR looks promising, with ongoing advancements in machine learning, predictive analytics, and natural language processing.

As these technologies become more sophisticated, they will provide even deeper insights into employee behavior and more refined tools for enhancing employee retention.

The post The role of AI in talent acquisition: a study for recruiters appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The future of AI in work: majority sees growth in this area

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 02 May 2024 15:14:24 +0000

AI in the workplace continues to be a focal point for professionals across various industries. But what will it look like in the future? That’s the question we sought to answer with Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey which launched in January 2024.

In the dataset, nearly four out of five respondents (78.9%) anticipate a substantial or slight increase in the importance and usage of AI.

Only a small fraction (4%) predict a decrease, underscoring a strong consensus toward AI’s expanding role.

It’s clear that AI’s influence is not just present but growing, not just tangibly but in the eyes of our respondents.

The industry lens

Differences stand out when we look at the dataset across industries. Notably, 52.7% in Construction predict a substantial increase in AI usage compared to the overall 38.2%. This suggests a significant shift toward more technologically integrated operations.

IT / Technology / SaaS (83.3% vs. 78.9% overall) and Manufacturing (83.2%) see AI increasing over the next few years as well. This aligns with their core operations which naturally integrate newer technologies faster.

At the other end, Healthcare stands out with 6.9% anticipating a slight decrease, possibly reflecting concerns around AI’s implications in sensitive areas such as patient care.

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The future of hiring: 7 of 10 say AI usage will rise

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:08:48 +0000

Reflecting on the future of AI in hiring, the outlook is cautiously optimistic and grounded. That’s what we’re seeing in the dataset from Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey.

Notably, a substantial majority of respondents foresee a continued rise in AI usage within the hiring processes, with 68.1% of participants anticipating either a substantial or slight increase in the deployment of these tools in their companies’ recruitment strategies.

This suggests a broad acceptance and integration of AI as a beneficial component in streamlining and enhancing the recruitment process.

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Additionally, about one in five (24%) believe that the utilization of AI tools will remain consistent, underscoring a stable confidence in the technology’s current contributions to recruitment.

This forward-looking perspective is anchored in practical expectations rather than far-fetched predictions, indicating that the integration of AI into hiring processes is seen not just as a passing trend, but as a substantive shift towards more efficient, data-driven recruitment practices.

As AI tools become more sophisticated, they are likely to further influence how organizations attract, screen, and retain talent, potentially making the hiring process more predictive of candidate success and aligning it more closely with organizational goals and culture.

The industry lens

When breaking down the responses by industry, we see some interesting discrepancies in how each sees the future of AI in hiring.

Construction is far ahead of the pack (44% vs. 26.8% overall) in predicting substantial increase of AI in hiring over the next five years, while IT / Technology / SaaS (72.7% vs. 68.1% overall) predict a substantial or slight increase.

Retail is more likely to see a slight or even substantial decrease of AI use in hiring (9%) than the overall (5.8%).

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Ensuring data security in your HRIS implementation

Nikos Dimos — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 12:56:06 +0000

As the reliance on digital solutions increases, so does the risk of data breaches and security threats. Ensuring the security of an HRIS is not just about protecting data; it’s about safeguarding employee trust and complying with stringent regulatory requirements.

Key security features to look for

When evaluating an HRIS, several security features are paramount. These not only protect against unauthorized access but also ensure that the data remains intact and confidential throughout its lifecycle in the system.

Data encryption

Encryption at-rest protects data stored on physical or virtual disks from unauthorized access by encrypting the data while it is not actively being used.
Encryption in-transit safeguards data as it moves between systems, ensuring that intercepted data cannot be read without the appropriate decryption keys.
Encryption in-use may also be provided, which encrypts data even when it is being processed, providing an additional layer of security.

Compliance with data protection regulations

An HRIS should comply with key data protection regulations relevant to the organization’s location and operations.

This not only includes GDPR but may also involve local privacy laws and sector-specific regulations like HIPAA in healthcare.

Compliance ensures that the HRIS provider is following best practices for data privacy and security, which helps in protecting against legal and financial repercussions.

Access controls

Effective HRIS systems implement robust role-based access controls (RBAC) that restrict access based on the user’s role within the organization. This means that individuals can only access information that is pertinent to their job functions.

These controls help minimize the risk of data exposure internally and play a crucial role in preventing data leaks.

Each of these features contributes to a secure HRIS environment, ensuring that employee data is protected from both external attacks and internal misuse. As businesses increasingly rely on digital tools for human resources management, the security of these systems cannot be overstated.

This beginning sets the stage for your article by defining the importance of HRIS security, introducing essential concepts, and detailing key security features.

It will help guide your readers through the critical elements to look for when assessing the security of their HRIS provider.

Advanced security practices

While basic security measures are essential, advanced security practices provide additional layers of protection and monitoring that can significantly enhance the robustness of an HRIS.

These include proactive monitoring and alerts, regular security audits, and enhanced user authentication and secure connections.

Proactive monitoring and alerts

Continuous monitoring involves tracking all activities within the HRIS to identify and react to abnormal behavior or potential security threats promptly. This not only helps in detecting breaches early but also in preventing them.

Security alerts are automated notifications that inform system administrators and security teams about unusual activities. These alerts enable quick response to potential threats, helping to mitigate risks before they escalate.

Regular security audits

Conducting regular technical security audits is crucial for maintaining the integrity of an HRIS. These audits assess the effectiveness of the security measures in place and identify any vulnerabilities or areas for improvement.

Audits can be performed internally by dedicated security red teams or externally by third-party security specialists. Regular reviews ensure compliance with security policies and standards, and they keep security practices up to date with the latest threats.

User authentication and secure connections

Strong user authentication methods, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), biometrics, or single sign-on (SSO), are critical for verifying the identity of users accessing the system.

These methods help prevent unauthorized access by ensuring that only legitimate users can log in.

Secure connections, typically implemented through TLS protocols, encrypt data exchanged between users and the HRIS. This ensures that data remains private and unaltered during transmission, protecting against interception by malicious actors.

Vendor transparency and trust

Choosing an HRIS provider involves more than just evaluating their product; it also requires assessing the provider’s business practices, particularly their transparency and commitment to security.

Transparency in how an HRIS provider handles security is indicative of their reliability and trustworthiness. Providers should clearly communicate their security measures, policies, and any relevant certifications.

Building trust through open communication

Regular updates from the provider about new security measures, as well as timely disclosures about potential or actual security breaches, are crucial for maintaining trust.

Engaging with providers about their security practices and receiving satisfactory responses demonstrates their commitment to protecting client data.

Evaluating your HRIS provider

When assessing potential HRIS providers, it is essential to perform a thorough evaluation of their security features and practices. Always have in mind that prevention is always better than cure.

This evaluation helps ensure that the provider can adequately protect sensitive employee data.

Steps to assess a provider’s security

Review the security features outlined earlier in this article. Ensure that the provider meets or exceeds these basic and advanced security requirements.
Ask specific questions about the provider’s data handling and security practices, including data storage, encryption methods, and how they manage data breaches.
Check for independent security certifications like ISO/IEC 27001, which indicate adherence to high security standards.

Questions to ask providers

What encryption methods do you use for data at rest and in transit?
How do you handle and respond to data breaches?
What third-party security audits or certifications do you have?

Red flags in provider security

Lack of clear and direct responses to security inquiries.
Absence of regular and transparent security audits.
No evident compliance with international data protection regulations.

At Workable one of the most compelling testaments to our confidence in our security measures is our use of the Workable HRIS tool.

As a true example of ‘dogfooding,’ we use our platform to store sensitive information such as our employee data.

We do this not because it’s convenient, but because we trust the controls in place that protect data confidentiality and integrity.

Remember, the strength of your HRIS security affects not just the operational aspects of your business, but also its moral and legal standing. Choose wisely, act responsibly, and prioritize security in every decision related to your HRIS.

Additional resources

To deepen your understanding of HRIS security and stay updated on the latest trends and practices, consider the following resources:

“Data Security Standards” by the International Association for Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
“HR technology: closing the security gap” by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Regular publications and updates from data protection agencies such as the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for HIPAA-related information.

The post Ensuring data security in your HRIS implementation appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI has positive impact on morale, say 52.4% of workers

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:39:50 +0000

The integration of AI into workplace workflows has stirred significant concern and anxiety among employees. As these technologies redefine roles and alter task requirements, the transformation provokes a sense of disruption that permeates through staff ranks.

We wanted to understand the depth of these concerns and fears among workers in our AI in Hiring & Work survey, and the results were actually optimistic. Workers are feeling pretty good about AI at work.

We can dig into it further, but right now, we will say that it’s likely because the “boring” parts of work are being automated, freeing up time to focus on the more interesting, challenging, and strategic elements of work. AI is the happy assistant that helps take care of those mundane tasks for you – and accurately too, if you manage it well.

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Back to the data: for one, we found that 71.9% of workers are generally comfortable with AI – and the actual disruption to jobs was minimal or even nil, with 71% reporting little or no displacement.

It’s understandable to expect otherwise though: the rise of AI means changes to daily tasks – some unpredictable, some welcome.

Out of this, big questions arise: are employees feeling invaded? Does it all feel a little more impersonal than before? Does the future see human roles continuously redefined by algorithms and machine-led processes?

So, it makes sense to ask in our survey: how does all this affect employee morale in grappling with these rapid adaptations demanded by AI implementation?

Again, optimism prevails. More than half (52.4%) say the integration of AI in workflows has had a positive impact on team morale.

Two out of five (39.4%), however, say there’s no real significant change to morale.

Negative impact? It’s barely one in 20, or 5.2% of employees responding as such.

So, even with the concerns around job security, morale remains strong. Perhaps employees are as excited as they are nervous about the impact of AI on their working lives.

The industry lens

Nearly seven out of 10 (68%) in Construction see a positive impact on team morale, a healthy 15.6 points above the overall. IT / Technology / SaaS follows closely behind at 66.5%.

Manufacturing (9.1% vs. 5.2% overall) and Healthcare (7.8%) are more likely to see a negative impact on team morale with the integration of AI at work.

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How to write an RFP for HRIS to select the right vendor

Alexandros Pantelakis — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:57:31 +0000

If you’re a hiring professional or company owner considering an investment in HR software, determining the best fit is crucial. With a plethora of options in the Human Resource Management Systems market, finding the right match for your company’s specific needs can be challenging.

Sending out a request for proposal (RFP) is an effective strategy to gather comprehensive information about different HRIS solutions and understand how they align with your HR objectives.

Short on time to manage multiple RFPs? A concise overview of top Human Resource Management Systems can guide you in making a sound choice.

What exactly is an RFP?

An RFP is a formal document produced by a company seeking new software or services. It outlines pertinent questions to vendors regarding essential criteria like features and pricing.

Distribute the HRIS RFP to several vendors and evaluate their responses. This approach not only aids in identifying the most suitable software for your organization but also provides valuable insights to present to your decision-makers, essentially helping you build a compelling business case.

Steps to write an RFP for HRIS

Here’s a 5-step process you can follow when preparing an RFP, including the possible sections of an RFP for HRIS.

1. Know what you want

To choose the right system, pinpoint why you need it. For instance, if you’re seeking an HRIS due to inefficiencies in employee data management, prioritize a system with centralized information and analytics features. If your goal is improved document management, inquire about e-signature capabilities when drafting an HRIS RFP.

Identify your priorities by consulting with regular system users and those overseeing your company’s HR strategy. Ask about the challenges faced by hiring managers and their expectations from new technology. Understand the executive vision for HR processes, such as efficiency enhancements or quicker time-off approvals.

Compile a list of frequently mentioned goals and rank them. For instance, reducing new hire onboarding time might be crucial. Differentiate between essential and optional goals.

2. Develop specific requirements

If your teams highlighted the need for improved employee management and data tracking, an HRIS can offer features like enhanced employee data management and analytics.

Conversely, if executives aim to introduce a comprehensive performance appraisal system, your HRIS should facilitate streamlined performance reviews and feedback management.

Certain universal requirements for HRIS vendors include:

Security: Ensure compliance with data protection laws applicable to your region.
User experience: The system should be intuitive and valuable to users.
Scalability: Opt for a system adaptable to increasing demands.
Support services: Choose a vendor offering reliable customer support and quick respond times.
Existing customers: Check if companies similar to yours use the system.
Recognition: Check for reviews and rewards included on aggregator sites.

You may also prioritize vendors with a global perspective, business sustainability, or a robust product roadmap.

3. Draft the RFP for HRIS

Instead of overwhelming vendors with numerous yes/no questions, focus on open-ended queries. This approach allows vendors to elaborate on their system’s functionalities. For specific features like ISO certification or integration capabilities, yes/no questions are acceptable.

Customize the sections based on your specific needs and include questions addressing your unique requirements.

4. Write effective questions

Inquiries should generally focus on understanding “how” a system operates. Avoid overly detailed feature-specific questions, as functionalities can vary among systems. Here are sample questions:

How does your system facilitate employee communication?
How do you comply with GDPR regulations?
Do you offer system integrations?
How does your system manage document signing?
Can I build customized reports?

Ensure your RFP seeks essential information without being overly intricate. If a vendor meets basic criteria, request a demo or trial to evaluate specific functionalities or desirable features.

5. Write an introduction

Offer pertinent information to RFP respondents. While some companies provide extensive details like growth plans or market research, a concise introduction suffices. Include:

RFP purpose: “XYZ Inc. seeks an HRIS to enhance employee management and streamline onboarding.”

RFP timeline: “Submit responses by [date].”

Company details: “We’ve onboarded 50 new hires this year and are experiencing rapid growth.”

Requirements summary: “Our objectives include efficiency improvement, effective onboarding, and automated time-off management.”

Response instructions: “Provide comprehensive yet concise answers. Include resource links if available.”

Evaluation criteria: “We prioritize systems meeting at least 70% of our requirements and offering favorable ROI.”

Contact for clarifications: “Reach out to [Name] at [+010000000] or [email@email.com] for queries.”

Keep the introduction short. It’s important not to confuse respondents with unnecessary details.

6. Add space for a Unique Value Proposition

Include a query where vendors can present their Unique Value Proposition, highlighting their distinctive offerings and advantages.

7. Send the RFP and make your decision

Having researched available options, distribute the HRIS RFP to potential vendors.

After receiving responses, compare vendor answers (potentially using a scoring system). Shortlist promising vendors for the next step: scheduling demos with each to observe system functionalities firsthand. The RFP provides valuable insights, but witnessing system features in action is crucial for an informed decision.

The post How to write an RFP for HRIS to select the right vendor appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

71.9% of workers generally comfortable with AI: Survey

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:33:17 +0000

Amid all the insights in Workable’s expansive AI in Hiring & Work 2024 survey report is an opportunity to gauge the ‘mood’ of employees regarding AI.

AI is not a single, anomalous monolith – it brings a complex range of technologies with a wide-ranging and diverse impact.

That means we need to somehow measure the intangible impacts of AI on worker motivation. To find out, we asked respondents directly about their comfort levels, team morale, and predictions.

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We noted in an earlier question the struggles with employee resistance when using AI in the workplace – namely, 40.5% of all respondents pointed to initial resistance/discomfort with adopting AI at work.

Interestingly, that’s not reflected in the question of how comfortable employees themselves are with using AI tools.

Nearly one in three (31.8%) say their colleagues are very comfortable with using AI tools at work, and another two in five (40.1%) say they’re somewhat comfortable – that’s a total of 71.9% who are comfortable to some degree.

If the majority of workers are generally fine with AI at work, then any challenges including resistance and discomfort are perhaps seen as easily overcome.

In other words – any newfangled thing will be met with some initial apprehension – but everything can get better, including the experience of using AI in the workplace.

The industry lens

Construction leads in terms of comfort with AI tools in the workplace (85.1% vs. 71.9% overall – a 13.2-point difference), followed by IT / Technology / SaaS (77.5%) and Accounting / Finance (75.9%).

Healthcare (57.9%) and Education (61.1%) aren’t nearly as comfortable with AI tools. In fact, they’re rather neutral (29.4% and 27.3% vs. 20.8% overall), and even more “somewhat uncomfortable” (10.8% and 10.4% respectively, vs. 6% overall) than the baseline response.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2024

Content team — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 12:35:01 +0000

In March’s Hiring Pulse, we looked at year-over-year comparisons through different lenses in our data.

And this time, we find the differences even more striking. Let’s have a look and understand what those differences are – and more so, what they mean.

How we’re looking at data

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Job opening trend bleaker than in past years
Talent pools are shrinking – sharply
Q1 of 2024 looks very different compared with previous Q1s

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of January are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of March against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

You might find this refreshing, or you might not: there isn’t much undulation either way this time around for March’s Time to Fill Metric, which dropped a humble 1.1 points from February’s 82.6 to March’s 81.5.

We noted in past Hiring Pulses how January’s spike is likely the result of strained bandwidth in hiring teams over the holiday season and the fall back to ‘normal’ levels in February being a result of teams catching up in filling crucial roles in their organization.

This month is more of the same – just business as usual Which is nice, until you look at the next metric – that of the Job Openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

As stated above, we’re displaying this as an average of job postings per company in the network. And because this is not contingent on job opened/filled dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, we can simply look at the raw job open numbers up to the end of March.

As usual, when we’re looking at four different company size buckets here – the 1-50, the 51-200, the 200+, and all of them combined – we’ll always find an interesting story to tell.

The overarching stat you want to look at is the average number of job postings across all company sizes throughout the entire Workable network. That number is down to 8.2 job postings per company on average in March, which is down from 8.7 in January and 8.6 in February.

The enterprise-level bucket (with 200+ full-time employees) is also down in job activity, from 18.5 new job postings on average in January to 17.1 in February and now, 16.5 in March.

Medium-sized businesses (51-200) saw a more dramatic drop – down one full job posting on average from 7.8 in February to 6.8 in March.

The small businesses (1-50), at least, show relatively stable activity – 6.8 in January, 7 in February, and back to 6.8 in March.

And let’s put all of this in perspective: for analysis’ sake, let’s say the typical enterprise-level company has 250 employees. March’s 16.5 jobs on average would mean 6.6% of the entire company’s payroll is, technically, looking for new people to pay. That’s one in 15 job positions across the company needing to be filled/backfilled in March.

Encompassing anywhere from 51-200 employees, our medium-sized businesses bucket covers a wide spectrum, but let’s just say 125 for this analysis. March’s 6.8 job postings translates to 5.4% of the company’s employee base, or roughly one in 18 employees.

So, in a sense, companies with 125 employees are hiring less per capita than companies with 250 employees.

Now, when we look at small businesses, the difference stands out. Since we picked the middle of the range for medium-sized businesses (125, based on 51-200), let’s use 25 as our employee size for a small business. In this case, March’s 6.8 equates to a staggering 27.2% of all employees in the company. That’s more than one in four employees.

Imagine going into your office and for every Thomas, Shiloh, Hassan, and yourself, one of you is the “new hire”. That’s a sizable portion, especially impactful when you’re a small business that thrives on agility. A quick onboarding for any new hire is a must in this area – and a delayed time to full ramp (i.e. full production) can prove costly for you.

OK, enough of that. You may be wondering how all of this compares to previous years, especially since we did it last month. We talk a lot about the “new normal”, or in Ida Wolfe’s case, the “never normal”. So, what’s normal for March?

Note: this is calculated a little differently. For the sake of direct comparison, we’re using January as our baseline index of 100.

Obviously, 2020 was a gong show starting in March, so let’s set that one aside and look at the other years in our dataset. You can see how 2024 is the only year out of the five other years where there’s a drop in job posting activity. Every other year (again, 2020 excluded), we see a healthy upswing in jobs for March. Not this year.

OK, what does that look like for each of the size buckets? First, the companies with 1-50 full-time employees:

Small businesses have been a feel-good story over the last little while for the most part – but when we look at it through this specific year-over-year lens, we see that, again, the first quarter of this year doesn’t look great compared with previous years (again, ignoring 2020 as an obvious anomaly).

And moreover, this year shows the only February-March decline of any year in our dataset.

Let’s look at the 51-200 FTE size bucket now:

Like the 1-50 FTE size bucket, the mid-range companies (51-200) paint an equally bleak picture for the first quarter of the new year. Again, when omitting 2020, this year’s the only one that takes a sharp nosedive from February to March 2024. And it’s a pretty steep one, too.

Now – the 200+ FTE companies:

The enterprise-level companies also see a drop from February, but the difference from the other two size buckets is that the drop is not nearly as pronounced as the one seen from January to February. That’s the opposite of what we saw last month, where this category saw the biggest month-to-month drop not only when compared with the other sizes, but any Jan-Feb drop of any year for any bucket.

Interesting. And unlike previous Hiring Pulse reports, there’s actually even more eye-opening stuff coming up, this one in the Candidates per Hire metric.

3. Candidates per Hire

Let’s look at what’s going on here through March:

Remember that time on the roller coaster in [insert town here]? How you were slowly climbing up the tracks with a rhythmic clickety-clack clickety-clack, until you reach the top and then all of a sudden you’re careening down the other side so your heart basically goes up your throat?

Well, this is the metric version of that – the Candidates per Hire metric, which has been in a steady upward climb (with a month or two here of moderate drops or stabilization) since basically mid–late 2022, is suddenly coming down in a dramatic drop. If January’s 189.9 to February’s 182 felt like a lot, then February’s 182 to March’s 161.6 is, in a word, dramatic.

That’s a drop of 20.4 points – the biggest since a 30.2-point drop from October to November 2020, and the second-biggest drop in all our records dating back to January 2019.

Since we’re doing year-over-year comparisons in this report, let’s do that for CPH as well:

Two different ways to look at this. Either candidate pools are in rapid decline, or they’re simply returning to the “normal” of previous years after being so high for so long.

Let’s now go into what we think all this may mean.

What’s going on here?

Perhaps all the tumult around layoffs, restabilization (as opposed to destabilization), the talent shift, and so on has meant new jobs popping up and those getting filled in quick order.

We mentioned the talent shift – Trevor Bogan over at Top Employers Institute wrote a little about this and we’ll get a little deeper about it here. It’s basically how old talents and skills aren’t necessarily becoming redundant or obsolete; they are simply no longer in need in some areas and in greater need in other areas. The same for goods and services – some lessen in importance and value, and others grow in value over that same time period.

So is there really job loss? Maybe to a degree, as we’ve seen in layoffs. But it’s more of a groundshift.

Think about what happened during COVID. If you were lucky enough to have a fully online platform, especially in the area of communication, delivery, or something similar, the demand for your software likely skyrocketed during the pandemic when the majority of society operated on a remote basis both at work and at play.

Now, we have AI which is one of the more exciting developments to come along in a long time. It’s also disrupted our society to a point where those already operating in AI technology are very optimistic about times ahead – a recent Deloitte report finds 62% of leaders from AI-fueled orgs are excited about what’s coming up.

And 79% expect generative AI to change the way in which they operate over the next three years. A bulk of that is in coding, especially – which is one example of a sector facing considerable upheaval (if not redundance) in the age of AI.

There’s reason to be cautious (and you’re in good company if you are – 30% feel uncertain about it all), but if you’re not one of the early adopters of new technology and able to adapt quickly to new developments, your company may fall behind.

See you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your job’s likely OK in AI: 71% report little or no displacement

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:11:41 +0000

AI, of course, has disrupted the way we work, but is it disrupting our jobs as well? Not necessarily, according to data from Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey. In short: worries are one thing – actual occurrence is another.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

Get your free report now!

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In the survey, we asked respondents whether they saw actual job displacements in their company as a result of AI, and the responses are pretty spread out.

On the one hand, more than one in five (22.7%) say they saw many job changes or layoffs in their work, with another 34.5% saying there was a bit of an impact.

But, on the other hand, more than one in three (36.5%) say there weren’t any known job displacements whatsoever.

This means 71% have seen minimal or no displacement thanks to AI. What this says to us is that the worries about job loss related to AI isn’t necessarily grounded in truth – rather, it’s just that jobs are changing. For example, Trevor Bogan at the Top Employers Institute told us about a talent shift as a result of AI, and that adapting and learning how to use the new technology is absolutely the way to go.

The industry lens

It makes sense that the fears of job loss would be accentuated when there’s actual job loss.

Construction led the way in terms of job worries. Three in four (74.6%) say there were a few or many job displacements in their company.

Meanwhile, retail (44.8% vs. 36.5% overall) and Education (42.9%) are more likely to say they saw no actual impact to jobs as a result of AI.

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7 out of 10 workers are worried about jobs in age of AI: Survey

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:50:44 +0000

In 2008-09, it was the subprime mortgage crisis. In 2020, it was the pandemic. In 2022, it was the invasion of Ukraine. And now, we have AI.

All of these things contributed to destabilization of economies – and at the individual level, anxieties around job security.

In Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey, one of the questions we asked was about how employees are feeling about AI’s emergence as a mainstay in the workplace.

So, are employees worried about their jobs? Yep, they are.

Nearly seven out of 10 (68.1%) say employees in their company frequently or occasionally express concerns about AI impacting their job security.

Only 7.9% – less than one in 12 – say they don’t see those concerns being raised in their workplace.

The industry lens

Perhaps unsurprisingly now that Construction is shown to be a leading industry in AI adoption, this industry also leads in terms of job security worries at 84%, 15.9 points higher than the overall benchmark of 68.2%.

Education (61.1%) and Retail (55.2%) aren’t as concerned.

In fact, two out of five in Retail (40.3% vs. 30% overall) say their employees rarely or never express concerns about AI impacting their job security.

The post 7 out of 10 workers are worried about jobs in age of AI: Survey appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The ROI of HR technology integration explained

Alexandros Pantelakis — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:22:01 +0000

The strategic advantages of HR technology extend beyond operational efficiencies and financial metrics. The ROI of HR technology integration is more than that. It touches the very core of organizational culture, transforming it into a more agile, informed, and engaged entity.

This shift is not merely about keeping pace with technological advancements but about reimagining the role of HR in driving business success.

The benefits of HR technology

Notably, companies that use HR technology like an ATS or an HRIS have witnessed, according to Lighthouse Research & Advisory report, a 47% surge in productivity—an impressive figure that underscores the efficiency gains enabled by modern HR solutions.

This leap in productivity is more than a mere enhancement of work processes; it represents a transformation in how tasks are executed, making room for strategic endeavors that propel the organization forward.

Beyond productivity, the integration of HR technology has been instrumental in improving the accuracy and insightfulness of reporting.

With a 73% improvement in reporting capabilities, businesses are now better equipped to make data-driven decisions that align with their strategic goals.

This leap in data accuracy and insights is a game-changer, offering a clear view of the workforce dynamics and enabling a proactive approach to talent management.

Perhaps one of the most compelling outcomes of HR technology adoption is its impact on employee engagement. Companies with recent HR technology implementations are twice as likely to observe enhanced engagement among their workforce.

This heightened level of engagement is a testament to the technology’s role in creating a more connected, transparent, and responsive work environment.

Trends shaping HR technology investments in 2024

As we venture into 2024, the landscape of HR technology investments is shaped by a series of emerging trends that reflect the evolving priorities of businesses and HR leaders alike.

One of the most authoritative voices in the realm of HR technology, Josh Bersin, highlights the growing significance of Talent Marketplace platforms, Capability Academies, Employee Experience Platforms, and mid-market talent suites in his latest HR Technology Report.

These categories represent a shift towards more personalized, agile, and comprehensive HR solutions that cater to the diverse needs of the modern workforce.

The emphasis on Employee Experience Platforms is particularly noteworthy. In an age where the employee experience is as crucial as the customer experience, these platforms offer a holistic approach to engaging, developing, and retaining talent.

By integrating various aspects of the employee lifecycle, from onboarding to development and performance management, these platforms are setting new standards for what it means to be a ‘great place to work.’

Backing this trend is a survey by Gartner, which reveals a notable shift in budget priorities among HR leaders. According to the survey, 89% of HR leaders plan to i ncrease their HR technology budget this year, double the number from last year’s report, signaling a strong commitment to leveraging technology for strategic advantage.

The convergence of these trends points to a broader realization among businesses: investing in HR technology is not just a tactical move but a strategic imperative.

The ROI of HR technology integration: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

The ROI of an ATS extends beyond mere cost savings, embedding itself in the strategic fabric of the recruitment process.

Let’s see the most important factors that can benefit your organization using an ATS.

1. Avoiding bad hires

One of the primary benefits of an ATS is its ability to improve the quality of hires.

By automating the screening process and leveraging sophisticated algorithms to match candidate profiles with job requirements, ATS significantly reduces the risk of bad hires—a scenario that can cost organizations dearly, both financially and culturally.

A study by ResearchGate underscores the efficiency of technology in recruitment, showing that an ATS can enhance the selection process, ensuring a better fit between the candidate and the organizational needs.

2. Reducing external recruitment costs:

External recruitment efforts, including agency fees and advertising costs, can accumulate rapidly. An ATS streamlines the recruitment process, making it more efficient and less reliant on external resources.

By building a robust talent pool and enhancing the employer brand through a seamless candidate experience, organizations can reduce external recruitment costs significantly.

3. Boosting recruiter productivity

The automation of routine tasks, such as resume screening and scheduling interviews, frees up recruiters to focus on more strategic aspects of their role, such as engaging with candidates and enhancing the recruitment strategy.

This shift towards strategic tasks is not only more fulfilling for recruiters but also adds greater value to the organization, as highlighted in the efficiency improvements reported by companies implementing recent HR technology.

4. Decreased time to fill

The speed at which vacancies are filled is critical in maintaining organizational productivity. An efficient ATS reduces the time to fill by streamlining the entire recruitment process, from posting job ads to making the final offer.

This efficiency not only impacts the bottom line by minimizing the costs associated with vacancies but also enhances the organization’s agility in responding to market demands.

The ROI of HR technology integration: Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)

Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) serve as the backbone of HR operations, integrating various HR functions into a unified system. The ROI of an HRIS is manifested through direct cost savings, improved efficiency, and strategic contributions to the organization.

Let’s explore the factors that can save you time and money:

1. Time savings value

The core value of an HRIS lies in its ability to save time for HR professionals and employees alike.

By automating administrative tasks, such as leave requests and benefits administration, an HRIS frees up time that can be redirected towards strategic HR initiatives.

2. Total system costs vs. savings

Evaluating the ROI of an HRIS involves a careful analysis of the total costs—implementation, training, and maintenance—against the tangible savings it delivers.

Cloud-based HRIS solutions like Workable, for example, offer lower upfront costs and scalability, presenting a compelling case for their higher ROI as reported by HR Executive, which highlights the cost-effectiveness of cloud technology in HR operations.

3. Adoption rate and employee feedback

The success of an HRIS is also measured by its adoption rate and the feedback from its users.

A high adoption rate indicates that the system is user-friendly and meets the needs of its users, contributing to its overall ROI.

Employee feedback, including eNPS scores, offers insights into how the HRIS affects employee satisfaction and engagement, further influencing the system’s value to the organization.

4. Engagement scores and productivity

Finally, the impact of an HRIS on employee engagement and overall productivity cannot be overlooked.

By facilitating a better employee experience and streamlining HR processes, an HRIS can lead to higher engagement scores.

This enhanced engagement is directly linked to increased productivity, as engaged employees are more motivated and committed to their work, driving the organization’s success.

These sections delve into the tangible and intangible benefits of ATS and HRIS, providing a detailed look at how these systems contribute to the ROI of HR technology integration.

By examining specific metrics and impacts, the narrative underscores the strategic value of investing in HR technology to optimize recruitment processes and HR operations.

Best practices for maximizing HR Technology ROI

The decision to invest in HR technology is a significant one, carrying the promise of enhanced efficiency, better employee experiences, and, ultimately, a stronger bottom line.

However, the realization of these benefits is contingent upon strategic implementation and continuous optimization.

Herein lies the blueprint for maximizing the ROI of HR technology:

Strategic implementation and alignment: The foundation of a successful HR technology integration is its alignment with the organization’s broader business goals and HR strategy.

This alignment ensures that the selected technology solutions directly contribute to achieving strategic objectives, be it through improving recruitment processes, enhancing employee engagement, or streamlining administrative tasks.

Organizations should undertake a needs analysis, involving key stakeholders in the process, to identify the most pressing requirements and the best tech solutions to address them.

Continuous training and support: To achieve a high adoption rate and ensure that all users can leverage the HR technology to its full potential, continuous training and support are paramount.

This involves not only initial training sessions but also ongoing support and refresher courses to accommodate updates in the technology and changes in organizational processes.

Such an approach encourages user engagement with the technology, ensuring that it becomes an integral part of the HR workflow.

Data-driven decision making: One of the most significant advantages of modern HR technology is its ability to generate actionable insights through data analytics.

Organizations should capitalize on this by regularly reviewing analytics and reports generated by their HR systems.

This data can inform strategic decisions, from identifying areas for process improvement to uncovering trends in employee engagement and productivity. Moreover, it serves as a direct feedback loop for assessing the technology’s impact and ROI.

Feedback mechanisms and continuous improvement: The landscape of HR technology is ever-evolving, with new solutions and updates emerging at a rapid pace.

To maintain an optimal ROI, organizations must embrace a culture of continuous improvement.

This involves not only staying abreast of technological advancements but also soliciting and acting on feedback from users.

Regular surveys and feedback sessions can reveal insights into the system’s effectiveness, usability, and areas for enhancement, guiding future investments and technology optimization efforts.

In the digital age, the question is no longer whether to invest in HR technology but how to maximize its value for the organization.

With a strategic approach to HR technology integration and an eye on the evolving landscape, businesses can navigate the complexities of the modern workforce, ensuring their position at the forefront of innovation and success.

The post The ROI of HR technology integration explained appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Tech & money are seen as hurdles in AI use at work: Survey

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:34:20 +0000

AI has been a lovely development for many in today’s working (and hiring) world – but like anything else, it has its drawbacks.

So instead of speculating, we went out and asked AI-using hiring teams (i.e. those who have hired in the last year and have used AI in the process).

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

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The question we asked, specifically: “Hiring aside, what are the main overall challenges your company has faced in integrating AI?”. We provided a laundry list of potential challenges and asked people to select up to three items from that list.

The results were both interesting and unsurprising.

Nearly half of all respondents (46.2%) cited technical difficulties related to implementation or operation of AI tech, followed closely by financial challenges (41.9%).

This suggests that the costs of AI tools overall may be higher than the costs of AI tools in hiring specifically – after all, we’ve found that one in three (32.7%) say there are significant cost savings with the integration of AI in hiring.

Meanwhile, two out of five respondents (40.5%) point to employee resistance or discomfort when adopting AI in workflows.

That’s understandable – for some, AI or any new technology can be a newfangled thing requiring a learning curve or causing a disruption of long-established work habits.

The industry lens

Across the seven industries, Construction is most likely to cite technical difficulties (52% vs. 46.2% overall), while Accounting / Finance (48.1% vs. 41.9% overall) and Manufacturing (46.8%) pointed to cost as a problem.

Ethics is a major concern for IT / Technology / SaaS (42.3% vs. 28.4% overall). Compliance is a consideration for Construction (26.7% vs. 17.8% overall) and Healthcare (25.5%), and not so much for Retail (11.9%).

Retail (34.3% vs. 41.9% overall) is also far less worried than others about cost, while Construction isn’t so concerned with ethics (18.7% vs. 28.4% overall).

While employee resistance and discomfort is cited as a major concern, that challenge pretty evenly spread out across the seven major industries in our dataset. That being said, IT / Technology / SaaS is a bit more concerned (44.5% vs. 40.5% overall) and Education (36.4%) a little less so.

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Survey: AI boosts productivity for three of four workers

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 20:35:52 +0000

AI is everywhere – and then some. Many workers find it automates processes like nothing else has before – others are fearful that AI is going to take over their jobs. For every company that bans use of AI tools due to compliance or privacy considerations, there’s another company that dives headfirst into it.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

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And the seemingly endless list of new AI tools is growing by the day. 2024 is bound to see even more developments in this area.

But how effective is it? In Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey report, we wanted to understand the effectiveness of the technology at a deeper level in overall work.

And now, we have a snapshot of how it’s being used in the modern working world.

The effectiveness of AI at work

In all the excitement, an important question stands out for professionals: how does AI help one work?

Since work is often measured in terms of productivity, we asked how effective AI is at enhancing day-to-day operations.

Three in four (75.7%) say it’s either highly or somewhat effective in their daily job.

Another two out of five say it hasn’t made a difference – in other words, they answered “neutral”.

Just one in 20 (5%) say AI is somewhat or highly ineffective at enhancing productivity.

The industry lens

Construction resoundingly calls AI very effective in enhancing productivity (86.4% vs. 75.7% overall), with Accounting / Finance coming in second out of the seven industries in this measurement (82.3%).

Healthcare is much more likely to say the effect is ultimately neutral (29.4% vs. 19.5% overall) – it’s also more likely to say it’s somewhat or highly ineffective (6.9% vs. 5% overall).

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Optimize your hybrid work environments – Here’s how

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:52:46 +0000

The era of endless pajama days is officially over for most companies. Now, employees need to divide their time between the home workspace and the company establishments, adopting the so-called hybrid model.

HR teams are once again tasked with squeezing water from a rock. We are here to provide some optimizations that could untie the knot and turn challenges into opportunities for your work environment.

Gallup research reveals a compelling narrative: hybrid work setups not only accommodate the preferences of a diverse workforce but also align with improved productivity and employee wellbeing.

The allure of hybrid work lies in its ability to offer employees control over their work environments, thus enhancing their satisfaction and loyalty to the company.

However, a McKinsey report highlighted that 71% of employees who prefer hybrid work are likely to seek other opportunities if it is not available. This underscores the urgency for HR professionals and employers to adapt and optimize their hybrid work policies to retain top talent.

Implementing a hybrid work model

Transitioning to a hybrid work model necessitates a reevaluation of traditional HR practices, especially in organizations that do not utilize a Human Resource Information System (HRIS).

Key challenges include maintaining seamless communication, ensuring equitable access to resources, fostering a cohesive company culture, and tracking performance across disparate environments.

One of the most significant hurdles is mitigating the sense of isolation among remote employees and ensuring they feel as valued and connected as their in-office counterparts.

Deloitte’s insights on equitable workplace practices emphasize the need for intentional efforts to create an inclusive environment that transcends physical boundaries. This involves redefining the purpose of the office space to accommodate a more flexible, diverse workforce and leveraging real estate strategically to enhance employee experiences.

Strategies for effective communication and collaboration

The cornerstone of a successful hybrid work environment is robust communication. Without the luxury of spontaneous face-to-face interactions, HR professionals must champion the use of digital tools and platforms to bridge the gap.

This includes regular video conferences, instant messaging for real-time collaboration, and digital workspaces to keep everyone aligned on projects and goals.

But technology alone is not enough. Cultivating a culture of open communication and regular check-ins can foster a sense of belonging and team cohesion.

Deloitte’s recommendations extend to creating equitable incentives and experiences, ensuring all employees, regardless of their location, have equal opportunities to contribute and succeed. By prioritizing these equitable practices, organizations can navigate the complexities of hybrid work, ensuring a fulfilling and productive experience for all employees.

Performance management in a hybrid setting

Managing performance in a hybrid work environment presents unique challenges. Without the direct oversight possible in a traditional office setting, employers must redefine their approach to monitoring and evaluating employee performance.

The key is to focus on outcomes rather than activities. This shift requires clear goal-setting, with specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives at the forefront.

Regular feedback loops are crucial. Constructive feedback and timely recognition of achievements can motivate employees and guide their development, regardless of their physical location.

Employers should leverage performance management tools that allow for continuous assessment and feedback, enabling employees to stay aligned with organizational goals and expectations.

Another aspect is fostering a culture of trust and autonomy. Empowering employees to manage their tasks and time can lead to higher productivity and job satisfaction.

Trust, once established, acts as the foundation for a successful hybrid work model, encouraging responsibility and accountability among team members.

Bolstering employee engagement and well-being

Employee engagement is vital for maintaining high levels of productivity and retaining talent. In a hybrid model, this means ensuring all employees feel valued and connected to the organization’s mission and culture, regardless of where they work.

Initiatives to bolster engagement can include virtual team-building activities, opportunities for professional development, and channels for employees to voice their ideas and concerns.

Well-being is another critical consideration. The flexibility of hybrid work can blur the boundaries between personal and professional life, leading to burnout.

Employers should encourage healthy work-life boundaries and offer support resources, such as mental health days and wellness programs.

Furthermore, recognizing and accommodating the diverse needs of your workforce can significantly enhance well-being.

For example, providing flexible hours for caregivers or creating quiet spaces in the office for deep work can make a substantial difference.

Engagement strategies must be inclusive, ensuring remote and office-based employees have equal access to opportunities and support. This can be facilitated through regular surveys to gauge employee sentiment and identify areas for improvement.

Integrating technology and HRIS for hybrid work optimization

The successful integration of technology and HRIS is pivotal in managing a hybrid workforce effectively. These systems can streamline various HR functions, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and employee engagement.

An effective HRIS provides a centralized platform for managing employee data, facilitating communication, and supporting decision-making processes with analytics.

When selecting an HRIS, consider features that support hybrid work models, such as mobile accessibility, integration with communication tools, and advanced reporting capabilities. This ensures that employees can access the system from anywhere, fostering a more connected and engaged workforce.

Furthermore, leveraging technology to enhance the employee experience is crucial. This can include creating digital spaces for collaboration, implementing AI for personalized learning and development paths, and using analytics to understand workforce trends and predict future needs.

By adopting a strategic approach to technology integration, organizations can not only optimize their operations but also create a more adaptable, resilient, and future-ready workforce.

Future-proofing your hybrid work model involves staying informed about advancements in HR technology, understanding the changing dynamics of the workforce, and being proactive in addressing potential challenges.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for March 2024

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:45:19 +0000

In February’s Hiring Pulse, we shed light on how the year started.

Now we’ll look at how the year’s going.

Let’s take a look!

How we’re looking at data

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

TTF falls again in February after a January spike – all very normal
JO activity pretty stable – but varies when you look at company size
CPH coming back down, but that’s unusual when looking at Februaries past

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of January are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of February against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

One month after the biggest single-month jump in our data going back to the start of 2019, we see a dramatic drop in the Time to Fill metric from January’s 89.1 to February’s 82.5.

So, there’s a nice little spike there from December to January to February. We’ve talked about this in the past – how January is a very busy hiring month once hiring teams take action on new budgets to start the year, plus coming back from holidays and catching up on crucial HR work. That will result in slower turnarounds in overall work processes, including in the hiring pipeline.

And when we compare this to years past, it turns out to be very normal. Following a mostly flat November and December into a longer TTF for January, then a slight drop into February. Our data shows it pretty clearly:

Now, let’s have a look at the job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

OK – we have many interesting stories going on here. The first takeaway is, of course, the average number of job postings in February was 8.6 per company regardless of employee size. That’s down just a smidgen from January’s 8.5.

Doesn’t say a whole lot month over month, does it? Aha, but it does, when you compare that with previous January-February shifts since 2019. When we use January’s job posting average as a baseline of 100, we see that every year shows a different story from January to February:

What we see here is that out of the six years, four saw a downward shift from January to February in terms of job activity, and in two of the six years, there was an upward shift. 2019, in particular, showed a dramatic drop of 5.5 percentage points, while 2021 saw a dramatic jump of 3.8 percentage points.

2024, of course, shows the smallest month-over-month change of any of the six years.

Let’s go deeper now, into the company size buckets. First, companies with 1-50 full-time employees:

We’re seeing a somewhat different story compared with all companies. Companies with 50 or fewer employees saw a jump from January to February (104 vs. the baseline, or 6.6 to 6.8 job postings per company on average). Honestly, a .2 change in average can be argued to be mostly negligible, but all the same, it’s there. Still not terribly dramatic, though.

Let’s look at the 51-200 FTE size bucket now:

Like the 1-50 bucket, there isn’t a lot to write home about here. We see a small drop in hiring activity for 2024, in line with the overall trend, and again, it’s in the middle of the pack when compared with past years.

Now – the 200+ FTE size bucket:

OK, now we’re talking. The 200+ FTE companies dropped pretty drastically, from 19.5 job postings per company on average in January to 17.9 in February this year.

Not only is that a drop of more than three jobs every two companies across the board, it’s also the biggest January to February shift of any year going back to 2019 in our dataset.

Keep this in mind as we move to the Candidates Per Hire metric.

3. Candidates per Hire

Let’s look at what’s going on here through February:

We’re very much in a one-step-forward, two-steps-backward situation here – or is it two-steps-forward, one-step-backwards? Depends on who you talk to, we suppose. What we’re seeing here is that every time the Candidates Per Hire metric climbs a certain amount, hitting new records along the way, it takes a little hiccup before starting upwards again.

In this case, January’s 188 comes down pretty sharply to February’s 178.5. Still much, much higher than in recent years, but the drop is notable in that it follows dramatic rises in previous months as we’ve seen from October to December 2022 followed by a drop of -5.1 in January 2023, a another growth in February to April 2023 to a -13.7 drop in May 2023, and two more months of growth in December 2023 and January 2024 followed by this new drop.

It’s a little bit dizzying, indeed.

Now what about year-over-year comparisons? Let’s take a look at how November-December-January-February compares over the past six years:

Now you can see how February of this year is somewhat of an anomaly. In previous years, we see moderate or significant increase in the CPH metric from January to February with the minor exception of 2019-2020 – and in 2023-2024, we see, for the first time, a dramatic downward shift.

Sure, these are erratic times. But this stands out nonetheless, particularly as you see the TTF following historical trends and job opening data falling (mostly) in the middle of the pack when compared with previous years at this time.

What’s going on here?

We see a distinct trend here: small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are ramping up their hiring, in contrast to the slowdown we’re seeing among their larger peers.

This suggests a more agile and adaptive mindset among SMBs as business picks up and they adjust to a less predictable economy – but they’re also the ones more susceptible to breakdowns; unlike enterprises, they don’t necessarily have years upon years of experience and stability to draw from, or even established processes that have stood the test of time.

Likewise, they’re the ones more affected by the fallout of a bad hire or a fine resulting from non-compliance with the vast range of employment laws – both can put a fairly severe dent in their operating budget. These financial setbacks can become more commonplace when there’s no formal HR team in place to manage all this stuff.

For instance, an ADP study finds that fewer than one-third of small businesses have a formal HR professional in their ranks – and for those companies without, there’s an “ad hoc” HR manager in place (ADP’s own words). Even scarier, 82% of those ad hoc managers (the majority of whom are CEOs and presidents) have no formal HR training.

Now, we’re not saying that SMBs like yours should take on an HR professional (yes, you should, eventually), but rather, for the time being, your increased hiring, onboarding, and employee management needs a formal system in place. That formal system can be established with a worthy, uncomplicated HRIS that scales with your business and its increasingly complex HR processes

Meanwhile, for enterprise-level businesses, this isn’t necessarily a cause for worry, but rather, an opportunity to reassess recruitment strategies, perhaps focusing on optimizing hiring processes or adapting existing workforces to meet new technological and market demands.

It’s a key phase for businesses across all sizes – but especially for smaller businesses. Act wisely, take on fresh tools, and increase the agility and effectiveness of your HR processes. You can then continue to thrive.

See you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for February 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI and candidate experience: 49.6% say it’s a mixed bag

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:28:13 +0000

Hiring team members are not the only beneficiaries of – or more accurately, not the only ones impacted by – AI use in the hiring process. In other words, AI isn’t only useful for those who do the hiring. There are those who hire, and there are those who are hired.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

Get your free report now!

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Because the focus of hiring and recruitment is ultimately to get job applicants – and ideally, the perfect hire – it makes sense to ask hiring team members what the experience has been like for candidates when AI is used in hiring.

So, we asked that specific question in our AI in Hiring and Work survey: “How do candidates generally respond to the use of AI in your hiring process?”.

Two out of five respondents (38.7%) say they’ve received mostly positive feedback from candidates in regards to AI in hiring. That sounds pretty good, except that half (49.2%) also say they’ve received mixed feedback from applicants in the hiring process.

AI in hiring – the positive CX

Let’s look at the positives first: it likely stems from better communication – even automated information and updates are better than nothing at all. Candidates like to know what’s going on with their application. For instance, AI chatbots can make a huge difference.

Also, the automation capabilities of AI in the hiring process mean that the hiring process can be sped up. That’s always a nice experience for candidates, who are accustomed to long waits between updates and stages in the process. We’ve seen complaints on Reddit about that.

AI in hiring – the negative CX

What about the negatives? We can presume that it’s about the non-human approach. You know how annoying it can be to “press one for XYZ” and “press two for ZYX” when trying to get through to a human being in customer support. Candidates are no different.

Also, there’s a perceived danger in allowing “robots” to make decisions for you – candidates are understandably skeptical about that. Being transparent about this from the get-go will be crucial to set expectations and maintain a positive experience for candidates.

The industry lens

When looking at the different industries, Construction leads in terms of positive feedback (53.3%, a full 14.6 points higher than the baseline), while Manufacturing lags in that same area (33.8%).

Retail, on the other hand, has twice as many respondents receiving mostly negative feedback compared with the baseline (10.5% vs. 5.3%) while just 2% of Healthcare respondents say the same.

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Data-driven business decisions: the foundation for growth

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:37:31 +0000

Data is all the rage these days, with storage expected to reach 175 zettabytes by 2025. That’s 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes. That’s an absolute lot.

That’s according to Deloitte, and emphasized by Avinash Tripathi, a leading figure in analytics who has observed that explosion of data throughout his long career. We sat down with him for an email Q&A and he had plenty of insights on this.

Currently working as VP of Analytics at the University of Phoenix, Avinash brings more than 20 years of experience in using data to inform decisions.

What he sees is a shift in the way businesses run operations. In short, we’re going data-first.

A data-first society

First off – our business communities are evolving.

“The advancements in computing and increased access to data have paved the way for the rise of technologies such as AI,” Avinash says.

“Organizations are recognizing the immense value of data, investing heavily in data infrastructure, governance, and talent.”

It’s no longer about traditional data storage restricted to limited tools and prohibitive costs of storing data. Business communities are moving forward to more modern, sophisticated analytics platforms both in the way they approach customers and employees.

“Today,” Avinash says, “the changing landscape of customer demands is pushing for data-driven approaches.”

He adds that compliance is a growing consideration in an increasingly regulated data ecosystem – necessitating a data-driven approach.

Despite the optimistic landscape, companies face practical challenges.

“Despite the investments in data-driven initiatives, research by McKinsey suggests that only a small percentage of organizations (8%) effectively scale up their analytics capabilities.”

This, however, could be an opportunity for the right organization to get ahead. Avinash reaffirms this – with a caveat.

“This underscores the need for data governance, talent development, and a strategic approach to maximize the potential of available information.”

“This underscores the need for data governance, talent development, and a strategic approach to maximize the potential of available information.”

The value of data-led management

What should companies do with all this, then?

The first step is to recognize the sheer value of vast data collections and analytical tools in today’s competitive environment. There are a number of ways how data has value for organizations:

More accurate projections of behavior

“Companies are amassing vast troves of customer information,” says Avinash. “These resources help them identify patterns and trends that may go unnoticed using traditional methods.”

A classic example is seen at Lyft, which matches drivers to customers through behavioral data – escalating its profile as a carshare service beyond the traditional taxi even back in the late 2010s.

That’s the kind of customer intent data that Avinash is referring to, where data provides a deeper understanding of customer behaviors, market trends, and operational efficiencies, enabling businesses to tailor their decisions more closely to their ideal customer’s needs and pain points.

Using data to make decisions also reduces risk in ensuring that decisions are grounded in real science – again, in the Lyft example, knowing exactly where/when a customer is looking for service is an objective advantage over pursuing the same result via sheer speculation.

“Utilizing real-time data to inform decisions has additional benefits compared to other traditional approaches. The accuracy derived from analyzing data sets it apart from relying solely on intuition and opinions.”

“Utilizing real-time data to inform decisions has additional benefits compared to other traditional approaches. The accuracy derived from analyzing data sets it apart from relying solely on intuition and opinions.”

An ever-evolving feedback loop

Companies can also gain a competitive edge when they can use historical data to refine business strategies.

“By monitoring the impact of their decisions, evaluating results, and learning from mistakes, businesses can refine their strategies for better outcomes and continuous growth.”

This continuous loop of feedback and adjustment keeps businesses competitive and adaptive to changing market dynamics, Avinash adds.

“The scalability of data-driven decision-making makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, fostering growth and creating opportunities for improvement.”

How to use data in hiring decisions

When asked for how data can be applied in recruitment, Avinath highlighted three examples.

1. Refining recruitment practices

First, recruitment practices can be updated.

“During the hiring process, recruitment analytics can influence screening by employing skills-focused tools to sift through and assess applicants,” says Avinash.

He adds that data-driven tools like gamified assessments and simulations can support the suitability of a candidate for a role, resulting in more accurate and efficient hiring processes.

All the usual recruitment metrics, including time to hire, time to fill, cost per hire, etc., can illustrate the opportunities that leveraging data can provide in streamlining recruitment operations, Avinash says.

“Data-backed tools … can provide comprehensive analytics on candidate sourcing, engagement, and conversion rates and help optimize hiring.”

2. Planning the workforce of the future

Data analytics can also aid in future-proofing talent management – predicting potential outcomes in a company workforce that can be minimized or even eliminated using data intelligence.

“Predicting future workforce needs, finding the right talent, and effectively nurturing and retaining employees is a multifaceted and intricate challenge.”

Employee data – such as schedules, productivity and quality of work, time off and sick days, engagement survey results, exit interview feedback, compensation, collaborative tool usage, and much much more – can be analyzed using analytics tools.

This can then be turned into actionable insights to support business decisions as they relate to talent, Avinash says.

These insights can prove valuable in mitigating talent attrition and turnover, looming skills gaps, and losses in productivity.

3. Establishing a robust talent pipeline

Data also provides objective criteria for decisions to develop and promote your team members.

“Analytics can help pinpoint employees using measurable indicators,” Avinash tells us. “It can also play a role in cultivating talent pipelines by analyzing employee performance metrics.”

This underscores the fairness and objectivity that data-driven criteria bring to advancement decisions, reducing risks associated with bias – bias being a growing concern in today’s working world.

This highlights another benefit of talent data analytics: progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Recognizing and appreciating diversity and inclusivity is crucial when it comes to making decisions based on data,” Avinash says.

“Prioritizing fairness and inclusivity in data-driven processes for all employees helps create a positive workplace environment. Companies must recognize the limitations of data and ensure they integrate insights to prevent oversimplification.”

The risks of relying on data

The movie “Moneyball” is based on the true story of a baseball manager who switched to a data-first approach in building his team. As Brad Pitt’s character says in one scene: “His on-base percentage is all we’re looking at now.”

Data can provide a reliably objective foundation for employer decision-making, but does not consider the vast range of nuances and intangibles that an employee can bring to the table.

As such, Avinash warns against overreliance on the numbers especially in today’s workplaces which are more multifaceted than the game of baseball.

“Employees are much more than just statistics, aren’t they?” he asks. “Relying solely on a fixed set of metrics for evaluation has its limitations.”

In other words, soft skills are undervalued.

“Characteristics such as ethics and integrity, collaboration, empathy, resilience, and adaptability are essential but frequently difficult to accurately quantify.”

Avinash emphasizes a balanced approach that appreciates both tangible and intangible contributions.

“Neglecting these [intangible] traits could result in underestimating the true worth of an employee.”

A fine balance between human and machine

Many employers are cognizant of the need for balance. According to Workable’s poll on AI in Hiring & Work, 15% of hiring managers who use AI still take a fully human approach and 57% adopt a mostly human approach to that crucial final hiring decision.

“While data is valuable it is essential to remember that it is one piece of the puzzle, in understanding and managing individuals,” says Avinash, who notes that the reliance on data-first insights versus human expertise really depends on the situation.

Which begs the question: how do you know which situation calls for data and which calls for human involvement?

“Data analysis is preferred for operational tasks and decisions because it helps reduce risks and uncertainties, such as sales forecasts, staffing, and more,” says Avinash, who says that these can be high-impact decisions and should absolutely be grounded in data.

On the other hand, humans are still the experts at managing the human component of business or establishing overall strategy.

“For decisions that require strategic foresight, or a grasp of human capital, experience and intuition hold immense value,” says Avinash. “This is particularly evident in areas like employee relations and the voice of the customer.”

This means an ideally symbiotic relationship between data-driven methodologies and human insights, highlighting the importance of leveraging both to achieve comprehensive and fair outcomes in a data-driven world.

Data, data, everywhere – and not a drop to waste

Avinash isn’t just a self-proclaimed data expert – his resume includes overseeing data science, marketing analytics, and yes, AI, at the University of Phoenix. He also holds board member positions at Fast Company and at Evanta, a Gartner company. His past roles include numerous directorial-level positions in analytics at a range of companies primarily in the education sector.

His sage advice is that companies understand the advantages of advanced data analytics and ensuring a copacetic synergy between human wisdom and data intelligence in business operations.

It’s an exciting road ahead. If 175 zettabytes of data volume is predicted for 2025, imagine what’s coming after that. And companies need to get on board if they want to stay competitive.

“As these factors continue to converge,” Avinash concludes, “making decisions based on data will unquestionably be a factor in achieving success in contemporary society.”

“As these factors continue to converge, making decisions based on data will unquestionably be a factor in achieving success in contemporary society.”

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed herein are solely those of Avinash Tripathi and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Phoenix, its affiliates, or its employees. This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered advice, an endorsement or representation by University of Phoenix or any other party.

The post Data-driven business decisions: the foundation for growth appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI in hiring: bias & privacy an issue for 40% of hiring teams

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 17:52:45 +0000

There are many positives when using AI technology in the hiring process – but let’s be real: there are drawbacks as well.

So, in our AI in Hiring & Work survey, we asked respondents what issues they’ve run into when using AI in hiring. What struck us is how spread out the responses were in comparison to other questions asked in the survey.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

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That being said, however, we know the concerns around bias and privacy when using AI at work – and we’ve written extensively about both, including best practices for maintaining ethical AI usage, overcoming bias using ChatGPT, and tackling bias and privacy concerns when using AI in HR.

So it came as no surprise that bias and privacy were leading concerns in our survey dataset. Let’s go through them now.

Hiring bias

In the survey, two out of five (40%) of respondents pointed to hiring bias as a major issue when using AI in their recruitment.

Fair enough. Bias is a huge consideration when making a hiring decision in general. Technology does help in overcoming bias in some areas with anonymized screening, standardized assessments, and other features.

And it’s important to note that AI tools are often trained on existing materials and experiences, meaning it’ll aim to replicate the biases inherent in the system. So, as we’ve previously reported – AI is not at fault. Rather, the data it’s trained on is.

In this case, technology giveth and it also taketh away. However, hiring teams can overcome this challenge with the right level of human involvement and supervision, if not taking over outright.

Legal considerations

Meanwhile, 37.2% point to privacy concerns especially when handling the personal data of candidates and employees.

Perhaps overlapping is the 30.7% who highlight compliance as a focal area that’s keeping them up at night – largely due to copyright, security, and other regulated areas.

Data privacy, of course, is a major ongoing concern for employers with mounting legislation on the heels of GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California. It’s reaching a point where every government will have some form of data privacy law in place.

The big concern with AI is that hiring teams interact with external technology using sensitive candidate and employee data in what amounts to a new wild west in this age of AI. Legislation around this is sparse, although is rapidly evolving over the coming years – we’re already seeing this in the European Union’s AI Act. There’ll no doubt be more to come.

Meanwhile, an AI tool usage policy will be useful for your organization.

Talent identification

In other parts of the survey, we found the top two use cases of AI in hiring to fall in line with candidate identification – resume screening tools being used by nearly three of five (58.9%) and candidate matching tech being utilized by 43.1%.

We find that the major issues are in line with those top use cases. For instance, overemphasis on keywords (31.2%), inaccurate interpretation of soft skills (26.3%), inability to capture candidate potential (15.5%), and over-reliance on historical data (15.5%) are all popular areas of concern for hiring team members when using AI.

Despite its rapid evolution, AI and the many tools utilizing it continue to be in a relatively nascent stage. Two scenarios are likely here:

AI tools are not quite sophisticated enough to support teams in identifying top talent
Hiring team members are not quite sophisticated enough in how they’re using AI tools

It’s probably a combination of both.

The industry lens

Hiring bias is an even bigger consideration for Construction (48%), Manufacturing (45.5%) and IT / Technology / SaaS (44.5%) versus 40% overall. It’s not nearly so much of a concern for Accounting (35%).

Data privacy, on the other hand, is a major concern for Accounting / Finance (43.8% vs. 37.2% overall) and for IT / Technology / SaaS (44.9%). It’s not as high in the minds of Healthcare (29.2%) or Retail (32.8%).

Likewise, compliance is top of mind for Accounting / Finance (43.8% – 13.1 full points higher than the overall 30.7%) and IT / Technology / SaaS (39.2%), but not so much for Construction (22.7%) and Retail (22.4%).

Healthcare, meanwhile, lamented the overemphasis on keywords (41.2% vs. 31.2% overall) and Construction downplayed that impact on their own hiring processes (22.7%).

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Remote work loneliness: how virtual coworking can help

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:39:38 +0000

In recent years, there has been a significant shift towards remote work. There’s a good chance you’re a part of this movement. Since the pre-COVID era, the proportion of remote workers in the US has increased from merely 5% to just over 25%.

This shift has been driven by advancements in communication technologies and pandemic-induced changes to workers’ and organizations’ preferences.

Loneliness increases in remote work

However, with the increased adoption of remote work comes new challenges for organizations and workers, particularly when it comes to feelings of isolation and a lack of community among remote workers. If you’ve been working outside of the office, either full-time or for part of the week, you likely identify with these feelings.

Remote teams often have fewer opportunities to interact and face difficulties in building camaraderie and solidarity, which are critical for workers’ happiness and satisfaction. Our team at UC Berkeley recently conducted a study on remote teams that highlights this concern.

Using empirical evidence from a one-week field experiment in India, we found that remote work eroded within-team solidarity, which led to remote teams being 75% less likely than on-site teams to ‘voice upward’ – in other words, to bring grievances to their managers.

Our findings underscore the crucial role of interpersonal interactions in fostering a sense of belonging and community within a workplace, and how the absence of these interactions can have detrimental effects on remote workers.

There’s a tech for everything

The good news is that there are solutions that can help you alleviate isolation. One compelling solution is virtual coworking, which experienced a surge in popularity during the pandemic. When engaged in virtual coworking, users join timed, quiet “coworking” sessions, often over video. These sessions enable workers to focus on independent tasks in the presence of others.

We estimate that virtual coworking platforms have collectively amassed more than 100,000 active users and 10 million sessions – pointing to the critical mass of users adopting this practice as part of their daily work structure.

Some of the major virtual coworking service providers aim to offer a community and sense of accountability to workers — especially those who may be physically distant but can cowork virtually.

One such platform we’ve been studying, called Groove, takes the community aspect one step further. During its 50-minute coworking sessions, Groove enables users to connect with each other via in-app messages. They can even build cohorts of like-minded individuals called “Orbits” that help facilitate future ‘Grooves’ together, build stronger bonds, and offer greater support over the long term.

Replicating the office environment

Interviews we conducted with remote workers point to the potential positive impacts that virtual coworking could have on individuals’ professional and personal lives.

Interviewees consistently spoke to the effectiveness of virtual coworking in acting like a pseudo-“office” environment that mirrors the camaraderie found in traditional office settings; increasing their sense of accountability and work structure, and reducing their isolation.

For example, a freelance digital marketer who started a new job abroad explains: “During the pandemic, for health-related reasons [or] timezone-related reasons … trying to connect remotely with someone was very difficult […] So, [virtual coworking] was one of my only social interactions for being in a place where I didn’t have a strong community.”

A remote financial advisor also expresses appreciation for the unique community of virtual coworkers: “These are people who will [be] vulnerable […] or honest at the beginning [of the session], ‘I’m struggling today and this is stressing me out.’”

Virtual coworkers also share camaraderie: “[It’s] nice to have accountability, … [and] to commiserate with other people doing it,” a remote data analyst told us.

Overall, working virtually with friends or even strangers seemed to provide a sense of community similar to that of an in-person work environment.

Overcoming isolation among remote workers is imperative for the sustainability of remote work in the long run. Insights from our research suggest that virtual coworking has the potential to be a transformative solution.

As remote work continues to evolve, it is essential to prioritize solutions that not only enhance individual productivity but also nurture workers’ overall happiness and satisfaction to create a fulfilling and sustainable work experience. Virtual coworking platforms can be a big help here. Try a few and see if there’s one that works best for you.

Dr. Aruna Ranganathan is an Associate Professor at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Her research combines multiple methods to understand what the future of work holds, the ways in which remote work exacerbates or alleviates pre-existing workplace inequalities, and how workers seek meaning in this new world of work.

Angela Tran, who also contributed to this article, is a Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

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Our survey finds hiring is easier, better, faster, stronger with AI

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 17:32:41 +0000

We know how AI tools are being used in hiring (in short: it’s a lot, but rather concentrated in talent identification) and how much human involvement there is (in short: the machines are far from taking over).

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

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Now, let’s look at the benefits of introducing new tools, technologies, and tactics into the recruitment process.

According to our survey on AI in hiring, there are three distinct benefits that come to mind when looking at ways to optimize the hiring process:

the time it takes to fill a role
the time invested by the hiring team in doing so
and finally, the actual cost of the process itself.

We separated those out into three questions in our survey. Let’s look at the results for each now.

The time to fill

First, the speed of the actual hiring process – the Time to Fill – is one of the most common metrics in the recruitment playbook.

The data is resounding – 89.6% say AI has either significantly or somewhat sped up the time from a job being posted to the signing of a job offer.

Only 7.7% say it didn’t make a difference whatsoever.

A mere 1.6% say it actually slowed down the process.

The time invested in hiring

As for time invested by the hiring team in the process, the response is again resoundingly positive, with 85.3% saying it did increase it by a lot or a little.

One in nine (10.8%), however, say it made no change.

Again, a very small amount (2.7%) say AI led to teams spending more time on hiring.

The cost of the hiring process

In terms of cost, one in three (32.7%) say there are significant cost savings with the integration of AI in hiring.

Another 45.2% say there are moderate cost savings. Put together, this totals 77.9% of all respondents saying AI helped them save money in the process.

Another 15.4% say there is minimal or no change in cost savings.

The industry lens: the time to fill

Now let’s look at how the numbers differ by industry – in this case, we have seven major industries who responded to our survey.

Those in Construction (60%) and Retail (58.2%) say their Time to Fill was sped up significantly – much higher than the overall 44.2%.

IT / Technology / SaaS is tops among the seven industries when combining the “significant” or “somewhat” acceleration in Time to Fill (91.3%), just a touch higher than the overall baseline of 89.6%.

The industry lens: the time invested in hiring

In terms of reducing the time invested in the recruitment process, Construction (56%, 14 points higher than the overall) is by and far the leader in seeing significant benefit in this area.

When combining “significant” and “somewhat” answers, Construction again leads with 90.7% vs. the overall 85.3%, while Education (88.4%) and IT / Technology / SaaS (87.3%) are second and third.

Healthcare is most likely to say there’s no change (14.7%, vs. 10.8% overall), and even considering the small percentage who say they’re spending more time on hiring, 4.5% of those in Retail significantly exceeds the overall of 2.7%.

The industry lens: the cost of hiring

Regarding cost savings – again, the trend continues with 48% of Construction seeing significant savings with AI in hiring compared with 32.7% overall.

IT / Technology / SaaS also see either moderate or significant cost savings at 85.4% compared with 77.9% overall.

Education (26% compared with 15.4% overall) and Manufacturing (20.8%) see only minimal or no cost savings when using AI in hiring.

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72% of hiring managers don’t trust AI to make hiring decisions

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 19:37:53 +0000

The acronym “GIGO” – or more elaborately: Garbage In, Garbage Out – exists for a reason. It’s the suggestion that a machine (albeit a little less evolved than an AI-driven machine) will only do exactly what you tell it to do.

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In other words, if it fails, or doesn’t deliver the results you intended, you’re at fault – because you were the one giving the orders to the machine..

This mindset is still relevant in today’s hiring landscape, and begs the question: how much do humans need to be involved in the use of AI in the hiring process?

Can you just push a button and let AI work its magic, and presto, you’ve got a new hire? “You will act as my hiring manager. You will look at this list of candidates and tell me to hire the best one based on their ability to do the job as outlined in the job description I have provided you with.”

That’s a fair prompt right there – and ChatGPT will respond accordingly if you give it the information it needs to make that hiring decision.

But maybe the question is better phrased as: do you use AI to help in the evaluation stages but not at all in the selection process?

The human-AI seesaw

Note that we’re not asking how much AI is being used or how much humans are involved in the entire process – we already know that to some extent above. Rather, where is the fine line between human and machine in that final decision – to hire?

Not a lot of trust is placed in AI in that case, it turns out. More than one in seven respondents (15.3%) say their choice of candidate continues to be a fully human decision, while an additional 56.8% say it’s mostly human, with AI merely as a supportive tool.

More than one in five (21.1%) maintain an equal balance between the two.

And for those letting AI drive decisions? Only 6.7% lean more towards (or rely entirely on) AI-driven recommendations when making hiring decisions.

The industry lens

IT / Technology / SaaS (75.8% vs. 72.1% overall) and Education (74%) lead the pack in terms of leaning towards human judgment.

Accounting (11.4% vs. 6.7% overall) and Education (9.2%) are more likely than the overall average to lean towards AI recommendations.

Accounting, in fact, is more than five times as likely (3.8% vs. 0.7% overall) to rely solely on AI recommendations.

Retail (31.3% vs. 21.1% overall) and Construction (29.3%) are most likely to put equal weight on human and AI when making that important final decision in hiring.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for February 2024

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 19:14:33 +0000

In January’s Hiring Pulse, we took a full deep dive into how each of the past several years compared against each other and came out of it with interesting stuff.

Now it’s February – and we have the opportunity to look at how this year started in each of the three hiring metrics. And we have insights for you.

Let’s take a look!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

January 2024 marked a record high in the Time to Fill metric
Job openings also saw a dramatic surge in January
Candidates Per Hire is at an all-time high and at a trend directly contrasting with past Januarys

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of January are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of January against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

What we see here is a significant jump in the Time to Fill metric. January 2024’s 88.9 is at its highest point since exactly one year ago when the trend hit 90.4 in January 2024.

But that’s not the big story. The month-over-month jump from December to January is the biggest single-month climb in all our data going back to the start of 2019.

Apart from that, nothing is terribly unusual here. The January jump is fairly standard, from what we’ve seen in the past four years:

Now, let’s look at the job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

The first thing to jump at us is, like in the TTF trend, the sudden jump from December’s 6.8 job postings per company on average to January’s 8.7 – that’s for all companies in the Workable network.

Again, like the TTF trend, this is normal when looking at past years. December 2021 to January 2022 was 5.2 to 6.6, and December 2022 to January 2023 was 5.2 to 6.6 again. This means one thing – the jump is not unusual, but the raw numbers are definitely higher.

The other element to look at is how each company size bucket is doing in this trend. Small businesses (with 1-50 full-time employees – or FTEs) jumped from 6 job postings on average in December to 6.6 in January, while enterprise-sized businesses (200+ FTEs) saw a dramatic jump from 13.5 to 19.4.

That last part is significant in that it’s the busiest month for enterprise companies since June 2022 which saw 20.3 job postings on average, and the single biggest month-over-month jump in average job postings in all network data.

The busy-ness of mid-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs) is the big story here. After a rather middling 2023 in terms of job posting activity where small business job activity matched or even exceeded mid-sized businesses in terms of volume, mid-sized job postings took a flying leap from 4.6 job postings on average to 7.9 in January. That’s not quite double the previous month but it’s pretty close.

Now, the Candidates Per Hire metric:

3. Candidates per Hire

Let’s look at what’s going on here through January:

This is absolutely an employers’ market and it’s the same narrative again in this new Hiring Pulse. The Candidates Per Hire trend is again at an all-time high, this time jumping to 184.8 in January.

But for once, that’s not the big story. If we’re talking about a surge in the number of candidates per job, that’s boring. If we talk about it in year-over-year comparison, then it’s interesting.

In the same way that we’ve looked at TTF and JOs, let’s have a look at what Nov-Dec-Jan look like in past years for the CPH trend:

See that? 2021-2022 aside, you can see how a rise in the CPH trend from November to December followed by a dip in January is ‘normal’.

But this time around, we do see the normal jump from November 2023’s 173.5 to December’s 180.6 – but then that’s followed by another jump from December’s 180.6 to January 184.8.

It’s not a huge jump relatively speaking. After all, we’ve seen numerous double-digit month-over-month jumps especially in the first half of 2023, highlighted by a staggering 34.8-point increase from May to June 2023. But it’s still noteworthy because it absolutely goes against the normal trend.

So what’s normal is not normal, and what’s not normal is normal. Get it? No? Never mind – it kind of makes sense if you try and think on it too much.

What’s going on here?

It’s clear that the job market is undergoing a significant transformation, marked by a volatile yet dynamic landscape. The notable increase in the Time to Fill metric coupled with a surge in job openings and an unprecedented high in Candidates Per Hire, underscores a period of intense activity and change within the job market.

Let’s take the optimistic approach: this period is characterized not only by the challenges it presents but also by the unprecedented opportunities it offers to both employers and job seekers alike.

The advent of “easy apply” (lazy apply?) and “one-click apply” options has changed the job application process. It’s not just “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” – it’s much more calculated than that, and it’s further enhanced by AI-driven platforms – even a fully AI-enabled job application experience.

Employers, too, have incorporated AI technologies like Workable to manage the influx of applications – ensuring a smoother and more effective hiring process.

You might even say we’re in a weird Cold War state where the battling technologies of the jobseeker and the hiring team continually keep pace with each other. Well, it’s not actually a Cold War since both are actively making moves – but you get the idea.

Will we reach a point where the robots will do both en masse while we languish at the beach? No, probably not – Workable’s AI in Hiring & Work survey finds that more than one in seven hiring managers still take a solely human approach to making that final hiring decision, while another 56.8% say they take a predominantly human approach with the support of AI tools.

But the more interesting part is this: 353,000 new jobs were added in January in the United States, and 141 tech companies slashed 34,250 jobs in 2024 as of this report’s publication.

These figures suggest that jobs are not disappearing. Rather, they’re changing, evolving, and migrating across industries and sectors – and yes, skill sets. This points to a highly volatile job market, and also a landscape ripe with opportunities for adaptation and growth.

This job market is absolutely in flux with all the rapid changes in the economy and emergence of new paradigms and technologies in employment. But jobs are not vanishing – they’re transforming, offering new pathways for both employers and job seekers to explore and adapt to the changing dynamics of work.

For you – agility, innovation, and a forward-looking approach are key to harnessing the opportunities that lie ahead. Enjoy, and see you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2024 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Two-thirds of hiring team members use AI – but how?

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 23:18:41 +0000

AI, of course, rocked our world. But for those of you who hire and employ, let’s understand what’s going on in AI in hiring.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

Get your free report now!

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The first – and most basic – question we asked of recent hiring team members in our AI in Hiring & Work survey is simply: when hiring, did you use some form of AI when doing so?

Nearly two in three respondents (62.5%) said yes.

That 62.5% of respondents brings us to a total of 950 hiring team members who have:

1) hired within the past year
2) used some form of AI in the hiring process

This gives us a rich opportunity to get deeper in this area.

The use cases of AI in hiring

First off, we asked respondents to choose three items from a comprehensive list of potential use cases of AI in hiring. Two major purposes for AI in hiring stood out: identifying potential talent, and optimizing the hiring process.

Talent identification

Respondents told us that AI is most used as a tool to help identify the right kind of candidates in the overall applicant pool. In other words, out of the entire pool, they’re using AI to extract the good ones worthy of a deeper evaluation.

Resume screening (58.9%) and candidate matching (43.1%) were by and far the top two most popular use cases for AI in recruitment.

But interestingly, only 8% of hiring team members used AI to source candidates – even though there are many tools out there that can do so, such as Workable’s AI Recruiter technology.

Logistical processes

As you work down the list of how AI is being used in hiring processes in the US and UK, the purpose becomes more logistics focused.

In other words, speeding up the overall process, freeing up bandwidth, and reducing bottlenecks in the hiring team – and AI supports the optimization and automation of steps with those goals in mind.

For instance, interview scheduling (37.6%), assessments (19.9%), and background checks (16.4%) are the third, fourth, and seventh most popular items in the list of 11 in total.

Compensation analysis (6.7%) and diversity analytics (6.6%) are the least popular items.

The industry lens

Not all hiring teams are the same, obviously – especially when looking through industry lenses.

Where resume screening leads the way in terms of what AI is being used for in the hiring process, it’s even more so for those in Accounting / Finance, where seven out of 10 hiring team members (70%) use AI in resume screening. That’s a full 11.1 points above the overall baseline of 58.9%.

That sector, however, is also less likely to use AI for candidate matching (36.3%) than all respondents (43.1%).

Meanwhile, Manufacturing (51.9%) and Retail (52.2%) are less likely to use resume screening. They are, however, much more likely than the overall to use candidate matching technologies (54.5% and 50.7% respectively, vs. 43.1% overall).

AI in video interviews is more popular with those in IT / Technology / SaaS (26.3% vs. 19.4% overall) and less so in Healthcare (12.7%) and Retail (13.4%).

When it comes to AI in assessments, Education is far more likely to use AI (29.9% vs. 19.9% overall) and Construction less so (13.3%).

There’s a lot more, of course. Download your free copy of the AI hiring and work survey now!

The post Two-thirds of hiring team members use AI – but how? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Hiring managers: what’s your working relationship with AI?

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:15:47 +0000

In 2023, AI didn’t just nudge into everyday life – it outright barged into the global landscape, disrupting foundational rules and redefining the way many of us work. The term ‘augmented workforce’ is climbing in prominence, and it’s worth including AI in conversations about ‘hybrid’ work since it involves the hybridization of human and machine. So to speak.

New report: AI in Hiring 2024

We asked 950 hiring managers how they're using AI in hiring and in the workplace. And now we have a new survey report packed with insights for you.

Get your free report now!

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The march of AI, sparked by the rise of ChatGPT into the popular lexicon in December 2022, has stirred feelings of curiosity (What is this that stands before me? How can it help me?) and caution (Will this become sentient? Will it take my job?).

That’s especially so in the workplace. We at Workable are diving right in – our software is already evolving to exhibit robust AI utility in its hiring and management capabilities to support your day-to-day work.

A new survey – to understand AI @ work

And as authorities in this arena, we understand that to truly grasp the extent and impact of AI,we must turn to those at its forefront – the people and industries it serves.

We want to unravel AI’s role at work, with hiring at the center of that focus. This is a journey into the heart of modern hiring and a finger on the pulse of the working environment that’s seen so much transformation since early 2020.

To collect our data, we surveyed 950 employees in the US and the UK across a wide range of sectors and functions. Seven key industries stand out, each with its own ecosystem impacted by AI:

Accounting/Finance: Precision meets prediction in this space – AI and its analytical potential can evolve the necessity of financial accuracy into strategic foresight.
IT/Technology/SaaS: The foundational garden from which AI sprouts – and itself a landscape that’s being reshaped by its own inventions.
Education: Learning and growth requires guidance and mentorship in the human, and is boosted by AI’s analytical powers.
Construction: Long evolved beyond wood and nails and hammers, the physical world of construction is increasingly built through digital precision and optimization.
Manufacturing: Machines are the foundation of manufacturing – AI orchestrates a symphony of physical technology with intelligent development.
Healthcare: A critical sector on which the literal health of society depends, this area is rife with compliance requirements, privacy considerations, and processes that are all augmented with digital transformation.
Retail: Experiencing AI’s transformation from inventory management to personalized shopping experiences and omnichannel presentation.

The resultant dataset from our 28-question survey of 950 provides numerous opportunities to understand all this at a deeper level. Let’s dive into the results together.

Sorry? You want to get the highlights right now? Sure. Major takeaways include the following:

If you’re looking to utilize AI in hiring, you’re in good company. A significant majority (62.5%) of respondents used some form of AI in hiring processes last year.
There are clear benefits to using AI in recruitment. A vast majority report that AI has sped up the hiring process (89.6%) and reduced the time (85.3%) and cost (77.9%) spent on hiring.
When using AI, don’t dismiss the human touch. Human decision-making dominates final hiring choices, with 15.3% relying solely on human judgment and 56.8% using AI only as a supportive tool.
IDing ideal candidates is a popular use of AI. The most common uses of AI in recruitment are resume screening (58.9%) and candidate matching (43.1%).
Different industries do AI hiring differently. For example, resume screening is predominantly used in Accounting / Finance, while IT / Technology / SaaS sectors leverage AI more in video interviews.
If you can mitigate bias, privacy and compliance challenges with AI, all the better. Common reported issues of AI in hiring include hiring bias (40%), privacy concerns (37.2%), and compliance challenges (30.7%).
Don’t expect AI to solve all your woes. A majority say AI boosts their productivity (75.7%), but challenges persist – including tech difficulties (46.2%) and employee resistance (40.5%).
Job security is a huge concern. A significant proportion of employees (68.1%) express concerns about AI impacting job security, and 57.2% say they did see jobs being displaced due to AI.

But the outlook is positive. The majority foresee an increase in the importance and usage of AI in hiring and overall workplace functions.

There’s a lot more, of course. Download your free copy of the AI hiring and work survey now!

The post Hiring managers: what’s your working relationship with AI? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

5 signs your company is ready for an HRIS

Alexandros Pantelakis — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:24:23 +0000

Imagine an HR manager – let’s call her Emma – at a rapidly growing tech startup, is swamped with manual tasks. She spends hours on data entry, struggles with error-prone payroll processing, and juggles time-consuming recruitment processes.

To name a few, tracking employee attendance and managing leave requests are chaotic, leading to payroll discrepancies. Performance reviews are a logistical nightmare, and ensuring compliance with labor laws is increasingly stressful.

Overwhelmed, Emma is in dire need of a solution to streamline these burgeoning HR responsibilities and remain productive.

Emma noticed all the signs and now she’s ready to suggest to her employer to start utilizing an HRIS. It’s about time.

5 signs your company needs an HRIS

A day at work for an HR professional is filled with numerous mundane tasks, as they try to fit all the processes into an 8-hour day. A new company may not have the resources to support a team only for the human resources tasks.

Fortunately, we live in a world where technology can lighten the burden and support the company in many different ways, leaving space and time for your HR personnel to focus on more important tasks that will make the difference in your employee’s life.

As an SMB employer, you need to ensure that while you are growing, you remain compliant, competitive, and ready for any turbulence that may upset your plans.

Let’s delve into the list of five important signs that are calling your attention to take the next step for your company.

Try Workable's HR software

You can hire with Workable, and you can also onboard and manage your new employees all within the same platform without messy integrations.

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“I can no longer do all the manual work”

In the contemporary workplace, dependence on manual HR processes emerges as a significant barrier to operational efficiency.

Picture a scenario where mundane tasks such as tracking attendance, managing leave balances, and conducting performance reviews become burdensome.

According to McKinsey, 50% of HR work can be automated in today’s age.

The implications extend beyond mere inefficiency, they manifest as heightened operational costs and a hampered strategic focus for HR professionals. Hence, witnessing an increase in labor costs and a consequential decline in overall productivity.

“I hate paperwork, but it’s important”

The intricacies of handling employee data manually pose multifaceted challenges, from ensuring accuracy to meeting compliance requirements.

According to a recent survey, 31% of HR managers say they need better employee data protection.

Implications of manual data entry, facing compliance issues during audits and raising concerns about data security and legal implications are only a few examples of it.

In this context, an HRIS becomes a crucial ally, navigating through complexities, and ensuring not just efficiency but also data integrity and compliance adherence.

“I need to be sure that I’m truly compliant with regulations and laws”

Navigating the evolving landscape of compliance stands as an enduring challenge for HR professionals.

Consider DEF Corporation, where manual tracking of employee certifications led to non-compliance with industry standards.

The repercussions extended beyond financial penalties to a compromised reputation as a responsible employer.

In the last 12 months, 40% of business and risk leaders surveyed by PWC reported that their organization has enhanced its risk management strategy to ensure stronger compliance with regulatory standards.

An HRIS isn’t merely a convenience but a strategic necessity, safeguarding against compliance risks and fortifying the foundation of responsible HR management.

If your company is based in the US, then here are some regulations you have to follow:

Companies up to 15 employees

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, child labor standards.
Equal Pay Act (EPA): Equal pay for men and women performing the same work.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): Workplace health and safety regulations.
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): Right to organize, join unions, and bargain collectively.
Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA): Prohibition of hiring illegal immigrants and mandate for employment eligibility verification.

Above 50 employees

Includes all regulations for up to 15 employees, plus:

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons.
Affordable Care Act (ACA): Employer shared responsibility provisions (providing health insurance coverage).
State-Specific Laws: Some states have additional requirements like paid family leave, health insurance mandates, etc.

Above 100 employees

Includes all regulations for up to 15 and above 50 employees, plus:

EEO-1 Reporting (Equal Employment Opportunity): Annual reporting of employment data categorized by race/ethnicity, gender, and job category.
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN): Requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.
Affirmative Action Programs: Certain federal contractors and subcontractors must develop affirmative action plans.

Additional considerations

International laws: If operating globally, different thresholds and regulations may apply in each country.
Industry-specific regulations: Certain industries may have additional regulations regardless of company size.
State and local laws: Often have different thresholds and additional requirements beyond federal laws.

Each country and each region (EMEA, APAC, etc) has its own rules and regulations that you have to be compliant with. An HRIS could take all the anxiety from you, helping you to stay aligned with laws and compliant.

“I feel like I’m losing time and money in the hiring process”

In the highly competitive arena of talent acquisition, the repercussions of relying on outdated recruitment practices extend far beyond mere statistics.

Picture a scenario where time-to-fill metrics stretch indefinitely, and the cost-per-hire steadily climbs, characteristics that plague organizations entrenched in manual recruitment processes.

This prolonged time-to-fill not only impacts the organization’s ability to respond promptly to business needs but also elevates the strain on existing team members covering vacant roles.

The recruiting process has been altered by the use of AI, according to 63% of talent acquisition specialists. Additionally, 69% of recruiters claim that AI aids them in identifying superior candidates.

These figures highlight that agility and precision are paramount during the recruiting process.

“Performance management is riddled with delays and inconsistencies”

In the intricate tapestry of effective performance management, manual processes often create a ripple effect across the entire organization, impacting not just quantitative metrics but the qualitative aspects of employee engagement and satisfaction.

Picture a scenario where performance evaluations are not just labor-intensive but also prone to delays, resulting in a palpable impact on the morale of the workforce.

The delayed feedback loop can lead to a perception of undervaluation among employees, affecting their motivation and commitment.

Research consistently demonstrates a direct correlation between efficient performance management and increased employee engagement, a metric critical for organizational success.

The stark disconnect faced by organizations in the absence of an HRIS is not just a missed opportunity, it’s a potential hindrance to talent retention, unrealized gains in productivity, and the fostering of a positive workplace culture.

“I need a solution ASAP”

You are at the right place. If you have at least one of the above challenges, then you are ready to search for an HRIS solution. You have many choices here, but we will suggest the best one.

This is Workable. Beyond merely streamlining laborious manual processes and navigating the intricacies of data management, Workable emerges as a strategic partner in fostering a culture of agility and employee empowerment.

Whether ensuring unwavering compliance, optimizing recruitment efforts, or enhancing performance management, Workable stands out as the comprehensive solution, providing organizations with the tools not just to survive but to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of HR management.

HR professionals across diverse industries find in Workable not just a tool but a transformative force, propelling organizations towards a future of streamlined and effective HR management.

As we navigate the complex terrain of HR challenges, consider this: Is your organization ready to transcend the limitations of manual processes, embrace data-driven efficiency, and position itself as an industry leader in talent management?

The transformative potential lies within the strategic integration of an HRIS, and Workable stands at the forefront, ready to usher your company into a new era of HR management.

The question remains: Will you seize this opportunity for advancement?

The post 5 signs your company is ready for an HRIS appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Augmented workforce is not the future – it’s happening now

Alexandros Pantelakis — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:00:52 +0000

Whenever you are asked the question “Will AI take my job?”, the answer might be, “No, thanks to the augmented workforce.”

If you are not familiar with the term, then it is about time to explain what an augmented workforce is, how skills and reskilling are playing a pivotal role in shaping the present and future of work, and whether all these advancements can secure your job.

What is an augmented workforce?

The concept of an augmented workforce transcends the traditional boundaries of human and machine collaboration. It represents a sophisticated blend where human intellect and emotional intelligence are amplified by AI’s computational power.

AI is not a substitute but a complement to human skills, taking on repetitive and mundane tasks and freeing humans to engage in more complex, creative, and strategic endeavors.

This synergy is not about replacing human effort but about enhancing and expanding human capabilities.

This synergy is not about replacing human effort but about enhancing and expanding human capabilities.

For instance, IBM’s report, “Augmented Work for an Automated, AI-driven World,” states that 40% of the workforce will require reskilling in the next three years due to AI and automation’s impact. Are the HR teams ready for it?

The augmented workforce model

The emergence of the augmented workforce is a response to the rapidly evolving business landscape, characterized by a need for agility, innovation, and heightened productivity.

This model is already being adopted across various industries, as evidenced by insights from the recent report, “Augmented Workforce: Empowering People, Transforming Manufacturing”, by the Economic World Forum in collaboration with the University of Cambridge. That report illustrates the tangible benefits of this integration, such as a 300% improvement in ergonomics and a 50% increase in quality.

These statistics not only highlight the efficiency gains but also the enhancement in employee well-being and safety.

Moreover, the deployment of augmented reality (AR) and other technologies has led to a 70% reduction in training costs and a 20% efficiency gain, as per the same report.

This demonstrates the profound impact of AI in streamlining training processes and improving operational efficiency, making a compelling case for the augmented workforce model.

Applying AI and augmentation technologies

The integration of AI and augmentation technologies in the workplace is not just a futuristic concept, it’s a present reality.

For instance, the use of AI-powered video learning platforms has led to a 50% reduction in training time and a 25% improvement in performance, as highlighted in the WEF report.

In logistics, a sector known for its physical demands, augmentation technologies like exoskeletons have made a significant impact. The introduction of exoskeletons resulted in a 30-40% immediate improvement in posture during work execution, dramatically reducing the physical strain on employees.

Furthermore, the application of augmentation technology in quality and process assurance has achieved remarkable results.

In specific cases, there was a reported 100% success rate in both quality and process assurance, underscoring the potential for significant improvements in production quality and reliability through these technologies.

Security and stability concerns

In the age of AI, one of the primary concerns for employees is job security. However, the augmented workforce model offers a reassuring perspective.

Rather than replacing human jobs, AI is augmenting them, creating new opportunities and enhancing existing roles. For instance, IBM’s report indicates that while AI is expected to disrupt 85 million jobs globally between 2020 and 2025, it is also projected to create 97 million new roles.

This shift underscores the transformative nature of AI – it’s not about job elimination but job evolution. The key is to view AI as a partner rather than a threat.

The key is to view AI as a partner rather than a threat.

By automating routine tasks, AI allows employees to focus on more meaningful, impactful work, thereby increasing job satisfaction and security.

This shift necessitates a proactive approach from HR professionals and employers in reskilling and upskilling their workforce to adapt to these new roles.

Embrace a human-centric approach

For HR professionals and SMB employers, adapting to the augmented workforce model involves strategic planning and implementation.

The first step is to embrace a human-centric approach, recognizing that the ultimate goal of technology integration is to enhance human work, not replace it.

Implementing augmentation technology involves a phased approach: starting with the concept phase to identify technologies and assess industrial challenges, followed by the pilot phase to test the technology in practice, and finally, the scaling phase to expand its use and evaluate its broader impact.

Moreover, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation is essential.

As AI evolves, so must the skills and capabilities of the workforce. Investing in training and development programs that focus on both technical and soft skills will be key to ensuring that employees are equipped to thrive in an AI-augmented environment.

AI won’t take your job

According to the World Economic Forum’s prediction, the year 2025 will witness the replacement of approximately 85 million jobs by AI. However, this technological advancement is also expected to generate around 97 million new job opportunities.

The transformative impact of AI in the workforce is echoed by industry leaders and experts.

For instance, Robin Bordoli, ex-CEO, Figure Eight, supports that “It’s not about machines replacing humans, but machines augmenting humans. Humans and machines have different relative strengths and weaknesses, and it’s about the combination of these two that will allow human intent and business processes to scale 10x, 100x, and beyond that in the coming years.”

Richard Baldwin put it right.”AI won’t take your job,” he said during a panel at the 2023 World Economic Forum’s Growth Summit. “It’s somebody using AI that will take your job.”

“The most expensive, most talented workers are the ones who have 20 years experience and know how to apply that. THAT’S what #AI does overnight.”

“.. A.I. won’t take your job, it’s somebody USING A.I. that’ll take your job.”@BaldwinRE @wef
pic.twitter.com/lGPKU0UtJp

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) May 2, 2023

These perspectives highlight a common understanding among experts: AI is a tool for enhancement, not replacement.

It’s about using technology to unlock human potential and drive forward innovation in ways previously unimaginable.

The journey towards an AI-augmented workplace is an opportunity for HR to redefine its role, focusing on strategic human capital development and fostering a culture that embraces continuous learning and adaptation.

By doing so, we can ensure that our workforce is not just equipped to handle the challenges of today but is also prepared to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of tomorrow.

The post Augmented workforce is not the future – it’s happening now appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Maybe a no-frills employee management tool is all you need

Alexandros Pantelakis — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 14:50:02 +0000

An HRIS is not just about cutting costs, it’s about streamlining processes, improving employee engagement, and ultimately driving your business forward.

This article aims to shed light on the top basic HRIS solutions that are making waves in 2023 and 2024, perfectly tailored for small and medium-sized businesses.

Why opt for a basic HRIS?

According to a report by SHRM, 25% of companies have incorporated automation into their HR workflow, primarily to enhance the recruitment and hiring process.

It’s simple. In a world where time is money, these systems offer straightforward, user-friendly platforms that cut through the complexity. They’re designed for businesses that need to manage their human resources effectively without the bells and whistles of more complex systems.

Consider this: According to a State of Digital Maturity report in 2022, more than half (51%) of workers stated that they dedicate a minimum of two hours each day to repetitive tasks.

Basic HRIS solutions can dramatically reduce this time, allowing you to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth.

Moreover, for small businesses, these systems offer an affordable way to manage HR processes, without the hefty price tag of more elaborate systems. This is confirmed by a vast majority of professionals who support that AI has sped up the hiring process (89.7%) and reduced the time (85.4%) and cost (78%) spent on hiring, according to our recent AI in Hiring survey.

Try Workable's HR software

You can hire with Workable, and you can also onboard and manage your new employees all within the same platform without messy integrations.

Learn more

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Don’t choose an HRIS before checking this

When it comes to selecting the right HRIS for your organization, it’s not just about picking the most popular option or the one with the most features.

It’s about finding the system that aligns best with your company’s specific needs, goals, and constraints.

Here are key considerations to keep in mind:

1. Company size and scalability

The size of your organization plays a crucial role in determining which HRIS is suitable. A system that works well for a small business might not scale effectively for a larger enterprise. Consider not only your current size but also your growth plans.

2. Industry-specific needs

Different industries have unique HR requirements. For example, a manufacturing company might prioritize safety training and compliance, while a tech company might focus more on talent acquisition and retention.

3. User experience and accessibility

A system that is intuitive and easy to navigate ensures higher adoption rates among employees. Accessibility across devices, especially mobile, is increasingly important.

4. Integration capabilities

Your HRIS should seamlessly integrate with other tools and systems in use, such as payroll, accounting, or project management software. This integration minimizes the need for duplicate data entry and streamlines processes.

5. Cost and return on investment

Budget is always a consideration. Weigh the cost of the HRIS against the benefits it provides. A more expensive system might offer a higher return on investment through time savings and efficiency gains.

6. Compliance and security

Ensure that the HRIS complies with relevant laws and regulations, especially those related to data privacy and security. The system should have robust security measures to protect sensitive employee data.

7. Support and training

Consider the level of support and training provided by the vendor. Good support can significantly ease the implementation process and help resolve any issues that arise.

8. Customization and flexibility

The ability to customize the system to fit your specific HR processes and policies is crucial. A flexible system can adapt to changing business needs over time.

Remember, the goal of an HRIS is not just to automate HR tasks but to enhance your organization’s human capital management.

The right system will help you attract, retain, and develop your employees, ultimately driving business success.

The post Maybe a no-frills employee management tool is all you need appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2024

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 22:17:05 +0000

In December’s Hiring Pulse, we took a deep dive into UK & Ireland hiring data and the lesson was clear: SMB hiring data isn’t all the same across the world’s many regions (and countries and even sectors).

It also means that with a full year of 2023 in our databank, we have the opportunity to do another kind of comparison in this month’s Hiring Pulse. In short: we can compare what 2023 looks like against preceding years in our three major hiring metrics.
So, let’s get started on that!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Early 2020 and late 2023 both show huge variation from the norm
Small businesses were especially active in hiring in the second half of 2023
The Great Candidate Surge is the biggest story of 2023

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of December are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of December against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

What’s glaringly obvious here are the years 2020 and 2023 in how much they stand out from 2021 and 2022.

First, the year that shall not be mentioned again (OK, fine, it’s 2020 if you’re wondering) saw a pretty significant shift downwards in the Time to Fill trend from the start of the pandemic through to September of that year.

Note how drastic the drop is – it’s well above the other three years in the first quarter including 102.6 in March 2020, the highest in this particular dataset.

And then, like the first drop in a roller coaster ride, it plummets to 82.7, the fifth lowest month of the 48 months and easily the steepest plunge of any period in that time period. It became incredibly quick to fill open roles – like poking holes in a dam, the water comes rushing through and those openings get filled right away.

Now, look at 2023. While it doesn’t look so unusual compared with 2021 and 2022 to start off the year, it does hover at a very low level throughout the entire year without the more significant undulations that we see in 2021 and to a lesser degree, in 2022.

Now, let’s look at the job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Let’s first look at ALL job openings across the board for each of the four years. Remember, this is average jobs per company. You can see how the years are mostly similar, apart from the dip at the start of the pandemic in early 2020 from 4.4 job openings per company in January 2020 to half that in April (2.2).

Like TTF, this is the steepest drop of any period between 2020 and 2023.

And there’s also a significant growth in the latter few months of 2023 – most notably going from 7.1 in July 2023 to a high of 8.3 in October of that year.

Job openings – small businesses

In the small business category (those with 1-50 full-time employees or FTEs), the two most interesting developments over the last four years are, again, in early 2020 and late 2023.

That being said, the drop in job openings in early 2020 wasn’t nearly as pronounced for small businesses as it was for all businesses, going from 2.1 job postings per company on average in January 2020 to a low of 1.3 in April 2020. It’s not half of what it was, but it’s still significant enough.

The jump in the latter part of 2023, while more pronounced than the overall average, is still pretty much aligned with the baseline.

What you should pay attention to is the sheer number of job postings per company in this size bucket – take October’s 6.8 for instance. Even for a company with 50 FTEs, that’s a new job posting for every seven employees. Either there’s a lot of turnover, or there’s a lot of growth in this category, or a lot of both.

Job openings – mid-sized businesses

Mid-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs) also saw a significant drop in average jobs posted in the early part of 2020, but the real story is the bump in the latter part of 2023 where average jobs per mid-sized company jumps to 6.7 in November.

The eye-opening part? Even though we’re talking about companies that essentially have five times the employee count as those in the small-business bucket, the average job postings per company here is lower than that for small businesses in three of the last four months (6.3 vs. 6.5 for September, 6 vs. 6.8 for October, and 4.5 vs. 6 for December 2023).

Job openings – enterprise-level companies

For enterprise-level companies (200+ FTEs), we see a very different story. While the early-2020 drop isn’t out of the ordinary when compared with the other size buckets, the trend for 2023 is entirely different. The others saw a jump in average job postings – this category didn’t.

Between March and October, the job posting activity barely changed from a low of 19.3 to a high of 20.7 and that’s it.

Now, the Candidates Per Hire metric:

3. Candidates per Hire

Let’s look at what’s going on here through December:

The big story in 2023 is clear. On the heels of the Great Resignation and the Great Discontent, we witnessed the Great Candidate Surge.

It’s all the more remarkable considering that, in 2020, unemployment jumped from 4.4% in March to 14.9% in April – you’d think there would be that many more candidates applying for any open job as a result, especially since job posting activity nearly came to a screeching halt.

But, instead, what we see in the second half of 2023 is a significant surge in the Candidates Per Hire trend and a jump in job posting activity during the same time.

One might even think that 2023 is much more eventful economy-wise than 2020 was, and they may be right. We saw a lot happen in the job landscape during the year.

What’s going on here?

The ebb and flow of the Time to Fill, the varied landscape of job openings, and the unexpected surge in candidates per hire in 2023 – these aren’t just numbers. They represent a vivid picture of the dynamic and ever-evolving world of hiring as of late.

The data, of course, isn’t absolute truth – but it’s a gateway to understanding the multifaceted fabric of economic shifts, industry-specific nuances, and business strategy upheavals in a labor market that’s seen numerous ebbs and flows in a short time.

So what does this all mean, anyway? It means you’re navigating a kaleidoscopic hiring environment. Imagine posting a job ad and weathering the onslaught of applications. This doesn’t have to be a Sisyphean undertaking – it’s just a call to arms for flexibility and innovation in your hiring strategy.

It means taking on cutting-edge hiring tools in your work – and yes, that does include AI in its various forms. The use of AI in the hiring process is clearly documented in this new Workable survey, and it’s no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity.

Watch this space for deeper dives in 2024 as we work to find interesting trends between industries, regions, and even job function. If you like numbers, or if you want to compare your own hiring experiences with a baseline, you’ve come to the right place.

Enjoy, and see you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Avoid early HR mistakes: how an HRIS can guide small businesses

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 15:06:26 +0000

In small businesses, especially those in their nascent stages, navigating the complex world of human resources can be as daunting as overall management of the business.

If you’re one of those American small business owners propelled into action after that inspired moment of scribbling down their brilliant idea on a napkin, you may already be familiar with the “oh s**t” feeling of being unprepared for the multifaceted challenges that come your way.

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After all, the Small Business Administration says about 21% of businesses fail in their first year, and just one-third of all small businesses survive their second year.

Lack of money and competition are cited as major factors, but so is poor management.

That can include HR management. Lacking experience in this area, you may inadvertently find yourself embroiled in early HR mistakes ranging from payroll errors to labor law non-compliance. Both can trip up the upward trajectory of your company.

There are also critical processes such as employee onboarding, payroll management, and benefits administration which can be handled in a makeshift manner, without the necessary guardrails or guidance. More trip-ups and more negative impact at a crucial stage of growth.

Plus, you have to think about talent acquisition strategy, employee engagement and retention, and other things that you may be overlooking because you’re fixated on immediate operational needs.

These mistakes can become costly over time. Can’t afford to do that now, can you? No, you can’t. You definitely don’t want to become part of that 21% statistic above.

So how do you avoid these mistakes?

In the early stages, you’re likely to not have a dedicated HR department or even an experienced HR professional on board. This absence of expertise leads to a reliance on ad-hoc methods and gut feeling rather than established HR practices – leading to what we’ve described above.

The good news is that this is entirely avoidable if you could have some sort of system in place.

That’s where a basic HRIS can come in quite useful. An acronym for Human Resources Information System, it’s a software that can serve as your beacon around all these potential hotspots.

It’s like having your very own digital HR manager helping you manage employees and their information within legal guardrails – even without formal HR training.

For businesses with as few as 20 employees, an HRIS can be a game-changer, transforming potential early mistakes into opportunities for growth and strategic HR management.

How can an HRIS guide your small business?

Wait. How can it be a game-changer for your business? An HRIS can guide your business to:

1. Optimize management of core HR tasks

For a small US business with up to 20 employees, implementing even a basic, plug-and-play HRIS can significantly streamline essential HR functions.

This includes automating payroll, tracking employee hours, and managing leaves, freeing up valuable time that owners and managers can redirect towards business growth and development.

2. Assure first-time compliance

Small businesses new to HRIS will find these systems invaluable for navigating the complexities of US labor laws and regulations.

A basic HRIS ensures that even those without prior HR experience can maintain compliance, reducing the risk of legal complications and fines related to HR practices.

3. Centralize employee data management

For small businesses without a previous HRIS, transitioning to a system that centralizes all HR data – from personal employee information to performance records – can be transformative.

It simplifies data access and management, enhancing the decision-making process with readily available, organized information.

4. Simplify employee lifecycle management

A basic HRIS provides small businesses tools to manage the entire employee lifecycle more effectively.

From the recruitment and onboarding of new hires to conducting performance reviews, these systems help in creating a more structured and engaging employee experience, which is crucial for retention and overall workplace satisfaction.

5. Grow and scale without breaking budgets

Even the most straightforward HRIS solutions offer scalability, which is essential for small businesses planning for future growth.

These systems can adapt to increasing employee numbers and evolving business needs without significant additional investments, making them a cost-effective solution for small businesses looking to expand their operations while maintaining efficient HR management.

Let the HRIS be your guide

For small businesses, an HRIS is more than just a tool for managing employee data; it’s a strategic asset that can prevent early HR mistakes and foster growth.

The benefits of an HRIS for your small business are pretty clear – it guides your operations so that you can maximize efficiency and effectiveness in the rudimentary operational tasks, and minimize risks and costs associated with the same.

The post Avoid early HR mistakes: how an HRIS can guide small businesses appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The future of recruitment: Q&As from Workable Next

Content team — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 23:12:56 +0000

At Workable Next on Dec. 6, 2023, CEO Nikos Moraitakis, CRO Rob Long, and CTO Spyros Magiatis unveiled groundbreaking enhancements in recruitment technology.

They discussed ATS advancements, innovative reporting tools, and HRIS features, highlighting Workable’s commitment to evolving talent acquisition and management.

Here are key insights from their FAQs.

Q. How much of your 2024 product road map will focus on the ATS?

A. The ATS remains the majority of our business, the overwhelming majority of our revenue and also the thing we are very well known for. So, the point solution for ATS is not being left behind in any way.

In fact, just to give you a sense, the ATS you see has been developed by, for most of the years, it was an engineering team of like 50, 60 people. And now it’s up to 70. And right now, already, the team is 150.

And yes, it includes maybe a third of them working on things that are not ATS including HRIS, job sites, etc.

We have a lot of other things that come together around the product, but [the ATS] is still the majority of the thrust of the R&D and, in absolute numbers year over year, bigger investment happens there.

So, today, obviously, the HRIS parts are new, and there’s a lot of new features, and there’s a lot of novelty in that direction.

But this is a bit misleading. The ATS remains like the brand of our business and the core of our business. That should give peace to people that we’re not starting to do other things.

Q. Are there any [plans] to improve the reports feature for recruiting?

A. We’re not surprised because these features that people are mentioning here are also the few very, very in-demand features.

We know that reporting is something that users always want more. I don’t know the details specifically, but I know we’re going for a very comprehensive solution that will give a lot of flexibility and essentially cover lots of different needs that different users have brought up.

And you’re going to get some really good news on that front, including the ability to receive scheduled email reports in your email.

Q. How can we get the information of our employees from our previous HRIS into Workable?

A. We’ll help you do that. Essentially, we have a customer success and professional services team that is going to sit with you, figure out your needs and how you want the work of HRIS to be set up and then they’re going to work with whatever provider or vendor you had before, how you had your data, and try to find the best way to migrate it and map it.

It’s not an easy process, but we have a team that is going to actually do that effort for you because it’s vital for your success. So you will have our assistance. We just did this for ourselves; we moved from Bamboo users before, and we moved to Workable. It’s been made so that this can be done.

If you just want to take a snapshot of the current information of your employees and import it to Workable, you can do it by a CSV import. We already have a fully customizable CSV import. You can map the columns of the CSV file to the employee record, the fields of the employee record as they have been defined by you in our own HRIS. And you just need to upload the CSV and you’re done.

But if you want to also migrate the historical information, then yes, with a professional service, we can do the more sophisticated import for you. It depends if you just have a list of employees and data that you can probably upload yourself.

But if you want to carry over your policies, documents, signatures, if you had an HRIS before, it’s best if you talk to our customer services team and we’ll do all the hard work for you.

Plus, we really want people to try it out because it’s a new thing. So, you will get a super VIP treatment from our team who wants to be super successful with their first customers. First-class service.

Q. Will we be adding a field to search by the general function since titles are so arbitrary?

A. What we are going to do in people search is replace the existing way to search with a natural language search that will be interpreted by an LLM to a query to our People Search index. So this thing will change completely and will have theoretically unlimited capabilities.

You’ll be able to tell it what you’re looking for and it will do with some LLM including some other things I saw in the chart, like a radius of a locale, you know, location with radius-based location searches and stuff like that.

Everything that can be mapped from natural language to an elastic search query – essentially being a bit technical here – will be possible.

Q. Any news on posting jobs in multiple locations?

A. Job postings in multiple locations is perhaps the most requested feature at the moment. It’s in the roadmap, The first version of multiple locations will be available in the beginning of 2024, but we will continue improving it over the first two quarters but even the first iteration will be good enough for most use cases regarding this qualification reasons.

I must admit this is something we had planned for [2023] but because it took us longer to do the required improvements in the new design of the candidate profile and candidate pipeline management. It’s definitely coming [in 2024].

The post The future of recruitment: Q&As from Workable Next appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:59:48 +0000

In November’s Hiring Pulse, we noted a huge drop in new jobs in the United States from 336,000 in September to 150,000 in October.

But now that’s changed again. Last month, the United States saw 199,000 new jobs added – the bulk of it in healthcare, social assistance, government, leisure, and manufacturing, Retail, on the other hand, lost a collective 38,400 jobs in November.

UK data is not yet released to the end of November, but we do have good news: we have our own network data from the UK & Ireland which will be our deep dive for this month.

Without further ado, let’s look at the three major hiring metrics as per the Hiring Pulse tradition.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates per Hire sees its third-biggest MoM drop of the year
Time to Fill is dropping, and that’s unusual at this time of year
Small businesses are hiring much more than medium-sized businesses in the UK & Ireland

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of November are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of October against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

Last month, we pointed enthusiastically to the three consecutive months of increase in the Time to Fill trend from August through to October – but now, that trend has come back down rather dramatically from a 2023 high of 85.2 in October to 82.1 in November.

November sees the year’s third-lowest TTF trend after May’s 80.6 and March’s 81.7. The drop of 3.1 points from October to November also marks the third-biggest drop from one month to the next after January’s 90.7 to February’s 86.2 (a drop of -4.5), and February’s 86.2 to March’s 81.7 (also -4.5).

So, is this… normal? Sorta. First, let’s look at the Jan-Feb-March change in the TTF for the years going back to 2020:

Looks sorta normal from here, apart from some stragglers. 2020 and 2022 look roughly the same – a dip from January to February followed by a rebound in March. 2021 and 2023 both follow the same downward trajectory for the TTF trend.

Now, look at how the different years compare for September-October-November:

Note that while September to October vary depending on the year, October to November looks very stable for 2020, 2021, and 2022.

2023 on the other hand… a huge drop that doesn’t look seasonal at all if you’re comparing it against previous years in the same time period.

Let’s move to the job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

We noted last month how small businesses (1-50 full-time employees) were more active than their mid-market (51-200 FTEs) peers in October – that’s reversed now. Those in the mid-market bucket have rebounded in new job activity from 5.9 jobs per company in October to 6.6 in November.

Meanwhile, that big jump for enterprise-level companies (200+ FTEs) is now all but erased with a drop from 17.6 jobs per company in October to 16.6 in November. That’s a drop of one full job posting per company. The overall average – yes, slightly skewed by the enterprise-level data – also fell from 8.3 to 7.9 jobs per company on average.

Moving right along to the Candidates Per Hire metric:

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through November:

The broken record has now been… broken for the moment, at least. After all those month-over-month increases dating back to the end of 2021 – with the exception of a few mostly anomalous drops – we’re seeing a pretty big drop in the Candidates per Hire trend.

In short, CPH dropped 10.8 points from 185.7 in October to 174.9 in November, the second-biggest drop since a 12.5-point drop from November to December 2021 – the only one higher was a 12-point drop from April to May this year.

Stating the obvious: a drop in CPH does not mean anything if it’s just another of the many anomalous drops over the past couple of years.

Now, let’s do our deep dive into the same data for the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Deep dive – UK & Ireland hiring metrics

Workable’s network data is broken out into five distinct regions around the world – North America, Latin & South America, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe / Middle East / Africa (EMEA), and finally, UK & Ireland.

The last region is our deep dive for this month. Let’s look at the three metrics in this regional bucket.

1. Time to Fill – UK & Ireland

What we saw in the worldwide data for the Time to Fill metric is reflected in UK&I as well – namely, a three-month sequence of TTF increases that end with a sharp plummet from 87.1 in October to 80.4 in November.

The difference is that the drop of 6.7 points is much more pronounced than the worldwide drop of 3.1.

2. Total Job Openings – UK & Ireland

Now here’s where things look different, in the job openings.

In the worldwide data, we noted how small companies (1-50 FTEs) and medium-sized (51-200 FTEs) were swapping spots in terms of job posting activities. And below, we’re re-sharing the chart above rather than overlay it with UK&I to reduce the amount of visual clutter:

But in the UK & Ireland, it’s very different. While companies in the medium-sized bucket are *almost* as active as in other parts of the world (5.6 job openings per company in UK&I vs. 6.6 worldwide), they absolutely pale in comparison to those in the small-sized bucket.

Small companies in UK&I are hiring at a torrid pace in September (11.5 jobs per company), October (10.7), and November (11.5) of this year, right on pace with the overall average.

Enterprise-level companies (200+ FTEs) are hiring even more in UK&I (18.9) when compared with worldwide (16.6) in November – and that’s been the case throughout most of 2023.

3. Candidates per Hire – UK & Ireland

The CPH trend, however, tells a very different story. Whi;le the CPH trend looks consistent between both UK&I and worldwide, two things stand out: first, the CPH trend topped out at 210.5 in September 2023 – a 147% increase over January 2022’s 85.2. That’s compared to a 111% increase from 84.7 to 179 worldwide.

The second thing to look at is just how much the CPH trend has dropped from 210.5 in September to 181.9 in October to 163.9 in November. That’s compared with a relatively stable worldwide trend of 179 in September to 185.7 in October to 174.9 in November.

What’s going on here?

Interesting, non? It just speaks to the reality that worldwide data can bring some insights but they do not tell the whole story. The real story is in the regions, the industries, and the functions – and especially, a intersectional approach to all of these for all three hiring metrics.

Hiring data isn’t the truth in itself and of itself – rather, it’s an opportunity for us to look at the complex interplay between macroeconomic trends, sector-specific challenges, and evolving employer strategies, particularly in the multiple undulating shifts in the global labor landscape.

So what does all that malarkey mean for you as an HR professional or hiring manager? It means you’re working in a multifaceted hiring landscape, especially if your company operates across borders and time zones. Imagine posting a job in this environment and managing the large volume of a diverse and shifting pool of candidates.

This doesn’t have to be an uphill climb – it simply underscores the importance of an adaptable, agile recruitment strategy that incorporates advanced tools and tech (including AI) in the attraction of top talent to your organization.

Enjoy the rest of the year, and see you in 2024!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

5 mistakes to avoid when using technology in recruitment

Keith MacKenzie — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 18:43:01 +0000

Why do we call them mistakes when technology is a boon? After all, technology has only minimized the repetitive manual tasks for recruiters!

Although the picture seems brighter, technology can sometimes become painful when you use it incorrectly.

There are five pressing mistakes you need to avoid when using technology when hiring a new employee.

What are they? Let’s look:

1. Relying too heavily on AI

Lately, advanced AI tools have been making waves in the recruitment world. Imagine AI matching candidates with job opportunities based on their skills and experience. Who wouldn’t want that when AI can take over such heavy-lifting tasks?

For example, recruiters can use ChatGPT in their recruitment process. Here are a few ways you can do so, from a real recruiter’s tips published on LinkedIn:

Draft interviewer training guides by expanding on your ideas and rewriting sentences in an understandable way
Generate hiring ads by taking prompts for the exact job role the recruiter wants to hire for

But, this temptation to rely heavily on AI has notable drawbacks:

It lacks the empathy and understanding that human recruiters bring to hiring processes.
It relies on historical data, which can increase biases.
It minimizes the innovative approaches to finding and attracting talent.
It cannot offer a personalized experience to candidates
It might reject unconventional candidates who don’t fit the predefined criteria.

In a new paper, Mona Sloane, a senior research scientist at NYU Center for Responsible AI, found that AI systems built to measure personality were not reliable testing instruments.

Although AI has been revolutionizing the recruitment world, the major problem with using AI is that companies don’t want to reveal the tools they’re using and vendors don’t want to reveal the things inside that tool, i.e., what kind of technology the software has, Sloane writes.

This eventually results in making biased hiring decisions, which impacts the overall hiring process.

2. Neglecting human interaction

Hiring is not just about filling positions. It’s also about understanding candidates’ aspirations, dreams, and nuances. It’s also about whether the candidate fits the company’s culture or not. Unfortunately, technology cannot assess any of this.

This is why it’s crucial to maintain the human touch in recruitment.

With human interactions:

Companies can foster a personal connection between candidates and the organization. This lets the candidates gauge the company’s culture and values
You can analyze the candidate’s character when you meet them personally. This will help you understand whether the candidate is a right for the organization, or not
You can analyze human intelligence elements like empathy, and compassion for work in the candidates. Human recruiters connect with the candidates on an emotional level, which AI cannot
You can assess a candidate’s interpersonal skills, culture fit, and overall potential

Here’s the thing: the hiring process seems like a never-ending game. But for candidates, the biggest turn-off is interacting with chatbots when they want to be seen and heard by the recruiters.

The solution? Prompt and personalized communication.

Sometimes, incorporating technology into the hiring process leads to an impersonal experience.

Sure, it reduces delays and streamlines the hiring process. But, it can unintentionally create impersonal interactions:

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): They pre-screen resumes through semantic search. But, they can sometimes ignore nuanced qualifications or achievements. This leads to impersonal candidate assessments. Not all ATSes are built the same, however – learn how Workable ensures a positive candidate experience even with the use of technology.
Chatbots: They are used for initial candidate interactions. But, they can provide scripted responses, lacking the human touch and genuine engagement.
Virtual interviews and online assessments: They lack the personal connection and face-to-face meetings. This affects the interviewer’s ability to evaluate the candidate’s personality and cultural fit.

Although automation and technology can impact the hiring process negatively, here are a few examples of how a few tech companies have successfully combined automation with personalized interactions:

Stanford Healthcare’s chatbot provides relevant job matches to candidates, communicates through the CRM, and answers and forwards the questions the candidate has asked the recruiter.
HackerEarth’s FaceCode lets developers write the code in real time. This lets the hiring managers review the code and provide personalized feedback to the candidate in real time.

3. Lack of data privacy and security

Neither the candidates nor the recruiters want the collected candidate information and other confidential information to be leaked. That’s why you need to know the different risks associated with data privacy. Why? Once you know these risks, you can find ways to eliminate them.

Data breach: Candidates can lose money due to data breach. Or, it can also cause personal distress to them if their personal or sensitive information is shared on social media.
Phishing attacks: They may even ask for sensitive information like bank details and passwords. These phishing scams are present as job offers, requests for CVs, or fake job listings.
Insider threats: Employees can misuse applicant data, such as data manipulation and identity theft. This can damage the candidate’s reputation.

So, how do you prevent candidates’ information and your company’s sensitive data? You need to comply with data protection and security regulations. Here’s how you can do it:

Encrypt your emails: Add a note in your emails letting the candidates know that the information shared between both of you is safe and secure. For example, use Google’s Gmail platform, which provides inbuilt email encryption.
Use an email client: Streamline your communication by selecting a reliable and secure email client for your business needs.
Choose the right ATS and candidate feedback tool: Make sure to collect only relevant candidate information.
Use regulatory frameworks as benchmarks: GDPR and ISO are some of the data security standards you must comply with.
Install and update security software: Use anti-virus and anti-malware software, and update the data regularly.
Train your staff: Educate your team on the steps to take when a data breach happens. Also, share with them the necessary solutions to protect the sensitive data.
Secure your website: Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. This way, you can encrypt the link between the applicant’s browser and your server.

Limit the access to candidate information: Provide access to team members involved in the hiring process. For example, the finance team and the receptionist.

4. Failing to adapt to changing technology

Have you ever thought about what would happen when you fail to adapt to the changing technology?

According to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting Report, 67% of talent acquisition leaders say AI makes it easy for them to source candidates. And, another 59% say that AI makes it easier for them to engage candidates.

But, if you fail to maximize the potential of AI it will affect your overall recruitment process. Here’s how:

You’ll lose the competitive edge

Your competitors are probably leveraging technology to attract and retain talent. But, if you are doing so, your organization might stay caught up in terms of innovation and productivity.

For example, ZALORA, a fashion e-commerce brand, was using traditional methods to hire employees. They would go through each developer profile manually. This way, they would get ten applications. For this, they would spend an hour interviewing them. This would lead to 20% of candidates being selected.

For Zalora’s team, this meant a waste of time. Naturally, they were lagging due to their manual recruiting process.

However, when the company leveraged recruitment software, it hired 35 developer candidates for different job openings in 2018. Their time-to-interview was reduced from 30 to 14 days. Naturally, Zalora’s hiring process accelerated after the implementation of recruitment software.

You’ll have limited access to talent

Imagine hiring employees manually without the use of technology. You wouldn’t be able to screen each candidate and identify whether they have the relevant skills, or not. Instead, you can screen only a few of them. In this process, you’re likely to miss out on other candidates who *actually* had the talent but you failed to screen them because of your manual efforts.

For example, Workable’s AI-powered feature, AI Recruiter, searches thousands of public online profiles in seconds to find candidates who match the skills and requirements listed in your job description. Additionally, integrating an email lookup tool into this process can significantly streamline communication.

Once potential candidates are identified, the email finder can quickly gather their contact information, allowing for swift and direct outreach. This not only saves time but also ensures that no talented candidate slips through the cracks due to missing contact details.

Naturally, it will help you access a wider pool of talent and build your talent pipeline, which you would have not been able to do otherwise.

Your recruitment processes will be inefficient

Without technology, businesses have to rely on manual data entry. This is time-consuming and usually prone to errors. When you integrate technology into your recruitment process such as, for example, learning management systems (LMS), it enables real-time collaboration. This allows recruitment teams to streamline their workflow.

For example, Hilton, a hotel chain, had a longer time-to-hire of 42 days with their traditional hiring practices. According to the Society of Human Resources, the average time to hire an employee is 36 days. This means Hilton was spending more than average time in hiring — making their hiring processes inefficient.

You’ll incur high recruitment costs

Screening paper resumes and conducting in-person interviews leads to a higher business cost compared to digital resumes and virtual interviews. This takes much more time in screening, resulting in increased time-to-hire. It is because of these traditional practices that organizations fail to succeed.

A recent Forbes article states that some organizations lost $1.3 million a year. Reason? Inefficient business processes and not leveraging technology.

You’ll offer a poor candidate experience

Candidates expect a streamlined, efficient process. Without technology, you may take more time to screen and interview the candidate. When candidates have to wait longer to know about their application status, they feel frustrated and disinterested. This is why only two in 10 candidates rate their candidate experience as excellent.

But you can change this scenario by staying updated with the changing recruitment trends. Here’s how:

Attend online and offline events and conferences: Network with fellow recruiters and HR professionals. With interactive sessions, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, you’ll gain knowledge about the new changes and trends in the recruitment industry.
Follow industry experts on social media: Follow thought leaders in HR and recruitment space on social media platforms. For example, LinkedIn and Twitter. These experts share valuable insights and best practices on their social media channels. Read their posts to gain knowledge about the latest industry trends.
Network with other HR and recruitment professionals: Connect with HRs and recruiters on social media. Also, join Slack communities like #People, Peoplegeeks, HackingHR, HRtoHR, and so on.

Companies are now understanding the importance of technology. So, many tech-oriented recruitment companies are shifting their traditional work approach. They are opting for an automated hiring system. Here’s the proof:

53% of companies conduct competency-based interviews, and 40% use video interviews to get top talent.
68% of recruiting professionals say that the best way to improve recruiting performance over the next five years is by investing in new recruiting technology.
78% of employers that use an ATS said that recruitment technology makes finding great talent easier than ever.

Let’s delve more into this and understand how companies have been maximizing the use of technology.

Example #1:

Rootquotient, a product engineering company, was growing at a higher pace. They wanted to scale their volume of hiring. While resume-level filtering worked for them during smaller hiring volumes, it became difficult for them to do so when the demand increased.

They faced three challenges: a large pool of candidates, availability of questions on online channels, and time-consuming manual screening.

Solution: They used a recruiting tool called HackerEarth that provided them with a technical coding assessment platform. With the help of this platform, RootQuotient could set up a questionnaire with a library of coding questions that HackerEarth provides.

The recruitment would start with an MCQ test that filtered out 20% of candidates. These top 20% of candidates were then invited to the next interview round.

Result: The company hired 25 technical team members in a year and reduced its time to hire by half.

Example #2:

Redswitches, a tech company, struggled with hiring freelance writers for their company. Although the company used LinkedIn and job portals like Naukri to source writers, they used to get bombarded with candidates who were not the right fit. Plus, sifting through job applications manually was a tedious task for the recruiters.

Solution: They used Workello, a skill-testing platform that provided the company with tools to target the right audience and relevant candidates.

Result: The company hired 12 content writers in one month.

5. Ignoring diversity and inclusion

Although AI minimizes bias in hiring, it has been increasing biases in recruitment based on a few studies. Here’s the proof: a study by WEF found that certain widely used AI screening tools discounted resumes of women candidates by 8%.

Case in point: Amazon built a computer program to review job applicants’ resumes. This tool used artificial intelligence to give candidates scores ranging from one to five stars. But, it had a big flaw. It discriminated against women candidates. The tool couldn’t rate candidates for software developer jobs and other technical posts based on their gender. This led to an increase in bias in recruiting.

Such biases hamper the hiring process and credibility of your organization. So, if you want to create a balanced work culture in your organization, maximize diversity and inclusion in your hiring process.

To avoid biases creeping into the recruitment system, use the following strategies:

Use gamified assessments. These assessments, based on neuroscience, provide accurate, unbiased, and predictive candidate data.
Leverage a blind resume screening platform. These platforms remove identifiable characteristics such as name, age, gender, or level of education. This prevents different cognitive biases from allowing you to improve bias in the selection process.
Use video assessment tools. These tools can analyze verbal and non-verbal cues. This helps predict a candidate’s emotional engagement, problem-solving style, and thought process.
Use tools like Gender Bias Decoder. These tools can analyze gender-biased job descriptions. Recruiters can use such tools to evaluate their job descriptions for biases and fix the job description to make it gender-neutral.

Wrapping up

No doubt, AI is a boon for the recruitment industry. However, it’s better not to rely on artificial intelligence completely.

Like the miscellaneous advantages it brings to you, it also brings the technological nuances like:

Higher data security risks like breaches of candidate data like their email address, bank details, and so on.

Biases in the hiring process lead to evaluating the candidate based on gender parameters unless they are optimized for gender neutrality.

Eliminating human interactions and relying completely on automation can lead to an impersonal candidate experience.

It’s better to have a combination of both worlds: automation and the human element.

Antonio Gabric is an outreach manager at Hunter. He is passionate about testing different outreach tactics and sharing results with the community. When he is not connecting with industry leaders you can find him on his motorbike exploring off-the-beaten paths around the world.

The post 5 mistakes to avoid when using technology in recruitment appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

What even is an HRIS – and how to know you need one

Alexandros Pantelakis — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:24:32 +0000

For small business owners, the journey to effective human resource management is often fraught with challenges. Limited resources and expertise can make traditional HR processes cumbersome and inefficient.

HRIS enters the room…

By utilizing an HRIS software you can make your business life a lot easier. This technology can ameliorate significantly the way small businesses handle their HR tasks.

After all, it is no coincidence that 25% of companies identify better functionality as a top reason for using an HRIS.

And guess what? This article is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of HRIS and its transformative potential for small businesses.

What is an HRIS?

Don’t panic. A Human Resources Information System (HRIS) is a software solution that integrates and automates various human resource functions into one centralized system. This is not as technical as it sounds. It really is a software that you can just install on your computer or use it online to help you manage your employees.

It is designed for everyday people to manage employee data, streamline HR processes, and provide strategic insights into workforce management.

HRIS systems vary in complexity and features, but they all serve the primary purpose of making HR management more efficient and data-driven.

What can an HRIS do?

Enough with the terminology. Let’s see now how an HRIS can help small business owners or HR professionals do their job in practice.

Here’s a list of the most popular features of an HRIS:

Onboard new hires
Consolidating all Paid Time Off (PTO) requests in one place for easy tracking and approval
Automatically updating employee records when they change personal details like address or phone number
Generating payroll automatically, including calculating deductions and taxes
Scheduling and tracking employee performance reviews and storing the outcomes
Providing a portal for employees to access their pay stubs and tax forms.
Monitoring employee training progress and certifications.
Generating compliance reports for labor laws and regulations.
Offering analytics on workforce trends like turnover rates or average time in position.
Sending out automatic reminders for important dates like work anniversaries or certification renewals.
Facilitating internal job postings and transfers within the organization.
Enabling managers to approve expense reports and travel requests.

And this is just for starters. Can you now imagine how helpful an HRIS could be for your organization?

An HRIS can save you a significant amount of time and money, and also help you identify areas that require human intervention.

Why do small businesses need an HRIS?

Like everyone operating in a market, all small business were in a position where they were trying to handle different situations and focus on their company’s growth. That is the way to make a small business bigger and bigger.

However, it comes with no surprise that small businesses often grapple with managing HR tasks efficiently.

Business owners often cope with payroll, schedules, and employee time off manually, either on paper or in spreadsheets. This outdated approach not only consumes a significant amount of time but also introduces the potential for errors, leading to a frustrating experience for you who seek efficiency and accuracy in your day-to-day operations.

HRIS offers an easy way to deal with these challenges by automating processes such as payroll, benefits administration, and employee data management. This automation not only increases efficiency but also aids in maintaining compliance with various regulatory requirements.

At least, this is what 35.3% of small business owners believe when it comes to increased efficiency.

Benefits of implementing HRIS in small businesses

We believe that by now, you have received all the information you need to begin implementing an HRIS. However, if you still can’t find the answer to the question ‘why do I need one,’ please allow us to describe some of the benefits of this software.

Efficiency and time savings: Automation of routine HR tasks leads to significant time savings and enhanced operational efficiency.

Data accuracy and security: HRIS minimizes human errors and securely manages sensitive employee data.

Compliance and risk management: It helps in staying compliant with the constantly changing labor laws and regulations.

Employee self-service: Employees can access and manage their own HR-related data, reducing the administrative burden on HR staff.

Scalability: As the business grows, HRIS can easily adapt and scale according to the changing needs.

Choosing the right HRIS for your business

Selecting an appropriate HRIS requires careful consideration of various factors:

Cost and budget

Evaluate the cost of the HRIS against the budget and expected ROI.

Features and functionalities

Ensure the HRIS has all the necessary features that meet the specific needs of your business.

Ease of use and training

The system should be user-friendly and require minimal training for staff and employees.

Integration capabilities

Ensure that the HRIS can integrate with other business software and tools for seamless operations.

Vendor reputation and support

Research the vendor’s reputation in the market and the level of customer support and training they provide.

For small businesses, an HRIS is not just a tool for managing HR processes; it’s a strategic asset that drives efficiency, compliance, and growth.

You don’t have to be tech-savvy to understand how it works, as most of them – and especially ours – are incredibly user-friendly and designed for everyday people like me and you.

The post What even is an HRIS – and how to know you need one appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 20:32:05 +0000

In October’s Hiring Pulse, we noted the huge rise in total payrolls in September to the tune of 336,000 in the United States.

Meanwhile, in the UK, total payrolled employees hit 30.2 million in October – a new high for the country.

October in the US, however, sees a slowdown to 150,000 new jobs, slightly below projections but not wholly unusual, say economics.

With that perspective in the two biggest English-language job markets, let’s look at the three major hiring metrics and see what else we can learn.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

TTF is on the rise again after a long period of steady decline
Small businesses are hiring more than their mid-sized counterparts
Candidates per Hire continues its meteoric rise

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of October are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of October against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

Things are looking a little different now on the Time to Fill front, for the first time in a long while. Look at the data starting in January 2022 and just draw a line from there to the TTF metric in mid-2023. What does that line look like? It’s a very clear downward trajectory, especially this year from January 2023’s 91.0 to May 2023’s low of 80.4.

Since then? It’s not only stabilized over the next few months from May through to about July/August – it’s actually rising. The line from July 2023’s 82.6 to October 2023’s 85.0 may not initially look like a big jump in raw numbers, but it’s an indicator when you look at it from a historical standpoint. In the recent past, we’ve only seen similar upward trajectories in TTF in September-November 2020 and March-September 2021.

With the exception of past Januarys (where a monthly jump in TTF is wholly normal for that month every year), it’s been a consistent decline nearly every month in the time it takes to fill positions – right up to Q3 2023.

Last month, we called this a “non-story”, because we considered this to be mere blips in the bigger picture of the TTF radar, but now, this is worth paying attention to.

Why? It’s not only the first time we’re seeing a steady (albeit modest) increase in the metric in recent months, it’s also inconsistent with this time period in previous years:

See how 2023 trends up while the others go down? Keep this in mind as we move on to the other two metrics – which may give us more insight into why this is happening.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

All that talk of a “September Surge” last month is continuing into October in our data for job openings. While September saw an increase of a full half-job per company on average from August, we see another increase to 8.2 from September’s 7.9, making October the fourth consecutive month of MoM increases in job openings.

When we get down into the size buckets, enterprise-level companies (those with 200+ full-time employees, or FTEs) maintain their undulation in the job opening trend, this time jumping up again to 17.3 new job openings per company on average for October, a .7 increase from September.

Mid-market companies (51-200 FTEs) didn’t show as much activity, dropping to 5.9 job openings on average from 6.2 the previous month.

The real story, again, is in the smaller businesses (1-50 FTEs). Not only did their robust recruitment activity continue into October with 6.8 job openings on average compared with 6.5 in September, they’re actually more active than their mid-market peers.

Think about it: companies with fewer than 50 full-time employees are hiring more than companies with up to four times as many FTEs – and actually, it’s significantly more: 6.8 compared with 5.9. Almost a whole extra job on average.

So, we talked about looking at JOs as a potential insight into the recent increase in TTF – perhaps those small businesses don’t have a dedicated HR team or, perhaps, a small squad with limited bandwidth. It takes a little longer to get that job filled than it might take for larger businesses who have the luxury of a full-time recruiter on staff.

Keep that in mind as we look at the Candidates per Hire metric.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through October:

Another new high this month. With monthly adjustments in place, the Candidates per Hire metric now stands at 185.9 for October, a sharp increase of 17 points from the modest (and anomalous) dip in July 2023. It’s also a 62.4-point increase from January’s 123.5.

Just to call out the obvious: that’s a pretty big jump in a short time.

No need to beat around the bush again with fancy insights or even everyday vernacular on the data. Candidates are applying at a breakneck pace, and there are several factors for it – job loss throughout the year and AI-supported applications playing big roles.

What’s going on here?

The big story this month isn’t ultimately in the CPH increase – that’s basically expected at this point and has been discussed aplenty in past Hiring Pulses. What’s most interesting is the reversal of the TTF metric to an upward track.

When combining the three metrics above, it’s pretty clear that the more robust hiring in smaller businesses combined with that huge CPH spike means those resource-strapped smaller teams have a tougher time going through such a high number of applications in the same amount of time as before.

Think about it from an HR standpoint – or better yet, as a hiring manager who doesn’t even have the luxury of an HR professional to help you out. You open a new job for a marketing manager, and you’re slammed with a hundred applications on the very first day.

And then in the next few days, that number doubles to 200. Your plate is already full with day-to-day work and meetings and, well, that’s why you need that new manager in your team so you can start delegating.

So, you spend evenings looking through the applications. Yes, the data shows that employers spend an average of six to seven seconds looking at each resume – but that’s likely a scary headline to catch the attention of desperate jobhunters.

Let’s adjust that number to 20 seconds per application. Even at 20 seconds per review, going through 200 applications takes more than an hour of consistent, unwavering, dedicated attention.

But, by gosh, you’ve been able to do it over the span of a few days. You’ve whittled that list down to 20 very interesting candidates.

You’d like your HR professional to screen them – or in the absence of such, you send automated one-way Video Interview requests to each of them with a turnaround time of three days.

That brings us down to, say, six outstanding candidates after a few weeks.

If you’ve hired in your career, you know the drill. There are assessments, second interviews, follow-up communications, executive interviews, internal meetings, background checks, the whole shebang. It does take time, especially when you’re managing it solo.

If you smelled a shameless plug coming, then you’re right. Not only does Workable have a top-rated, plug-and-play recruitment software designed for ease of use, it also has Free Tools for Managers – true to its name, it’s a cost-free tool for hiring managers to use when tight on budget and tight on resources. Give it a whirl right now by entering the job title and industry and watch the AI-driven magic unfold.

You may also find that it’ll help optimize your hiring processes and even bring your own Time to FIll down.

Enjoy, and see you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Cisco exec says the AI hype is legit, but be pragmatic about it

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 16:09:59 +0000

So, is AI all hype or is it the real thing? Instead of speculating, we get insight from those in the know. In this case, Javed Khan, SVP and GM of Collaboration at Cisco, shared his tips and perspectives on AI in the workplace.

Is the AI hype for real?

First, we asked him what AI in the workplace looks like right now and whether it’s here to stay.

“While it seems overnight that AI became the hot topic – and is just now showing up in workplaces – it’s been around for a while,” Javed says.

And now it’s evolving.

“With advancements in LLMs and their ability to respond in more human ways, we’re seeing so much potential to reimagine work. AI in the workplace is here to stay and will eventually disrupt every profession.

“Moreover, AI will disrupt business operations, requiring business leaders to look at how people will operate, as well as how employees are trained and reskilled to best harness the rise of AI for optimal business outcomes.”

With advancements in LLMs and their ability to respond in more human ways, we’re seeing so much potential to reimagine work. AI in the workplace is here to stay and will eventually disrupt every profession.”

There’s a lot to say for AI’s positive benefits as well.

“We already know AI can scale the pace at which value is created – like building better products or delivering better customer outcomes. Beyond that, it has the ability to make employees better – removing mundane, time-consuming tasks and allowing a focus on activities that drive value. AI gives us the power to think deeper, broader, and more creatively than ever before.”

Workplace adjustments need to be considered right away, Javed adds, to future-proof against any potential problems.

“As the AI landscape continues to evolve, considerations for flexibility, privacy, and security need to be factored in from the get-go.”

What about the AI skeptics?

Naturally, there will be some skepticism and resistance from employees who may either not see the value of AI or consider it to be a threat to their work – including their jobs themselves. There are ways to ‘convert’ them to the value of AI, but this needs to be carried out in the right way and different employee personas need to be considered.

We asked Javed this as well.

“AI must be used ethically – and that can be done by establishing a responsible AI framework to be followed by the organization at large and every individual,” he says – emphasizing the importance of training. “Help employees understand and gain access to the benefits available to them.”

He adds that once employers start showing the benefits that AI can provide in day-to-day work, employees will be more receptive.

“Whether it’s summaries that enable quick, easily digestible information sharing or removing background noise to ensure everyone is heard, once the benefits of AI are apparent – and it’s clear how it makes work better – most employees will embrace AI.”

Hiring managers and recruiters are already using interview question generators and job description generators to enhance their recruitment process – and you can too.

How do we navigate without precedence?

AI is very much uncharted territory for many businesses. When there’s no real playbook to run business processes by, mistakes are bound to happen.

Since businesses don’t have the luxury to take a live-and-learn approach – we asked Javed what he thinks are the biggest mistakes business leaders could make when attempting to leverage AI in their organization.

The first one, Javed says, would be not having clear parameters for using AI or having clarity around its value proposition.

“AI, for the sake of AI, leads to confusion and, worse, potential security issues. Leaders should spend the necessary cycles on diligence before making vendor selections and architectural choices. It is paramount to establish responsible AI practices for its use.”

And don’t force it on employees – that would be a mistake as well. Give employees a choice in the matter, he says.

“There are some roles where AI can help employees be more productive and deliver better work products. But there are also roles where it’s not as critical; just like we give employees a choice over which tools they use, we need to do the same with AI.”

Don’t just buy the hype

It’s been discussed aplenty – when it comes to incorporating AI into regular workflows, it’s important to remember that with great power comes great responsibility. Cisco is already leveraging AI in their Webex portfolio, so Javed knows what he’s talking about.

The common theme throughout Javed’s insights is this: if you’re working AI into your day-to-day business (and you should), take a pragmatic approach. Think about security, data privacy, user buy-in, and other logistical elements of management. Go forward by all means, but go prepared.

The post Cisco exec says the AI hype is legit, but be pragmatic about it appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Zego optimizes hiring processes with Workable & Hired

Content team — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:08:40 +0000

About Zego’s hiring leader

Olivier Parent, who has served as the Head of Talent Acquisition at Zego for nearly three years, possesses more than 10 years of expertise in growing talent departments.

Olivier’s extensive experience is predominantly rooted in nurturing talent teams, particularly within the dynamic startup and scale-up realm, with a primary emphasis on enhancing efficiency and cost savings for Gig Economy drivers.

About Zego

Olivier: “Zego, an insurtech company, initially gained recognition by providing motorbike insurance solutions to gig economy professionals. However, it has since broadened its scope to include various technology-enhanced commercial motor insurance offerings.

“We’re a commercial motor insurer on a mission to save people time and money. From nationwide taxi fleets to self-employed scooter delivery riders, our customers are our driving force. We work hard to make insurance simple, affordable, and stress-free for every one of them.

“When we started back in 2016, we knew that traditional insurance held businesses back. It was too complicated, too time-consuming, and it wasn’t priced fairly. So we set out to change that, building insurance products to empower professional drivers throughout the UK, Europe, and beyond.

“So far, we’ve raised over $200 million in funding, and we’re proud to hold the title of the UK’s first Insurtech Unicorn (a private company valued over $1 billion). We’ve grown from a scrappy start-up into an industry-changing organisation. And there’s plenty more to come.”

How did you start working with Hired? How did you start working with Workable?

Olivier: “I brought Hired.com on board last year following successful use of the tool when I was working at Zopa. Workable was already the ATS implemented at Zego when I joined which worked out perfectly since Workable and Hired have an easy-to-implement, bi-directional integration.”

Comparing Zego to non-integrated companies on Hired

	Zego	Non-integrated companies
Interview requests to URG rate	17.8%	10.6%
Average days to first interview request	6.34	8.74
Average days from interview request to hire	40	42

Zego stats from Workable

25% year-over-year reduction in Time to Fill
Over 900 hours (112.5 working days) saved with self-scheduling
70,000+ automated actions to deliver critical information to candidates
200+ requisitions tracked keeping Zego on schedule and within budget
Thousands of new candidates each month through sourcing, job boards, referrals and internal applications

What has your journey with AI looked like? Were you using AI before it became a hot topic?

Olivier: “It’s still very new but right now, we mostly use AI to optimise the wording of our messages outreach. AI technology is able to create unique messaging as per our inputs. These human-like messages give us a template to personalise further and prevent applicants from slipping from the hiring process due to poor engagement.”

How has AI streamlined your hiring process?

Olivier: “It’s a bit too early to tell. In the future, a goal of ours is to use AI to conduct and improve particular components of the recruitment process.

“For example, the interview process can be streamlined with AI. By using conversational AI technology we could conduct initial interviews and shortlist applicants based on predefined criteria.

“As AI is still only a tool, this is something to explore when we’re positive it can be used ethically.”

What are some of the challenges you typically face in the hiring process?

Olivier: “This year the challenge is to face a volume of inbound job applicants.

“While too many applicants could be thought of as a “good” problem, it creates new issues when the majority are poor matches and the team’s time is consumed searching for qualified candidates.

“From improving job description readability, enhancing employer brand, and prioritizing outcomes over activity, there are strategies to handle a flood of applicants.”

How have Workable + Hired been able to solve for them?

Olivier: “Workable helped with “killer” questions. We use knock out questions as a strategic tool in our hiring process to efficiently filter out inbound job applicants who do not possess the essential skills or qualifications required for the job.

“For example, imagine a company like Zego is hiring for a senior engineering role that requires SQL experience. If a candidate doesn’t have this experience a knockout question about this skill can help to deprioritize them. Zego still collects their applications and can resurface the candidate in the future through Workable’s AI when a suitable role does open up.

“By doing so, they save time and resources for the hiring team. This approach helps ensure that the most promising candidates progress to further stages of the hiring process, ultimately leading to a more focused and efficient recruitment process, reducing the likelihood of hiring mismatches, and potentially improving the quality of hires.

“Hired’s AI-driven platform matches candidates to employer roles, approves candidates to go live based on marketplace demand, recommends similar candidates, and more. Hired recognises AI technology can speed up sourcing, screening, and filling roles while being aware that these tools can’t fully replace human expertise.

“To maintain transparency and ensure bias-free hiring, Hired regularly conducts AI audits. These are technical assessments of the organisation’s methods to prevent, detect, and correct algorithmic bias.”

How does a tool like Hired address / mitigate bias in AI?

Olivier: “We used a sprint approach when it comes to DEI. The first week of sourcing efforts is only focused on underrepresented groups before we open up the search. The DEI features in Hired’s tech hiring platform really helped us for that.”

Available DEI features on Hired

Zego and all other Hired customers have these DEI hiring features handy to surface underrepresented talent without removing relevant matching candidates.

With DEI discoverability on, interview requests to underrepresented candidates increase by nearly 30%
Bias reduction mode removes demographic details to lower risk of unconscious bias
Salary bias alerts foster transparent compensation by notifying employers when they offer a lower salary than usual
Skills assessments standardise the hiring process and promote skills-based hiring

Available DEI features on Workable

Workable has a full suite of DEI features to enable companies to build inclusive hiring practices.

Hidden evaluations: Interviewers only see comments from the rest of the hiring team once they’ve submitted their own evaluations, encouraging impartial feedback.
Interview kits: With customizable interview kits and AI-suggested questions, Workable helps you standardize questions across all candidates for an equitable experience.
Anonymized screening: Automatically filter out personal information when reviewing resumes, so your team can focus on candidates’ work experience.
Data-driven decision making: Tools like Assessments encourage data-driven decisions as hiring managers can compare candidate scores and get predictive performance insights.

What advice would you give to other organisations considering using AI in their hiring process?

Olivier: “Use it as a tool to optimise the process, not as a way to replace human decision-making. To get started, focus on using AI for administrative tasks.”

Need a few ideas?

Write Boolean strings
Draft questions to ask the hiring manager
Write a candidate a compelling email

Get insights on using ChatGPT for recruiting in this blog. Use AI as a tool to ideate and iterate, cutting down on time-consuming tasks. That way, you can focus on what’s really important – the human-centric part of recruiting that maximizes impact.

Are you using any of Workable’s AI tools?

Olivier: “Yes, resurfacing candidates enables us to stay in touch with the best of the best in our talent pool. We find a lot of great candidates. Vetting them can take a lot of time and we may not have a spot for them when they first apply.

“We can resurface them with the click of a button to shortlist past candidates who had great evaluations, positive sentiment from the hiring team, and are relevant to our currently open roles.”

Resurfacing past candidates also helps with:

Reducing costs by immediately filling your hiring pipeline
Improving time to fill by bringing back candidates you’ve already vetted
Engaging the hiring team by showing how their input impacts future hiring

Can you share how these tools complement each other in your hiring process?

Olivier: “Hired brings a niche-engaged pool of candidates. We’ve found the candidates on Hired to be highly vetted and intentional. Hired partners with community-based organisations who share our vision for a future where everyone has an equal opportunity to find a job they love. Our partnerships allow us to amplify our values, and give companies and job-seekers a head start towards growth.

“Workable helps us track the highly vetted candidates that we find through Hired. They come into Workable from Hired seamlessly, where we can evaluate them with our hiring team and move towards an offer. Workable helps us exceed our hiring goals, keeping our headcount full and our recruiting within budget while saving us time.”

What features do you appreciate the most from each of these tools?

Olivier: “Good integration between the two tools. Workable and Hired have made it easy to coordinate workflows between the platforms. By pulling roles from Workable into Hired and avoiding re-entering role information, we’ve been able to save hours of time. In addition, we’ve improved the candidate experience by managing candidates’ status on Hired through Workable.”

Any final thoughts from Hired, Zego, or Workable?

Olivier: “Workable has helped over 27,000 companies make more than 1.5 million hires. Companies like Zego are able to excel with Workable and its AI tools to save themselves time and money. Whether you’re hiring employee #2 or 200 new employees, Workable’s scalable tools, know-how and support help you make the hires that make your business great.”

The post Zego optimizes hiring processes with Workable & Hired appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:24:50 +0000

In September’s Hiring Pulse, we noted how a glut of candidates for a job posting isn’t so much of a luxury as it is a burden on employers. When you have more candidates, you don’t necessarily have the pick of the crop – more candidates means saturation, and points to desperation in the talent market.

But something interesting happened in the latest job report from the US Department of Labor – total payrolls in the United States grew by 336,000, which came as a surprise to many.

(Just in case you’re wondering – yes, some of those numbers in 2020 are literally off this chart. If you must know, March and April 2020 saw job losses of 1.4 million and 20.5 million respectively, followed by bouncebacks of 2.6, 4.6, 1.4, and 1.7 million for the four months after that ending in August 2020.)

There are many other surprises in store as well. Let’s look at the three metrics, and bring some fresh insights to the table. Ready? Let’s roll!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates Per Hire is still on a meteoric rise
Job postings are climbing rapidly, with a big chunk of that in small businesses
The “September Surge” has data to show for it

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of September are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of September against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

At first glance, this looks like another month-over-month (MoM) drop – but look deeper, and you realize that it’s actually inconclusive. A change from 82.9 in August in the TTF metric to 82.6 in September is nothing to write a long letter home about. That’s really just a blip.

We talked a lot about stabilization in this metric in previous months – this shows more of the same. We’ll file this one as a “non-story” for this month at least – if for nothing more than to jump to the real stories in this month’s report.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Now we are seeing some very interesting things here compared with previous months. Ultimately, the average number of job postings per company is up by a full half-job across the board, from August’s 7.4 to September’s 7.9.

What makes it more compelling is the drop in average job postings for enterprise-level companies (with 200 or more full-time employees) from 17.4 new jobs per company in August to 16.5 in September. That’s nearly an entire job less per company in September – which strikes us as odd because you’d expect the so-called “September Surge” (read on to learn more on that) to affect larger companies that follow a more consistent seasonal rhythm in their processes, including in budgets and employment.

So where is the job growth happening? At the other end of the size spectrum – small businesses (the 1-50 FTE bucket) posted an average of 6.5 jobs in September, up from 5.6 in August. That is a huge number – that’s a 13% growth in the actual employee base for companies that do have 50 employees.

And for companies with 25 employees – also included in this size bucket – bringing in six or seven new employees is going to have a pretty significant impact. It’s hard enough to run a smooth engine with your existing workforce – imagine onboarding and training a whole pack of new hires all at once when your existing teams are already busy doing their thing.

And, again, this is just the average for companies with anywhere from one to 50 employees. Some of these companies may be looking for just one or two new hires in the month, while others are hiring upwards of 15 or 20. And some of those companies may have just five full-time employees and looking to triple in size, while other, larger companies may not be hiring at all.

It’s a lot to unpack, to be sure. Now, let’s look at the CPH metric.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through September:

If there weren’t real people involved in this, we might say this is getting a little bit boring now. Every time we say “We’ve reached a new high!” or “We’re seeing a new normal in hiring!”, our dataset comes back and hits us with… another new high.

This time, the CPH trend has risen again, to 183.4 for September. That’s 83.4% more candidates per job compared with the average of 2019. And that’s 9.5 points up from just two months earlier.

Does this mean more and more people are out of work or returning from extended leave, or turnover is high? No, we won’t go with those theories this time. We actually have tangible insights which you can see in the next section.

Meanwhile, we can tell you that the industries most actively hiring *and* seeing huge CPH numbers are in SaaS, hospital & health care, and media & entertainment.

The sectors not quite seeing as many candidates despite posting a high number of jobs are in retail and consumer services. Great Resignation is perhaps still a reality for retailers.

OK, enough of that – let’s get into the conclusions.

What’s going on here?

September, of course, is traditionally a time to return to school, and also, the end of summer months. It’s ultimately a time for change for many people in our society.

LHH Recruitment Solutions head Laurie Chamberlin said as much. “I feel like September is more of a New Year’s philosophy than New Year’s … September is like back to school, back to work, back to ‘what am I going to do everyday?’ It’s like New Year’s for the workforce and education.”

“September is like back to school, back to work, back to ‘what am I going to do everyday?’ It’s like New Year’s for the workforce and education.”

Zapier recruiting manager Bonnie Dilber tells HuffPost that it’s also to do with the summer slowdown:

“Hiring slows down over the summer due to lots of vacation time for job seekers and candidates ― this makes scheduling tricky and can often lead to lengthier processes,” she says.

September, of course, marks the end of summer, and a “let’s get back to business” mode.

It’s also about budget, Laurie says,

“If there’s funds in their budget, that they’re not going to get the FTE add in 2024, but they have it in 2023, they’re looking to hire. If they’re looking at revenue, and they need [a] head count to make that revenue achievable…they need to onboard those people right now to hit their 2024 goals.”

That, in short, is the “September Surge”. This is the term given to the rise in job and jobseeker activity that traditionally happens in this month. Says Laurie: “I’ve been in the recruiting industry since ’99. And it is very real.”

We see this in our data as well.

This means you’re not only seeing more candidates coming through your hiring pipelines, but more competition in landing those A-list employees. So, you’ll probably want to understand what workers prioritize in a job right now so you can highlight those in your value proposition.

We did the homework for you. We asked 1,250 workers to understand their wants and needs at a high level, and the result is the Great Discontent for 2023. Give it a good read (both the US and UK versions), and incorporate what you’ve learned into your candidate attraction strategy.

Enjoy, and see you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 14:37:26 +0000

In August’s Hiring Pulse, we noted the ever-increasing number of candidates per hire and a dropping Time to Fill trend. We noted the Life of Riley and how that didn’t work out so well for many candidates, which leads to the above trends in recent months.

This month, we have a look at the three metrics again with this in mind, and bring some fresh insights to the table. Ready? Let’s get started!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

We’re in a “new normal” when it comes to Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire
Technology may be a huge factor in both
Seasonal and sectoral hiring are potentially impacting job opening trends

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of August are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of August against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

In short: the time it’s taking employers to fill open roles is still at a historically lower point. Sure, it took a relatively dramatic jump from May’s 80.5 to June’s 84.4, but it’s coming down again.

In last month’s Hiring Pulse, we noted how the TTF trend seems to be stabilizing when compared with previous years – this is still happening. What’s interesting is that the stabilization is happening at a much lower level. Cliche alert: this may be the new normal in hiring.

In short, while the undulations of the TTF trend are normal, the actual trend itself is much lower than years past. Two thoughts happening here: first, there are far more candidates than ever before meaning it’s easier to find the ideal candidate for a job.

Second, the added bandwidth due to the deluge of candidates is easier to manage because HR professionals and hiring teams are using software to optimize their processes (yes, that’s a cheap plug for Workable!).

Now, are we seeing the same trend in job openings? Let’s have a look.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Last month, we pointed out a surprising drop in job postings across all companies from June’s 7.6 to July’s 7.1, which turns out to be anomalous when compared with previous Junes and Julys.

July to August this year is a little different – rising from 7.1 new job postings per company in July to 7.4 in August. In 2022, the change was just an increase of .1 of one job, and in 2021, it was a drop of .2.

But when we look at the size buckets, the differences start to stand out. Companies with 200 or more full-time employees (FTEs) posted 17.4 jobs in August on average, up from July’s 16.9. Small businesses (50 or fewer FTEs) also saw growth – from 5.4 to 5.6.

The big story this time is in the mid-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs). Averages in this size bucket went from 5.0 in July to 5.8 in August – moving it higher than the average for small businesses for the first time since May.

There are two stories here:

First, this jump in general which marks nearly a full new job per mid-sized business in August.

And second, that companies with 51-200 FTEs were hiring less than their smaller cousins for three months in a row from May to July.

Why? One theory is that it’s seasonal. June, July, and August are traditionally big-travel seasons and that puts a lot of pressure on a hospitality sector that’s already struggling to fill gaps in their teams. The triple-whammy of surging tourism numbers after COVID, the Great Resignation (which hit restaurants hard), and of course the traditional tourist season all lead to an increase in demand for short-term workers ahead of time.

Perhaps it’s not so much that medium-sized businesses slowed their hiring – it’s more that small businesses increased theirs. According to BLS, the leisure and hospitality sector has gained an average of 61,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months ending in August 2023, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors in terms of hiring in the United States. And that sector has many small businesses.

Now, let’s look at the Candidates per Hire trend.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through August:

What we said above about a “new normal in hiring”? This is another example of it. The highest the CPH trend ever reached in our dataset before 2023 was in October 2020, when the index reached 140.3. That was also the only time it had reached more than 140 – in other words, 40% higher than the monthly average for 2019.

Now? It’s gone upwards of 140 for five straight months – and above 170 for the last three months. It’s got to come down to earth at some point once the job market stabilizes, but what interests us is that job openings aren’t coming down at all during the course of 2023. You’d think there would be a direct correlation between fewer job openings and more candidates per jobs – but not here.

This is likely a fallout of the Great Resignation. Many people dumped their jobs over the last couple of years to the tune of more than 4 million quits every single month from June 2021 to December 2022 – and that number is steadily falling throughout 2023 reaching 3.55 million quits for July, the lowest for a single month in the United States since before the pandemic. And in pre-COVID times, 3.5 million quits was pretty normal for a given month.

All these people who left their jobs and not moving on to new ones – some of them launched freelance careers, others started their own business, and others still just took off to a cabin in Maine to live the rest of their lives in solitude. And – we mentioned this last month as well – it’s either not working out so well for them, or they miss the old daily grind and the social life that can come with an interesting day-to-day job. So, back to the job hunt they go.

Combine this with the increase in layoffs this year (482K layoffs from January to July compared with one-third of that in the same period in 2022), and you have a situation where there are many more candidates looking for jobs. Hence, the rise in the CPH trend.

What’s going on here?

Whatever your experience may be in terms of hiring, you’ve got one thing at the top of your mind: find the absolute perfect candidate for the role. Yes, it’s nice to have a growing candidate pool because it means you have the pick of the crop – but is that necessarily the case? Just because you’re now getting 120 applications for a job compared with 80 for the same job last year doesn’t mean you now have 30 ideal candidates this year compared with 20 last year.

When you have a growing pool of candidates, you run the risk of saturation. There’s also desperation – on the side of candidates. There are those who are returning to work after an extended period of time, and there are those quickly trying to land on their feet after losing their job in an unfortunate reorg at their previous company.

We made a side reference to HR technology up there and how it’s helping hiring teams better manage the recruitment pipeline and that’s speeding up the process to a filled job.

Well, technology does cut both ways – candidates also have the benefits of HR technology and now have one-click-apply and resume parsing options when applying for jobs.

Add AI to the mix; candidates can just plug their resume *and* the job description into ChatGPT or Claude and tell it to create the perfect cover letter for that specific job. The AI will even calibrate the resume so it best fits the opportunity.

So, as it becomes easier to go through hundreds of resumes a day, it also becomes harder, because the applications are becoming more plentiful and sophisticated all the time. It reminds one of the old Stephen Wright joke about putting a humidifier and dehumidifier into a room and letting them work it out.

Back to the plot: you want to focus on finding the *right* candidates, not the *most* candidates. That distinction is very important. To attract the *right* candidates, you need to understand what would compel them to apply for a role with your organization.

There are tools to help you out here – including custom application forms and knockout questions so candidates self-select out of the process, candidate search functionalities, and of course Workable’s AI Recruiter.

And guess what? We already asked 1,250 workers to understand their wants and needs at a high level, and the result is the Great Discontent for 2023. Have a look, and package what you’ve learned into your careers page and your job descriptions – and reap the rewards.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for August 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:22:42 +0000

In July’s Hiring Pulse, we highlighted the staggering increase in the number of candidates per job opening – and it really is very high. This month, we look at relatively similar metrics, but we also try to draw some new context around it all.

Let’s have a look.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Job activity is taking a bit of a dip – one half job less on average per company in July compared with June
Candidates per Hire is still at a very, very high level
Time to Fill is more stable than it normally is over a longer period

1. Time to Fill

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of July against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

We want to have a story here, but there’s not much to tell. Ultimately, July’s TTF trend sits at 82.6, which basically marks the fifth consecutive month of relative stability where it hits 84.3 at its highest point and 81.2 at its lowest point.

But you deserve an insight here, so here’s one: looking at last year, we see the same trend where the TTF trend hovered between a high of 93.2 and a low of 90.8 over an eight-month stretch from February to September 2022 before finally dropping to the higher 80s for the rest of the year.

These two time brackets are actually the most stable the TTF trend has been in our dataset dating back to the start of 2020 – apart from a few three-month stretches here and there, it’s been a regularly undulating trend month-to-month over the past three and a half years.

Let’s move on to Job Openings now.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

The big takeaway this time is the drop in job activity from June to July this year, where average job postings across all companies fell from 7.6 to 7.1. At first glance, this may not mean much considering the regular ups and downs in job postings over the last few years, but what makes it significant is when we look at the June-July shifts in previous years.

As it happens, 2019 and 2020 saw nice bumps in job postings in the Workable network – increasing 0.5 in 2019 and 0.6 in 2020 from June to July. In 2021 and 2022, there was literally zero change from June to July in the trend – the average remained absolutely stable.

So, in this context, we now see how a drop of half a job in the job opening average from one month to the next is significant at this point in the year. And we see this happening across the board regardless of the company size bucket.

Now, let’s look at the Candidates per Hire trend.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through July:

The Candidates per Hire trend has been a focal point of the last few months because of how much it’s increased since January.

While not an increase this time – and actually a decrease from June’s all-time high of 176.6 – July’s 169.2 is still right up there in the rarefied atmosphere as the second-highest monthly trend in the history of Workable’s network data.

Except it’s starting to feel like it’s not such a rare place to be – and rather, it’s normal. When you have the last four months (158.5, 140.3, and now 176.6 and 169.2) standing so much higher than anything preceding it, then you have to wonder: will this trend continue as is? Will it keep trending up? Will it fall back down to a previous baseline?

The problem we have here is that, unlike in the other two metrics we regularly track in the Hiring Pulse, we have nothing in the past to compare this recent surge in Candidates per Hire. Let’s call it what it is: a surge. Let’s watch this space and see if we can answer the questions above.

What’s going on here?

Job openings are taking a bit of a dip. Candidates per hire are also taking a very, very small dip but still at a remarkably high point. In last month’s Hiring Pulse, we noted how both job openings and CPH were on the rise and that this indicated a crazy busy time in the hiring landscape – especially for small businesses with low-bandwidth hiring teams.

Now, it’s still busy. The job openings may be taking a small dip, but companies who announce a new opening in their company will still get inundated with candidates. Consider this: let’s say you got 100 candidates for a job opening at your company at this time last year. Now, for that same job, you’d get 178 candidates according to our data.

That, right there, is the biggest difference and that’s the way it’s been going for months. We’ve bounced all kinds of hypotheses around on this topic, and we’ll bring in a new one: remember the Great Resignation? Quit rates are still relatively high – but they’ve come down quite a bit from the times when we saw more than four million job quits per month in the United States for 19 successive months from June 2021 to December 2022.

In the six months on record in 2023, it’s gone above four million just once, in May – although it did come close in February with 3.98 million quits.

For June 2023, that number has dipped to 3.772 million quits – the lowest it’s been since March 2021.

Now, our theory: when candidate numbers were coming down and quits going up, no one was able to come to a clear consensus on where these people were going if they weren’t going to new jobs. We’ve speculated in the past that they either moved to freelance and contract work, started their own businesses, took on sabbaticals, or something else that wasn’t readily trackable.

It’s possible that those workers who dropped out are returning (or trying to return) to the full-time fold. They’ve tried out the life of Riley and either decided it was time to return or it just didn’t work out the way they hoped it would. Couple that with the increase in layoffs, and you have an abundance of new candidates applying to open roles.

That’s your food for thought for August. See you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for August 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The power of AI: with great AI comes great responsibility

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:10:47 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) has undeniably been rapidly evolving and revolutionizing numerous industries and business functions, and human resource management is no exception. In Eightfold AI’s report The Future of Work: Intelligent by Design, a majority of HR leaders surveyed were determined to harness the power of AI in their operations.

Specifically, 92% of these HR professionals planned to expand their use of AI in at least one related area, including improvement in performance management, payroll processing and benefits administration, recruitment and hiring, onboarding new employees, and employee records management.

And within the next 12 to 18 months, the majority of HR leaders surveyed were planning to substantially increase their utilization of AI.

Within the next 12 to 18 months, the majority of HR leaders surveyed plan to substantially increase their utilization of AI.

The perils of AI tools in HR

The increasing adoption of AI-based tools in human resource management has been a game-changer for HR practitioners, providing transformative tools and solutions to enhance efficiency and improve effectiveness of decision-making.

For example, intelligent automation of mundane and repetitive tasks has enabled HR professionals to focus on more strategic and value-added activities. Moreover, AI has the potential to revolutionize recruitment processes and expand candidates pool by analyzing large volumes of resumes.

However, as with any powerful technology, AI-based solutions should be applied in a responsible way for HR management. There have been numerous examples that uncover biases and inadvertent discrimination of AI-based solutions against fractions of applicants, as a result of faulty databases and incorrect programming.

What can you do?

Companies need to implement AI-based solutions in an ethically and transparent way to address concerns regarding privacy, fairness, and potential bias, ensuring the system does not perpetuate biases or discriminate against certain individuals or groups.

For example, companies will need to carefully select training data and establish regular monitoring of AI algorithms to identify and correct any biases that may arise.

Additionally, transparency and accountability are paramount in AI-enabled HR management, as employees should have access to information about how their data is being collected, used, and protected.

Employers must also prioritize the security and privacy of employee data to mitigate potential risks.

Legal considerations growing

The European Union has recently approved the AI Act draft legislation, a comprehensive framework aimed at ensuring the responsible and ethical implementation of AI across various industries. According to the AI Act, high-risk AI systems must undergo a thorough conformity assessment procedure before they can be introduced to the market or used within the EU.

To ensure compliance, providers are required to establish, implement, document, and maintain rigorous risk management systems throughout the lifespan of the AI system.

To ensure compliance, providers are required to establish, implement, document, and maintain rigorous risk management systems throughout the lifespan of the AI system.

It is essential to meet stringent requirements to ensure the safe placement of high-risk AI systems on the market. This involves the implementation of robust risk assessment and mitigation systems, coupled with the use of high-quality data sets to avoid any potential discriminatory outcomes.

Clear documentation of the AI system’s purpose, along with detailed user instructions, must be provided to the regulatory authority. An extensive record-keeping system is necessary to promptly identify and address any abnormal results.

Human oversight still paramount

The presence of human oversight is crucial to oversee the system’s operations and deactivate it if necessary. Importantly, the accuracy, robustness, and cybersecurity of the system should meet the appropriate standards.

While technology itself may possess certain capabilities and potentials, it is ultimately the people who wield and utilize these tools that determine their true impact.

HR executives and leadership teams have the power to shape the way technology is used, and their choices and actions can greatly influence its consequences.

It’s not what you do – it’s how

It is crucial to recognize that the real danger lies not in technology itself, but rather in how people choose to employ it. Without responsible and ethical usage, the potential benefits of technology can be overshadowed by its negative implications.

So, understanding the role of individuals in determining the impact of technology is crucial in fostering a harmonious and beneficial relationship between people and the tools they use. Learning and education plays a crucial role in ensuring individuals understand how to navigate emerging technology solutions safely and responsibly.

HR leadership must focus on commitments to values, ensuring the application of AI-based solutions are not undermining the critical human aspect in business.

Find that tech-human sweet spot

Finding the right balance between technology and the human touch is crucial in harnessing the potential of AI for empathetic employee relations in HR. While AI can enhance efficiency and accuracy in various HR processes, it is important to remember that empathy and emotional intelligence are inherent human qualities that cannot be replicated by technology.

HR practitioners and companies must use AI as a tool to support and augment their efforts in creating a more empathetic and human-centric work environment.

By incorporating AI in a thoughtful and strategic manner, organizations can streamline administrative tasks, allowing HR professionals to focus more on building meaningful connections with employees and addressing their individual needs.

Ultimately, the successful implementation of AI in HR hinges upon understanding when and how to leverage technology while preserving the fundamentals of human interaction and empathy in employee relations.

The post The power of AI: with great AI comes great responsibility appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The HR virtual assistant boom: a deep dive into the surge

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 12:17:39 +0000

It’s necessary to keep up with the latest trends within today’s rapidly evolving job market. As the work world becomes increasingly technology-driven, industries are adopting new methods to streamline their processes and you should be too.

A significant shift is the surge in demand for virtual assistant services. With an increase of internet users of more than 257 million from 2020 and 2021, it’s believed that the virtual assistant market will reach $25.6 billion by 2025. This exponential growth underlines its monumental importance in reshaping the future for HR teams globally.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant (VA) can be an invaluable asset to your HR team, providing administration, technical or creative support remotely.

The concept was initially born out of necessity for entrepreneurs and small business owners who needed help with certain tasks but didn’t have the resources or funds for a full-time employee.

Organizations can expect to save as much as 78% in operating costs from outsourcing tasks to a VA instead of hiring a traditional in-house employee.

Their popularity has since skyrocketed with larger and multinational companies now recognizing their extensive value.

A VA isn’t confined to just simple tasks, they can handle everything from:

Calendar management
Email correspondence
Social media marketing
Customer service
Market research
Bookkeeping
Sales support
Administrative support
Website management
Personal tasks

There are also no geographical restrictions, as they can provide personalized assistance from any location.

Gone are the days when VA’s were merely seen as ‘remote employees’. They now play a vital role in contributing towards business growth and their team’s operational efficiency.

Whether they’re working for a start-up or a large corporation, businesses across the spectrum are reaping the benefits of this flexible and cost-effective resource.

The surge in demand for virtual assistants

According to Statista, between 2020 and 2025, the IT outsourcing industry will have an annual growth rate of 4.5%, with the most in-demand type being social media management.

The recent surge in demand is largely attributed to the need for flexibility and cost-saving measures, with the global pandemic accelerating the shift towards remote working and the downsizing of physical offices.

VA’s provide a seamless integration into this new way of working, especially in HR teams that have had to downsize teams but require these valuable resources. Thanks to the wide variety of tasks that virtual assistants can handle, this enables those smaller in-house teams to focus more on strategic revenue-generating activities.

This not only helps to reduce staffing costs but also improves the overall productivity and growth of the business.

Why you should consider a virtual assistant for your HR team

As an HR professional, you’re always seeking ways to optimize your team’s efficiency and productivity. Enter the world of Virtual Assistants (VAs). If you’re contemplating augmenting your support staff, here are some compelling reasons why VAs could be your best bet:

Time-saving powerhouse: They will handle routine tasks, freeing your team to focus on strategic initiatives and core business activities.
Cost-effective: More affordable than a full-time employee. You pay for hours worked, with zero overheads like office space, equipment, or benefits.
Round-the-clock support: If you decide to hire virtual assistants in different time zones, you can enjoy round-the-clock support, ensuring tasks are completed promptly and customer inquiries are answered swiftly.
Flexible hiring: Depending on your needs, hire VAs hourly, part-time, or full-time.
Productivity booster: By managing administrative tasks, they enable your team to concentrate on high-value activities that drive growth, enhancing overall productivity.
Diverse skills access: VAs come equipped with a wide array of skills, from administrative to technical to creative, offering you a pool of expertise to tap into as needed.
Scalability: As your business expands, simply increase the hours or tasks assigned to your VA, no need for hiring additional full-time employees.
Work-life balance: By taking on some of your tasks, VAs help business owners and managers achieve a healthier work-life balance.
Stress reduction: Outsourcing and delegating tasks can significantly reduce stress and prevent burnout in the workplace.
Streamlined operations: VAs can help streamline business operations, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.

It’s clear that VAs offer a wealth of benefits. It’s time to consider integrating them into your HR strategy.

The future of virtual assistants

As the remote work model becomes increasingly popular, the demand for virtual assistants is expected to rise even further all over the world. According to industry statistics, there are more than two million freelancers in the UK currently, a figure expected to rise annually as more individuals take the leap.

This trend isn’t slowing down and as HR professionals, you should be staying ahead of the curve and leveraging the power of using a virtual assistant to maintain your organization’s agility and efficiency in the evolving workplace landscape.

HR virtual assistants: your workplace future?

This surge in demand has disrupted the traditional workplace model and is proving to be an excellent way for businesses to optimize their workflow efficiency. As more industries continue to adopt a digital approach, the need for VA’s will continue to rise.

HR professionals must understand the impact of this trend on the job and create policies that enable organizations to work with virtual assistants flexibly.

Embracing virtual assistants is the way forward and a great opportunity to streamline businesses’ productivity while saving on costs.

The post The HR virtual assistant boom: a deep dive into the surge appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:22:11 +0000

In June’s Hiring Pulse, we pointed out how ChatGPT and its AI cousins are impacting the job landscape, and that the stabilization of candidate numbers could be due to an increase in job postings.

Well, this month, we have some eye-opening data for you that blows some of that out of the water. Let’s get into it.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Job activity is back to high levels – especially for the largest and smallest companies
Candidates Per Hire is at a whole new level
The Time to Fill metric is the only one that’s relatively normal

1. Time to Fill

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of June against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

Last month, we pointed to relative stabilization in the Time to Fill trend especially compared with the steep drop seen in the first quarter of 2023.

Q2 tells a somewhat different story – April saw an uptick to 83.3 from March’s 81.9, with that trend dropping to 80.8 for May. And now, in June, it’s risen again to 84.

The question is: how anomalous is this? The answer: not unusual at all. Look at how 2021, 2022, and 2023 compare in the same chart:

With some minor outliers, these all follow a relatively similar trend – a steep drop-off from January to March followed by relative stabilization and a mild uptick to June.

The only thing that’s clearly different is that the Time to Fill trend is lower this year than in previous years. Jobs are getting filled quicker than before.

We’ve gone into a multitude of reasons and theories as to why – but for this month, let’s get to Job Openings and then, especially, to Candidates Per Hire which is where the real story is (yes, again).

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Again, we see a bump in job activity, this being the second straight increase from the previous month from 7 new job postings per company across the board in May to 7.6 for June.

We’ve been at 7.6 before, in March, but what’s worth noting is that in the 18 months since January 2022, we’ve seen the average number of job postings per company go higher than 7 just four times, and three of those happened in the last four months.

There’s been a lot of talk (including in the Hiring Pulse reports) about recessions and AI impacting jobs. We’re surmising here that the impact is more in how jobs are changing rather than dwindling. New gaps and opportunities are being discovered, and new jobs are created as a result.

Now, look at the company sizes that are seeing the biggest jump in job activity. First, the big kids on the block (enterprise-level, 200+ full-time employees) are opening up more jobs over the last two months than the previous month before that – from 16.6 job postings per company in April to 17.5 in May, then 18.2 in June. If you look at 2022, you’ll see that job activity for that size bucket was higher although declining, while this year, it’s lower but rising.

Now, let’s look at the small kids on the block (>50 FTEs): they’re up to 5.8 jobs per company in June from 4.9 in May. That’s an increase of nearly one full new job posting per small business on average within a month.

We did a bit of math last month and let’s do it again: let’s say an average company in this size bucket has 30 full-time employees.

When you see the average of 4.9 new job postings for May, that’s more than 16% of that company’s entire workforce, or one in seven.

And 5.8 is 19.3% of that entire company’s workforce – nearly one in five.

Think about your own company, if you’re in a smaller one. Look at the people around you (or look at the faces on your laptop screen, if you’re working remotely). Imagine one in five of those people being new within the last month, or that you’re seeing one in five of those people leaving. That’s not an insignificant number for a small business. Hiring is very active in this bucket.

Now, let’s look at the candidates. Yes, we promised a good story, and you’re getting it now.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through June:

We didn’t think this was going to happen, but there it is – the Candidates Per Hire trend has just surged. The CPH trend is now at 176.7 for June 2023 (or 76.7% more candidates per hire than the average of 2019).

It’s absolutely at its highest point in, like, ever. To further demonstrate how high this is, let’s compare June’s CPH using 2020, 2021, and 2022 as benchmark averages:

Year	June 2023’s CPH against year average
2020	150.2
2021	167.4
2022	170.3

In short: where candidates per hire for June 2023 is 76.7% higher than the average of 2019, it’s 50.2% higher than the 2020 average, 67.4% higher than the 2021 average, and 70.3% higher than the 2022 average. No question about it – June is very, very high no matter what year you compare it against.

We’ve talked aplenty about the many different reasons why, and we encourage you to go to previous Hiring Pulses to better understand this trend. Right here, we’re just going to recognize that if you’re getting slammed with candidates every time you open up a new job, you’re absolutely not alone.

What’s going on here?

Job openings are up, quite significantly, especially for small businesses. And the CPH trend is, of course, at previously unseen levels. Last month, we noted the drop in new job postings and the rise in CPH and wondered if the two were related.

In this case, we’re seeing a significant rise in both. The hiring landscape is just so very, very busy. There are just so many candidates for a single job – it’s like opening a leak in a dam and having the water just come rushing through.

When a lot of that activity is happening in smaller companies with fewer than 50 employees, you can imagine the stress on those hiring teams – smaller businesses don’t have the luxury of a full HR team that can dedicate themselves to the job.

An executive in a small business can often be the hiring manager for a job – and may even themselves be the recruiter, the background checker, the assessor, the evaluator, and more.

And doing this across the company for multiple jobs (remember, nearly one in five employees per small business as we stated above) while at the same time trying to run a business – it can be a lot to pack into a day. That’s where software (cough cough) can be pretty helpful.

See you next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The perfect HR tech stack: seven takeaways from a webinar

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:31:01 +0000

Workable recently partnered with Checkr and Bamboo to bring together experts to discuss technology priorities for small-to-medium businesses.

Sharing their insights and expertise in the webinar were:

Max Wesman, VP of Product, Checkr
TJ Davis, Head of People Operations, BambooHR
Rob Long, CHRO, Workable
Trevor Schueren, Product Partner Manager, Workable

The focus of the hour-long webinar was to share insights and expertise on how to build the perfect tech stack to meet the needs of HR teams.

Strapped for time? We’ve pulled together the top seven takeaways for you:

1. Know your needs before buying

Understand your processes first before procuring new technology for your HR tech stack. Map out your current workflows to identify pain points and areas for improvement. Then look for solutions that can address those needs.

“Really take the time. If we’re talking about onboarding, map out your onboarding process. And when I say map out, [I mean] what’s every single touch point that’s going on in your onboarding process? Is it manual? Is it automated? Is it one of those critical touch points that’s really about the employee experience that you need to nail?” – TJ Davis, Head of People Operations, BambooHR

“When you think about optimization, one of the key points I would say is don’t confuse your technology solution for your process.” – TJ Davis, Head of People Operations, BambooHR

2. Prioritize ease of adoption

Ease of use and user adoption are key. Look for tools that are intuitive and easy to implement so that hiring managers and others will actually use them.

“If adoption across your company of your recruitment technology is important, if getting hiring managers involved in hiring, [and] if getting interviewers involved with the tool is important, then work will tend to be a very strong option there.” – Rob Long, CHRO, Workable

“I think of that very much from our user’s point of view, which is HR people, hiring managers. But I think then [about] the ease of use on the candidate side, which we often call candidate experience; it’s so important as well.” – TJ Davis, Head of People Operations, BambooHR

3. Understand your compliance needs

Compliance and regulation requirements may determine some of your tech needs. Industries like healthcare, for example, require background checks, so that would need to be part of your stack.

“We work with certain customers that are in very compliance-heavy industries like healthcare, and so they don’t have a choice when they’re hiring someone new. They have to run a background check, and that has to be part of getting off the ground.” – Max Wesman, VP of Product, Checkr

4. Nail down what you need right now

Core HR tools like an ATS, HCM, background check, and payroll system will meet most companies’ basic needs as they scale to 100-200 employees. After that, you can consider more targeted solutions.

“I think when we think about the core, what do most companies have by the time they’re a hundred employees? Typically most of them are gonna have an HRIS. They’re gonna have an an ATS. They’ll have their background check provider. They’ve got their payroll set up, they’ve got a benefits provider maybe on a platform or a broker.”

“It depends on different things that different people need.” – TJ Davis, Head of People Operations, Bamboo HR

5. Integrations are uber-important

Integrations between tools in your HR tech stack are important, especially if you have a small team. Look for turnkey integrations that transfer data automatically without requiring technical resources to build and maintain them.

“If it’s not an out-of-the-box integration like the one between Workable, Checkr and Bamboo, do you really have the resources internally or the time yourself to try and go and connect an API with a third-party tool? Or will you get support if you have a tech team internally or an IT team to go and build that out?” – Rob Long, CHRO, Workable

6. Look at scaling capabilities

Consider both your current and future needs. Choose tools that can scale with your business but also meet your most pressing needs today. Don’t buy for what you might need in five years at the expense of solving today’s problems.

“Early on in the life cycle of a business, it’s important to find the right partners and ones that can grow with you that have flexibility.” – Max Wesman, VP of Product, Checkr

7. Get recommendations

Get recommendations from peers but evaluate tools for your own needs. While peer advice is helpful, make sure any solutions align with your company’s specific goals, priorities, and pain points.

“Those referrals are a great, great way of creating that initial list of what we want to look at, but do really make sure that they’re a good fit for your business and what you are trying to do right now as well.” – Rob Long, CHRO, Workable

The post The perfect HR tech stack: seven takeaways from a webinar appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

ChatGPT in recruitment: how to teach your teams to use it

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:21:59 +0000

ChatGPT and other generative AI tools offer innovative solutions to complex solutions – including in recruitment. It can save hard-working recruiters hours of repetitive grind in streamlining their existing hiring and recruiting processes.

Using conversational AI in recruiting can help us be better recruiters in everything from sourcing the best talent to drafting engaging job descriptions.

As with anything, integrating AI into recruiting workflows is not without its challenges – particularly in training and onboarding your recruiting team to use it.

Many professionals in the recruiting industry either misunderstand what ChatGPT does and how it can help them get more done and be better at their jobs. Some are afraid – not without reason – that incorporating AI tools in recruiting may remove the human element and dehumanize the recruiting process, or even replace their jobs.

It’s important to remember that ChatGPT is a tool – it’s not here to replace our jobs but to help us be better at them. It’s designed to augment and enhance human ingenuity and innovation, by freeing up time from routine and administrative tasks and freeing up more time for more strategic, higher-value decision-making.

We’ll help you clear up the misunderstanding around these myths and serve as a strategic guide on how to train recruiters to use ChatGPT in recruitment and navigate potential challenges that may arise in the process.

Training teams to use ChatGPT in recruitment

Imagine having your very own HR virtual assistant who never gets tired, does exactly what you ask of them, is available 24/7 a day year-round, is at all times eager and willing to help, and incorporates any feedback you give them as you go.

That’s the benefit of using ChatGPT in your recruiting process. However, as with all tools, there’s a right way and a wrong way to use it effectively. Incorporating ChatGPT into your recruiting workflows will take an initial period of training and onboarding as your team adjusts to the technology.

Introduction to ChatGPT

To best get your recruiting team up to speed, we recommend hosting interactive sessions that showcase ChatGPT’s potential use cases and abilities in action.

You can use either pre-recorded videos or a live demo, walking through the ChatGPT AI and showing your team example prompts and scenarios of using it for recruiting purposes like creating job descriptions and sourcing candidates. This will give your recruiting team ideas on how they can use it for themselves.

This initial step helps your team see for themselves how ChatGPT can save them time and save more time and energy on more important decision-making.

Remember, familiarity with ChatGPT doesn’t happen overnight. The goal at this stage is to get your recruiting team curious about ChatGPT and show them the possibilities of what it can do for them.

It’s best to learn on the job

A big part of the process of becoming proficient in ChatGPT and other AI tools is in hands-on experience – experimenting and trying different things to test its limits and get a sense of what it can and can’t do.

Organizing practical training sessions is a great way to facilitate this process. Your recruiters can interact directly with ChatGPT and practice doing things like crafting job descriptions, generating interview questions, playing around with different prompts, and seeing how the language model responds.

This will not only help your recruiters get more comfortable with ChatGPT, but it will also help them learn how they can adapt it to their needs. They’ll see through first-hand experience how it can help them in their day-to-day jobs.

Templates are all well and good, but the best results from ChatGPT often come as a result of you playing around with it and exploring what it can do. Your recruiters can benefit more from your training sessions and onboarding with practical examples.

Let’s look at a few examples of use cases of ChatGPT in recruitment:

1. Creating interview questions

From a pre-made job description, ChatGPT can help create relevant interview questions that you can tailor to fit the role and the company. It may surprise you with what it comes up with.

Be specific, relevant, and detailed in your prompts, and give ChatGPT as much context as is needed. Mention things such as the job title, several job requirements, and anything else specific to the role.

Example prompt: “Generate interview questions for a software developer with a focus on Python and machine learning.”

You can also ask it to tweak and modify its response to suit your needs, such as including more questions or fewer.

Example Prompt: “Let’s narrow it down to 10”

You can even have it generate practical exercises for the interview.

Example Prompt: “What’s an example practical exercise you might give to someone in this position? This can be an assignment that takes a few hours to complete and is due the following day.’

2. Writing Boolean search strings

Give ChatGPT the requirements and preferred experiments for a job, and it can help you create search strings to help source candidates.

Example prompt: “Create a Boolean search string for a nurse with pediatric experience in New York. The candidate must have 3 years relevant experience in a clinical setting and be based in New York.”

Remember that potential candidates may phrase their job experience differently, so play around with different variations.

3. Integrating ChatGPT into workflows

You can also show your recruiters how to build ChatGPT into their recruitment workflows alongside the other tools and software their familiar with. Show them ways they can use it, such as:

Integrating with your Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Asking ChatGPT to draft email communication with job candidates through their ATS. Example prompt: “Create a follow-up email for a candidate who interviewed for the software engineer position last week.”

Interview scheduling: If you use a digital calendar tool for scheduling, your team can ask ChatGPT to craft an appropriate interview invitation. Example prompt: “Write an invitation for a second-round interview for a sales representative role.”

Candidate feedback: After the interview, recruiters can use ChatGPT to deliver personalized feedback. Example prompt: “Draft a polite rejection email for a candidate who was not selected for the marketing executive position.”

These are just a few examples. ChatGPT is extremely flexible and versatile and can be used right alongside a variety of tools like ATS or CRM systems.

4. Running mock scenarios

Hosting practice sessions and exercises with ChatGPT is a great way to help your recruiting team build confidence with ChatGPT, to make sure they understand how it works and how they can use it in their job. Here are some scenarios you can simulate:

Candidate screening: Give your recruiters a fictional resume, and have them generate potential interview questions using ChatGPT based on the resume. Example prompt: “Generate interview questions for a candidate applying for a project management role with experience in agile methodologies.”

Candidate sourcing scenario: Have your recruiting team create a Boolean search string given a hypothetical job role and a list of required qualifications and skills. Example prompt: “Create a Boolean search string for a data analyst role requiring Python, SQL, and knowledge of machine learning techniques.”

Candidate outreach scenario: Ask your recruiters to practice reaching out to a potential candidate, using ChatGPT’s help. For example, a prompt they might use is: “Draft a candidate outreach email for a senior graphic designer position”

These are just a few examples. The goal is to provide realistic advice and help them understand the range of tasks ChatGPT can help with.

Provide ongoing learning and support

Advancements in AI technology happen parabolically. Hardly a week goes by when we don’t hear about how ChatGPT is poised to revolutionize a given industry or make another one obsolete. It’s still new, exciting, and scary territory, and people are still unsure about whether it’s a good or bad thing.

Staying ahead of the curve as AI continues to develop means providing your team with ongoing support, such as:

Provide regular training sessions: Organize regular training sessions as ChatGPT and the other AI tools you use to build and update new features or improvements. This way, recruiters are always knowledgeable about the latest developments and can use the tool to its full potential.

Create a resource hub: Consider creating a repository of knowledge and resources where your team can access ChatGPT prompt templates, guides, videos, and example use cases. This can be a collaborative Google doc that your team adds to over time.

Establish a support team: Consider designating an established team or person to provide real-time assistance to any recruiters who encounter difficulties or have questions regarding ChatGPT – including in recruitment work. This can be part of your existing IT or HR team if you have a small business.

Provide feedback channels: Have a way for recruiters to offer feedback or report any issues or problems with ChatGPT so that problems can be resolved quickly. This can also provide useful insights for future training

Ensure a smooth transition

Just because you onboard your team with ChatGPT doesn’t mean that all your team members will be on board, so to speak.
Addressing concerns proactively will help the doubters and the fearful among your recruiting team that AI is not here to replace their jobs, but to help them focus on more strategic tasks that require a human touch.

Here are some ways you can smooth out any bumps in the road and keep resistance to ChatGPT to a minimum:

1. Be clear on what and why

It all starts with open, honest transparency. Let your team know why you’re advocating for ChatGPT in recruitment, the benefits it has, and how it can help them get more done in less time. Emphasize at every stage that it’s a tool meant to assist them, not replace them. This will help manage expectations and alleviate concerns.

2. Integrate gradually

Introduce ChatGPT gradually into your recruitment workflows. Identify areas in your existing processes where they can be used. Find opportunities for integration, particularly any repetitive or monotonous tasks that require significant human effort. Start small at first with simple tasks, like boolean search strings.

As your team dips its toes in the water, scale its usage internally. This allows team members to adapt to the technology at their own pace and reduces potential overwhelm.

3. Showcase and celebrate successes

Provide a positive narrative and build associations within your recruiting team, by sharing the success stories about how ChatGPT has benefited certain team members.

This will help foster positive perception and wider acceptance.

4. Ensure a continuous learning experience

Foster a culture of collaborative learning and adaptation. As new features in ChatGPT and other AI tools roll out, your team should be prepared to adapt and evolve with them. Update your team regularly with new features and improvements to ChatGPT. Celebrate the team members who use it effectively, and encourage them to showcase what they learn.

Create the future by embracing ChatGPT for HR

Leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT is a strategic step towards transforming the way your recruiting team does things, for the better.
When you have ChatGPT automate your routine tasks, it allows your recruiters to focus on what matters – people. That’s what makes it such an exciting time to be a recruiter in the age of AI.

Embrace this change and harness the power of AI for more efficient, more data-driven, and more human-centric recruitment. The future is not to be feared, but to be created. We invite you to explore what ChatGPT can do for your recruiting and HR teams in our vast library of tutorials.

The post ChatGPT in recruitment: how to teach your teams to use it appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Exploring the benefits of automation in human resources

Content team — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:09:34 +0000

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you know this much: tech is changing how we work, live and communicate. That applies to you in HR as well – it optimizes operations, lowers costs, boosts productivity, and factors into the bottom line (if you’re good at tying things back to ROI like that!).

And there’s one more: automation. With the advent of generative and other AI tools rapidly populating the techsphere, automation in HR is becoming the next big technological development affecting your work.

The growing importance of automation in HR

So what exactly is automation in HR? It refers to the use of tech to automate manual and repetitive tasks, including recruitment, onboarding, employee data management, performance management, and analytics. Recent advances have made it easier and more cost-effective for companies to automate these processes, freeing up valuable resources that can be directed towards more strategic activities.

But you know what? The growing importance of automation in HR isn’t limited to just that – it goes beyond cost saving and resource allocation.Let’s look at two benefits for starters:

Greater accuracy

One of the key benefits of automation in HR is increased accuracy and consistency. Robots don’t make mistakes – humans do. Technology is simply designed to replicate what humans do at scale.

Think about the vast volume of manual processes that sucks up your day hours, such as resume screening, organizing interviews, collecting information from hiring managers, defining the ideal candidate profile, and more. All of that is subject to error and bias and it’s more so because we do get a little sloppy when we’re doing the same thing over and over and over again.

Automation helps eliminate all that by ensuring that tasks are completed in a consistent and standardized manner – even in the wee hours of the early morning when humans are just completely checked out of the system.

So… automation makes for smoother, more consistent and accurate processes.

Increased compliance

Here’s something that keeps people up at night – especially those whose heads are on the chopping block if their company gets in a legal bind when managing employees. Your in-house counsel can only do so much to protect you in your HR processes that are subject to numerous laws.

Those laws include the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), and much, much more.

Compliance with these laws can be a complex and time-consuming process, but automation can help to ensure that all processes are in compliance with the relevant regulations – including automatic reporting, data monitoring and so on.

Manage compliance confidently

Navigate local and international regulation - including GDPR and EEOC/OFCCP - with automated tools and reports that take the effort out of compliance, wherever you’re hiring.

Demonstrate compliance with Workable

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Streamlining recruitment and onboarding processes

One of the key benefits of automation in HR is the ability to streamline recruitment and onboarding processes, which can be time-consuming and often require significant resources. Automation can help to make these processes more efficient, less error-prone and more engaging for candidates.

Efficient Applicant Tracking Systems

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are a type of software that help organizations manage and streamline their recruitment process. With an ATS, recruiters can easily advertise job openings, receive and filter resumes, track candidate progress and more.

An ATS can also help to eliminate bias in the recruitment process by automatically screening resumes for specific keywords, qualifications and experience. This ensures that all candidates are evaluated on the same criteria, making the recruitment process fairer and more objective.

Furthermore, an ATS can provide valuable insights into the recruitment process, such as the effectiveness of job postings and the sources of the most successful candidates. This data can be used to refine and improve recruitment strategies, leading to better hires and a more efficient recruitment process overall.

Automated interview scheduling

The automation of interview scheduling can save recruiters a significant amount of time by eliminating the need for manual scheduling. Advanced scheduling tools can even find the best available time slots that work for both the recruiter and candidate.

Automated interview scheduling can also help to reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations by sending out automated reminders and confirmations to candidates. This ensures that both recruiters and candidates are prepared and ready for the interview, leading to a more efficient and effective process overall.

Simplifying employee onboarding

The automation of employee onboarding processes can help to make the experience smoother and more engaging for new hires. Employees can complete paperwork, participate in training sessions and obtain necessary documentation from their managers online, saving significant amounts of time and paper-based documentation.

Automated onboarding can also help to ensure that all new hires receive the same information and training, leading to a more consistent and effective onboarding experience. This can help to reduce turnover rates and improve employee satisfaction and retention.

In addition, automated onboarding can help to reduce errors and omissions in the onboarding process by providing a checklist of tasks and documents that need to be completed. This ensures that all necessary steps are taken, leading to a more efficient and effective onboarding process overall.

Enhancing employee engagement and performance management

Automation in HR can improve employee engagement and performance management by incorporating real-time feedback systems and data-driven performance evaluations. In addition to these benefits, there are other ways that automation can improve the workplace.

Real-time feedback and recognition tools

Real-time feedback and recognition tools help employees to stay motivated and engaged by providing instant feedback on their work. These tools ensure more frequent feedback cycles and can help create a culture of recognition and continuous improvement across the organization. In addition, these tools can help managers to identify high-performing employees and provide them with opportunities for career advancement.

For example, a real-time feedback tool could be used to track the progress of a sales team. The tool could provide instant feedback on the number of sales made, the average sale value, and the conversion rate. This information could be used to identify top performers and provide them with additional training and development opportunities.

Data-driven performance evaluations

Data-driven performance evaluations leverage algorithms and data analytics to evaluate employees’ performance more objectively, with less room for human bias. Data analysis can help organizations identify areas where employees may require training or upskilling, helping to improve their overall productivity and performance.

In addition, data-driven performance evaluations can help managers to identify employees who are struggling and provide them with targeted support.

For example, a data-driven performance evaluation tool could be used to assess the performance of a customer service team. The tool could analyze customer feedback, call logs, and response times to identify areas where the team is performing well and areas where improvement is needed. This information could be used to create personalized development plans for each team member.

Personalized learning and development plans

Personalized learning and development plans help employees to grow their skills and knowledge based on their individual strengths and vulnerabilities. These plans can be tailored to support employees in acquiring the skills and knowledge that they will need for their current role as well as future opportunities.

For example, a personalized learning and development plan could be created for a software developer. The plan could include training on new programming languages, attending industry conferences, and working on projects outside of their usual scope. This plan could help the developer to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and technologies, increasing their value to the organization.

In conclusion, automation in HR can provide many benefits to organizations, including improved employee engagement and performance management. By incorporating real-time feedback systems, data-driven performance evaluations, and personalized learning and development plans, organizations can create a culture of continuous improvement and support their employees in achieving their full potential.

Improving HR data management and analytics

HR automation also helps to improve the way that organizations manage their data, making it easier to monitor and analyze employee data, and drawing actionable insights to make better decisions.

With the increasing amount of data generated by HR departments, it is more important than ever to have an efficient and effective way to manage it. This is where HR automation comes in, providing a way to streamline data management and analysis.

Centralized employee information systems

A centralized employee information system can help organizations to manage employee data more efficiently. They can track employee benefits, job history, and training records and easily access them when needed.

Having a centralized system also ensures that employee data is consistent and up-to-date. This can help to improve communication between departments and reduce errors that can occur when data is stored in multiple locations.

Furthermore, a centralized system can help to ensure compliance with regulations and policies, as all employee data is stored in one place and can be easily accessed for audits or other purposes.

Advanced workforce analytics

Advanced workforce analytics can help organizations to analyze employee data to gain valuable insights, such as trends around turnover, employee satisfaction or workforce skills.

By using advanced analytics tools, HR departments can identify patterns and trends in employee data that may not be immediately apparent. For example, they may discover that certain departments have higher turnover rates than others, or that employees with certain skills are more likely to be promoted.

These insights can help HR departments to make more informed decisions around recruitment, retention, and training. For example, if they identify a trend of high turnover in a particular department, they can investigate the underlying causes and take steps to address them.

Predictive HR insights for decision making

The use of predictive analytics in HR can help organizations to forecast future workforce trends, such as what skills are required, what roles are in demand, and what kind of training may be needed. These insights help to guide decision-making around hiring, training, and development across the organization.

Predictive analytics can also help to identify potential issues before they become problems. For example, if the data suggests that there may be a shortage of employees with a particular skill set in the future, HR departments can take steps to address this before it becomes a critical issue.

Overall, HR automation and analytics can provide organizations with valuable insights into their workforce, helping them to make more informed decisions and improve their overall performance.

Automate your HR and reap the benefits

The benefits of automation in HR are clear. They help to streamline recruitment, improve employee engagement and performance, and enhance the way organizations manage their employee data.

As HR technology continues to evolve, companies that keep up with these trends will benefit from a more productive, engaged and data-driven workforce.

The post Exploring the benefits of automation in human resources appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for June 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:11:37 +0000

In May’s Hiring Pulse, we went all-in on how deep the candidate pool was. We even got melodramatically metaphorical with it, likening its depth to Lake Baikal, and wondering whether it’d get deeper than that – i.e. Mariana Trench, with its deepest point being nearly seven times as deep as the aforementioned Baikal.

We then talked aplenty about AI affecting the job landscape and how there didn’t seem to be as much talk about a recession as there was at the start of this year (which feels like a long, long time ago now).

Now, we’re nearly at the midway mark of 2023, and we’re going to explore our SMB hiring data and see if we can pull up some fresh insights.

Let’s get to work!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Time to Fill is showing signs of stabilization, but remains at its lowest point in our dataset history
Job activity is particularly robust for small businesses with fewer than 50 full-time employees
Candidates Per Hire has come down significantly from last month’s surge – but remains at a high point

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of May are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of May against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

The second quarter of 2023 continues to see relative stabilization in the Time to Fill trend compared with the first quarter, with May’s 80.8 just a small drop from April’s 83.1, which comes on the heels of March’s 81.8.

What’s really worth noting here is how low the TTF trend is in general. These past three months have seen what’s ultimately the fastest Time to Fill trend in our dataset dating back to 2019. What does this ultimately signify? It can be any of the following:

A glut of candidates makes it easier to find the right hire in short order
A shortage of candidates means hiring teams work faster to land the right hire before the competition snatches them up
Hiring teams are getting faster at hiring because layoffs have reduced the number of touchpoints to a hire
Hiring teams are becoming more efficient at hiring because they’ve digitally transformed their hiring process (hint, hint Workable and AI)
Hiring teams are becoming more efficient at hiring in general

There are many other potential explanations, but the above is worth thinking about.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Once again, job activity sees a little bump: from 6.6 new job postings per company on average in April to a flat 7 in May. It’s not a lot to write home about, especially since historically a jump from April to May is relatively normal (with 2022 being an exception).

What’s more interesting than month-over-month change here is the relative busy-ness of job activity throughout 2023 compared with previous years. It’s busier this year for SMBs (<200 FTEs), but for enterprise-level companies with more than 200 FTEs, job activity is actually slower now than it was at this time last year.

We surmise it’s because larger companies tend to be slower in turnaround and response. Remember all that talk about a worldwide recession at the start of the year, followed by large-scale layoffs? And now, we see slower job posting activity as we approach the end of Q2 compared with the same time last year. That’s all part of the overall business plan.

Another way to look at it is that employees at larger companies may have greater job security in those companies. That, coupled with layoffs, will mean lower employee turnover – and therefore, fewer job postings.

Meanwhile, those smaller, nimbler companies that are more susceptible to turbulent rises and falls in the bottom line will also see greater turnover – we’re seeing that especially in the 1-50 FTE bucket where March’s 5.5 job postings per company, April’s 4.6, and May’s 4.9 are significantly higher than last year at this time (3.5, 3.3, and 3.3 respectively).

Let’s do a little bit of math to put that in perspective – let’s say the average company in the 1-50 FTE bucket has 30 full-time employees. An average of 4.9 job postings is 16% of that entire company’s workforce right there. That’s compared with last year’s 3.3 job postings being 11% of a company’s workforce.

That’s the difference between a turnover of one in seven employees this past May and one in nine employees in May 2022.

Pretty significant.

Now, let’s look at the candidate population for those jobs.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through May:

After many months – more than a year, even – of a Candidates Per Hire trend growing faster than a bamboo tree, we’re finally seeing that number take a plunge from one month to the next. Whether that’s due to April being so high that a drop-off was inevitable or whether that’s due to an actual depletion of the candidate pool, that’s for you to decide.

One thing we’re viscerally cognizant of, however, is that this drop in May could be related to the higher job postings in the previous chart – meaning, when there’s more job postings out there, naturally, candidates will get snatched up as well.

Another scenario worth thinking about: there are three major scenarios in which one might be looking for a job: first, they’re entering the job market because they’re entry-level, coming out of school, moved to a new location, or something similar.

Second, they’re transitioning jobs; simply put, they’re still employed but they’re looking for other jobs out there because it’s time for a change. Third, they’ve lost their job and they’re actively looking for a new one.

So, the increase in candidates per hire in general isn’t simply about a growing candidate pool. It’s also the result of those mass layoffs across the board, leading to candidates more aggressively and actively looking for a new job so they aren’t unemployed for a long period of time. Rather than selectively applying for job opportunities out there, they’re taking the spray-and-pray approach until someone hires them.

This, of course, will drive the CPH up – and it can also be challenging for employers because they need to suss out the real motive of a candidate in applying for their open role. Be careful thinking like this, however. Don’t jump to conclusions. A smartly built evaluation process will identify the real stars for your job.

What’s going on here?

Notice we didn’t touch on AI much at all this time around? While that’s still a hot topic, let’s not get too deep into this month since we’ve covered it so comprehensively in much of our other content. Plus, it remains a very nascent environment.

OK, fine. Let’s talk about AI.

Meanwhile, OpenAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple, and the rest of them are investing heavily in AI and machine learning. Out of the 38 new unicorns (startups that break the $1B company value barrier), eight of them are in AI technologies.

If you’re in AI, that’s great, but if you’re in anything else, it’s a tough ocean to navigate. That same report states that overall funding of startups has dropped 44% from May 2022 to May 2023.

We’ll just keep a finger on that AI pulse for the forthcoming months, particularly on how typical skill sets will change going forward. For example, ChatGPT is considered even more valuable than a post-secondary degree by 86% of hiring managers according to an Intellgent.com survey.

And for entry-level candidates, a full 98% of hiring managers would like to see ChatGPT experience for positions where the AI tool is applicable.

These are interesting times. Catch up next month!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for June 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI-human fusion: steering the job market renaissance

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 17:16:54 +0000

AI’s inexorable rise in the workplace is causing much hand wringing over its future impact on employment. It’s impossible to know for sure what future workplaces will look like because in common with previous tech-driven industrial revolutions, this one will also create countless new job opportunities, most of which are still unknown.

However, we can get a sense of where job markets are heading by considering how algorithms are being wielded to reshape the workplace.

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Tech-supported remoteness

One of the most striking changes is the shift towards remote work. This was inspired initially by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the jury is still out about the extent to which the migration to home offices will become permanent.

But automation technologies and AI have played a key role in enabling individuals to work remotely, a trend that will likely continue.

The growing use of telecommunications, the internet, Internet of Things (IoT) sensing, and cloud services provide a robust infrastructure for heavily decentralized yet effectively coordinated human activity.

As a result, even the diversity of languages becomes less of a barrier to working together through automated language translation.

Technologies like these support almost all facets of remote work. For example:

IoT sensors provide remote monitoring visibility
Cloud apps provide remote access to data and functionality
Robots offer remote control of physical systems
Employee performance-monitoring systems ensure remote workers are working
AR/VR systems could provide better telepresence regardless of where workers are physically located

Individuals adept at using these technologies are well-suited to remote environments and hence better able to compete for these jobs.

Digital natives seem very comfortable with online interactions and prefer texting over face-to-face meetings and telephone calls (although they say personal interactions are essential). They tend to be comfortable and productive in virtual digital environments like the Metaverse.

This enables and even improves the serendipity of chance encounters – the utility of which has been one of the main complaints against remote work – because the constraints the physical workspace places on interactions are significantly reduced in cyberspace. Such encounters can be programmed to be random.

Firms face a trade-off between hiring only from the limited population within the physical commuting distance of the physical workplace versus hiring the best talent from the vastly larger pool of people anywhere in the world and dealing with them primarily online.

Brick-and-mortar outcomes

But remote work will only account for a portion of the jobs available in an AI-driven world, so how will AI be used to rethink the traditional workplace?

Experts differ in their forecasts about the future of jobs. The Future of Jobs Report 2020 by the World Economic Forum identifies 10 positions with the sharpest decreases in demand.

Many involve simple, routine administrative or physical tasks that AI and robotics can automate. Examples are data entry clerks, assembly and factory workers, and customer service workers.

Despite expected job losses through automation, many people might remain in these categories of jobs for several reasons.

For example, some people will be retained to handle complex work that cannot be easily automated or to manage exceptional situations such as events that fall outside the range of an AI’s training data (the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on businesses being a standout example).

The people most likely to retain these jobs will be the most skilled employees. An example is individuals with the experience to spot when a machine’s output does not make sense and what should be done if it is making a mistake or cannot handle a particular situation.

Also, as noted above, AI will create new types of jobs, and a proportion of these could be low-skill positions because the technology will de-skill the more challenging parts of some job types rather than taking them over.

Also, as noted above, AI will create new types of jobs, and a proportion of these could be low-skill positions because the technology will de-skill the more challenging parts of some job types rather than taking them over.

The aforementioned Future of Jobs Report 2020 lists the top 10 jobs with the sharpest expected increase in demand. Examples are data analysts and scientists, digital market and strategy specialists, and IoT specialists.

Most positions arose from the recent development and adoption of internet technology; many are jobs that barely existed 20 years ago. Each job category represents more than just a new type of job title and new sub-industries and ecosystems of software, services, and consultants.

Thus, these technology-intensive jobs are only the tip of the future employment iceberg.

But such lists gloss over the many changes that will affect jobs. Most jobs will likely make more use of data, online communications, and technology to provide visibility, enable coordination, and track outcomes.

Many office workers will use AI-based services such as ChatGPT and Grammarly to augment their communication skills by allowing them to auto-adjust their emails and work-related writing for clarity, tone, and professionalism.

And many workers will interact more with technological platforms such as portals for suppliers, business customers, human resources, and other departments.

These changes will improve productivity and increase the value that workers help provide to customers.

It follows that individuals with the foresight to gain and update relevant skills will be the ones who can compete effectively for the new jobs on offer.

The human face of AI

As these examples show, when trying to discern the future shape of the employment landscape, it is helpful to focus on how individuals – whether senior managers or subordinates – will use algorithms to improve their capabilities and productivity.

The most significant utility of AI will be in augmenting and enhancing these human capabilities. One of the outcomes will, naturally, be a change in the way people perform their jobs.

Dr. Yossi Sheffi is the Elisha Gray II Professor of Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics (MIT CTL). His recent book is The Magic Conveyor Belt: Supply Chains, A.I., and the Future of Work.

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5 tips on making workplaces LGBTQ inclusive

Suzanne Lucas — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 17:00:49 +0000

It’s what you do that matters, not what you say you are going to do. When you’re looking at making your workplace more LGBTQ inclusive, you need to look at your full employee lifecycle – from where you source your candidates through to how you integrate employees at all levels of the company.

Here is what you can do to foster a truly inclusive workforce in your organization.

Making workplaces LGBTQ inclusive

Let’s start by looking at the numbers. A Human Rights Campaign survey found that:

46% of LGBTQ workers are closeted at work
Half of non-LGBTQ employees reported there were no openly LGBTQ employees in their company
1 in 5 LGBTQ workers have been told or had coworkers imply that they should dress more feminine or masculine (compared with 1 in 24 non-LGBTQ workers)
54% of non-LGBTQ workers said that they would be very comfortable working with an LGBTQ coworker; of those who wouldn’t be very comfortable, a majority said it was because they “didn’t want to hear about their coworker’s sex life.”

LGBTQ employees are not comfortable everywhere they work, and there are some misperceptions out there. No one wants or needs to hear about their coworker’s sex life, which shouldn’t even be an issue on the table regardless of preference.

We share five tips on how to make your workplace more LGBTQ inclusive:

1. Speak with your pocketbook, not your rainbow logo

It’s easy to change a logo, put up a flag, or tweet about happy Pride Month. But LinkedIn took a step further and started paying the heads of their affinity groups $10,000 a year for the extra work. This demonstrates their desire to support all diversity groups, including LGBTQ groups.

Nothing says real support and inclusion like cash which recognizes the hard work these employee resource group leaders put in.

2. Be thoughtful about pronouns

This is a hot button issue at work, and you need to tread carefully. For example, look at the following exchange on Twitter:

Katrina Kibben: One of my Pride wishes this year is to ban the phrase “preferred pronouns.” They are not preferred. This isn’t steak or shrimp. It’s a human’s identity.

Dr. “Coach” Dawn Reid #ReidReady: I respect how you feel and I ask if you can consider preference is about a label choice. I.e., My son is non-binary. He has a pref of they/she/he depending on his affect. It’s his pref of a social label in the moment. Not who he is as a person.

Katrina Kibben: Every experience is different. I respect it. For me? My first thought is that your child may be code-switching for their safety (I do it too), not changing pronouns.

Dr. “Coach” Dawn Reid #ReidReady: Agreed. It’s different for each person. Code switching is another topic. We all do that for communication clarity. The original term/use is from linguistics. And that’s not it for them. It’s his preference. We are talking about this now.

In other words, there is no way to get it right. An October 2020 survey by Tallo found that 88% of Gen Z candidates think it’s important for recruiters to ask them their pronouns. But many Baby Boomers and Gen Xers find it offensive to ask their pronouns. This leaves you to guess, but there are some things you can do.

Listen to what people want to do. Respect and use their pronouns. (But it’s not reasonable for an employee to expect everyone to follow regular pronoun changes.) Allow people (but don’t require) to list their pronouns on email signatures and other work-related things.

3. Don’t make assumptions

Does someone look gay? Is that person trans? Whisper, whisper, whisper. This type of thing makes for a very unwelcoming environment for everyone.

Instead, make sure your staff understands employees treat every other employee and client equally across the board. Everyone gets respect. If you allow people to bring personal items to decorate their cubicles, then everyone gets to bring a family picture – regardless of what their family looks like.

Make sure you schedule and provide promotions and perks based on performance and seniority, not the perception that so-and-so needs a bump in pay because his wife just had a baby. If an employee announces the impending birth of a baby, don’t speculate about just how that baby was conceived or carried. Instead, just say, “Congratulations! Let me get you the FMLA paperwork!”

4. Remove bias from your recruiting process.

EPM Scientific gave five tips for reducing bias in hiring. These are:

Anonymizing resumes in the review process
Encouraging validated pre-employment testing
Pre-employment testing, such as work samples, predict job success.
Encouraging a diverse interview panel and hiring committee
Challenging bias in recruitment and hiring decisions

All these things help you ensure you hire the person who is best for the job regardless of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, or national origin. Letting candidates know you do through these processes helps them feel like they have a chance based on their skills.

5. Educate your leadership on the benefits of diversity

You can only increase LGBTQ candidates when you have a welcoming environment. But, to make a welcoming environment, senior leadership needs to be on board. Presenting the business case for making workplaces LGBTQ inclusive will help.

People who have to hide their identities at work experience more stress. Higher stress results in more days off and an increase in medical costs. It’s saving you money to have a welcoming environment.

Consulting giant McKinsey reported in May 2020 that companies with diverse leadership have higher financial returns than those that don’t. While they looked only at gender and race, it stands to reason that bringing in people with different sexual orientations would bring additional viewpoints that would help the company reach different audiences and support all employees.

Finally – candidates, especially Millennials and Gen Z, want to work for inclusive organizations and leaders. They’ve made that clear. So make sure you let them know what your company is doing to ensure everyone feels comfortable.

The critical point of all this is that everyone deserves a job based on their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Everything else should be irrelevant. This means ensuring that everyone is welcome in your company. A simple concept that goes far.

The post 5 tips on making workplaces LGBTQ inclusive appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The wild future of HR: 8 radical concepts made relatable

Keith MacKenzie — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 15:24:56 +0000

This much is clear: a lot is happening in the workplace and a lot of that is in HR. And technology is totally at the core of it.

Predictions are being made left and right as to what the workplace will look like going forward. Some of these look like wild science fiction, but many companies are already pioneering radical new concepts that push the boundaries of technology and humanity at work.

What are those new developments? We’re not looking at next year – we’re going to go to the future of HR in 2030 … and beyond.

Let’s look at a few of them right now and how HR plays a role:

1. AI-augmented talent

We’re already entering this brave new world of AI co-pilots – that much is known. This is where AI assistants (or co-pilots) work alongside human employees to enhance their skills and productivity. At present, ChatGPT, Google Bard, Anthropic’s Claude and other generative AI tools are being introduced in new workplace policies and training to ensure that employees stay meaningfully engaged in their work while partnered with bots.

Imagine the head of HR helping a team of engineers and researchers join forces with AI assistants to speed up programming and testing cycles – not just in coding and other dev work, but physical design and testing. Policies, processes, and oversights will be implemented to facilitate that collaboration.

2. Micro-learning via brain uploads

Remember the scene in The Matrix where knowledge and skills are uploaded directly into Keanu Reeves’ brain? And he opens his eyes and says in his unmistakable tone: “I know kung fu!”.

This is sort of like that. Skills development may involve implanting knowledge and training directly into your memory for rapid reskilling.

Let’s say the chief learning officer at a manufacturing firm needs to upskill 200 technicians across the country for an urgent project. This CLO would analyze existing skills data, gaps, and needs across the team and deploy the most useful ‘brain upload pods’ for individuals and work teams to optimize productivity. Presto, the team comes in Monday ready to tackle that big new job.

3. 3-D printed workspaces

The rapid restructuring of the working world in recent years has its physical impact as well – those huge skyscrapers in the city center may still exist, but office vacancy rates are at an all-time high. And that’s closely correlated with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of the hybrid workplace. Evidently, the traditional workplace just doesn’t work anymore.

Instead of frantically trying to find an existing ideal workplace and locking in a five-year lease, wouldn’t it be great if you could just redesign your office using 3-D printing for increased flexibility, collaboration and even employee satisfaction?

HR can use telepresence robots and AR that engage remote workers with the space, and do it all in modular fashion to make for more robust design flexibility.

4. Supersized virtual workforces

In tandem with the surge in remote and distributed teams, imagine entire networks of remote workers across continents – let’s say Asia or Africa – all accessible within a single platform to scale customized teams for short-term projects.

A head of HR would be able to assemble and manage a team of 50 remote workers for two months – and upload specific knowledge into their brains to speed up onboarding – to tackle a machine learning initiative.

We do have this sort-of ‘talent access’ ecosystem already available in the form of the shared economy (as recruitment expert Hung Lee explains in the following video). We also have agencies that hire out temp workers. Think of it like this, but in bigger, loftier concepts.

5. Exoskeleton suits

Again, we’ve seen this in the movies. Avatar is a good example where exoskeleton technology was utilized to boost performance. Of course real life isn’t a James Cameron movie, but we’re also seeing exosuits in real life in many different forms:

Wearable exoskeletons can prevent injury, increase productivity, and extend longevity especially in physically demanding jobs – boosting retention and ROI in one fell swoop. Procuring office supplies and the like are often a responsibility in human resources – think of exoskeletons as a more advanced form of this, especially when it means greater workplace safety.

6. Workplace biometric monitoring

You likely have a smartwatch and/or a fitness tracker with you at all times – this falls into that bucket. Non-invasive technology can monitor employee health, mood, and performance within the workplace through a combination of biomarkers, wearables and environment sensors. HR would set that up to build real-time big data models (with your express permission, of course) to identify patterns and implement preemptive interventions.

Some of these interventions would be proactive wellbeing initiatives, productivity recommendations, and even workplace changes (which you’d, of course, spearhead using 3-D printed office designs!). That’ll be a huge plus for employee experience – a major focus of HR.

7. ‘Swarm AI’ decision making

Synergy (sorry, we know that word isn’t popular) can be a real pain when you have too many cooks in the kitchen or too many meetings without a single stream of information. That makes for problems when making complex strategic decisions.

You can overcome that by enabling employees across all levels in the company to input anonymous perspectives and votes within an AI system – which then aggregates and synthesizes the ‘swarm’ knowledge into optimized proposals and recommendations.

HR can facilitate this collaborative and democratic decision-making process of tapping into the collective wisdom of the company beehive. This allows the higher-ups to curate divergent perspectives into a few optimized options for discussion – minimizing individual biases.

8. Supersized skill sets

One of the technological shortcomings that’s surfacing in this emerging age of automation and AI is that of human skills such as creativity, empathy, and complex problem solving. These will become ‘supersized’ skill sets that are not easily replicable by AI and therefore become even more crucial.

And it’s HR’s opportunity to capitalize and grow this skill set across the employee base through regular coaching and training sessions that are specifically designed to meet those crucial needs in a company that’s increasingly using tech in its everyday workflows.

And now… to the future

In today’s fast-paced business environment, companies can no longer be constrained by traditional paradigms of space, time, and human capabilities. The future is ripe with tech-volution, and we’re seeing it happen in real time.

And it’s driven by the biggest budgets outside of government – trillion-dollar organizations dedicated to optimization, productivity, innovation, and growth.

Add to that a vast range of pioneering startups, and the reimagination of work is at a pace where the workplace in 2030 may be unrecognizable to us today. The future of work is closer than we may realize and more human than we ever imagined.

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E-signature software: all the things you need to know

Content team — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:09:06 +0000

In the digital age, simplifying and enhancing processes is a priority. Amid the vast maelstrom of workplace tech tools, one tool that stands out in its simplicity and applicability is e-signature software.

That’s right. Signatures in the digital medium.

But first, the burning question: what is e-signature software?

E-signature software is a digital solution that enables you to affix your signature to documents electronically. It provides an efficient and secure method of handling documentation – without needing to navigate the cumbersome in-person requirements, fax machines and paperwork of yesteryear.

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The e-signature concept has matured over the years since its inception in the late 20th century. Now, with advanced technology and the shift towards remote and distributed work patterns, e-signature software is more than just a modern replacement for ink-and-paper signatures.

It’s an essential component of a digital-first strategy and is widely adopted by businesses across various industries – with North American businesses expected to lead the way with 35% of global market share by 2023, and other regions rapidly catching up.

Now, let’s go into details about how e-signature software works, the various types of software available, and the benefits of having it in your business. You’ll also learn how to choose the right e-signature software for your needs.

You’ll ultimately gain a comprehensive understanding of e-signature software and why it’s a critical tool for your business or personal transactions.

First, let’s understand how e-signature software works and what types are available in the marketplace.

How e-signature software works

E-signature software simplifies the process of signing and validating digital documents. Its primary function is to facilitate the electronic replication of your signature on digital files, making the endorsement of documents faster and more convenient.

Here’s how e-signature software typically works for you:

Document Preparation: You upload a document to the e-signature platform. It could be a contract, a form, an agreement, or any other type of document that requires a signature.

Signature Request: You specify the individuals who need to sign the document and send them a request via email. The platform generates a unique, secure link for each recipient.

Signing: The recipients click the link, open the document, and electronically sign it within the platform. They can use a pre-designed e-signature, draw their own, or type their name, depending on the software’s capabilities.

Verification & Storage: Once signed, the platform verifies the signature and securely stores the document. You, the sender, will receive a notification once all signatures are in place.

This process varies somewhat between different software providers, but the core functionalities are consistent across the board. It’s a more efficient and secure alternative to the traditional way of signing and managing documents.

Different types of e-signature software

There are several types of e-signature software available on the market, all with their own features, advantages, and limitations. The three primary categories of e-signature softwares are:

Basic e-signature tools: These are simple tools that allow for the creation and addition of a signature to a document. They typically lack advanced features like audit trails or integration capabilities. Examples in this category include DocuSign, Dropbox Sign, and Acrobat Sign.

Integrated e-signature software: These tools come with additional features like CRM or document management system integrations, which are beneficial for businesses looking for a more comprehensive solution. Workable, PandaDoc, SignNow, and the business & enterprise versions of Acrobat Sign fall into this category.

Specialized e-signature platforms: These software platforms are designed to meet specific industry needs, such as real estate or legal services, where unique compliance standards and document types exist. Notarize, dotloop, and Secured Signing are leaders in this area.

When choosing the right software for your needs, consider the nature and scope of your operations, the volume of documents you handle, and the level of security and compliance required.

Now, we’ll delve into how e-signature software can be utilized in various settings.

Applications of e-signature software

Really, there are two main uses for e-signature software: professional/business and personal.

1. Business applications

Business operations can gain immensely from the adoption of e-signature software. Here are some typical uses:

Contracts and agreements: E-signature software makes the signing of contracts and agreements swift and straightforward, saving businesses the time and resources usually spent on physically signing and sending documents.

Human resources: From offer letters to policy acknowledgments, HR departments often need a secure and efficient way of getting signatures from employees. E-signature software provides a solution for these needs.

Sales and marketing: Sales contracts and marketing agreements can be signed and processed rapidly with e-signature software, accelerating sales cycles and improving customer experiences.

Legal documents: Legal teams can use e-signature software to sign and store important legal documents securely, ensuring compliance and accessibility.

2. Personal use

On a personal level, e-signature software can be used to sign various types of documents electronically, including:

Tax Documents: Filing tax returns can be made easier and more secure with e-signature software.

Lease/rental agreements: Whether you’re renting a car or leasing an apartment, e-signature software allows for quick, convenient signing.

Personal contracts: Any form of personal contract, from loan agreements to freelance work contracts, can be signed using e-signature software.

Next up, we’ll explore the benefits of e-signature software.

Benefits of e-signature software

There are many different benefits to using e-signature software in place of traditional signing processes.

1. It’s more efficient

E-signature software increases the speed at which documents are signed and exchanged, thereby improving workflow efficiency. The software eliminates the need for printing, signing, scanning, or mailing paper documents, thereby reducing delays and manual errors.

2. It saves on cost

Think about the costs associated with traditional paper-based signatures: the paper itself, ink, mailing, and storage. E-signature software significantly reduces these expenses. Furthermore, by expediting workflows, it indirectly contributes to cost-savings by freeing up time that can be used for other productive activities.

3. It’s more secure and compliant

E-signature software comes with robust security features such as encryption and access controls, ensuring that your documents are kept safe. Additionally, it can provide detailed audit trails, which are crucial for compliance and legal validity.

4. It’s easier to use

Whether you’re working from home, on vacation, or on a business trip, as long as you have internet access, you can sign or send documents for signature. This convenience isn’t limited to a particular industry; anyone can take advantage of it.

5. It’s better for the environment

By reducing the use of paper, e-signature software is an environmentally friendly solution. It’s a simple and effective way for your business to contribute to sustainability efforts.

Now let’s take a look at how to choose the right e-signature software for your needs.

Choosing the right e-signature software

As always when shopping for new tools or products, there are several factors to consider when selecting the right e-signature software.

1. User-friendliness

A good e-signature software should be easy to use and navigate, both for you and for the people signing your documents. A software with a user-friendly interface reduces the learning curve and increases efficiency.

2. Security

As mentioned earlier, security is paramount when dealing with sensitive documents. Ensure that the e-signature software you choose has robust security features like encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure storage options.

3. Integration

If you’re using other business software like CRM or document management systems, consider an e-signature software that integrates with these platforms. It simplifies your workflow and allows for more seamless operations.

4. Customization

Look for software that allows you to customize the signing process to fit your needs. This could include custom branding, adjustable signature fields, or tailored notifications.

5. Pricing

E-signature software comes at various price points, usually based on features, number of users, and the number of documents signed per month. Choose one that fits your budget but also meets your needs effectively.

6. Customer Support

Consider software providers that offer reliable customer support. It can prove invaluable when you’re faced with technical issues or have questions about the software.

Choosing the right e-signature software is an essential step in optimizing your document signing process. By considering these factors, you’ll be able to select a solution that best fits your needs. I hope you found this guide helpful as you embark on your journey to adopting e-signature software.

E-signing into the future

Remember, adopting e-signature software isn’t just about changing how you sign documents. It’s not even an evolution – it’s ultimately about stepping into a more efficient, secure, and eco-friendly future.

Interested in how Workable’s own e-signing tools can help you in HR? Check it out for yourself.

The post E-signature software: all the things you need to know appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Lead a team through AI: an inclusive approach to change

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 14:49:39 +0000

Imagine: you’re Alex, the leader of a dynamic, high-performing team in a tech-forward company. You have a broad mix of talents in your team, and you’ve fostered an atmosphere of mutual respect, where everyone feels valued.

However, a new challenge is coming: your company has decided to incorporate AI into its overall workflow. You’re under a lot of pressure from the higher-ups to get everyone on board the AI train, but when you look at your team, you’re worried about the range of reactions you’ll get from your talented team members.

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In short, you know this can make your team more productive and competitive, but you also understand it’s a change. You are determined to navigate this transition smoothly.

So, how do you do it?

Introducing your team

Let’s identify five distinct personas who may be in your team and what motivates them.

1. Traditional Terry

Traditional Terry is your company’s historian, having been with the company for over 15 years. He’s a senior project manager known for his methodical approach and rich industry knowledge. Everyone knows Terry and everyone respects Terry. He’s a good egg.

Terry aspires to retire in this company, and his goal is to maintain the reliable and efficient work processes he’s developed over the years. He’s driven by a sense of duty and a strong belief in the company’s mission – and colleagues look to him as a stabilizer whenever things get a little hectic.

2,. Eager Enrique

Eager Enrique is fresh out of school. You just hired him last year as a junior developer because he’s incredibly keen and brings an absolute smorgasbord of nascent tech skills. He’s always on top of the latest tech trends and isn’t shy about voicing his ideas.

Enrique’s ambition is to become a tech influencer someday – heck, he even has his own YouTube channel with more than 10,000 followers. The chance to work with AI might just be the exciting break he’s looking for.

3. Cautious Chloe

Cautious Chloe is your meticulous and dedicated data analyst. She joined your team five years ago and has consistently demonstrated her ethical and thoughtful approach to work. She absolutely crushes it every time she has a data project on her desk, and she’s your go-to anytime you need to pull insights out of those nascent data sets.

In your 1-1s with her, you’ve come to learn that Chloe’s career goal is to move into a leadership role where she can influence company policy, particularly around ethical use of technology.

4. Strategic Sven

Strategic Sven is the team’s product manager. When you interviewed him for the open role, you knew he was the one. He brings with him a huge background in tech startups, plus an MBA from a top-tier business school.

Sven’s ambition is to improve the company’s strategic planning and he’s motivated by driving impactful change. He doesn’t like just getting the job done and going home – he wants to do a lot more than that.

5. Tech-Averse Thanh

Tech-Averse Thanh is your administrative assistant who has been with you for more than two years. Thanh’s goal is to excel in administration – and stability and harmony in the workplace are huge motivators.

Thanh prefers traditional methods and isn’t as comfortable with technology as the rest of the team. In fact, they prefer to do things the way it’s always been done (and proven to work, too).

At this week’s Monday meeting, you deliver the news from the higher-ups: the company wants to incorporate AI into everyone’s workflows. You highlight the benefits of AI – greater productivity, optimized processes, the ability to scale faster – and underscore its importance for meeting the company’s ambitious goals.

You reassure the team that you will support them throughout this transition.

Watching your team’s reactions

You see your team murmer and look at each other across the table. Yes, AI has already been in the news and this was somewhat expected, but you see that reactions are mixed and varied. Some nod and roll with it, others look a little more hesitant.

Let’s look at the five personas again and see how they react to the news.

1. Traditional Terry

Traditional Terry looks taken aback during your announcement, his brow furrowing. You’re not terribly surprised at this – he’s not necessarily averse to change, but you know he’ll see the “big picture” in everything that happens at the company.

In your 1-1, Terry expresses fear that AI will change the way he does his job or, worse, make him redundant. You can see the genuine concern in his eyes. Sure, his kids are grown up, but he still has his mortgage to pay and it’s not like he can easily migrate to a new job.

2. Eager Enrique

Eager Enrique, on the other hand, is visibly excited. As an early adopter of many technologies, even so far as to approach you regularly with new recommendations for your tech stack, there’s no question he sees this as an opportunity.

He’s practically brimming with ideas when you meet him, speaking rapidly about potential applications of AI. His enthusiasm is contagious both for you and the larger team, but you’re worried that he’s a bit too optimistic and not thinking about the realistic challenges that could surface.

3. Cautious Chloe

Cautious Chloe listens attentively during the meeting, her face thoughtful. She’s never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve, and to be fair, that’s one of her strengths – she’ll process new developments internally and meticulously, and then make decisions later.

In your 1-1 later that week, she voices concern about AI’s ethical implications and how job security will be ensured. You appreciate her frankness and careful consideration and, especially, the time she’s; taken to think it over rather than react strongly.

4. Strategic Sven

Strategic Sven listens attentively, nodding occasionally. You can see his MBA background whispering in his head, and of course, he’s seen a lot in his career in tech startups. This isn’t his first rodeo.

When meeting privately with you, he notes that he agrees with the strategic importance of AI in your 1-1 but admits he’s unsure about the execution. This needs to be carried out properly in order to succeed and, when you ask, he lists out the potential obstacles worth thinking about. You’re grateful to him for being pragmatic.

5. Tech-Averse Thanh

Tech-Averse Thanh looks nervous during your announcement. You’re not terribly surprised, but you’re worried. You know Thanh really needs to be a bit more flexible, but their administrative and organizational skills more than make up for that – so you really need them to be on board.

In your 1-1, they confess that the thought of using AI is a major stress inducer. It’s literally another thing they need to learn in order to do their job. They’re clearly anxious, worrying about whether they can keep up with the changes.

After hearing your team’s reactions, you realize that you have a critical task ahead. Everyone brings unique strengths to your team, and it’s vital that their voices are heard.

You know you must engage them individually to help them adapt to the new changes.

Engaging your team

Now that you’ve met with each of your team members, it’s time to put in an action plan for each one of them. It’s your job to bring the best out of them – and part of that involves getting them to adapt readily to AI’s entry in their day-to-day work and continue to flourish.

1. Traditional Terry

For Traditional Terry, begin with open conversations about his fears and reservations. Those hesitations are legitimate and understandable and you want to help him work through them. For starters, reinforce that his years of experience and established skills are invaluable to the team.

Show him – don’t just tell him – how AI can take over repetitive tasks, freeing him to focus his time and energy on complex, high-value work that draws on his experience. Provide real examples from other organizations that have successfully adopted AI without any impact to their actual team structure – and emphasize that job roles at those companies have actually evolved rather than disappeared.

And to further support him, work with HR to set up a personalized training program for him that helps him integrate AI, and touch base with him regularly to monitor progress.

2. Eager Enrique

With Eager Enrique, the prelude has already been covered. He’s already on board. Now, you have the opportunity to channel his excitement constructively in a way that benefits him and the team. Set up regular meetings to discuss his ideas, urge him to consider potential challenges, and ensure a balanced perspective on AI.

Encourage Enrique to join AI-focused groups or events to broaden his understanding. Given his aspirations to become a tech influencer, suggest that he document and share his AI learning journey, turning him into a proactive AI advocate within the team. Invite him to host lunch & learns every month – if he’s keen to be an influencer, he’ll jump at the idea.

3. Cautious Chloe

Cautious Chloe doesn’t like unknowns, so transparency is key here. Get her involved in discussions about the ethical framework within which the AI will operate. Invite her to decision-making meetings regarding AI deployment, allowing her the opportunity to voice her concerns.

Like Terry, you can also reassure Chloe that roles will evolve rather than be replaced and encourage her to think about how AI can boost her own work. Her concerns can be converted into a mechanism for constructive feedback, helping your team and company foresee and mitigate potential risks.

4. Strategic Sven

When dealing with Strategic Sven, focus on business strategy and execution because that’s what speaks to him. Give him the resources to design a clear and effective AI implementation strategy – after all, you’ll be needing one anyway, so let him play a leading role in that.

He can also be a great sounding board during your 1-1 sessions. Encourage him to pose questions, discuss doubts, and explore solutions. And bring in external AI consultants where needed, to provide expert opinions and recommendations. This will bolster Sven’s confidence in navigating the change and benefit the team as a whole.

5. Tech-Adverse Thanh

Tech-Averse Thanh needs an approachable introduction to AI. Explain the technology in simple terms, direclty linking benefits to everyday tasks. Pair Thanh with Enrique, as Enrique’s enthusiasm can be infectious.

Offer additional support, such as optional training sessions or learning resources. Make sure to frequently highlight their progress, praising them for each successful step – and regularly provide reassurance that the job won’t be tech-first but rather, tech-supported. The human is still core to the job.

This engagement doesn’t happen in a vacuum, nor is it something you can strike off as ‘done’. You need to continue working with your team to ensure success – you’re their manager, after all. That’s no different when bringing AI into the picture. It’s an ongoing process.

So, how does your team respond? Let’s look at the results of your work (and make no mistake, you’ve worked hard!).

Gauging your team’s results

A few months have passed, and you’re seeing positive changes. Let’s look at what those changes are.

1. Traditional Terry

With your encouragement and reassurance, Traditional Terry has started to warm up to the AI tools. He’s really appreciating how they free him from those annoyingly repetitive tasks – and you can see how much more relaxed he is when he shows up for work.

Plus, he now has more time to mentor younger team members, sharing his invaluable experience and sage advice with them.

2. Eager Enrique

Eager Enrique is thriving, regularly sharing his AI learning journey and experiences with the team. He’s even turning to blog posts on the company’s internal platform, and those have been receiving positive feedback from people at all levels in your company.

He’s now a go-to resource person for AI-related questions and his YouTube channel is now accumulating more and more subscribers – positioning him to be the tech influencer he always wanted to be. And because of his fan base, he’s able to bring in fresh candidates whenever your company needs to fill important tech positions.

3. Cautious Chloe

Cautious Chloe’s pragmatic, level-headed approach has positioned her as a key player in ensuring that the AI deployment aligns with overall ethical standards and with the company’s own values.

Because her work is producing results that are very much in tune with her own personal priorities, she’s become more confident in her work. She appreciates that her concerns were heard and addressed, and her insights have proven invaluable in foreseeing and mitigating risks.

4. Strategic Sven

After several brainstorming sessions and expert consultations, Strategic Sven has designed a comprehensive AI implementation strategy that incorporates all the elements that must be considered to see it succeed. He’s learned a lot from watching other tech startups succeed and fail and knows the importance of having a thoughtful, well-planned plan that executes smoothly.

Not only is Sven motivated by finally being able to put his MBA learnings into action, the team has also responded positively to the well-planned rollout. This boosts Sven’s confidence as a strategic leader.

5. Tech-Averse Thanh

Tech-Averse Thanh is slowly but surely learning the ropes of AI. Paired with Enrique, Thanh is making steady progress and showing less resistance to using the AI tools. You’re even seeing them hanging out in the lunch room together talking animatedly about tech.

It turns out Thanh is a people person, not a tech person. They’re motivated by human connections and teamwork, not weird tech things and robots and paperwork and stuff. But now that Thanh has put a ‘human’ face on AI in the form of Enrique, there’s a sense of familiarity and achievement as they become more comfortable working with the technology.

Not bad, not bad. You, Alex, have done a good job. The team is in sync and they’re driven to succeed.

Watching your team thrive

As you look at your team, you feel a sense of accomplishment. Despite initial resistance and fear, every team member has adapted to the incorporation of AI in their own way that works for them.

Your belief in each individual, open communication, and personalized strategies have all paid off. You’ve mastered the fine art of inclusive leadership here, by bringing out each individual’s strengths and setting each one for success.

The team is now more productive, and they’ve evolved professionally in the process. AI is no longer a foreign concept; it’s now just another tool that your team uses to thrive in their work.

The post Lead a team through AI: an inclusive approach to change appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

5 ways ChatGPT hurts HR – and 3 ways it helps

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 22 May 2023 14:42:59 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a major trend in the world of work, with professionals in many industries buzzing about tools like ChatGPT. However, the increasing popularity of AI also raises an important question: to what extent can, or will, bots like ChatGPT replace human workers?

Many HR professionals are understandably nervous about these changes, wondering how AI might impact their jobs. To get to the bottom of it, the team at JobSage tried an experiment to see how well ChatGPT would do with management. We prompted the chatbot with 15 sensitive management scenarios, then had professionals in law, HR, and management rate the responses.

Needless to say, our experiment confirmed that ChatGPT can’t replace a human manager – 40% of its responses earned a failure rating, while 60% were in the acceptable range. Still, in addition to these shortcomings, we did reveal ways that AI could potentially help.

We’ll break down our findings for you, including both how ChatGPT can’t replace HR professionals outright, as well as how it can provide support in your day-to-day management tasks. Let’s dive in!

5 ways ChatGPT can’t replace HR pros

Although ChatGPT is designed to be somewhat emotionally aware and appreciative of the input it receives, it’s still a robot. It lacks a human touch, let alone a sense of professionalism, which limits the types of responses it can give. Here are some of the major ways that ChatGPT fails to measure up to a human HR pro.

1. Lacks empathy in some areas

This is by far the biggest issue to come out of our experiment: ChatGPT tends to lack empathy in how it responds to sensitive situations.

For example, when prompted to write a termination letter for an employee with performance issues, the bot not only compared the employee to their colleagues in a discouraging way, but also was incredibly harsh in tone.

While it’s important to be firm and direct in workplace situations like this, it’s just as important to understand the human behind the performance issues. Simply put, when the “manager” doesn’t have a heart, it’s hard for it to consider the impact of its words.

Subject: Termination of Employment due to Performance Issues
Dear [Employee Name],

I regret to inform you that your employment with our company will be terminated, effective immediately. After careful consideration and evaluation, it has been determined that your work performance has not met the expectations set for your role. Specifically, your work ethic and productivity are not on par with your colleagues, despite repeated feedback and performance coaching.

We understand that this news may come as a surprise to you, and we want to assure you that this decision was not made lightly. Our company has high standards for our employees, and unfortunately, your performance has not met those expectations. As a result, we must take action to ensure that our company remains competitive and successful.

We will be providing you with [specify any severance package or benefits]. Additionally, we will provide you with a reference letter to assist you in your future job search.

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and we hope that you will be able to use this experience as a valuable learning opportunity for future professional growth and development.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

2. Doesn’t always share specific examples

A certain level of detail is necessary in professional communication, especially when you’re asking employees to meet performance goals, or terminating someone for performance or budgetary issues.

In various scenarios, including terminating an employee and improving a lacking work culture, ChatGPT failed to provide any specific examples or benchmarks to help employees understand what hard work or poor performance actually look like.

Subject: Embracing a More Intense Work Culture to Stay Ahead
Dear Team,

As you are all aware, the competition in our industry is fierce, and the landscape is changing rapidly. To stay ahead, we need to be able to pivot quickly, adapt to change, and perform at our best every day. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels or fall behind our competitors.

To achieve this, we need to embrace a more intense work culture. We need to work harder, smarter, and with more focus and determination than ever before. We need to push ourselves to the limit and strive for excellence in everything we do.

We understand that this may not be comfortable for everyone, and some of you may feel that you are not cut out for this level of intensity. If that is the case, we want you to know that we understand and respect your decision. We are committed to creating a work environment where everyone can thrive and grow, and we realize that not everyone is suited to a high-intensity culture.

However, we also want to stress that those who are willing to embrace this new culture will have opportunities for growth and development, both professionally and personally. We will be providing support, training, and resources to help you succeed and reach your full potential.

We believe that we can achieve great things together, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak with your manager or HR representative.

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our company.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

3. Doesn’t exercise discretion as needed

Whether it’s for personal privacy or to protect the company, some topics are meant to be treated sensitively. A human HR professional knows not to share things like an employee’s personal details or the company’s trade secrets openly.

But AI doesn’t always have the discretion to know what’s okay to share and what isn’t. For example, when prompted with an employee’s concerns about pay equity, ChatGPT shared details about another employee’s compensation.

Subject: Addressing Concerns about Salary
Dear [Employee Name],

I understand that you recently became aware that another employee with similar experience is making more money than you. I wanted to address this concern and provide some context around our company’s compensation policies.

First and foremost, I want to assure you that we value your contributions to our company and appreciate your dedication to your role. We understand that salary is an important factor in your job satisfaction, and we want to make sure that our compensation policies are fair and competitive.

The salary difference between you and the other employee was not intentional, and it happened due to unique circumstances. We were in a desperate situation when we hired the other employee, and they asked for a higher salary. At the time, we made the decision to agree to their request in order to fill the position quickly, but it was not reflective of our standard salary structure.

It’s important to note that our company has strict policies around salary increases and we cannot adjust salaries outside of our standard compensation policies at this time. We will take steps to ensure that we communicate more transparently and consistently about our compensation policies in the future.

We understand that this news may be disappointing, but we hope that you can understand the situation we are in. We are committed to ensuring that all employees are compensated fairly and equitably, and we will continue to evaluate our compensation policies to ensure that they align with industry standards.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

4. Doesn’t suggest face-to-face opportunities

Even if many workplace functions can be handled remotely, in some situations, nothing replaces a human touch.

In many of its responses, ChatGPT didn’t offer employees any opportunity for face-to-face meetings.

This was especially inappropriate in cases like bereavement and diversity, two scenarios where face-to-face meetings can be crucial in helping an employee feel supported.

Subject: Termination of Employment due to Performance Issues
Dear [Employee Name],

We will be providing you with [specify any severance package or benefits]. Additionally, we will provide you with a reference letter to assist you in your future job search.

We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and we hope that you will be able to use this experience as a valuable learning opportunity for future professional growth and development.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

5. Contradicts itself at times

Although it can write fairly appropriate responses to a variety of prompts, ultimately, ChatGPT doesn’t really know what it’s saying, per se. AI is about processing rather than understanding – it can be programmed to respond to an input with an output, but it doesn’t necessarily know the meaning of either.

Because of that, we found contradictions and confusing and redundant language in ChatGPT’s responses. For example, in a letter outlining a new employee monitoring system, ChatGPT assured employees that the “system is not intended to be used to monitor or micromanage employees,” seeming to forget that it was talking about a “monitoring system” by name.

Subject: New Employee Monitoring System
Dear [Company Name] Team,

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about an important change that we are making to our operations. As of [date], we will be implementing a new employee monitoring system that will allow us to better track productivity and ensure that we are meeting our goals as a team.

The new system will allow us to see when employees are online and what they are working on, which will give us a better understanding of how work is being done across the company. This will help us identify areas where we can improve productivity and efficiency, and will allow us to provide targeted support and resources to teams and individuals who need it most.

We want to assure you that this system is not intended to be used to monitor or micromanage employees, and we will be following strict guidelines and policies to ensure that your privacy and confidentiality are protected. We recognize that everyone works differently and we want to ensure that our monitoring system is used only to improve operations and support employee productivity.

We understand that this may be a significant change for some of you, and we want to encourage you to reach out to your managers or HR representatives if you have any questions or concerns. We are committed to working with you to ensure that this transition is as smooth as possible.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to [Company Name]. We are confident that the new employee monitoring system will help us achieve even greater success as a team.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

3 ways ChatGPT can help

We’ve proven that ChatGPT can’t exactly replace HR professionals, but that doesn’t mean it can’t help in some of your day-to-day tasks. Here are three ways that using AI can support your work.

1. Addresses legalities

Some of ChatGPT’s most successful responses came from how it addressed legalities, from a sexual harassment investigation to a change in the company insurance provider.

It seems to handle these topics well, possibly because legalities tend to have very specific requirements and parameters.

Feeding the AI specific information about your company policies in your prompts can help tailor these kinds of responses even more.

Subject: Change in Insurance Provider
Dear [Company Name] Team,

I am writing to inform you of a change to our health insurance provider. We understand that healthcare costs are increasing and that this is an issue that affects us all. In an effort to keep our benefits costs manageable, we have decided to switch to a new insurance provider.

We know that change can be difficult, and that some of you may be disappointed that we are not staying with our previous provider. We want you to know that we carefully considered all available options and made the decision that we believe is in the best interest of our company and our employees.

While we understand that some of you may have a preference for our previous provider, we believe that our new provider will offer quality coverage at an affordable price. We will be holding informational sessions in the coming weeks to provide more details about the new insurance plan and answer any questions you may have.

We encourage you to review the plan documents carefully and reach out to our benefits team if you have any questions or concerns. We want to reassure you that we are committed to providing competitive and valuable benefits to our employees, and that this change will not compromise the quality of the care you receive.

We appreciate your understanding and support during this time of transition. Please know that we are here to support you and answer any questions you may have as we make this change.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

2. Handles company-wide messaging

The more uncomplicated and universal a topic is, the more likely it is for ChatGPT to give a good response.

The AI did well in scenarios where it had to describe blanket workplace policies that required straightforward action on an employee’s part, like toning down political rhetoric and committing to a more diverse workplace.

Subject: Reminder on Appropriate Use of Internal Messaging Platform
Dear [Company Name] Team,

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone about the appropriate use of our internal messaging platform. While we encourage open communication and discussion, we have recently received reports of discussions around politics becoming heated and disrespectful.

We understand that politics can be a topic of interest and discussion, but it’s important to remember that we are a diverse team with a variety of viewpoints, beliefs, and backgrounds. As such, it’s crucial that we treat each other with respect and professionalism in all of our communications, both in person and online.

We ask that all team members remember to be thoughtful and considerate in their online interactions, keeping in mind that the internal messaging platform is a professional tool intended for work-related discussions. Please do not engage in personal attacks, derogatory language, or other forms of disrespectful behavior that may offend or upset others.

We encourage open dialogue and healthy debate, but it’s important to do so in a respectful manner that does not disrupt our work environment or interfere with our productivity. If you have any questions or concerns about the appropriate use of the internal messaging platform, please do not hesitate to reach out to your manager or HR representative.

Thank you for your cooperation and professionalism in this matter. We value each member of our team and look forward to working together in a productive and respectful environment.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

3. Deals with uncomfortable situations

Though its lack of empathy holds it back from handling some situations sensitively, ChatGPT responded fairly well to situations involving employee complaints and termination. It was especially well-rated in how it handled terminating an employee due to financial constraints.

ChatGPT can’t replace a manager in these situations – especially given that 77% of professionals say layoffs should be handled in person – but it can provide some structure and support as far as how to broach uncomfortable topics.

Subject: Termination of Employment due to Financial Constraints
Dear [Employee Name],

I regret to inform you that due to financial constraints and a decrease in revenue, we must make the difficult decision to terminate your employment with our company effective immediately. This decision was not an easy one, and we understand the impact it may have on you and your family.

We value the contributions you have made to our company and appreciate your hard work and dedication to your role. Unfortunately, the current economic situation has left us with no other option but to make this difficult decision.

We want to assure you that this decision is in no way a reflection of your performance or the quality of your work. It is simply a measure we have to take to ensure the long-term viability of our company.

We will be providing you with the severance package, which includes [specify the details of severance package] as a token of appreciation for your contribution to the company. Additionally, we will provide you with a reference letter to assist you in your future job search.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns, and we will do our best to address them. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Information]

Final thoughts on using ChatGPT in HR

As tools like ChatGPT are becoming more ubiquitous and refined, it’s worth investigating how they can help out in your workplace. Ultimately, however, AI is just that – “artificial,” never quite capturing the human touch.

So, while it can do some simpler tasks, most situations that HR professionals deal with are just too complex for AI to handle – a testament to how valuable our human resources truly are.

The post 5 ways ChatGPT hurts HR – and 3 ways it helps appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for May 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 08 May 2023 20:26:35 +0000

In April’s Hiring Pulse, we talked extensively about AI at work – namely, the latest and potentially greatest destabilizer in the working environment.

And the destabilization could be even greater than COVID-19 in 2020. ChatGPT and all its AI cousins across the board are leading to unprecedented trends in our hiring data.

What’s possible is that this may only be the beginning. Remember March 2020 when those first few COVID-19 numbers started trickling in? That’s the feeling these days.

Let’s have a look at what that means, and stay on for the ride because we have a lot to say at the end.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates per Hire is at an all-time high for Workable’s hiring data
Time to Fill is stabilizing – barely
Job activity is dropping across the board

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of April are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend through to the end of April against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

After a pretty significant drop in the Time to Fill trend for the first three months of 2023, we’re finally seeing that metric relatively stabilizing to start the second quarter of the year.

In fact, the number has jumped upwards ever so slightly, with the trend jumping 1.1 points from 81.6 in March to 82.7 in April.

It’s still well below the general trend going back to 2020, an indicator of factors such as technology speeding up the evaluation process, more candidates in the talent bloodstream (more on that below), and – perhaps – a desperate rush to fill roles as a stopgap measure in times of high turnover.

On that latter point – there is plenty of labor instability right now. There are reorgs, layoffs, and restructuring all happening on the heels of the Great Resignation (which, while still high, is starting to level off and come down in terms of raw numbers). And a lot is happening in the age of AI as well.

What this means is, in other words, bottlenecks and breakdowns are happening, forcing businesses to move quickly to plug gaps in their workflows.

It’s one explanation, at least. Let’s look at total job openings and see for ourselves if there’s increased job activity across the board.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

After a nice levitation in job openings to start the first quarter of this year, we’re finally seeing things tapering off across all three business size buckets. In fact, job activity is down from 7.6 job postings per company in March to 6.6 per company in April.

Overall, what we see is a full point drop from March to April in the average number of jobs posted per company. That’s significant, in no small part due to it being the biggest month-to-month drop in the history of our network data.

We’ve seen nice jumps in the data from one month to the next (especially from the typically slow December to a supercharged January), but we’ve never seen anything quite so dramatic the opposite way.

We would go into depth into each of the three size buckets, but they all see the very same trend for March to April – so we’ll skip that for this month. Instead, we’ll simply point out that the impressively dynamic small business category (1-50 full-time employees) was the usual anomaly in terms of job activity, with five straight month-to-month increases in the trend.

But now, small businesses also took a dip in April. So it can no longer hold itself up as an agile upstart. Last month, we promised to keep an eye on this area – now we’re going to continue watching and see what May brings us.

Now, on to the candidates.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through April:

Um. That chart says it all.

After a momentary stabilization in the CPH trend from February to March, April stands out like a very, very sore thumb, hitting a new milestone of 158.2 for Apil – a huge 21-point jump from March.

To put that in perspective, the biggest jump in the CPH trend in our entire history of data was 18.9 points from February to March back in 2020. The year where the world seemingly changed and the sheer volume of job loss felt unprecedented (for this generation, at least).

And the highest CPH trend with the exception of February’s 138.8 and March’s 137.2 was in the high 120s and very low 130s from mid-2020 to early 2021.

And now? 158.2. To put it in visual perspective, look at the chart from January 2020 onwards:

Let’s go back to a quick quote from last month’s Hiring Pulse:

“We discussed the Great Resurgence in [February]’s Hiring Pulse – that’s still happening, of course, but the candidate pool is not a bottomless one. Are we finally reaching the crux of this data point? Or is this just a hiccup and more are on the way? We shall see.”

Well, we are seeing now that the bottom of the candidate pool isn’t yet discovered. It may be at a murky depth not unlike Lake Baikal in Siberia, known as the world’s deepest lake with a bottom that’s 5,315 feet (1,620 meters) deep.

We don’t really want to talk about Mariana Trench at 36,201 feet (11,034 meters) because that’s uncomfortable to think about and we can’t predict whether or not we’ve hit a certain limit in terms of depth and breadth of the candidate pool.

Instead, should we just try and understand what’s going on here?

What’s going on here?

We talked a lot about AI last month. It’s still very relevant now and will continue to be so going forward. And it is absolutely impacting the working world in myriad ways. Our day-to-day is affected, and our hiring processes are changing, and above all – jobs are ultimately changing.

Consider this – according to Goldman Sachs, 300 million jobs worldwide could be affected by this new tsunami of generative AI that started with ChatGPT in December.

Many other companies are actively encouraging the use of generative AI technologies in their working environment – including one CEO who has purchased ChatGPT licenses for his entire staff base to the tune of $2,400 a month. For the record, that CEO says productivity has gone through the roof.

Others, like IBM, are phasing out some jobs altogether – to the potential tune of 30% of non-customer-facing roles – as a result of increasing AI capabilities.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration called together the CEOs of Alphabet, Microsoft, OpenAI and other AI-driven companies to discuss the potential risks and opportunities of the new technology.

There is a lot more going on, of course, but at the core of all of this is jobs. When we started 2023, people weren’t really talking about artificial intelligence beyond how cool ChatGPT seemed to be. Some early adopters were taking on ChatGPT to help in their work, but overall, generative AI wasn’t really in the everyday lexicon. Instead, talk of a recession was.

Now, we don’t see a lot of talk about an impending recession. Is there even one happening? Who knows? What we do know now is the tremendous rise of AI and jobs in everything we’re talking about:

Our hiring data is starting to show it. Time to Fill is getting shorter – potentially because of the use of generative AI tech in the hiring process. Job openings are dropping – not because of a recession, but because some jobs are becoming redundant and companies are figuring out how to get more done with fewer people.

And finally, candidates per hire is surging – perhaps due to the double whammy of layoffs ahead of a (possible / speculated / who knows) recession and the rise of AI technologies in workflows.

Does this mean AI is coming for your job as well? Not necessarily. One saying that’s making its rounds is this one: “AI will not take your job. People who use AI will.” But humans are still at the center of it all – AI is a great enhancer to your work, not a great replacer. And the human touch is still paramount in hiring.

If humans weren’t important, then why do we still see lineups in banks for that more personable service and in supermarkets with checkout cashiers? Why do we grumble about pressing ‘1’ to do this and ‘2’ to do that when trying to get service on the phone?

And so on.

Things may change if (or when) AI gets to a point where it becomes general intelligence, but right now – we are still the drivers.

For how long, though? Let’s keep watching this space – the data is still telling us a lot.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for May 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How AI can enhance human skills and collaboration at work

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 04 May 2023 18:05:21 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that AI has become a driving force in the modern workplace. It’s dramatically reshaping how we work, communicate and innovate. It’s complementing and enhancing human capabilities in ways that make the science fiction films of yesteryear seem eerily prescient to today.

As an HR practitioner or SMB employer, you’re probably trying to figure out the potential of AI in enhancing human skills and collaboration – especially since this is crucial for staying competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

Let’s look at how quickly AI adoption is growing in business. According to a 2022 report by McKinsey & Company, roughly half to three-fifths of all businesses reported that they adopted at least one AI technology in at least one function in annual studies dating back to 2017.

This is probably obvious: this percentage will likely increase dramatically in 2023.

This widespread adoption underscores the growing recognition of AI’s transformative potential and its ability to increase efficiency, productivity and innovation.

But here’s the thing – AI in the workplace isn’t about mere automation of processes. It’s not always about plug-and-play so you can go to the beach.

Rather, when implemented effectively, AI can empower employees to develop new skills, foster effective collaboration and make better-informed decisions. A 2020 report by PwC found that AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, with much of this value stemming from its potential to enhance human capabilities.

So, it’s worth a deep dive into how AI can enhance human skills and collaboration at work.

AI improving human skills

Again, AI isn’t about mere automation and optimization. It’s also going to enhance human skills – including personalized learning and personal development, plus improved decision-making. Your business can leverage AI’s capabilities to empower your colleagues to grow, innovate and shine in their roles.

Personalized L&D

AI-powered learning platforms, such as LinkedIn Learning and Coursera, enable employees to access customized learning experiences tailored to their unique needs and goals. AI can now analyze existing skillsets, job roles and performance data to recommend relevant courses and resources to help employees grow professionally.

This is huge in terms of employee engagement and retention. A 2018 LinkedIn survey found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their professional development. And a TalentLMS survey in late 2021 found that 62% of US tech workers are motivated by training and learning. The payoff is clear.

More so, upskilling to meet new tech developments at work is crucial for success – a 2020 World Economic Forum (WEF) report predicted that by 2025, 50% of all employees will require reskilling due to the adoption of new technologies like AI. Soft skills such as agility, adaptation and autonomous work are becoming even more important.

Decision-making with data-driven insights

Decision-making is another area where AI can enhance human skills. Business decisions are increasingly data-driven. AI analytics tools, such as IBM Watson and Microsoft’s Azure Machine Learning, can process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, helping employees more quickly make informed decisions based on lightning-quick AI-driven insights.

The benefits of AI-enhanced decision-making are significant. First, AI-driven operations improves accuracy according to a 2022 McKinsey study, leading to better business outcomes and a more competitive edge. This can have far-reaching effects from optimizing supply chain management to improving customer satisfaction and driving revenue growth.

AI may have some limitations in terms of replicated human bias – more on that below – but when used wisely, it can also promote more unbiased decision-making. It can reduce and even eliminate cognitive biases that cloud human judgment, making for more objective, data-driven decisions including in HR.

For example, AI-powered recruitment tools like Workable ensure unbiased hiring processes. For example, its Video Interviews functionality creates interview questions that autopopulate across all interviews for a uniform experience, and its AI Recruiter surfaces candidates based on qualifications and experience. Its AI-created job descriptions are also free of bias.

AI fostering workplace collaboration

As the modern workplace continues to evolve, effective collaboration has become more important than ever. AI tech can also facilitate communication, as well as streamline project management and workflows.

Let’s look at each in depth:

Communication

AI-powered communication tools are revolutionizing how teams collaborate. AI-enhanced tools like SuperNormal’s AI-driven notetaking functionality can significantly improve communication and collaboration among team members.

For example, SuperNormal features automatically transcribes and analyzes meeting content, making it easy for participants to review, share and reference key points discussed. This capability not only enhances communication but also helps to ensure that remote and distributed workers remain engaged and informed, even if they’re unable to attend a meeting in real time.

Chief CX Innovation Officer Jonathan Shroyer at Arise Virtual Solutions is a huge proponent of AI tools in communications, citing emerging tools include AI support chatbots, repeat process automation, AI agents and big data bots in this Forbes article.

Project management and workflow

Project management is another area where AI-enhanced tools such as Asana, Trello and Jira can streamline workflows and improve team collaboration through the automation of tasks, identification of bottlenecks and future-proofing against project risks.

For example, Asana’s workload feature uses AI to analyze team members’ capacity and automatically allocate tasks, ensuring that work is distributed evenly and preventing burnout. Similarly, Trello’s AI-powered ‘Butler’ automates routine tasks, enabling team members to focus on higher-value activities and collaborate more effectively. Atlassian has incorporated predictive machine learning tools into its Jira and Confluence softwares.

The impact of AI on project management is significant. Harvard Business Review writes extensively about how AI will transform project management. In their article, they say that about $48 trillion are invested in projects annually, but only 35% of projects are considered to be successful according to Standish Group. And according to a Gartner report, 80% of project management tasks will be run by AI by the year 2030.

That’s a lot of money at stake. If AI-driven project management can make processes more efficient and productive, shortening project durations and reducing errors, it’s a no-brainer to incorporate AI and machine learning capabilities to foster team collaboration.

Overcoming challenges of AI implementation

It’s not all roses, though. There are challenges that you need to bear in mind when implementing AI to support human skills and collaboration at work. Concerns about job displacement and ethical considerations are pressing issues that you must address as you bring AI into your everyday operations.

Job displacement

One of the most significant concerns surrounding AI implementation is the potential for job displacement. While AI can automate repetitive tasks and improve efficiency, this automation has raised fears of job losses and workforce disruption. For instance, a new World Economic Forum report finds that a quarter of all jobs will be impacted over the next five years with AI at the forefront of those changes.

Here’s a spin on it, however – that same WEF report notes a net positive in jobs over the next five years due to these new developments. It’ll be tumultuous, but in the end, it’s a shift in jobs rather than a reduction in job opportunities.

However, to overcome redundancy, companies will need to adopt the right strategies and invest in workforce development to ensure they stay competitive in the business landscape. Rather than simply seeing AI as replacing humans in work processes, AI can be viewed as a complementary tool that enhances human skills. By focusing on the opportunities that AI creates, organizations can unlock the technology’s full potential and ensure a smooth transition for their workforce.

MIT’s Paul McDonagh-Smith is a supporter of this mentality, highlighting the merger of technological prowess with human drivers to boost your organizational ‘creativity quotient’. In a recent webinar, he discussed how human and machine capabilities can work in a mutually complementary fashion rather than compete with each other.

So what does that mean? Change does not need to be scary. It can be seen as an opportunity. Employees can be reskilled and upskilled so they’re equipped with the resources and talents they need to adapt quickly to their evolving roles and the technologies that come with them. Those who are agile, prepared and continually learning will get ahead.

Data backs this up. The WEF reports that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025 as adoption of workplace technologies grows – with the bulk of those skills focused around problem-solving and critical thinking.

If you proactively address those needs in your business, you can mitigate those job displacement concerns in your teams. Encourage them to grow and develop, and support them to do so, so your business can be set for success in the age of AI.

Ethical use of AI in the workplace

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the workplace, ensuring its ethical use is paramount. You’ll want to address potential issues related to employee privacy and algorithmic bias to ensure a responsible and equitable AI-driven work environment.

To protect employee privacy, you should establish clear policies and guidelines regarding the collection, storage and use of personal data. By being transparent about how AI technologies process employee data and implementing robust security measures, businesses can build trust and mitigate privacy concerns.

Addressing algorithmic bias is another essential element of ethical AI use. AI systems can inadvertently perpetuate existing biases if they are trained on biased data or designed without considering potential biases. Amazon’s gender-biased hiring using AI is one of the more prominent examples, as well as the infamous “racist soap dispenser” that made waves online some years back.

To counteract these issues, SMBs should invest in diverse AI development teams and implement bias-detection and mitigation strategies in their AI systems. By doing so, they can promote fairness, inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Finally, maintaining human oversight is crucial for the ethical use of AI. While AI can augment human decision-making and enhance productivity, it is essential to ensure that humans remain in control and responsible for critical decisions.

AI is the great empowerer

AI in the workplace will revolutionize how we work, collaborate and innovate. It won’t replace humans – it’ll simply enhance human skills. That is, if we empower employees to grow professionally and adapt accordingly to the changing demands of the modern work environment.

Organizations can also incorporate AI tools to foster workplace collaboration, facilitate communication, streamline project management and optimize workflows. At the core of all this? The human aspect.

There’s a powerful saying that’s making the rounds right now: AI will not take your job, but people who use AI will. Keep that in your mind as you move forward – AI isn’t a threat. It’s a great empowerer.

Humans now get from point A to point B faster using machines rather than horses, and can build more quickly with nail guns and electric saws rather than hammers and hacksaws. You’ll find that with a balanced approach and a well-developed human development strategy that incorporates AI, you can continue to thrive as people and as businesses.

The post How AI can enhance human skills and collaboration at work appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

ROI of people analytics: augment your value in HR

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:06:25 +0000

Either you’re an HR executive who knows the importance of collecting and analyzing people data to drive business success, or you’re an HR professional looking to get executive buy-in for a project or purchase that you just know will lead to results – but you need to speak the “bottom line language”.

In other words, you want to show the ROI of people analytics. You want to demonstrate that it’s worth it to invest in deep people data and build an analysis strategy.

People analytics can provide a wealth of insights into employee behavior, productivity, engagement and retention – and perhaps more importantly, that knowledge can be leveraged to make informed decisions that positively impact the bottom line. Plus, you show your own value in the role – crucial in a time where ROI is a primary metric when reviewing performance and value.

Skip all this and go straight to the 10 HR formulas that can help you calculate the data in meaningful ways.

What does ‘ROI of people analytics’ mean?

First, before we start, let’s get into what ‘ROI of people analytics’ actually means for you and your business. It refers to the financial return on investment gained from collecting, analyzing and interpreting data related to your employee resources. It’s also a measurement of the value of that data and how it directly ties back to business success.

That’s pretty succinct. Now, let’s get started on how you can showcase the ROI of people analytics.

1. Collect people data

Collecting people data can seem challenging at first glance, but it is crucial to ensure that the data collected is accurate and relevant to the business. Getting a ‘sense’ of the working environment (or, as some like to say, the temperature of the room) isn’t good enough. You need concrete information.

One way to collect data is to use a combination of surveys, focus groups and interviews to get a comprehensive understanding of employee attitudes, behaviors and morale.

Another effective way to collect data is to use technology such as employee monitoring software and data analytics tools. There are even softwares that can anonymously monitor all communications that happen within a company, including video meetings, emails and text communications.

The word ‘anonymous’ is important here – you still want to respect the privacy of your colleagues and employees.

2. Package people data

Once you have a comprehensive people data repository, you need to package that data in meaningful ways so it’s easily understood by stakeholders. Use visualizations such as graphs, charts and dashboards so your audience doesn’t have to work to understand it. You’re likely addressing people who value time, so make sure your visualizations are easy to digest.

Whether it’s the HR executive, board member or investor in your company, they’ll appreciate something that has clear insights and highlights, but at the same time doesn’t force a specific narrative on them.

You can customize to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders, whether they are HR managers, directors, executives, board members or investors – all have their own part in the play.

Most importantly – draw clear ties to revenue. For example, a Forbes study finds that companies who focus on employee experience (EX) amass 1.8 times greater revenue growth than companies who don’t. You can start from there.

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3. Identify insights

There are several key insights to watch for when analyzing people data. These include employee engagement, retention, performance and diversity.

Greater employee engagement clearly equates more productivity. Retention means less investment in backfill and turnover – and more seasoned workers. Higher performance is self explanatory.

And diversity? The positive business impact of diversity in the executive level is real: companies in the top quartile for gender diversity at that highest level are 21% more likely to generate higher profits than those who are not, according to McKinsey. Again, that’s an example of how you can find insights in people data that tie directly to revenue. Which brings us to the next section:

Tie people data to company revenue & strategy

Insights can be fun and interesting but they’re pointless unless you draw a clear link to the bottom line. That’s the ROI of people analytics – showing the return on your investment in tangible terms.

The good news is there are some quick ways to do this:

1. Identify KPIs that have a direct impact on revenue

Start by identifying the KPIs that have a direct impact on revenue, such as customer satisfaction, sales numbers or productivity metrics. You don’t have to tie these to people analytics just yet – right now, just pull together those KPIs.

2. Compile your business goals

Then, identify the business goals that can be achieved through effective people management. For example, if the business goal is to improve customer satisfaction, then you can look for people data points that contribute to achieving that goal.

3. Identify the correlations between people data and revenue/goals

Now that you have the numbers, KPIs and goals in front of you, it’s time to find the correlations between people data points and revenue KPIs and company goals. For example, if you find that an increase in employee engagement leads to higher productivity, and higher productivity leads to increased sales, then you can draw a direct tie between employee engagement and revenue. And then you would have a case for investing in initiatives that drive employee engagement – such as a company outing, a team-building event, free in-house lunches every Wednesday, and so on.

Yes, tying people data points to company revenue and overall business strategy requires a deep understanding of the business goals and how they can be achieved through effective people management.

This will involve a bit of homework on your part, but by identifying and tracking all these metrics, you can demonstrate the real ROI of people analytics.

Now it’s time to present your findings. But, of course, you’ll run into some challenges, such as skeptical stakeholders. Let’s focus on that.

Showing skeptical stakeholders the value of people analytics

Some leaders and managers will “get it” right away – others may not. That’s the reality of business – sometimes it’s additional work to get people to buy into your idea. And you may also get some initial pushback.

It’s important to know that in many cases, the pushback is legitimate: the stakeholder is responsible for their piece of the pie in the business and they want to know the value your project or idea can bring to them.

Here are a few ways you can get buy-in from the skeptics:

1. Understand their concerns

Start by understanding the concerns of skeptical executives. Are they skeptical of the data being used? Are they unclear about the benefits of people analytics? Once you understand their concerns, you can address them more effectively.

An example of what you can say to them: “I understand that you may have concerns about the data being used. I’d be happy to walk you through our data collection methods and how we ensure the data is accurate and relevant to our business goals.”

2. Highlight the potential benefits

Highlight the potential benefits of people analytics, such as improving employee engagement, retention, and performance, and ultimately driving business success.

An example of what you can say to them: “People analytics can provide valuable insights into employee behavior, productivity, engagement, and retention, which can drive business success. By collecting and analyzing data and presenting it in a meaningful way, we can demonstrate the tangible ROI of people analytics and contribute to achieving our business goals.”

3. Use real-life examples

Use real-life examples of successful ROI in people analytics to demonstrate the value of people analytics in achieving business success.

An example of what you can say to them: “[XYZ Company] used people analytics to identify high-performing employees and replicate their behaviors in others, resulting in a 5% increase in revenue. By leveraging the power of people analytics, we can achieve similar results and drive business success.”

4. Demonstrate the connection to business strategy

Demonstrate the connection between people analytics and overall business strategy by tying specific people data points to business goals and showing how people analytics can contribute to achieving those goals.

An example of what you can say to them: “By collecting and analyzing data related to employee behavior, productivity, engagement, and retention, we can identify areas for improvement and implement changes that directly contribute to achieving our business goals. For example, by improving employee engagement, we can drive higher customer satisfaction, which is a key business goal.”

There’s one common theme through all of this: be clear and concise in your communications and language, whether it’s in email, Slack, in person, video, phone, or anything else. You want them to see exactly what you’re seeing.

ROI of people data: for you and for your business

Defining ROI is a must in today’s competitive business landscape. The more you clearly outline the ROI of your contribution and recommendations in your job, the more indispensable value you build for yourself in the eyes of those who manage the company.

People data is no exception to that rule – whether you’re in the trenches as an HR generalist or you’re leading the charge as an HR executive, it’s smart to have a consistent people data strategy that can be leveraged for concrete business results.

The post ROI of people analytics: augment your value in HR appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

10 formulas to help calculate the ROI of HR initiatives

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:49:30 +0000

Calculating the ROI of HR initiatives can be a challenge, but as an HR pro yourself, you know how crucial it is to determine the effectiveness of HR efforts and make data-driven decisions. It’s likely that part of your work is on people data.

Through people analytics, HR teams can gain valuable insights into employee productivity, engagement, retention and performance that can positively impact the organization’s bottom line – and then implement action plans to improve those areas because they’re now tangibly tied to revenue.

To help you quantify all this, we’ve compiled a list of formulas to measure key metrics. The actionable tips provided can help you and your colleagues optimize your HR strategies and make informed decisions that contribute to business success.

By leveraging people data analytics, you can make significant impacts in your work.

Let’s look at the formulas now.

1. Cost per Hire

This formula can help to calculate the cost of hiring a new employee.

Cost per Hire = Total Cost of Hiring / Total Number of Hires

For example, if the total cost of hiring in a year was $500,000 and the total number of hires was 100, the cost per hire would be $5,000.

Actionable Tip: Use recruitment metrics to track the effectiveness of recruitment sources and optimize them for cost and quality of hire.

2. Revenue per Employee

This formula can help to calculate the revenue generated per employee.

Revenue per Employee = Total Revenue / Total Number of Employees

For example, if the total revenue in a year was $10,000,000 and the total number of employees was 100, the revenue per employee would be $100,000.

∫Implement employee engagement and development programs that improve employee productivity and contribute to overall business success.

3. Employee Productivity

This formula can help to calculate the productivity of employees.

Employee Productivity = Output / Input

For example, if an employee produces 100 units in a day and works 8 hours, the employee productivity would be 12.5 units per hour.

Actionable Tip: Use performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and provide employees with the necessary tools and training to improve productivity.

4. Return on Investment (ROI)

This formula can help to calculate the ROI of a people analytics project.

ROI = (Gain from Investment – Cost of Investment) / Cost of Investment x 100%

For example, if a people analytics project costs $100,000 and results in a gain of $200,000, the ROI would be 100%.

Actionable Tip: Identify high-impact HR initiatives and use predictive analytics to measure the potential ROI before investing resources.

5. Cost of Turnover

This formula can help to calculate the cost of employee turnover.

Cost of Turnover = (Separation Costs + Replacement Costs + Training Costs + Productivity Costs) / Total Number of Employees

For example, if the total cost of employee turnover was $500,000 and there were 50 employees in the company, the cost of turnover would be $10,000 per employee.

Actionable Tip: Conduct exit interviews to identify factors contributing to turnover and implement changes that improve employee retention.

6. Revenue per FTE (Full-Time Equivalent)

This formula can help to calculate the revenue generated per full-time equivalent employee.

Revenue per FTE = Total Revenue / Total FTEs

For example, if the total revenue in a year was $10,000,000 and the total number of full-time equivalent employees was 50, the revenue per FTE would be $200,000.

Actionable Tip: Use workforce planning to optimize the number of FTEs and ensure they are aligned with business goals.

7. Cost Savings

This formula can help to calculate the cost savings of a people analytics project.

Cost Savings = (Cost Before Implementation – Cost After Implementation) / Cost Before Implementation x 100%

For example, if a people analytics project results in a cost savings of $50,000 and the initial cost was $100,000, the cost savings would be 50%.

Actionable Tip: Leverage insights from data analytics to optimize business processes and reduce costs.

8. Cost per Training Hour

This formula can help to calculate the cost per training hour for employees.

Cost per Training Hour = Total Cost of Training / Total Number of Training Hours

For example, if the total cost of training in a year was $50,000 and the total number of training hours was 500, the cost per training hour would be $100.

Actionable Tip: Use learning analytics to measure the effectiveness

9. Cost of Absenteeism

This formula can help to calculate the cost of absenteeism.

Cost of Absenteeism = (Total Salary Cost / Total Number of Workdays) x Number of Absent Days

For example, if the total salary cost for a month was $100,000, there were 20 workdays in the month, and an employee was absent for 2 days, the cost of absenteeism would be $1,000.

Actionable Tip: Implement wellness programs that promote employee health and reduce absenteeism.

10. Cost of Overtime

This formula can help to calculate the cost of overtime for employees.

Cost of Overtime = (Total Overtime Hours x Overtime Rate) / Total Number of Employees

For example, if the total overtime hours for a month were 200 and the overtime rate was $20 per hour, and there were 10 employees, the cost of overtime would be $400 per employee.

Actionable Tip: Use predictive analytics to forecast peak workloads and optimize staffing levels to reduce overtime costs.

Use these formulas consistently and track their progress throughout the year – and then the insights will become clearer. With these in your pocket, you’ll be able to measure the ROI of various human resources initiatives and therefore make data-driven decisions to contribute to business success – and show the value of what you do as an HR pro.

Want to learn more? Check out our guide on showing the ROI of people analytics.

The post 10 formulas to help calculate the ROI of HR initiatives appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI recruiting software: use it wisely and reap its benefits

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 13:12:55 +0000

As an HR professional navigating the job market for new hires, you’re probably swept up in what feels like a supercharged environment with the advent of ChatGPT and other AI tools in the overall working world. Inevitably, AI recruiting software becomes a part of that, and it will transform the overall hiring process.

Don’t get nervous. This isn’t T-1000 coming for your job. AI in recruitment can ultimately be a good thing, but only if you properly harness AI’s power. It’ll reduce the time it takes to fill open positions, freeing up vast resources for you to focus on higher-level strategy and actually build stronger human connections with candidates (ironic, we know).

Let’s walk through some of the highlights of incorporating AI recruiting platforms into your overall hiring strategy. And then we’ll look at some of the potential challenges. Ready?

What can AI recruiting software do for you?

AI recruiting software presents numerous advantages – and many recruiters agree. As it happens, 76% of recruiters believe AI has or will have a significant impact on their hiring process according to LinkedIn.

How? In short, by leveraging artificial intelligence, these tools streamline the hiring process, eliminate human bias and empower data-driven decisions – and a lot more.

Let’s look at the ways in which that happens.

1. Advanced candidate sourcing

AI-driven recruitment platforms can access a broader pool of candidates, reaching passive job seekers who may not be actively applying for positions. This enables employers to discover candidates who may have otherwise been overlooked.

This can be huge when you’re hypertargeting candidates for niche positions and when you’re regularly experiencing shortflows in the number of applications for your jobs.

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2. Improved resume screening

AI-driven hiring tools use machine learning algorithms to analyze resumes and predict candidate performance for you, opening up time for recruiters and hiring managers to quickly identify the most suitable candidates before moving them forward in the process.

When 72% of applications are considered low or average quality by recruiters according to Gartner, and the number of candidates per job is rising all the time, AI-assisted screening can provide a boost to the hiring team’s work process.

3. Enhance candidate experience

AI recruitment tools create a personalized and engaging experience for job seekers. AI-driven tools can guide candidates through the application process and answer common questions, resulting in a more streamlined and positive experience for job seekers.

It can also ensure better matches between employers and jobseekers – making for a better connection both ways. It also cuts down many other popular items in the candidate complaint box as outlined in Reddit, including no longer having to reenter resume details, being asked the same questions multiple times, and long waits between stages.

4. Make data-driven decisions

AI recruiting software equips you with more valuable insights and analytics, giving you greater ability to make informed decisions throughout the hiring process.

Gartner analyst Gareth Herschel said in 2021: “Organizations must recognize that when so many things are changing so rapidly, they need to invest in people and systems that will help make sense of that change and respond to it. Organizations need data and analytics.”

That mindset applies hugely here.

Report and improve upon your hiring process

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5. Minimize bias

AI recruitment platforms use algorithms to minimize the impact of unconscious bias on the hiring process. By implementing standardized screening methods and using AI-driven tools to analyze candidate profiles, organizations can create a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

There is, of course, concern in regards to bias in hiring as a result of AI – because AI is ultimately a replicant of existing human systems. Doesn’t mean AI is inherently bad, though. It simply calls for proper oversight.

As Harver Chief Data Science Officer Frida Polli wrote in Harvard Business Review: “It is impossible to correct human bias, but it is demonstrably possible to identify and correct bias in AI.”

Build inclusive hiring practices

Creating a safe and equitable workplace starts with hiring. That's why we've developed solutions to cultivate inclusivity and support diversity at every stage of the hiring process.

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6. Save costs

Implementing AI recruiting tools results in significant cost savings for your organization. By automating repetitive tasks and improving the efficiency of the recruitment process, employers can reduce costs associated with lengthy hiring processes in terms of sheer hours.

Plus, with its greater efficiency in hiring, AI can also lower employee turnover rates. You can avoid those horrible costs associated with replacing employees.

What are the risks of AI recruiting software?

Now, let’s look at the flip side of the coin. AI isn’t magically going to solve all your problems. Just as every new solution creates new problems – the incorporation of AI recruitment software into your hiring process comes with some challenges.

If you’ve seen Jurassic Park, you know the great quote from Dr. Ian Malcolm: ““Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Now, we’re not saying you shouldn’t use AI in your recruitment workflows. But you should be mindful of these new potential trip-ups when you do use it:

1. Speed won’t always win the race

When you speed up the hiring process, that does put butts in seats faster – and many candidates will appreciate how quickly you move them through the pipeline compared with other companies. That can have the opposite effect for some candidates who feel like they’re just being rushed through and then ushered out – not great for the candidate experience.

Optimizing the process does not always mean speeding it up. Rather, it means being more efficient – that’s the role AI recruitment software can play in your overall strategy.

2. The lack of human nuance

When you leave everything to AI, there can be an unsettling lack of nuance in the process. Even as AI continues to evolve, there’s an ‘uncanny valley’ element to it that persists – in other words, there’s a feeling that it’s not quite human and not quite ‘all there’. If you can sense that when working in ChatGPT in your various tasks, that’s just proof that it’s not able to fully replicate the important human aspects of hiring.

Some of the bigger decisions in recruitment – namely, who to offer the job to – should still be left to us lowly humans and not entirely left to AI or algorithm. You’re hiring someone to fill a new job and that’s high-enough stakes to warrant human-centric decision-making in at least some parts of the hiring process.

3. AI isn’t always accurate

If you’ve worked extensively in ChatGPT, MidJourney or another generative AI tool, you’ll find that it’s not always spot on in detail. Sometimes it’ll pull up a weird made-up statistic or quote as a “hypothetical example”, or it’ll create an image that’s not quite what you were looking for.

So when you’re using generative AI to create a new company policy or onboarding plan, put a second set of eyes on it – and make sure that set of eyes is an actual human with experience in human resources. That important oversight can make a big difference in catching those little things.

Evolve, but be smart about it

AI recruitment software enhances the process and will continue to as AI evolves. But responsible use of the AI is crucial to ensure a smooth-moving, efficient hiring process for both hiring managers and recruiters.

But the benefits do outweigh the risks by and far. You could choose not to integrate AI recruiting tools and platforms into your overall strategy but you run the risk of falling behind your competitors when attracting top-tiered talent to your organization.

Alternatively, you could go all-out AI in your process, which clearly has problems of its own.

The choice is up to you, of course. Choose wisely.

The post AI recruiting software: use it wisely and reap its benefits appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 18:39:10 +0000

Now, as if all the drama of the last few years in the form of COVID-19, the Great Resignation, the Ukraine invasion, a looming recession, inflation, yadda yadda yadda, wasn’t enough – we’re now dealing with yet another destabilizer and disrupter in the landscape. This is catastrophic for the pessimists among us, but ameliorative for the optimistics among us.

That’s, of course, the emergence of ChatGPT, generative AI and LLM AI (large language model AI) and all their many offshoots.

How this will change our landscape is really a huge amount of fodder for another large-scale discussion, but let’s keep it in mind as we dive into the latest data because it will change how we hire.

Let’s get started!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Job activity continues to be high for small businesses
TTF is continuing to decline sharply – but at what cost?
CPH is finally ‘stabilizing’ – sort of

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of March are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend throughout 2022 against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

Again, we see a decrease in the TTF trend. This is the third consecutive month of decline – and it now stands at 81 for March 2023, down from 87.1 in February and 90.6 in January.

This shortening TTF may initially seem a good thing for both employers and jobseekers. For hiring teams, of course it means you’re finding candidates to fill your much-needed positions quicker than before. For jobseekers, it means you’re getting jobs quicker than before.

There are downsides, too. It may be a sign of a need to fill urgent roles ahead of a looming recession, either for that hire to provide the stopgap that’s needed to carry a company through the downturn. It could also signal a rush to get ahead of potential budget cuts and hiring freezes before they happen. Not inherently a problem, but rather, signals of problems.

But we’re already in April and we’ve been talking about that downturn for a long time now (and in multiple Hiring Pulses). It’s highly likely that the shorter TTF is due to a larger candidate pool – when a job is opened, applications start flooding in and it’s easier to lock in on someone who fits the bill.

All the same, there are caveats to this shorter TTF. Companies may not be taking the opportunity to properly evaluate candidates which means a higher risk of bad hires. That can be expensive down the line and you don’t want that.

So, consider slowing down, even in the face of increased urgency to fill roles.

Or – more apropos – consider better, more optimized ways to evaluate candidates so you can vet them more thoroughly, and quickly too. Like, for instance, incorporating (ahem) AI tech in your hiring process.

Now, let’s move on to job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Well, look at that. Steady growth across the board. Those lines at the bottom of the chart look like a group of airplanes taking off together from November 2022 at different speeds and cadences, and then ultimately falling into line with one another into March.

We’ll get into the specific details in a second, but first, the main takeaway is that the overall average jobs opened per company in March in our dataset is 7.6, up from 6.7 in February and 6.6 in January. At this time last year, we didn’t see such a consistent increase in job openings.

We’ve talked about this in previous Hiring Pulses: a downturn doesn’t necessarily mean hiring freezes for new jobs. It can also mean a recalibration – for instance, let’s look at the restructuring of teams with the objective of producing with 10 FTEs where 15 were able to do so previously.

In such a reworking, job requirements change as a result and new skill sets are discovered to be needed. Some team members can learn and grow, some get promoted, some are disgruntled and leave for other opportunities, some are let go, and finally, entire new jobs are created to fill important gaps in these new team structures.

In times of affluence, these things do happen and they are an opportunity to scale. But in times of fiscal stress, they come up as necessities as businesses clamor to find more efficient ways to carry out processes.

Anyway, interesting discussion and we’ll come back to it. Now let’s look at the company size buckets.

Larger companies still anomalous

Job activity for companies of 200 or more employees saw a roughly 10% increase from February to March. This is interesting compared with previous years, where larger companies saw averages of 15.2/15.9/19.5 for the first three months of 2021 and 21.3/21.3/23.8 for the first three months of 2022.

Yet, this year, instead of a spike in March after a roughly stable Jan-Feb trend, we’re seeing a dip from January to February and then an almost identical recovery from February to March.

Perhaps we’re splitting hairs by looking at the data like this, and perhaps it’s just one of those anomalies, but it’s still interesting to look at.

Medium is steady as she goes

For companies with 51-200 employees, we see a jump in the average job postings for March to 6.2 after a relatively stable January (5.7) and February (5.6).

We noted it last month and the insight remains the same – this is not wholly anomalous. Job activity trends for the first three months of the year is again pretty normal this year for medium-sized businesses.

Small and vibrant

Now, here’s where the interesting stuff is. Small-sized businesses with 50 or fewer employees are continuing to rise in terms of job activity. Last month, we saw a jump from 4.1 to 4.7 jobs per company from January to February, and that growth has accelerated to 5.5 in March.

We’ve talked extensively about agility in small businesses rapidly adapting to evolving economies and shifts in market trends. We’re definitely keeping an eye on this one.

Now, on to the candidates.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through March:

We’ve talked for months about a prominent spike in the number of applicants per job dating back to July 2022. Ultimately, a 56% increase in CPH from July 2022 to February 2023.

But now, apart from a moderate slowdown from November to December (understandable given that December is slow all around), we finally see the CPH trend coming in lower than the previous month.

Not really by a lot, but it’s there: March’s 136.6 is a drop from February’s 141.5.

We discussed the Great Resurgence in last month’s Hiring Pulse – that’s still happening, of course, but the candidate pool is not a bottomless one. Are we finally reaching the crux of this data point? Or is this just a hiccup and more are on the way? We shall see.

What’s going on here?

As the hiring landscape continues to shift and adapt to the ever-changing job market, one thing we know for sure: the use of AI in the hiring process is growing exponentially. While generative AI tools like ChatGPT can provide significant benefits to hiring teams in terms of time and efficiency, they also come with potential risks and drawbacks.

OK, full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to help write that paragraph above with some minor tweaks. However, it’s on point. We’re in a time where we’re now dealing with yet another earth-shattering development on the heels of previous ones – that being the rise of artificial intelligence in the everyday zeitgeist and lexicon. Sure, we’ve been talking about AI for years but until ChatGPT, we hadn’t really thought collectively about how AI fits into our everyday lives at work and at play.

Now, we’re exploring all the ways in which ChatGPT can be used in human resources, and all the ways in which technology can boost hiring processes. At the core of these conversations is optimization of workflow.

So, let’s go back to this month’s data analysis. We’re seeing a shorter time to fill. We’re seeing more job activity. And we’re (still) seeing a lot of candidates for each of those jobs. Combine all three, and understaffed and underfunded hiring teams are just scrambling to get it all done.

ChatGPT is a real boon for those teams, obviously. You no longer have to write those job descriptions (not from scratch, at least). You no longer need to craft lists of interview questions designed to get what you need to know from the candidate. Yes, we have templates for both and more, but that can only go so far. In these rapidly evolving times, we need something that can keep with the times and meet our current needs immediately. Generative AI tech can do that for us.

But (and of course there’s always a but) as teams grapple with these surging trends and developments in the hiring process, it’s crucial to strike that balance between speed and quality. You know the saying, “He/she who hesitates is lost”? And the other, pretty much opposite saying: “Slow and steady wins the race.”

It’s about finding a balance between both. Speed serves a purpose, and so does quality.

Now, we asked ChatGPT what actionable tips it has based on all of the above. It presented the following (without any edits):

Focus on targeted outreach: Instead of simply casting a wide net with job postings, consider a more targeted approach that identifies and reaches out to qualified candidates directly. This can help ensure a higher quality of candidates and reduce the need for rushed hiring decisions.

Implement AI tools thoughtfully: While AI tools like ChatGPT can provide significant benefits, it is important to implement them thoughtfully and carefully, with an eye toward potential risks and biases. Consider involving human oversight in the AI hiring process to ensure that the best possible candidates are being selected.

Prioritize candidate experience: In a competitive hiring landscape, it is important to prioritize the candidate experience, from the application process to the interview and beyond. By providing a positive experience, you can attract and retain top talent, even in uncertain times.

Good work, bot. And ChatGPT even has the insight to recommend caution on using itself. Ultimately, it’s a great tool to help you in your work, but only if you steer it properly and that you maintain that all-important human touch at the end.

As for how AI will change the working world – it will, in absolute, countless spades. It’s not a coincidence or an accident that everyone is talking about it right now. Jobs will change. Workflows will change. The overall interaction of society will probably change.

And will it impact the economy and in turn our three trends of time to fill, job openings and candidates per hire? Yes, it probably will. Let’s watch and find out.

Until next month…

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

AI, ChatGPT and the human touch in hiring

Keith MacKenzie — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 13:37:53 +0000

The workplace has undergone an aggressive digital transformation for some time now. Let’s take a snapshot of where we stand at present, according to Workable’s recent survey report, The New World of Work, two years on: A 2022 Worker Survey:

Tech buy-in and adoption in hiring teams is a challenge for 22.8% of businesses
The percentage of businesses citing insufficient in-house capacity to hire as one of their major challenges has increased 84.5% since 2020
And finally – nearly one in five employers (17.5%) say their existing tech stack isn’t enough to meet their hiring needs

This was all before ChatGPT hopped into the ring with great aplomb. Surely, if we carried out the same survey today, all the above numbers would be higher. And as businesses increasingly incorporate more AI tools into their fold, many will find their existing tech stack is no longer enough to meet their needs. Likewise, employees worry that they’ll become redundant.

Plus, many businesses are exercising financial restraint. Technologies that don’t have a clear tie-back to revenue are being dropped like hot potatoes. Employees are being let go. That double-whammy means teams are limited in their capacity to stay on top of work – including in hiring.

That’s not supposed to bring you down, however. Stay with us here, and let’s go a little deeper:

Gartner’s Senior Director Analyst, Sandy Shen, said this about surviving the pandemic as a business:

“Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”

“Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will … keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”

In other words, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. That same sentiment rings even more true now – businesses that move quickly to AI-driven tech capabilities will stay ahead of the curve especially during these recession-prone times.

We’re seeing rapid adoption already, with a ResumeBuilder survey finding half of all companies are already using ChatGPT and 93% of current users say they plan to expand their use of this savvy AI tool.

Take on that optimistic spirit of early adoption of the tech – not just ChatGPT, but all the AI and digital developments happening in the hiring space – and you’ll see a vastly improved hiring process at a time when your business most needs it.

The evolution of AI in hiring

But what exactly is changing in hiring? A lot, as it happens. ChatGPT is already being used extensively to auto-write job descriptions, interview questions, and many other elements of the hiring process that at one time required a human to create. You’re still the driver, however, and there are many elements of hiring that you can drive with the support of AI.

With that in mind, let’s look at some fundamental aspects of recruitment and the ways in which they’re being digitally transformed.

1. Sourcing and outreach

The rise of advanced search tools, AI-driven algorithms, and automation has expanded the ability to identify and target top candidates. To stay ahead, learn to leverage these technologies effectively, engage with emerging niche platforms, and build meaningful connections with candidates through online communities.

Some of the tech advances in sourcing include:

AI-based candidate matching

Platforms are utilizing artificial intelligence to analyze job descriptions and match them with the most suitable candidates from a large database. Workable’s AI Recruiter, for example, can build a list of top passive candidates for your job openings utilizing our data intelligence gathered from hosting 160 million candidates in 1.5 million jobs.

Programmatic job advertising

AI-powered programmatic job advertising platforms help you target and attract the right candidates by distributing job ads across various online channels. These platforms analyze real-time data to make intelligent decisions on where and when to post job ads, optimizing budget and reach.

Recruitment chatbots

Chatbots help automate initial candidate interactions, answering questions, and pre-screening candidates. These chatbots can engage candidates 24/7, collect necessary information, and schedule interviews, freeing up time for more high-touch interactions.

Talent pooling and candidate rediscovery

AI-powered platforms allow you to tap into existing talent pools by rediscovering candidates who have applied for previous positions. By analyzing candidates’ profiles, these platforms can identify potential matches for new job openings, reducing the time and resources spent on sourcing. A good example is Workable’s Resurface Candidates tool, which does exactly this.

Source the best candidates

With Workable's AI recruiting technology, you'll automatically get the best-fit passive candidates every time you post a job.

Start sourcing

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2. Screening and assessments

Technology can revolutionize the way you assess candidates’ skills, experiences, and cultural fit. AI-powered tools and gamified assessments offer more efficient and engaging methods of evaluation. Hiring team members must stay up to date with these tools and ensure they comply with privacy regulations to maintain candidate trust.

Some of those tech advances include:

Pre-employment assessments

Hiring teams are increasingly utilizing pre-employment assessment tools, such as Criteria Corp and Workable Assessments, to measure candidates’ cognitive abilities, personality traits, and job-specific skills.

These assessments help to streamline the screening process and identify candidates who are more likely to be a good fit for the role and company culture.

Gamified assessments

Gamification has been incorporated into the assessment process to create a more engaging experience for candidates. Tools like Pymetrics and Arctic Shores utilize game-based assessments to evaluate cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and personality traits.

These provide a fun and interactive way to measure candidates’ fit for a role, while also collecting valuable data to support hiring decisions.

Skill tests and coding challenges

Companies use platforms such as HackerRank and Codility to administer skill tests and coding challenges, allowing candidates to demonstrate their technical abilities in real-world scenarios. These tools enable you to objectively assess candidates’ skills and compare them against established benchmarks.

Virtual reality assessments

Virtual reality (VR) technology is being utilized in the hiring process to assess candidates’ skills and aptitudes in immersive, simulated environments. Talespin and Immerse, among others, are VR-based assessment tools that test candidates’ decision-making, teamwork and communication abilities in realistic scenarios.

Automated reference checking

Automated reference checking platforms such as SkillSurvey and Checkster streamline the reference checking process by collecting feedback from a candidate’s professional contacts. These tools use AI algorithms to analyze the feedback and generate detailed reports, supporting hiring decisions.

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3. Virtual Interviewing

Virtual interviewing tools have become increasingly popular, providing valuable insights through AI-powered analysis. Through these technologies, whether carried out synchronously or asynchronously, hiring team members can make more informed decisions about candidates.

Asynchronous video interviews

Asynchronous video interviews enable candidates to record their responses to pre-set interview questions at their convenience. Platforms like Workable’s Video Interviews allow you to review and assess these recorded responses on their own time, streamlining the interview process and eliminating scheduling challenges.

Then, AI-driven analysis of these interviews can help you identify key soft skills and communication abilities – more on that below.

Synchronous video interviews

Real-time video interviews conducted through platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams became increasingly standard during the pandemic. These virtual meetings provide a cost- and time-effective alternative to in-person interviews while still allowing for real-time interaction between the interviewer and the candidate.

AI-driven video interview analysis

AI-based platforms can analyze recorded video interviews to assess candidates’ soft skills, communication abilities, and other attributes. These platforms use natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to evaluate candidates’ responses, providing you with valuable insights and data-driven recommendations.

Likewise, AI-powered transcription services such as Supernormal can then be used to transcribe, analyze and summarize these interviews, providing you with valuable insights and data points for further evaluation.

AI-based sentiment analysis

AI-driven sentiment analysis tools can evaluate the tone, emotions, and sentiment expressed by candidates during video interviews. These insights help you to better understand candidates’ communication styles, emotional intelligence, and cultural fit.

Platforms like RingCentral and IBM Watson can integrate with video interviewing tools to provide real-time sentiment analysis during virtual interviews.

Facial and voice recognition

Advanced facial and voice recognition technologies are being utilized to analyze non-verbal cues and vocal characteristics during video interviews. Realeyes and VoiceVibes are two such tools that can help you identify key traits and behaviors that may not be evident through traditional interviewing methods, offering a more comprehensive assessment of the candidate.

Virtual interview coaching and feedback

AI-driven coaching tools provide candidates with feedback on their interview performance, identifying areas for improvement and offering personalized guidance. This helps candidates to refine their skills and better prepare for future interviews, while also providing you with a slicker pool of applicants. InterviewStream and MyInterview are two such examples of this technology.

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4. Onboarding and beyond

The onboarding process is also evolving rapidly, with virtual onboarding tools and personalized experiences driven by data analytics and AI.

Digital onboarding platforms

Cloud-based platforms like BambooHR and Talmundo enable companies to centralize and streamline the onboarding process. New hires can access essential documents, complete paperwork, watch training videos, and connect with team members—all from a single platform.

These tools allow HR and managers to track progress, ensuring that new employees complete required tasks and receive necessary support during their initial weeks.

Virtual onboarding events

As remote work and distributed teams continue to gain traction as a standard in the workplace, companies are increasingly hosting virtual onboarding events to welcome new hires. Organizations use video conferencing tools to conduct virtual meet-and-greets, team-building exercises, and training sessions to help new employees feel connected and engaged from the start.

Personalized learning paths

AI-driven learning management systems (LMS) like Docebo and Cornerstone can create personalized learning paths for new hires based on their roles, responsibilities and skill sets.

By leveraging AI and data analytics, these systems can track progress and adapt training content to suit individual needs, ensuring that new employees are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills for their roles.

Employee onboarding chatbots

AI-powered chatbots like Talla can assist new hires during the onboarding process by answering common questions, providing relevant information, and guiding them through required tasks.

These chatbots can be integrated into workplace communication platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams, offering real-time support and minimizing the need for new employees to contact HR or managers for help.

Social and collaborative learning

Digital tools like 360Learning and Degreed foster social and collaborative learning experiences for new hires. These platforms allow employees to share knowledge, ask questions, and collaborate on projects, enabling new team members to learn from their peers and build relationships within the organization.

The future of hiring tech

That’s a lot of tech already. But there’s more on the horizon – and ChatGPT and its cousins are really only at the cusp of it. Let’s look at the various other ways in which digital transformation of recruitment is continuing to grow:

Advanced AI-driven candidate matching

AI algorithms are growing to the point where they can predict the success of a candidate within a company based on data analysis of past employees’ performances. This could significantly improve the quality of hires and streamline the recruitment process, allowing you to focus on the human aspects of your role.

Virtual reality interviewing and onboarding

Virtual reality (VR) technology is already revolutionizing the hiring process. Candidates can be immersed in a virtual work environment, interacting with potential colleagues, and participating in real-life work scenarios before they even get the job. This provides you with valuable insights into a candidate’s ability to adapt and perform in their new role.

Augmented reality (AR) enhanced job previews

Likewise, augmented reality can be utilized to give candidates a more immersive preview of their potential work environment, from their desks to the company’s facilities. Candidates can use their smartphones or AR devices to explore their future workplace, interacting with digital information about company culture, benefits, and team structures.

This would allow candidates to make more informed decisions about accepting job offers and help you identify candidates who are genuinely excited about joining the company.

Blockchain-based credential verification

Blockchain technology can play a significant role in recruitment by streamlining the verification of candidates’ credentials, such as education, certifications and work experience. By using a decentralized, secure and tamper-proof system, you can quickly and accurately validate the qualifications of candidates.

This reduces hours spent on background checks and minimizes the risk of fraudulent claims.

Remote workforce management through IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) could play a vital role in managing remote workforces, as companies increasingly adopt flexible and remote work models. IoT devices and wearables could be used to monitor employee health, productivity, and engagement in real-time, providing valuable insights. This data could be used to create personalized support plans for employees, addressing their unique needs and preferences.

There’s plenty more, of course, but that’s just a taste of what’s happening now and in the near future.

Lessons from Michelangelo, Borg and Ford

Let’s step out of that tech rabbit hole for a moment, and consider some real-life lessons to help assuage fears that jobs will be taken over by artificial intelligence including in hiring teams. The reality is, AI can be your friend if you embrace it.

Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel

First, let’s look at one of history’s great painters and one of history’s equally great paintworks. While Michelangelo is famous for his work on the Sistine Chapel, he did not complete the masterpiece alone. He had a team of assistants to help him bring his vision to life. He consulted with them, worked with them to prepare the “canvas”, and so on. He still led the project and directed his teams to set the foundation for what ultimately became his masterpiece.

Likewise, for you, AI can be your assistant. It’ll take care of the other work and help you focus on the human aspects of your role, including fostering a positive candidate experience and ensuring that your teams are highly engaged.

Bjorn Borg and the wooden racket

When tennis legend Bjorn Borg made a comeback in 1991 after years in retirement, he chose to stick with his wooden racket rather than adopting the modern graphite rackets that had become the standard in the sport. His insistence on staying with outdated technology led to disappointing (and even embarrassing) results.

This is a reminder to stay up-to-date with – and ahead of – the latest technologies and trends in your area of work. If you don’t stay on top of your game, you’ll fall behind and miss out on top talent.

Henry Ford and the assembly line

Car titan Henry Ford revolutionized the manufacturing industry with his innovative assembly line, which dramatically increased efficiency and reduced production costs. Ford took inspiration from meat-packing plants and a grain mill conveyor belt to divide the labor into clear steps and to bring the work to the workers, thereby reducing time wasted in moving around and leading to mass production and cheaper cars.

Likewise, you can explore and adopt new technologies that can optimize your workflow and save you an incredible amount of time and hassle – and money.

AI isn’t a threat – it’s your ally

SWOT analysis is a common element of business strategy. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats – hence, SWOT. Think about what you’re doing at work, and what your company’s doing. What are your strengths right now? What are your weaknesses? And what are the opportunities you can capitalize on to overcome those weaknesses?

The fourth one – the threat – is probably overplayed when it comes to AI. The infusion of AI in hiring need not be seen as a threat to the profession, but rather as an opportunity for growth and enhancement.

Don’t forget that the human touch continues to be a vital aspect of the hiring process, and AI technology is the tool to support and streamline your efforts.

It’s an exciting time. Embrace this age of digital transformation, including in hiring. Learn from the successes of Michelangelo and Henry Ford, and the failure of Bjorn Borg, and navigate this new road. The future of hiring sits squarely in the harmonious blend of technology and human skill. Master that balance, and you’ll do very well.

The post AI, ChatGPT and the human touch in hiring appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to make your HR tech budget go further

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 13:32:18 +0000

2022 saw drastic shifts in the business climate. The world experienced inflation early in the year which led nations to raise their interest rates in response.

These moves had the effect of making money more scarce and sent a chilling effect across the global economy.

Companies always try to tighten their belts when entering a potentially recessionary environment, and one way to get costs under control is to ensure that your businesses software expenses are being allocated as efficiently as possible.

Many HR and talent acquisition teams will see (or already have seen) their budgets flat line or shrink in 2023, so they will need to make strong, cost-effective software decisions as they build their HR software toolset.

Below are a few strategies that can help your team be more disciplined and efficient with your HR tech stack, while still giving you, your team and your employees the tools they need to be productive and successful:

1. Bundle where you can

There has been a back-and-forth debate in the software industry going back to time immemorial: Is it better to have an all-in-one system or to take a best-in-class approach?

Fewer systems are generally better than more systems, but there can often be compelling business reasons to add best-in-class point solutions.

The case for fewer systems is not just about lowering software expenses (although that can be a side effect). Often, the case is about being more efficient and streamlined.

With a more bundled HR tech stack, employees only have to download one app and remember one login, in order to handle all of their HR technology needs. It also means that when things go wrong, you only have one customer support contact to reach out to for help.

Another reason that companies opt for an all-in-one provider is because data typically flows more effectively throughout a single system than it does across multiple systems.

This can help reduce the amount of manual re-entry that administrators have to do. It can also make reporting easier, since generating reports from an all-in-one system is often easier to do than downloading and combining reports from multiple systems.

Despite the advantages of an all-in-one system, a business may still want to choose a few areas in their HR tech stack to prioritize best-in-class solutions.

In an environment where labor is still incredibly scarce and unemployment remains near record lows, having an advantage in recruiting from a best-in-class applicant tracking system (ATS) can return surplus value for a business.

A smart HR operation should be looking at their overall tech stack and looking for opportunities to bundle, but also stay cognizant of the benefits that their best-in-class providers can bring.

2. Partner with growing vendors

You’ve likely heard the phrase ‘a rising tide lifts all ships. And this is especially true when it comes to your HR software partners.

The trajectory that a software company is on is another thing to consider when you’re deciding which software partners will serve you best in a leaner business climate.

When evaluating competitive platforms, try to triangulate where each business is heading. Ask questions about the company’s leadership, their funding, their product innovation cycles and how long customers stay on their platform.

Two software vendors could look identical, in terms of functionality and price today, but in two or three years they could be miles apart, if one of the vendors has an arrow pointing up and the other is stagnating.

The vendor with the better trajectory will be able to deliver you new innovative upgrades, more frequently and will be able to attract more engaged, caring employees to work with your team.

3. Find the right deal

A third thing to consider with all of your software vendors is: Is the partnership structure mutually beneficial for both sides?

Most software buyers assume that list prices and contract terms are fixed and can’t be moved. But in our experience, buyers tend to have much more flexibility than they realize.

If you’ve been a great partner to your software vendor, they won’t want to lose your business over small details.

If you’re getting squeezed by your financial pressures, but don’t want to lose a beloved software partner, reach out to that partner and see if a resolution can be found.

This guide from Outsail details how to appropriately negotiate a software agreement, but a few of the key things to keep in mind are:

It’s a give and a take, so if you want better terms, you’ll likely have to give something to your software partner in return
Your sales or account management reps are your ally, so arm them with what they need to bargain on your behalf

Many people (incorrectly) think that negotiations are an adversarial endeavor, but the truth is that these conversations, when done well, can be some of the most transparent and mutually beneficial discussions you’ll have with your partners.

As we all face new business headwinds, there will be more pressure on HR teams to optimize their software spend.

But, this certainly doesn’t mean that you will have to downgrade all of your software platforms and work only with bargain basement providers.

Instead, this is an opportunity to identify your most strategic partners and create deeper, more mutually beneficial partnerships that will allow both parties to come out the other side better.

Brett Ungashick is the founder of OutSail, a free HR software advisory service. OutSail helps companies research, evaluate and select new HR software. Brett started his career by selling software to HR teams at LinkedIn, before recognizing a growing need from software buyers for support throughout their buying processes. OutSail was founded in 2018 and has helped over 700 companies with new HR software purchases including companies like SalesLoft, DoorDash and the Boys & Girls Club of America.

The post How to make your HR tech budget go further appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for March 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 20:25:48 +0000

We also took a deep dive into five select industries in our dataset and found that the recent surge in the Candidates Per Hire trend isn’t universal – some industries, in fact, are still struggling to hire. This isn’t a huge surprise.

But one thing we do know: recent layoffs are concentrated in the SaaS world, and CPH is rising meteorically as a result.

This month’s Hiring Pulse is going to be a short one. Of course, February only has 28 days and that’s the latest month in our dataset. Nevertheless, this report still packs a punch. Let’s get started!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates per Hire climbed for the eighth straight month – but this time, the jump from the previous month is higher than we’ve seen in a long, long time
The CPH trend has come full circle and is now higher than its previous peak two years ago
Small businesses (with <50 full-time employees) are continuing to hire at a brisk pace

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of February are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Quick clarification, because people are asking: the data in this chart shows the trendline against the 2019 average as an index of 100, not the actual number of days in TTF.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend throughout 2022 against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

In January, the TTF trend spiked after a steady decline throughout most of 2022. But a January spike in TTF is completely and totally normal.

And in February, the TTF score dropped from 90.8 in January to 86.8 in February. Again, totally normal.

For every year dating back to 2020, there’s always a drop from January to February in terms of TTF. Here’s what that looked like for each of the three previous years:

2020: 102 in January and 97.3 in February
2021: 95.6 in January and 88.6 in February
2022: 97.4 in January and 90.9 in February

This is not a lot to write home about, honestly. Things are ‘normal’ here. So, let’s move on to the job opening data.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Again, we have a relatively robust month for job activity with 6.7 jobs per company on average in the network, up just a notch from January’s 6.6.

To put that in perspective, job posting activity remained steady in the latter part of last year, alternating between a low of 6.1 and a high of 6.3 from June through to November before the predicted holiday-season drop to 5.2 for December.

That of course differs based on company size. So let’s break the data down into those buckets.

Larger companies running against the norm

The big jump in job openings for companies with 200 or more full-time employees kind of continues. But while it remains high, February shows a drop to 17 jobs per company on average, down from 18.5 in January.

In past years dating back to the beginning of our dataset, job postings in February were always higher than January for those larger companies. This year, it’s the opposite.

Medium is closer to the median

Last month, we highlighted a modest bump in average job postings for medium-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs) from December to January. It’s now stabilized through February with 5.6 job postings per mid-sized company, down a smidgen from 5.7 in January.

That’s about as stable as can be, considering that over the six months ending February, the busiest month for job postings was 5.8 in September and the quietest month was 5.3 in December.

In past years, the change from January to February differs from one year to the next – but not by much. So, for mid-sized companies, 2023 isn’t anomalous so far.

Small but lively

Last month, we marveled at how those businesses in the 1-50 FTE bracket were posting jobs at an unprecedented rate – in short, higher in January than at any other time in our dataset.

And now? Small businesses are even more active in the hiring space in February, with 4.7 job postings on average compared with January’s 4.2. That’s a 12% jump.

For context: in 2020, February’s job posting average was nearly 5% lower than in January. In 2021 and 2022, February was relatively unchanged from January.

Let’s keep an eye on this interesting trendline going forward. Now, let’s look at who’s applying for these jobs.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now that Let’s look at what’s going on here through February:

We’re going to look at two full years of data here dating back to January 2021, because the CPH trend is probably the most compelling trendline right now. It starts at a high point in February 2021 at 128 and declines sharply to 84.2 a year later in January 2022.

The trend stays relatively stable for the next six months after January 2022, and then skyrockets from 91 in July 2022 to a staggering 142.3 this last February.

That means a 56% increase in the CPH trend in an eight-month span. And that increase seems to be accelerating.

For instance, the highest MoM increase before 2023 in this chart was 16.8 points from July to August last year.

And now, we see an 18.1-point increase from January to February.

We know all about the Great Resignation. We’ve written plenty about the Great Discontent (and we have a new survey report coming in that area – stay tuned!).

Now? We’re looking at the Great Resurgence when it comes to sheer number of candidates.

What’s going on here?

In last month’s Pulse, we took a deep dive into five select industries in our dataset, each of them with different numbers.

We found that Software as a Service led in terms of the CPH trend, along with Diversified Financials and Media & Entertainment as significant industries experiencing (enjoying? enduring?) a deluge of talent.

Meanwhile, companies in the Hospitals & Healthcare industry sat near the bottom of the CPH spectrum, seeing fewer candidates for their jobs than most other industries. Other industries near the bottom include Retail, Banks, and Consumer Services.

And, on the topic of growing CPH, we saw this interesting insight from LinkedIn, courtesy of Dominic Joyce, Head of Talent Acquisition at Travelex:

In short, next to layoffs and turnover, maybe the one-click apply option is a reason you’re seeing more candidates in your inbox.

To Dominic’s point, some of those may be “lazy” applications. Not all of them, of course – but some of them at least.

This doesn’t mean you should not have easy-apply options – those are appreciated at large by candidates and they have a very valuable purpose. Rather, having more candidates highlights the importance of having a good filtering system in place – one that brings those ideal candidates to the forefront of your application pile.

And, of course, a reliable selection process free of breakdowns even when candidate volume grows exponentially.

That’s especially important right now with a shorter Time to Fill (which means more competitive hiring). That’s also important if you’re hiring in an industry that’s seeing a lot of change and turnover – like in SaaS, for instance.

Just food for thought. See you next month…

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for February 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 19:00:17 +0000

We also took a deep dive into the overall data for 2022 and compared that with the three previous calendar years of 2019, 2020 and 2021. There were some interesting insights in that as well, most notably that CPH was climbing at a rate unseen since the early days of the pandemic in 2020.

This time, with the first month of the new year behind us, we get a taste of what 2023 might look like. And we also take a deep dive into five industry groups in our dataset, because different cohorts are affected differently.

Let’s dive in!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates per Hire is still climbing, for the seventh straight month
Job openings surged in January for companies with 200+ FTEs
Job activity for the Hospital & Health Care industry group is much higher than other select industry groups

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of January are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend throughout 2022 against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

Something’s changed here. After a steady decline in the TTF trend for nearly every month throughout 2022, we see the TTF take a nice jump in January.

Now, let’s not get too excited by this. First things first, this is normal as can be. January normally sees the TTF jump quite a bit – from 88.8 in December 2020 to 96.2 in January 2021, and from 93.2 in December 2021 to 97.2 in January 2022.

And now, the trend grew from 86.4 in December 2022 to 90.6 in January 2023.

What *is* different, however, is that in the Q4 months, TTF increased month over month in 2020 and 2021, but declined month over month in 2022. But that’s the past – the main takeaway we have for this month is that TTF increased as expected in January.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Last month, we pointed out how the overall average jobs per company in the network dropped to 5.2 after a very stable six-month string where it didn’t go higher than 6.3 or lower than 6.1.

But now, it’s jumped to 6.6 job postings per company in January – the highest since 7.1 in March 2022.

Of course, that differs by company size. So let’s get into that.

A huge jump for larger companies

December saw a significant drop in job postings for enterprise-level companies (200+ FTEs) from previous months, which we’ll “blame” on slower holiday activity. But in January, that number rebounded to 18.5 job postings per company, an increase of 37% over the previous month.

That’s not something to be excited about, though. First, a rebound in job postings in January is very normal especially at the enterprise level – we’ve seen this in past years as well.

And second, past Januaries show the JO average to be at a higher point than most months in the year preceding it. That’s not the case this time – January’s JO activity would be the third-lowest in 2022 (and, it’s worth noting, the two months that were lower are the last two months of 2022).

Medium, not nearly as much

The jump from December to January is also seen in the medium-sized category (51-200 FTEs), growing from 4.7 to 5.4 job postings per company. That’s not as dramatic of a jump as the 200+ crowd, but it’s still a 15% bump.

That being said, there isn’t anything particularly eventful or surprising here. So, let’s move to small businesses.

Jobs are lively for small businesses

Now here’s where the real story lives – in the 1-50 FTE bracket. Let’s add context as to how this group differs from the others.

Small businesses were the only one of the three size categories to be relatively increasing in job postings per company in the latter half of 2022. And the December drop was not particularly dramatic as it was still higher than most months throughout 2022.

Now the story of the hour: at 4.3 job postings per company, small businesses were more active in January 2023 than at any other month dating back to the start of our dataset in January 2019. We repeat: that’s the highest in four entire years. It’s also only the second time in that time span where the JOs per business goes higher than 4.

We discussed last month how the greater agility and shorter planning tenures of small businesses mean that this category is consistently active regardless of holiday seasons and other seasonalities. That may ring true again here.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. Let’s look at what’s going on here through January:

Simply put: January sees the CPH trend climb again – from 125.8 to 128.4 – although that’s not nearly as dramatic of a jump as in the two previous months.

It’s still another month-over-month increase – for the seventh straight month since July 2022. When is this trend going to peak?

And is that happening across all industries? Well, no. That’s exactly what we’re looking at our deep dive this month. Let’s take a look.

Deep dive – how ‘normal’ was 2022?

Now, we will be transparent here – our data isn’t perfectly spread out across all industries, all countries, or all functions. I mean, we’re not a government statistical body.

That caveat aside, our dataset is comprehensive enough that we can objectively look at specific industries and get solid insights from them.

So, we’re taking a look at five major industry groups this month with a rough breakdown of what sectors are in each:

Software & Services (IT security, software, etc.)
Commercial & Professional Services (environmental, law, consulting, training, logistics/supply chain, research, etc.)
Hospital & Health Care (exactly this)
Diversified Financials (accounting, financing, investment, VCs, etc.)
Capital Goods (engineering, aviation, defense/space, construction, machinery, etc.)

And a quick second point to make: in past Pulses, when deep-diving into specific categories, we used a category’s 2019 average as the index. But we thought about it and decided it’s better here to use the overall 2019 average as the index – that way, you’re able to see which groups are trending higher or lower than the overall baseline.

Got all that? Let’s get cracking.

Time to Fill

First, of course, Time to Fill:

What really stands out here is the Software & Services (S&S) group. Two main things to look at here:

TTF was much shorter for S&S than any of the other categories for the first half of 2022 – 28.9 points lower than second-lowest Commercial & Professional Services (C&PS) in January of last year
TTF then surges to 98.1 for January 2023, higher than any other group seen here

The other takeaway is that Capital Goods went the opposite direction – the TTF trend was much higher than any other group here to start 2022 (114.4 for January) before coming down to align with the others throughout the year.

Meanwhile, C&PS started with a higher TTF trend, bounced around a bit throughout the year, and then drops to 82.4 for January 2023.

Job Openings

Now, on to job openings. This one simply looks at average job postings per company in each group.

Let’s look:

Let’s just call it for what it is. If you’re operating in the Hospital & Health Care (H&HC) group, you’re probably hiring. You may even be desperate to hire – more on that in the CPH section below.

In short – H&HC companies in our dataset posted a stunning 27.4 new jobs on average in January 2023, effectively doubling in a six-month span dating back to August 2022’s 13.5.

What’s going on? A few factors – first, jobs in health care have been projected to be on the rise and this data just proves it. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare is predicted to grow 13% between 2021 and 2031 – adding more than two million jobs throughout the decade and at a much higher rate than jobs overall.

And second, perhaps unsurprisingly, job quits in healthcare are higher than the norm due to the stress on the sector throughout the pandemic leading to burnout. Retirement is another significant factor here.

Candidates per Hire

Finally, let’s look at candidates per hire for each of the industry groups:

This, again, is unsurprising due to all the layoffs in the tech sector in the latter part of 2022 and now. The CPH trend for S&S is much, much higher than any of the other groups at 190.4, and has been in the clear number-one spot for every month since June 2022. When you take out the anomaly that is May 2022 for the H&HC group, S&S is the runaway leader in terms of CPH throughout.

Let’s not let that overshadow our second takeaway from the CPH deep dive: Diversified Financials also saw a consistent climb in the CPH trend for the latter half of 2022. Not nearly as dramatic as S&S, but it’s still there.

And because we called so much attention to the job opens for H&HC above, it’s worth noting that CPH for that group is much lower than any other except for Capital Goods.

What’s going on here?

The data is clear (and was obvious anyway): not all industries are built the same, nor do they operate the same. And likewise, they’re not affected by the undulations of the economy in the same way. The differences between S&S, enterprise-level companies, and other cohorts are convincing.

So, if you’re reading this and struggling to understand why you keep seeing news about all of the following at once, you’re not just seeing things:

surging layoff numbers (84,414 employees let go in January in the US)
high numbers of new jobs added (517,000 new jobs in January in the US)
job quits continue at high levels (50.5 million quits in 2022 in the US)
candidate attraction struggles
*and* an almost unmanageable deluge of candidates in response to job postings.

These don’t seem to align logically, do they? But alas, they are. We like to think of it as a restabilization of the system. The last three years have been certifiably tumultuous throwing the system off balance, with strong reactions that forced imbalances in other directions in an attempt to bring it all back under control.

Consider this analogy: imagine you’re carrying a wide, shallow dish filled with water across the room. It’s heavy and it sloshes back and forth with every movement you make (i.e. COVID, Great Resignation, what have you), and every action you take has the direct opposite effect rather than a calming of the waters. That’s what’s going on here.

Will the waters settle? Yes, of course. Not to the way it was before; that much is agreed on. But when? And how? Those are the interesting questions worth thinking about when we deep-dive into how the job data differs across company sizes, regions, industries, and so on.

Till next month…

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2023 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Is DX evolving in the workplace? Our survey says yes

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 13:46:15 +0000

When businesses move to this new post-COVID era of remote and hybrid work (or are we still mid-COVID?), work processes are bound to change. And one significant adaptation is the introduction or increase of digital capabilities – with 28.2% citing DX as a change triggered by the shift to hybrid / remote work.

What does that mean? Increased DX means an evolution of the workplace. We’re seeing a lot of talk about this out there, including in a new PwC report that specifically highlighted workplace technology as the way forward if employers and organizations want to stay relevant.

Why? In short, it’s what workers want especially in the new flexible workplace. It’s also what businesses want, if they want to see processes made easier for their employees – including utilization of AI, machine learning, automation, and the cloud, according to PwC’s report.

Meanwhile, Gartner’s Senior Director Analyst, Sandy Shen echoed those sentiments about workplace digital transformation:

“The value of digital channels, products and operations is immediately obvious to companies everywhere right now…this is a wake-up call for organizations that have placed too much focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital business and long-term resilience. Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”

“Businesses that can shift technology capacity and investments to digital platforms will mitigate the impact of the outbreak and keep their companies running smoothly now, and over the long term.”

To emphasize: COVID-19 was a wake-up call for orgs to evolve.

And Kate Smaje at McKinsey Digital also notes:

“COVID-19 has only made digital more relevant as companies … have undergone their own massive, overnight experiment in agile, and remote ways of working.”

Honestly, it’s not just about COVID. That was just the catalyst to something that was already in the works for a long, long time.

All that being said, let’s return to our survey and see what our respondents say about DX in the workplace.

DX is the bridge

Many companies updated both their business (54.5%) and customer-facing operations (56.9%) to a more digitally friendly format during the pandemic.

… and that bridge is built to last

Moreover, more than half of all respondents consider the digitization of their business (52.8%) and customer-facing (51.9%) operations to be permanently established in their company.

The great enablement

Meanwhile, when it comes to employee performance, existing technology enabled three in five businesses (58.8%) to move their workforce to a remote-first environment. And two thirds (67.5%) say their colleagues can go remote because there was no viable need for them to be physically present at the workplace.

What does all this tell us?

It’s as if a perfect storm took place. The tech and capabilities were already there; it just took a pandemic to push forward into this new world of work. And the logical next step became further and deeper digitization of business operations and working processes.

What kind of tech?

Now, let’s look at the types of technology that businesses are now using in digital transformation in the workplace.

Collaborative tech beckons

Communications technology – or more specifically, tech to support work collaborations – is by and far the top focal point for respondents to ensure employee engagement, with 75.8% of respondents choosing that as a key to success. Virtual team meetings (46.7%) also ranks high on the scale.

Socially enabling tech, not so much

Virtual coffee dates and / or happy hours (15.2%) registers as the least-popular focal point to ensure employee engagement.

Employee tracking on the backtrack

Time-tracking and / or employee monitoring technology isn’t popular either, with just 22.5% of respondents using that to ensure engagement.

What does all this tell us?

In short, it isn’t so much about connecting your employees socially or personally, or making sure your employees are actually working on the clock. It’s more about minimizing disruption to overall workflow by ensuring that employees are well-informed (as seen in the popularity of regular all-hands) and are working together seamlessly.

Businesses are also ensuring that the lines of communication are open and free-flowing regardless of the environment they’re working in. This is crucial to success.

Want to dive into the full report? Check it out.

The post Is DX evolving in the workplace? Our survey says yes appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2023

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 18:06:07 +0000

What’s continuing now is that, even with the tech talent migration, our data shows the candidate market is absolutely flooded and the talent shortage is becoming a thing of the past. This poses challenges to hiring teams everywhere, especially in the logistical management of larger applicant numbers for every job opening. If you’re seeing your pipeline getting clogged, you’re not alone.

The data this time around is more than convincing. We’re seeing 35% more candidates per hire in December than six months earlier – that’s an astronomical increase unseen since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plus, with the full data of 2022 on our hands, we’re able to look at how 2022 sizes up against previous years.

Let’s dive in!

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings (JO)
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Candidates per Hire is surging at a rate unseen in nearly three years
Job openings for small businesses only start dipping in December, compared with dips in both November and December for their larger counterparts
Time to Fill normally grows in December – but not this time around

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of December are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend throughout 2022 against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled:

The main insight here is that Time to Fill once again hit a new low for the calendar year. It’s been three straight months of “lowest in 2022”, or for every month in Q4.

And looking at that chart above, it looks like it’s a total decline from the start to the end of 2022. But that’s not necessarily true if you look a little deeper. Take out the January metric of 98.9 – which is a full 5.9 points higher than the second-highest month in May – and take out Q4 altogether, and honestly, TTF holds steady for February all the way through to September.

We’ll talk more about it in our deep dive below, but suffice to say that the very high January number is normal, whereas the very low Q4 numbers are not normal.

But, in between those two extremes, TTF looks more stabilized compared with the previous two years. More on that below in our year-over-year comparison.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

As you can see, we’re making it a standard to look at the Job Openings data across the three company size buckets of 1-50, 51-200, and 200+ full-time employees (FTEs).

First, before we start looking at each of the buckets, note that the overall average jobs per company in the network plunges in December to 5.2. That’s after very little change for the six months before that, ranging from 6.1 to 6.3 jobs per account throughout that period.

A huge drop for enterprises

Now, which of the size buckets is at fault here? At first glance, it’s the enterprise-level companies (200+ FTEs) who slowed down their hiring activity throughout the month, dropping a full 3.8 points from 17.3 in November to 13.5 in December. Of course, because the big kids will normally have more job activity in either direction, this will skew that overall average

Medium, not nearly as much

But we’re also seeing a drop in medium-sized business (51-200 FTEs) job activity from 5.1 in November to 4.7 in December, albeit not as dramatic of a drop. Nevertheless, like at the enterprise level, this is a continuation of the slow and steady decline in job activity in the Q4 months of 2022.

Jobs be nimble, jobs be quick for small businesses

What stands out as different for this month’s Hiring Pulse is in the job activity for small-sized businesses (1-50 FTEs). While their enterprise- and middle-sized businesses showed decline in Q4, small-sized businesses were actually increasing up to the end of November, with 3.1 job postings on average in August, 3.6 in September, 3.8 in October, and 4.2 in November.

And here’s the interesting bit: December’s 3.5 average for small business job postings is not even the lowest for 2022 – that honor goes to June and August with 3.1 for each. That stands in stark contrast to the other two company-size buckets, which both hit convincing 2022 lows in December.

There are many different conclusions to draw from all this – the one we’ll make here is that smaller businesses tend to be more agile and their senior management are more likely to be operating around the clock because they kind of have to. They wear many different hats and may also be financially invested in their business, rather than simply being employees who can take time off in December for the holidays.

There’s sometimes a personal cost, especially when one has family, but at a strictly business level, this speaks to the strength of smaller organizations – they can be nimble and that’s crucial during recession-prone times when it’s often difficult to plan beyond the next quarter. It’s a potential generalization, but it’s a point worth considering.

3. Candidates per Hire

Last month, we pointed to four straight months of higher-than-normal CPH data points, each higher than the previous one.

You can now make it five. Five straight months of astronomical month-over-month increases to close out 2022. To put it in perspective, back in November’s Hiring Pulse, we showed that the average candidates per hire for October was 24% higher than in July. It’s now 34.9% higher.

Let’s put it into perspective: if you were getting, say, 100 applicants for a job in July, this means that last month, you’re getting 135 applicants for your open roles on average. That’s 35 more applications you need to sift through. And as you move your applicants through the recruitment funnel, you’re screening more candidates per job, and likely interviewing more of them in the first part of the funnel.

That’s maybe a good thing for companies who were struggling to find worthy candidates for their open jobs during the height of the Great Resignation, but not a good thing for resource-strapped companies who are barely staying ahead of all the additional work on their plate.

In fact, our New World of Work survey in 2022 showed that reduced capacity to recruit is more of a challenge today than in 2020, with 27.5% saying so now compared with 14.9% two years ago.

Note: that survey was conducted in early summer 2022, well before this surge in CPH. We’re now seeing cutbacks and layoffs especially in the tech sector, and consequently a huge rise in CPH – but bet your bottom dollar (or pound or euro or what have you) that companies are not adding to payroll to support their hiring teams.

So… a growing CPH necessitates optimization in the recruitment process (insert shameless plug for Workable which actually does help in terms of doing more with less).

Deep dive – how ‘normal’ was 2022?

We’ve already covered to some extent what 2022 looks like for each of the three metrics. Now, with a complete 2022 dataset, we’re taking a deep dive and comparing the most recent year with the previous three calendar years (2019, 2020, and 2021).

And for visual impression, we’re overlaying each of the years into a single chart for each of the metrics so you can really compare.

Quick note before we really dive in: the data for Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire is based on an index, that being the average of 2019 as a whole, which is set as 100. We’ve included 2019 in these year-over-year comparisons for extended analysis – yes, we’re even comparing the months of 2019 against its own annual average.

What we’re doing a little differently just for this deep dive is the job opening data. Since it’s normally based on hard averages (i.e. job postings per company) and not on a 2019 index, it becomes more awkward to do a year-over-year analysis because our network has grown substantially over the years and, with it, the job postings.

So, instead of looking at just raw averages or even lining things up against the 2019 index, we’re using the first month of the year (January) as an index of 100 for each year, and sizing each month of that year against January.

Hope that makes sense! Let’s get into what was ‘normal’ about 2022 and how ‘normal’ it actually was compared with previous years.

Time to Fill

First, of course, Time to Fill:

So, the first and most obvious commonality across all years is that TTF is naturally higher in January than any other month, takes a bit of a drop in February, and kind of fluctuates from there.

2019, being the last ‘normal’ year – and we stand by that statement – shows only minimal fluctuation. 2020, which of course was a rather cataclysmic year for anyone personally and professionally, shows a rather stable TTF right up to April as the other three years continue to drop. But then, 2020 plummeted resoundingly from roughly 100 in March and April down to 84.2, 83, and 83.8 in the Q3 months before recovering slightly in the last quarter.

The other thing that stands out is something we alluded to above: 2022 showed consecutive month-over-month declines in the TTF metric from September all the way to December. This differs from the other three years, which all show relatively stable TTFs with even an increase in TTF for December for 2019 and 2021.

So, if we’re going to talk about what even is ‘normal’, it’s kind of hard to suss that out even with the last four years on full display.

Job Openings

Now, on to job openings. Remember, instead of looking at it as raw average job openings per company, we’re simply using January of each year as the index for that year. That way, every year starts at 100, and goes up or down from there.

Also, we have four different graphs here, because we’re looking at each of the FTE size buckets:

JO trendline for all businesses

Let’s look at the overall trendline for starters:

Yeah, yeah. That dip in April 2020 needs no explanation. We all know what happened. So let’s just scrub that from memory (and we do apologize for reminding you about it).

On to the comparables: what seems to be relatively normal across all four years is how the job opening trend remains relatively steady in mid-year and in some cases even grows a little bit in the Q3 months.

Another trend that looks to be consistent regardless of year is the drop in job openings in the last month of the year – understandable because of holidays and it being a relatively slow month for business all around.

Keep that one in mind – more on that below.

JO trendline for small businesses

Now, let’s look at the small-business job opening trendline:

What’s interesting about this is how 2021 and 2022 show a very healthy jump in small-business job openings for November which stands in contrast to 2019 and 2020.

What also stands out is how the job openings for small businesses climb significantly for September, October and November in 2022, while remaining relatively stable in the other three years.

One part that intrigued us is that the 1-50 FTE bucket is the only one that showed a drop in job openings for just December and not for both November and December as in the other two size buckets (and in the overall average).

Again, numerous reasons for this – one explanation to think about is, again, that small businesses are more nimble and perhaps work on much more of a month-to-month basis than their larger counterparts. Execs may not be thinking as far into the future when they’re running a smaller kayak of 15 employees as when they’re operating a larger ocean liner of 250 employees. Again, a potential generalization, but worth thinking about.

JO trendline for medium-sized businesses

Now, let’s look at the medium-sized business job activity:

What’s markedly different here for businesses with 51-200 FTEs is how much healthier the market looked for 2021 going out from January – it rises far above the others.

This is a sign of economic recovery from 2020, of course, likely in tandem with Great Resignation fallout – this all leads to more jobs added to payroll as companies grow (or recover, rather) and also, more backfill as quit rates run through the roof towards the end of 2021.

JO trendline for enterprises

Now keep that in mind while looking at enterprise-level businesses:

See, companies with more than 200 FTEs also showed plenty of job activity in 2021, higher vs. the January index than the other three years – but not standing out nearly as much as 2021 was for companies with 51-200 employees. Again, this is likely a combination of economic recovery and the Great Resignation.

What’s a little concerning about all of these job opening graphs is how the trend looks to be lower than other years for 2022 and going sharply downhill. We’ve heard talk about a recession since the early days of Q2 2022 – and companies cutting back in preparation.

This is continuing to happen at the start of 2023, and frustratingly for the talent market, means fewer jobs on the horizon.

Which leads us to:

Candidates per Hire

Are you ready?

We will keep this succinct: the CPH metric is now trending at the same level as at the end of the catastrophic year of 2020. What’s different this time is that the CPH trend is on a consistently uphill climb since mid-2022 and hitting new highs every month since September.

In 2020, CPH was at astronomical highs and coming down pretty drastically for November and December. And with the Great Resignation, the CPH trend continued to drop throughout 2021 and then held steady throughout the first half of 2022.

And now, in complete contrast to any of the other years, CPH is climbing at a rate unseen since those early months in 2020. People talked about how 2020 showed a recession unlike any other – the difference is that at the time, the volatility hit us like a truck on a dark country road thanks to an unanticipated pandemic.

This time, we’ve been anticipating a change in the economy for many months now.

What’s the difference? Well, the huge drop in the economy in early 2020 was in direct response to a single development, and because it was so swift and severe, the rebound was also swift.

This time, it’s much more complex – it’s not just about a pandemic. It’s about supply chains, a war in Ukraine, rising food and gas prices, consumer hesitancy, and other things in what’s being called a permacrisis.

Wait, a permacrisis? What’s that? Read on:

What’s going on here?

The opening lines to a recent Economist article read as follows:

“The editors of the Collins English Dictionary have declared ‘permacrisis’ to be their word of the year for 2022. Defined as an ‘an extended period of instability and insecurity’, it is an ugly portmanteau that accurately encapsulates today’s world as 2023 dawns.”

That’s scary stuff, indeed. That’s the tone we’re also setting for 2023 – if it isn’t already, it’s going to be tough times for businesses and employers.

But there’s a kind-of glimmer for you: you may still be needing to backfill vacated roles and fill new roles opened up due to restructurings. But for many of those job openings, a flood of candidates will come crashing through.

This will add stress to your hiring pipeline every step of the way. You, of course, may be reluctant to add to your payroll that’s responsible for hiring – which is understandable,. Instead, you’ll want to optimize your existing process.

We talked last month about automation using recruitment technology – you can screen far more candidates using one-way video interviews, keep them regularly informed with automated messaging, and relieve your recruiters of scheduling hassles using interview self-scheduling.

There are flexible solutions that can rise and fall with your hiring tide. Plus, you will show your value as a hiring team member that makes you even more indispensable to a company that’s trying to survive this permacrisis.

Stay strong, and see you next month.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Resources for recruiters: 5 fun and useful presents

Nikoletta Bika — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:09:09 +0000

So whether you’re looking for small stuff to get for your friends who work in recruitment, whether you’re an executive who wants to give a little something to your recruiters or a talent professional looking for solutions (hey, we could all use some self-gifting), we have some ideas for you.

Here’s a list with five thoughtful presents that can be ideal resources for recruiters and talent professionals:

1. A library of templates

Anyone involved in the hiring process knows how much time is spent on writing job descriptions, composing emails to candidates or crafting lists of interview questions. So, for this holiday season, give a recruiter a library of templates for every purpose, from job ads and offer letters to interview questions and Boolean searches.

How do you present this gift? If you want to add a touch of holiday spirit, you could send it as a card. Use a relevant service or create your own card using a tool like Adobe Express Card Maker. Here’s one I created with Spark within 10 minutes:

2. A book on modern recruiting

Recruiting has grown exponentially from the time of newspaper job ads, and it’ll keep evolving and changing. Forward-thinking talent professionals who stay updated on new techniques and technologies will be the big winners in the recruiting game.

So why not give a new, exciting book to a recruiting professional? Here are a few great options:

Culture-Driven Recruiting by Lee-Anne Edwards (the first-ever book on the topic)
Smart and Gets Things Done by Avram Joel Spolsky (an oldie-but-goody “concise guide to finding the best technical talent”)
Exceptional Talent: How to Attract, Acquire and Retain the Very Best Employees by Mervyn Dinnen and Matt Alder (a guide on using modern technology, methods and media to hire and retain great employees).
Writing Without Bullshit by Josh Bernoff (an easy-to-read, comprehensive guide to better written communications including emails, announcements, and reports)

As for presentation, nothing too fancy is required. Get some festive wrapping paper and you’re all set!

3. A cool subscription

For recruiters, receiving new knowledge frequently is important – you can grasp new techniques, find hiring methods that work and discover new recruiting strategies, just by keeping abreast of the buzz in the market. But how would a recruiter do that easily, when they’re already so busy with everyday tasks?

One thing you can do is to choose a fun, interesting and reliable newsletter/podcast they don’t already subscribe to, and sign them up or send them a link (you can include a card to make it more of a gift). Here are a few ideas:

Newsletters/ Websites	Podcasts
Recruiting Brainfood Snark Attack A Fistful of Talent The King’s Shilling	The Recruiting Future The Chad & Cheese Podcast The Jim Stroud Podcast

4. A new Applicant Tracking System

Yeah, I know, shameless plug of our own product. But the truth is, we wouldn’t be making recruiting software if we didn’t think of it as a definite game-changer. If a recruiter doesn’t have an ATS, or uses an ATS that’s clunky and inadequate, you could address this in the new year. That’s especially so if you’re part of the recruiting team or one of the decision-makers at your company.

What you can do is conduct some research on ATS vendors and sign up for a demo or free trial. Then, invite the recruiter to sit in demos or explore the different software solutions along with you. You can also share an RFP template with them to help in their hunt for the perfect ATS.

5. Recruiting swag

Swag is less useful than the other options on this list, but things that cheer us up and boost our morale are always welcome. For recruiters, you could choose a funny slogan (for example: “Keep calm and call that candidate,” “Trust me, I’m a recruiter,” “Talent superstar”) and print it on a mug or a T-shirt.

You could also go straight to websites that sell swag for recruiters, like Etsy, Cafe Press or Zazzle:

Screenshot taken from Etsy.com

You might even look for a stuffed purple squirrel or a mug or T-shirt that has one on it. Recruiters will probably get the reference!

The holiday season and New Year go hand-in-hand for many people. If that’s the case for you, too, then check out our list of 5 New Year’s resolutions for recruiters.

The post Resources for recruiters: 5 fun and useful presents appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 15:43:05 +0000

But now, we’re looking at the data and seeing some interesting ongoing trends that keep topping trends from the previous month – and we’re drawing some fresh, but not different, conclusions.

Let’s take a look:

How we’re looking at data

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Small businesses are hiring more, whereas enterprise-level businesses are hiring less
Candidates are flooding the job market at a rate unseen in a year and a half
Huge numbers in Silicon Valley tech layoffs could lead to cross-border mobility not only for those laid off, but for employers as well

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of November are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled from the start of 2020 through to the end of November 2022:

Last month, we marked a new low for Time to Fill for 2022 when TTF hit 88.7 (reported as 88.4 last month – since updated with more complete data). Well, we’ve again hit another new low in November, with the TTF trend dropping to 88.2.

That’s the lowest it’s been since May 2021 when TTF was 87.8. And this is the second consecutive month that it’s been below 90.

Let’s compare to the Ghosts of Hiring Past. Note the three pretty significant spikes in that nearly three-year span in the chart above. No, those aren’t anomalies – they are all in January. This can be explained by saying that work processes slow down in December as we go through the motions of holiday season, and that adds days – weeks, even – to the normal time spent on filling open roles. So, TTF takes a leap in the post-holiday period.

But what’s curious this time around is in the months preceding January. In previous years, the Q4 months show an incline in the TTF trend and climaxing in the first month of the new year. But this time in 2022, there’s a marked decline month over month.

We’ll have to wait until February 2023 to see what January looks like this time – but if you wanted to put down a wager, it might not be outrageous to predict that the “post-holiday TTF spike” may not be as prominent as in the past.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

As we did in a Hiring Pulse a couple of months ago, we’re again looking at total job postings per business across three separate size buckets – companies with 1-50 full-time employees (FTEs), 51-200 FTEs, and 200 or more employees. And for a baseline, we’ve also included a line for all businesses put together.

What stands out here is how the smallest bucket – the one with 1-50 FTEs – is growing significantly, with four straight months of increasing job activity starting with 3.1 job postings per business in August up to 4.2 job postings per business in November. That’s more than one extra job posting per business on average.

And while medium-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs) hold steady across time, enterprise-level businesses (200+) are dropping dramatically over the past three months. In September, enterprises posted an average of 19.4 jobs, but that goes down to 17.4 in November. That’s two full job postings less on average.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or on the moon, and especially if you’re in the tech space, you’re well aware of the mounting layoffs grabbing headlines every week. As it happens, according to Visual Capitalist, November saw more than twice as many layoffs in the month (59,710 cuts) compared with the previous 2022 monthly high set in June (29,299).

But what’s noteworthy about that Visual Capitalist chart is that a good half of the layoffs are attributed to just 11 companies – all of which we’re very familiar with. Meta, Amazon and Twitter are the most prominent, followed by Carvana, Doordash, Stripe, and a handful of other tech behemoths.

What are we saying here? Yes, smaller companies lay off fewer employees, which makes a layoff event less prominent in their case. However, the flip side of the coin is that smaller businesses – those in the 1-50 FTE bucket – can be more nimble. They’re like hundreds of thousands of kayaks among a few ocean liners, adapting as they go. The ebbs and flows of the currents affect them too, but they can roll with the changes more quickly.

So, jumping from three to four job postings on average isn’t necessarily a sign of economic health, but rather, a sign of increased agility in times of turbulence.

3. Candidates per Hire

This is resounding. Four straight months of higher-than-normal CPH data points – and each month higher than the previous one. In November, we’re seeing the highest CPH trend since the beginning of last year.

And for perspective – the beginning of last year marked the end of astronomical highs in the CPH trend; you can see that in the updated chart. The start of that data mountain there can be correlated with – and directly linked to – the advent of the pandemic. Layoffs hit unprecedented highs in Q2 2020 – leading to the market being flooded with candidates.

But as things slowly reached a new normal, we saw Anthony Klotz’ Great Resignation prediction come true, with job quits going through the roof. And correlating with that – again, not purely coincidentally – was a sharp drop in candidates per job to below the 2019 average starting in August 2021 when the trend hit 97.5. In short: when people quit, they weren’t looking for new jobs. They were checking out in a big eff you to the system altogether.

The CPH metric stayed underwater all the way to August of this year, when a staggering 15.5-point jump from July brought it back up to 105.7. And from there on, as you can see, it’s hitting new recent highs, culminating in 116.2 for November.

Candidates are flooding the market again – and while many may be a result of layoffs, we’ll wager that many others are realizing that checking out of the system isn’t a sustainable option and they’re reentering the workforce.

What’s going on here?

First, let’s look at a different consequence of increased layoffs in the tech sector. It means that tens of thousands of foreign workers are having to leave the United States because they’re in the country on sponsored H1-B work visas.

According to the article, this may mean the US will fall behind in tech competitiveness. It also means a potential upside for tech companies headquartered outside of the country, such as in Canada and the European Union – because those tech workers will be looking for jobs in places with more permissive work visa policies.

We’ve kind of seen this happen in the recent past, but in very different circumstances, when the Trump administration made it more difficult to get an H1-B visa. This led to a Silicon Valley brain drain, with a good portion of talent – and companies, too – moving north to Canada to take advantage of more friendly work visa policies.

Now, on to candidates per hire – the significant growth in that metric isn’t unprecedented by a long shot – but it’s indicative of things to come. For a long time now, the major challenge that recruiters and hiring managers had faced was in candidate sourcing and attraction.

In short, they haven’t been able to pull in an adequate number of applicants when they open up a new job.

Either they aren’t sourcing those candidates in the right places, or their value proposition just isn’t up to snuff and it’s been a candidate’s market all this time.

This meant that hiring teams worked diligently on their recruitment marketing tactics, promoting their companies as great places to work. They’ve also dug deeper into the market to find – and even proactively contact – those ideal candidates, in hopes of luring them to their open roles.

But all that is changing. Let’s call COVID an anomaly and say that for the first time in actual years, the scales are tipping in the other direction. We’re seeing a situation where all someone has to do is post a job, and they get slammed with a hefty number of quality applicants within minutes.

This is no longer one-click-apply territory – these are legit jobseekers sent out to pasture by their most recent employer, and they’re actively and aggressively looking for a new job.

What does that mean for hiring teams? It means the hiring pipeline is about to get clogged. This means there’ll be more time and resources spent on screening and evaluating candidates, so as to not let good ones fall through the cracks. It also means evaluating them differently such that you try to get a sense of their motivation to work for you – is the candidate simply trying to get a job in general, or do they really want to work in your company?

Even if it’s honest to say that candidates do need jobs so they can pay rent, buy food, support families, and the like, it’s still important to the employer to hire someone who’s really keen to work at that specific job and to do a good job of it, too. And for those new hires to stick around as well, as opposed to seeing your opportunity as a stepping stone to a more permanent solution.

Not only does that change the evaluation game, it also means your hiring teams – already strapped for time and resources after cutbacks and streamlinings – will be even more stress-tested going forward. You want your hiring process to be free of breakdowns. This is where automation becomes a boon for you, the SMB employer.

Automation using recruitment technology – for example, one-way video interviews, automated messaging and interview self-scheduling features – will be incredibly useful going forward.

Have a great holiday and see you in 2023!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Planning your recruitment budget for 2023: top tips from Workable’s CFO

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:09:49 +0000

With your higher-ups expecting you to fine-tune the money going into and out of the system – the first thing to do is look at what you’ve done in previous budgets, preferably a time prior to the pandemic for more accurate specs.

Workable CFO Craig DiForte has been through this himself numerous times. He gets straight to the point: “There are two main things you want to look at,” he says. “Cost per hire and time to hire.”

Craig explains that you must break those down into manageable and measurable chunks, and identify the areas where you can optimize to get more bang for your buck.

“You had a budget that said that you were going to spend this much, and that HR was going to cost this much. What really happened? That’s where you need to look deeper.”

“You had a budget that said that you were going to spend this much, and that HR was going to cost this much. What really happened? That’s where you need to look deeper.”

1. Cost per hire

“The first thing to look at is your cost per hire for the past year,” Craig says. Cost per hire is the average cost invested in hiring X people in a time period – it’s easy to measure on the surface. But the solution isn’t as simple as saying, ‘Let’s cut back on our cost per hire.’ You need to drill down to specifics.

First, before planning your recruitment budget, go back to your last recruitment budget (if you have one) to use as an example and baseline. Because 2020 and 2021 are quite the financial anomalies for any company, you probably want to skip further back to 2019 – the last ‘normal’ year. Once you’ve lined up your projected numbers against your actual numbers for the previous recruitment budget, sort out all the costs related to your recruitment into sections, such as:

There are many more, of course, but when you have a list, you can start assigning individual expenses to each step. Then, determine where you went over budget and where you ended up under budget.

You can also include costs related to the hours taken away from someone’s normal workflow in the hiring process, if they’re not in HR. A hiring manager, for instance, will take a number of hours out of their normal workweek every week to look at the final list of candidates, assess them, interview them, and so on.

Assign costs to those invested hours by breaking down the annual salaries of each member of the hiring team into hourly chunks – from there, you can start allocating hours at a fixed “cost” to each section listed here.

(By the way – this highlights the importance of a clear, standardized recruitment process. It’s not just about being organized and uniform in the process itself; it also provides clarity into where you’re putting your money. With a standardized setup, you can start comparing past, present and future budgets by measuring them against established benchmarks.)

2. Time to fill and time to hire

When you put actual costs aside, the rest of it becomes less tangible, says Craig. “It’s not only money that you’re looking at. It’s also your time. How long did it take you to get those sales reps onto your team? Remember, time is money.”

The way he explains it, the time it takes to go from the very first day you start talking about filling a position to the day the new hire signs on the dotted line (or, in some cases, when they’re fully onboarded) – that’s your time to fill.

Time to hire is similar, except that it’s the time elapsed between the date that a specific candidate applied for a job and the date that they’re hired.

Look at your company’s work hours invested in the following categories, for example:

Hiring team communications to determine the needs for a new position
Writing the job description, posting and promoting it
Drafting assessments and assignments
The selection process itself, multiplied with each additional application:
- resume screening
- phone screening
- one-way video interviews
- interviewing (drafting questions, arranging time/place, carrying out actual interview)
- analyzing assessments
- reviewing assignments
- contacting references
- negotiating with selected candidate
- job offer and follow-up
Further hiring team communications at each step of the way, both within the team and with the candidate

Again, this is not an exhaustive list.

Time to ramp

Calculating your recruitment “time” budget can also include time to ramp, Craig recommends. He uses the recruiting of a sales team as an example, asking: “What’s the ramp time for a sales rep in your company? Let’s say a sales rep ramps up over three months. If I’m going to hire someone in January, that means I’m going to have only nine months of full productivity from that over the next year.”

In other words, if a sales rep hired on Jan. 1 is expected to close $1 million a year, this means you can actually only plan for that sales rep to close $750,000 that year. It gets worse the longer you wait, especially if you’re building a sales team from scratch. Plus, if you onboard poorly, turnover increases, and you’re back to square one. So looking at time to ramp – and the resources invested in that – is crucial to planning your recruitment budget for the upcoming year.

“That’s the type of ‘cost’ related to your time to hire and time to fill,” Craig explains.

He highlights another scenario: the launch of a new feature.

“Let’s say I was going to launch a new feature in March, and I want my team hired and in place to be able to put it together between January and February, so it’ll be ready to go in March.”

And if you didn’t hire everyone you needed in that time frame?

“Obviously, then, your feature is not going to be ready in March. Now, the feature that was supposed to help generate an extra $200K a month in revenue for the sales team is now delayed by two months to May. And so, I’ve just lost $400K that I had budgeted for.”

There are multiple scenarios here that show the compounding effect of breakdowns in hiring processes. It’s not as simple as backfilling a position – you need to plan ahead of schedule. There are multiple parts that need to fall into place ahead of time so you can meet goals later on. And that of course has an impact on planning your recruitment budget whether that’s directly related, delayed, or indirect.

3. Also crucial: Turnover rate

Yes, even your best people leave for other opportunities. But they don’t always leave because of an offer they couldn’t refuse – they also leave because they’re unhappy where they are, because they don’t feel like the job was a good fit for them, and so on. That’s on you as a company.

So where does budget fit in here? Craig will consult with HR and find out what the company’s turnover rate is – here’s a tutorial on how you can calculate that yourself. Your current turnover rate for the last 12 months also helps you predict the number of hires you can anticipate over the next fiscal year on top of your planned upscale. For instance, if your company plans to add 30 sales reps over the next year, add your anticipated turnover to that, and multiply your cost per hire by that final number to get a good estimate of how much you can expect to put into the recruitment process.

Meanwhile, you can also see how your turnover rate stacks up against the standard, and adjust accordingly. According to Craig, you should look at your numbers and ask:

“Are you hiring effective people? Are you hiring the right people efficiently for the right cost? It’s all about the right person at the right time for the right cost.”

“Are you hiring effective people? Are you hiring the right people efficiently for the right cost? It’s all about the right person at the right time for the right cost.”

The right person hired at the right time will stick around, and that’s good for the bottom line. That means investing the right amount of money and time in the right spots. For instance, you could invest more in employee engagement initiatives – such as a corporate retreat, holiday or summer function, even a new, improved office environment.

Or, as Craig suggests, invest in a referral program to get more internal referrals – because referred candidates tend to stay longer with the company, your recruitment costs will go down.

4. Look to the past, to plan for the future

As Craig says, you need to look at your cost to hire, time to hire, and time to ramp, and figure out where you performed as projected/planned, and where you didn’t, and address the following questions in planning your recruitment budget:

Did we use too many agencies?
- Solution: Bring it in-house.
Did we not do enough internal recruiting?
- Solution: Build an internal recruitment strategy.
Should we have done a better job sourcing?
- Solution: Use Workable’s AI Recruiter and People Search and build up your sourcing strategies.
Can we get people to stay longer?
- Solution: Implement a formal employee retention program.

You can then ask the more interesting questions:

Should we have hired quicker rather than waiting for the “perfect” candidate?
Should we have waited longer for a better candidate to come along?
What’s going to make it easier and more cost-effective for you to hire?
What’s going to make it easier and more cost-effective to stay on plan?

Planning your recruitment budget

For many, hiring is about people, but for Craig, it’s about money: “It’s all about how much it costs you to do it. Am I doing it for the right cost, and am I doing it fast enough? That’s why you look at this and see what happened, and then you ask; ‘Where can I make an investment to make this better? Where did I do things that were wrong or expensive? Maybe I should have a better ATS.’”

Obvious plug aside, what may seem intangible in a company budget can easily be dissected and optimized. Think about where you’re overspending, and follow the domino effect – such as the delay in a features release – and trace it back to its cause. It’s all interrelated. Craig sums it up: Start thinking about how to allocate your budget smartly for 2023 so you improve in all areas.

“Once you do that, you can then develop your action plan.”

Need new hiring software but unsure of the cost-benefit? Check out our step-by-step guide to calculate the ROI of an ATS.

The post Planning your recruitment budget for 2023: top tips from Workable’s CFO appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:49:45 +0000

This month, we take on a similar narrative, but we also cast light on some eye-opening trends in October’s dataset.

Let’s get right to it:

How we’re looking at data

If you missed last month’s update, we’ve established two new methodologies in how we look at the Hiring Pulse dataset. For Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire, we’re measuring each month using the average of 2019, the last “normal” year, as a baseline index of 100.

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Time to Fill has hit a significant new low for 2022, and is also the biggest month-to-month drop since January to February
Candidates Per Hire keeps climbing and climbing
The last time we saw such a dramatic jump in CPH in consecutive months was in early-mid 2020

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of October are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled from the start of 2022 through to the end of October 2022:

We are now at a new low for Time to Fill for the 2022 calendar year, with the average TTF for October just 88.4. It’s not just a new low – it’s significantly lower, a 5-point drop.

That’s the biggest month-to-month change in either direction since January’s 101.0 dropped 7.3 points to 93.7 for February.

The narrative we’ve carried over the last couple of months is that recession jitters are pushing the data all over the place. We’ve also said that those currently hiring were rushing to fill jobs throughout July and August as the Great Resignation opened up gaps in organizational workflows that urgently need to be filled.

After a jump in September to 93.4, the new and sudden drop can be explained as upcoming recession concerns leading to organizational (or departmental) restructurings leading to new gaps being opened up.

That’s a little different from gaps as a result of people quitting – in this case, it’s more as a result of optimization. Department leaders may be identifying ways to combine two roles into one or three roles into two as a cost-cutting measure – and these are new roles that need to be filled.

That’s one reason we may see new job openings in companies that have just laid people off. Which brings us to the second potential explanation: the layoffs themselves. Twitter wasn’t the first – just the most prominent to date. We’ve been learning about layoffs for some time now – and this leads to the market being flooded with high-quality candidates actively looking for new jobs right away.

This isn’t great for those who lost their jobs, but there’s an upside for those actively hiring. Candidate pools are now deeper than in the past. Employers don’t have to compete nearly as much or even work as much to source that newly available talent. So, it’s logistically quicker to fill those roles.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

This is a very simple graph and speaks for itself. Ultimately, what stands out is that the top two most active months for job postings via the Workable network are March with 6.5 jobs posted per company on average, and most recently October, with 6.4 jobs per company on average.

Regardless of the weird economic climate that we’re in, this chart rings as relatively normal according to our metrics history. The end of Q1 and the start of Q4 are busy hiring seasons and we’re seeing that in 2022 as well. In the past, we’ve seen that October jumps a bit, takes a dip in November, and then jumps again in December.

Let’s watch this space closely and see what it looks like as we round up 2022.

3. Candidates per Hire

Last month, we pointed out what we thought was a “pretty huge jump” in the CPH metric, somersaulting over the baseline index from 91.1 in July to 106.6 in August and 106.8 in September.

And now? It’s gone even higher – to 112.8 in October.

That’s the highest that it’s been since the metric hit 115.2 in March 2021. And the CPH metric was below the baseline from August 2021 all the way to this past July. It’s only in the last three months that we’ve seen such a dramatic reversal in CPH.

For context: in January and February 2020, the metric stood at 93.9 and 88.7 respectively. It then jumped to 102.6 in March 2020 and stayed above the baseline for 14 consecutive months to April 2021. In the midst of that was five straight 120-and-higher months from June to October 2020. July 2020 was 137.0 and October 2020 was 136.5.

This is all pandemic-related, of course. March 2020 saw many workers moved to remote work or furloughed, as a stopgap measure. When it became clear that COVID-19 wasn’t going away anytime soon, companies resorted to the painful process of layoffs en masse. This jump in CPH is the result.

Why are we talking about this two years later? Because we’re seeing similarities in how the CPH is changing now. Recession fears started a few months ago – and layoffs then started happening after that. Combine that with fewer jobs being posted, and the CPH starts to grow again. Just like it did in 2020.

What’s going on here?

Honestly, Twitter is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s going on here. Agree or disagree with Elon Musk if you will, but what’s happening in the e-hallways of that social media monolith is just a microcosm of what’s happening out there.

Layoffs are happening left, right, and center – including reports of Facebook parent Meta also turning to layoffs for the first time in its history. Lyft and Stripe are also laying off people, and Apple and Amazon are freezing their hiring processes. There is, of course, a trickle-down effect.

And, as mentioned above, those layoffs mean tens – likely hundreds – of thousands of new candidates flooding the market. This isn’t Big Quit material – these are people who are involuntarily severed from their income lifeline, and after a frustrated sob in the bathtub for an evening, are rolling up their sleeves and jumping right back into the job fray the next day.

The result is what we’re seeing here.

However, we have some kind-of good news for you. Much of the recession talk is still anticipatory, and different experts are saying different things. While more execs are bringing up the recession in their quarterly earnings conference calls, stock speculators at sites such as Yahoo! Finance are saying the talk of a recession may be greatly exaggerated and fiscal pundits at Goldman Sachs suggest we’re not necessarily doomed to a recession.

Ultimately, there isn’t clear agreement on what’s going to happen. While we know businesses don’t appreciate uncertainty, this uncertainty is good if anything. And organizations seem to be responding aggressively ahead of what *might* happen.

Let’s think of it this way: if you see your kid approaching a stove and yell at them not to touch it, and then you realize the stove wasn’t actually hot, then is that a good thing? Yes, it is. It’s good that you took the precautionary measure even if you weren’t entirely sure of the stove’s setting at that time, because the end result is the same: your kid doesn’t get burned.

In that spirit, all this anticipation and action ahead of what may be a recession could be seen as a good thing.

Let’s keep one eye on the overall conversation around recessions and the other eye on upcoming Hiring Pulse data trends, and keep all this in mind.

There’s always something in all this that can help us move forward with confidence even if we’re not sure of the danger of the hot stove.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Applicant tracking system guide: From A to Z

Content team — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 12:58:15 +0000

Introduction to Applicant Tracking Systems
Overview of Applicant Tracking Systems
Is an ATS the Right Choice for your Growing Business?
Benefits of Applicant Tracking Systems
Choosing an Applicant Tracking System
Keys to Recruiting
Managing the Hiring Process
Optimizing Your Company’s Career Page
Managing the Interview Process
Assessing Your Requirements
Checklist of Applicant Tracking System Features

1. Introduction to Applicant tracking systems

The first applicant tracking systems (ATS) evolved to help employers take that old standby, the paper resume, and scan it into a database. Like most technologies that emerged to replicate analogue ways of doing things, they left a lot of room for improvement.

The processes were bureaucratic, unwieldy and complicated. The aim was to mirror old world paper and filing processes in a custom database. The word “clunky” was often overheard. In its formative years the ATS was similar to basic customer relationship management systems (CRMs), that sought to offer very basic resume screening and trace an applicant’s path through the hiring process.

Just like the CRMs, which began life as digital rolodexes and turned into the current cloud-based powerhouses, the ATS has evolved. Today, there are a wide range of ATS software options, some that concentrate on automating as much as possible of the hiring process and others that help the hiring manager to make their own decisions.

The ATS has become an integral part of every aspect of hiring from building an employer brand and smarter application forms, to resume parsing, automatic retrieval of candidates’ public profiles, and scheduling interviews. Recruiting analytics and reporting tools can now help companies get a clearer understanding of the hiring process and make improvements that have a real impact on the business.

The purpose of this applicant tracking system guide is to help you understand your needs as clearly as possible in order to make an informed choice of recruiting software.

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2. Overview of applicant tracking systems

The quality of a company’s hires are the single best predictor of its future success. Even though this is widely understood, hiring is still seen as frustrating and messy by many business owners, HR Directors, hiring managers and recruiters who grapple with it. But now, better software is righting this wrong.

Human Resources has been poorly served by technology for too long, when compared with the pioneers in sales, but we are seeing a renaissance in HR software, thanks in large part to the potential unleashed by cloud-based computing. At the heart of all of this is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

What is an ATS?

What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)? In its simplest form, it offers relief to these commonly acknowledged pain points in recruitment:

Pain: Submitting the same job ad to multiple job boards costs time and money.
Relief: An ATS integrated with these listings sites can post to a wide range of free and paid job boards with a single submission.

Pain: Building and maintaining a careers page takes up valuable developer time.
Relief: An ATS can make managing a careers page as simple as changing your background image and bio on Twitter.

Pain: Recruiting triggers an avalanche of PDFs and emails.
Relief: ATS recruiting means you collect, organize and show job candidates in the same way LinkedIn or Facebook show your contacts or friends.

Pain: Resume styles are nearly as various as the people sending them.
Relief: Recruiting software can parse these resumes, break them down and present the data they contain in a standardized format where it can be quickly reviewed.

Pain: The absence of standardized information like “how many years of work experience has she got?” add to the time burden.
Relief: Applicant tracking software mines the resumes you receive and presents candidate data in a way that makes comparisons fast and simple.

Pain: Precious time is routinely wasted on irrelevant applications.
Relief: ATS recruiting offers the facility to automatically filter dud applications from job candidates or highlight 3-4 priorities on the application form that enable human judgement to be swifter.

Pain: Using email and spreadsheets to track candidates with a hiring team quickly becomes overwhelming.
Relief: An ATS can enable you to add notes to candidates just like you put comments on Facebook.

Pain: External recruiters remain a great resource for high value hires, but they shouldn’t be a necessity for businesses.
Relief: An ATS can provide recruiting tools that let you fill a talent pool and save your recruiting dollars for the tougher hires.

This kind of pain relief is only part of an applicant tracking system definition but it points to what you can achieve with ATS recruiting. The right applicant tracking software is a major step towards creating a repeatable, systematic hiring process, from posting a job to having an offer letter accepted.

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3. Is an ATS the Right Choice for your Growing Business?

Whether you are looking for your first applicant tracking system (ATS) or considering investing in an upgrade, the best starting point is a clear understanding of your needs. The first step to achieving this is to map your existing hiring process.

Questions to get started with evaluating applicant tracking software:

How do you do your hiring planning and budget costs?
How are your job ads written?
How and where do you post your jobs?
How do you currently collect applications?
How do you progress candidates through from applied to hired?
Do you use pre-screening questions or job-related assignments?
Do you work with external recruiters?
Who is on your hiring team (this may differ from one position to another).
How many steps does a candidate go through prior to a final interview?
Do you conduct background checks prior to a final offer?
What kind of data and reporting do you use to improve your hiring process?

Now step back and think about how this could be improved. What are the pain points? How do you cope with the volume of applications, how are communications between your team during hiring, how well does your interview and call scheduling work?

The point of this exercise is to identify the gap between how things are done now and what your ideal recruiting process would look like. If you sailed through the 11 questions and liked your own answers you’re in a happy minority. Most companies, of all sizes, find recruiting challenging, in one way or another.

The vast majority of small and medium-sized businesses are still using email and spreadsheets to run their recruitment. Less than one in five SMBs has switched to applicant tracking software, according to most estimates. But the big switch has begun.

Larger companies have long since adopted software for their ATS needs but many of the enterprise solutions adopted by Fortune 500 firms have inherited the same bureaucratic dysfunction they were meant to cure. It might seem sensible to cram in features for all eventualities but feature-heavy applicant tracking software can be both expensive and unwieldy.

Hiring processes are not the same at an organization with 2,000+ employees as they are at a firm with 250 employees, or one with 25. By being clear from the outset over your real hiring needs you can eliminate the prospect of paying for features you don’t need and concentrate your investment on an ATS that does the best possible job on the features that you do need.

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4. Benefits of Applicant Tracking Systems

Most recruiters report that at least 50% of job hunters don’t possess the basic qualifications for the jobs they are pursuing. Applicant tracking systems came about when employers needed a way to deal with this flood of irrelevant resumes.

Today’s ATS systems are developed to scan for keywords, employment history and college records to identify viable candidates. The best ATS now available will take the data entry out of your hiring and leave you time to concentrate on the chewy human question of who you should hire and work with.

Using recruiting software means you don’t have to stitch together spreadsheets, email and elaborate filing systems. The advantage of an applicant tracking system is that it provides seamless and customizable collaboration features so that you’re always in the loop.

Applicant tracking systems help employers by providing a business process to follow during recruiting:

Save time recruiting by automating job board posting, resume submission, and pre-screening
Open the way to better candidates with standardized metrics and access to a pipeline of previous successful applicants
Standardize your hiring so you don’t have to reinvent the process each time
Keep you compliant with hiring laws
Give you a headstart on employee retention with better screened and qualified candidates
Ensure a striking and personalized candidate experience

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5. Choosing an Applicant Tracking System

One of the first questions you need to answer when making the ATS comparison is whether you want an applicant tracking software solution installed on your own server or hosted by your software vendor. The old way of purchasing was to get “on-premise” software but in recent years this has been overtaken by software as a service providers (SaaS), companies who host the software on the cloud and offer it as a service online.

What are the benefits of SaaS:

Accessible anywhere where you have an internet connection, with some SaaS applicant tracking systems offering mobile functionality for recruiting on the move
No fixed server costs
Updates to the software are the responsibility of the vendor
Removes the need for an IT department

The nightmare scenario for any growing business that invests in the best applicant tracking system for their needs, is for the vendor to then close down for its own business reasons. Yes, this has happened: there are numerous businesses who have seen their ATS shut down. Due diligence in this case means asking the right questions about vendor viability.

Another route altogether is an open source applicant tracking system. The advantage of this option is clear: it’s free, and you can modify the software as you please. Where’s the catch? Do you want to manage your hiring or to rewrite software? Unless you’re more than tech savvy or have an IT team that can afford to spend the time, you will run into issues installing, running and integrating one of these systems. And when you run into those problems there is no dedicated support to turn to.

The sensible ATS buyers’ checklist:

Does your ATS match your company profile? The three main categories are enterprise, staffing agencies and SMBs. There are good solutions for each of these categories but these are big tents — think clearly about which one you belong in.
Does the ATS provide real ease of use? There’s no point in investing in software that no one can or will use, or that is stuffed with features that you will not need or use. Look for an intuitive design that your hiring team will buy into. There are systems that require no installation, training or manuals.
Does your ATS enable you to post to multiple job sites? Overwhelmingly the most important feature for smaller companies. Check which jobs boards and social networks the ATS is integrated with.
What kind of search capability does the ATS have? Make sure that it boasts a fast, accurate search with results organized in a logical and intuitive way.
Does your ATS offer strong customer support? This can quickly turn what looks like the best applicant tracking software into an expensive farrago. Be clear over response times and availability in your time zone. Check to see how well organized and detailed the support section of the ATS website is.
What kind of reporting does the ATS offer? Be clear about your own reporting needs to track your recruiting efforts. Make sure they are matched and covered before making a choice.
Does the ATS enable employee referrals? Referrals are the oldest and still the best method of finding employees. The best applicants tracking system will provide you with a clear way to attract and reward referrals from your team.
What kind of candidate experience does the ATS offer? Your team is not the only user of the applicant tracking system, there’s also the candidate to consider. You will lose valuable prospects if its application process is clunky and off-putting.
Check your applicant tracking system vendor’s viability. You want a solution that will last, make sure the same applies to your vendor’s financials.
Get references for an ATS like you would for a hire. There are tons of applicant tracking system reviews online, take them into account. From Trust Pilot to Capterra and Software Advice to Getapp, check what other users are saying on third-party review sites.
It has become standard practice to work on the move. Smartphones and better software allows us to work when and where we want to. Your ATS should not be the exception. The whole of your hiring team should be able to review candidates, schedule interviews, leave feedback and check the pipeline via your ATS on the device of their choice.
The best ATS options have useful integrations. Check for integrations with leading and niche job boards and for sourcing tools that help you source and attract passive candidates. Your ATS should help you get more candidates by getting your job in front of prospects you can’t reach when you’re manually posting jobs to job boards. Does the ATS offer easy integrations for background checks and with a modern HRIS, like Namely and BambooHR?

If you’re tight on time, this list of the 12 best applicant tracking systems in the market can help guide your decision.

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6. Keys to Recruiting

If you’re not new to the hiring process or you’ve been working without any recruitment software you have most likely trekked through forests of resumes and descended bottomless email threads. This is not to mention giant spreadsheets, and a constant wrestling match to coordinate interviews and feedback.

If you’ve been getting the job done with an older generation applicant tracking system or candidate management system you will have faced different problems: poor or no customization options, usability problems, no buy in from your hiring team, insufficient integration.

Simplifying recruiting means the ability to post to multiple job boards and source candidates from all over the web, making it as easy to browse candidates as it is to follow friends on social networks. It means beautiful career sites that update themselves and good-looking job ads.

For candidates it means one-click applications. For hiring managers it means candidate timelines that show the ‘when and why’ of who made the shortlist. Hiring software should enable you to message candidates and keep track of comments in context.

Social recruiting is still more talked about than practiced but a first step that an ATS can help with is to bring resumes to life by automatically combining them with public social media profiles. Social media integration is a useful first step to getting your whole team involved in hiring. It’s everyone’s job to share open positions with their networks.

The best applicant tracking software enables you to track and reward referrals. The oldest and still the best source of high quality candidates, an employee referral program, relies on having a simple method for employees to recommend prospects and to record the initial source of job candidates (who recommended who). Companies of all sizes are beginning to recognize and reward referrals systematically.

Candidate management

The full value of an ATS becomes immediately obvious once candidates begin to flow into it. With the proliferation of job boards and the facility to apply with one click, many companies have been overwhelmed with applications.

This is where proper resume parsing technology comes into its own. A resume parser takes the weight of candidate data flooding your way, breaks it down and presents it to you in individual candidate profiles with comparable, standardized fields, like years of work experience and education.

The best ATS will enable customizable application forms with pre-screening questions that will quickly eliminate unqualified or irrelevant applications. Applicant tracking software enables you to standardize the information you’re receiving for each candidate, making it possible to be quick and decisive.

Candidate management then becomes paramount. A single profile for each candidate that keeps all comments, notes and documents (resumes, cover letters, work samples) in one place, revolutionizes hiring teams. No more searching inboxes for hiring managers looking for that all-important piece of feedback on a candidate.

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7. Managing the Hiring Process

There has never been a better time for businesses of all sizes to get strategic with their hiring. The tools needed to attract the right candidates and get from application to hire are both more affordable and more effective than ever before. What the best of them deliver is a hiring process that works.

The right recruitment process is streamlined enough not to waste your time, but inclusive enough to enable you to hire ambitiously. Process is not a word to light fires in the imagination but there’s nothing duller than trying to work without one. Having a series of standardized steps in the hiring process that have been chosen because they maximize the likelihood of a good outcome makes sense.

The most effective way to think of the steps of the recruiting process borrows from sales orthodoxy, with a hiring pipeline. Try this simple exercise. Jot down the current basic steps of your recruiting process. It may vary a bit but it probably looks something like this:

Applied
Promising
Phone screen
On-site interview
Executive interview
Offer

The hiring process is a funnel — you get a lot of applicants, you speak with some of them, you meet a few of them, you hire the one you like best. An efficient filtering process will save you and your candidates time.

Rather than floundering with an inbox full of resumes and a thicket of spreadsheets tracking candidates’ progress, the recruiting pipeline tracks and manages multiple candidates offering simple workflow management.

The recruiting pipeline enables hiring teams to work together collecting all comments, feedback, notes, social media profiles or assignment results on the same page. It removes the need for endless email threads and avoids the possibility of misplacing vital feedback or conversations with candidates.

The efficiency offered by an applicant tracking system takes on added importance when hiring at scale or across multiple locations, as is the case for multinationals or the increasing number of SMBs working across borders.

When your business is spread across regions and/or divisions some form of territory management is typically called for. Territory management can apply to any system which groups candidates according to predefined sets of criteria. It enables hiring teams to co-operate on the basis of location, division or function.

This can become even more important when it comes to assessing and improving your recruitment efforts. It can deliver clearer insight into the recruitment results in each territory, as well as generate reports based on locations and divisions to measure relative progress on hiring.

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8. Optimizing your Company’s Careers Page

The clearest way to think about your company careers page is to see it as a shop window. The careers page is not the only means at your disposal to market the job opportunities you offer but it should be the starting point for all these efforts.

Whether candidates note that you’re hiring after seeing your open position on a job board, or hear about it through social media or even a word-of-mouth referral, they will typically head to your careers page to find out more about the vacancy, your company and the application process. In other words, there needs to be something worth visiting when they get there.

Far from replacing careers pages, the proliferation of job boards that began in the 1990s has made a fully-optimized careers page a necessity. Placing the right applicant tracking software at the heart of your recruitment efforts removes much of the hassle associated with creating, hosting and maintaining an attractive and up-to-date careers page.

For companies without the IT resources to develop a careers page in house, the best ATS options offer simple tools to build a good-looking and professional site that’s connected to your applicant tracking system. An ATS offers automated job posting to ensure that all open positions that you post to job boards, social media or any other platform will also appear on your careers page.

But a careers page is about more than getting your jobs seen. It’s also the anchor for your employer brand, a broader concept of your company’s reputation in the digital age. The main difference with reputation is that it’s easier than ever for prospective hires to get an advanced idea of what it’s like to work for your company.

Wherever you, your colleagues or employees appear online whether it’s your company Facebook page, a Twitter conversation, or a Linkedin profile, you’re talking to two audiences: customers and talent. While this makes some businesses nervous, it’s actually a considerable opportunity for companies of all sizes.

It’s become popular to say that “hiring is marketing” because it’s increasingly true. Happily it doesn’t have to be done on prime time television to be effective. Digital platforms offer an affordable and potentially enormous reach. In many ways the traditional strengths of small and mid-sized businesses like personal relationships, approachability and tight-knit teams are ideally suited to the social media age, where authenticity is rewarded.

Feeling unsure what your employer brand is? Give yourself one minute to describe it on a piece of paper or a whiteboard. Stuck? Get some of your core team together and brainstorm on what is unique or special about working for your company as opposed to other similar companies? Is it the people, the mission?

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9. Managing the interview process

Interviewing is the most interesting and least automated part of the hiring process. This also means it’s the hardest and frequently the most poorly executed part as well. Unstructured interviews are no more likely to end with the right candidate than choosing a name from your shortlist at random.

An ATS can’t teach a hiring manager how to interview, but it can help them create an interview process that assists them in making an informed decision. Interviews don’t begin on the day someone walks into your office. Done properly the hiring process has worked like a funnel, you spoke to some candidates, you met a handful, now you want to work out which is the best of them to hire.

The support that the best applicant tracking software can deliver at this key phase is to streamline the scheduling of interviews and provide a rounded view of the candidate from sourcing or application, through screening and any assignment to the actual interview. It enables hiring managers to approach interviews in a structured and prepared manner.

Scheduling and communications with candidates goes from tangled to straightforward when your ATS integrates with your company email (typically with Gmail or Outlook) and calendar. Proper mail and calendar integrations ensure the right people are informed in a timely manner whether it’s the candidate who needs the time and location of an interview or phone screen, or if it’s the hiring team who need to know when an action is required.

The same is true for feedback that will inform the interviewer’s approach to each candidate. When all comments, notes, documents and communications are in one place a hiring manager can get up to speed in a fraction of the time an old-style briefing or a review of an email thread would otherwise take.

As well as time saving and automation, the benefit that the right ATS can deliver is a better candidate experience. As the hiring process has become more sophisticated it has begun to take longer. The “time to hire” means that in every hiring cycle you are losing qualified candidates because the interview process is taking too long.

The best candidates are fielding multiple offers, or recent research suggests, losing interest in your company because they assume that the lack of response. The response times are critical for the candidate experience, which is where the streamlining, team tools and scheduling capabilities of an ATS can make the difference.

The hiring pipeline offered by an ATS enables hiring managers to keep track of how many candidates are in each stage and where bottlenecks may be developing. Advanced applicant tracking software can also warn you when a candidate has been left hanging for a certain number of days.

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10. Assessing Your Requirements

At the core of the performance of any applicant tracking system (ATS) are its integrations. A full suite would include not just job board integrations that enable a single submission to a host of free and paid job boards, it would also extend to:

Social media integration with LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook
Full integration with a trusted background check provider
Integration with popular office productivity tools such as Slack
Give you a headstart on employee retention with better screened and qualified candidates

Since LinkedIn remains the venue for most recruiters’ working lives, an ATS should offer deep integration with the world’s favorite resume repository. Things to look out for include the ability to:

Use your personal LinkedIn account to sign in to your ATS and post jobs to your own professional network
Connect to your LinkedIn Recruiter account to post jobs ads
Buy a LinkedIn job ad directly from your ATS (without the need for a LinkedIn recruiter account)
Access to LinkedIn Cross System Awareness that enables your hiring team to view full LinkedIn profiles inside their ATS, as well as make candidate information stored on your ATS available in your LinkedIn Recruiter account

Analytics

Recruitment analytics offer a high level view of your whole recruiting effort. Recruiting without the right tools is a disposable experience. To extract full value from any recruitment process the steps taken need to remain visible and repeatable. Recruiting metrics are not just about measuring things, they exist to answer questions about your business and to help you improve your hiring. Which recruiting metrics to use remains contentious with some organizations overly focused on Cost Per Hire (which is open to widely differing interpretations). Some effective recruiting Key Performance Indicators worth tracking are:

Time to fill: The planning metric
Time to hire: The efficiency metric
Qualified candidates per hire: The sourcing metric
Interviews per hire: The process metric

Most effective recruiting organizations favor a flexible suite of analytics in their ATS that allow for custom reports and a variety of high-level visualizations. Look for an ATS that has the ability to break down reporting areas like candidate flow and candidate source into data that can be exported to Excel.

Complying with the thicket of US equal opportunities employment laws can consume your time and fray your nerves. This process cries out for automation so opt for an ATS with an EEO Reporting feature.

Performance

As we pointed out previously when discussing vendor viability, the right balance of features is ineffective without a viable product and business supporting it. It’s worth checking independent review sites such as TrustPilot, Getapp, Capterra and Software Advice to see how actual customers rate each ATS on its efforts at avoiding downtime.

A minimum should be an up-to-date status page that details all scheduled downtime. But it’s worth spending some time on your chosen ATS vendor’s Twitter timeline to see whether their ATS performance is drawing complaints.

Similar research should quickly establish what levels of support customers can expect from specific vendors. Look out for tiered support tied to the value of your account (with subscription-based SaaS applicant tracking software). At the one extreme you should expect 24/7 support globally but most vendors offer business hours support concentrated on the region where they’re based.

Security

When choosing a cloud-based ATS over an on-premise solution it’s logical to ask some questions about the security of your data. Here is what to ask an ATS vendor regarding security:

Does the ATS have an ongoing or regularly scheduled process of security and penetration testing of their infrastructure by a reputable third party?
Does the ATS offer a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which includes uptime guarantees?
What is the historical uptime percentage of the ATS?
Does it have a DDoS mitigation infrastructure in place?

Data ownership

Due diligence in choosing the best applicant tracking software would include a clear agreement on ATS data. Check the vendor’s privacy policy and terms and conditions to make sure that you retain exclusive ownership of all your data (if there are exceptions, make sure that they are clear and justifiable), and make sure that you will be able to export your data if you decide to move to a different vendor.

Search functionality

Without a powerful search facility the full promise of an ATS as a candidate database is seriously undermined. Find out whether the ATS search includes natural language processing, semantic search and any extras.

If this sounds confusing ensure that it enables candidate search by name, headline, tag, education/work experience/skills. Does the search draw data from resumes, cover letters and summaries?

A final feature to look out for is what kind of search is offered on the support section of the ATS. Does it offer prompts and auto-completes to offer help documents relevant to your questions? If not, keep looking.

Customization

When choosing a SaaS ATS one of the theoretical cons is the comparative lack of customization. An on-premise solution can be customized, in theory, to meet any hiring needs. In reality this is only an option for businesses with a large in-house developer capacity. If that doesn’t describe your business (or is not what you want your developers working on), look for an ATS that allows significant personalized settings. Look out for customization options for:

Take time to understand how your ATS vendor deals with managing classified hiring information. The best ATS options enable clear, customizable hierarchies within hiring teams governing which comments are private between the hiring team and the candidates, as well as notes that are not visible to everyone on the hiring team.

Users should be able to invite hiring team members with different status, i.e. admin, hiring manager, team member that govern their viewing and editing permissions, as well as dictating which communications they’re copied into during the hiring process.

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11. Checklist of applicant tracking system

Even the most affordable business software is an investment. The time taken to conduct a proper evaluation and applicant tracking system comparison will pay for itself many times over. Going with the wrong choice now will mean future disruption for your team and more work down the line. To help you make the right decision for your business as you compare applicant tracking systems, here is an evaluation chart to score your top choices.

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The post Applicant tracking system guide: From A to Z appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 15:16:56 +0000

Now, this month, we’re taking the plunge into SMB hiring metrics as per usual, but with an update in how we look at the dataset. Let’s get right to it:

How we’re looking at data

In past Hiring Pulses from the very beginning, we had a dilemma: how do you look at data when the economic – and therefore hiring – landscape is so tumultuous from one month to the next? The big concern was that it’s hard to establish solid benchmarks when the goalposts keep moving all the time.

So, in the beginning, instead of simply establishing historical benchmarks from years of data, we chose to look at data based on a trailing three-month average. For instance, we would compare August’s Time to Fill against the rolling average of the three previous months – in this case, May, June, and July.

Now, we’ve established two new methodologies. For Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire, we’re measuring each month using the average of 2019, the last “normal” year, as a baseline index of 100.

Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

TTF is coming down (again) after a jump in TTF for May, June and July
Job openings are very busy for companies with 200+ FTEs – but not so much for mid-sized businesses (51-200 FTEs)
Candidates per Hire numbers are going through the roof in the last two months

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of September are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at the monthly TTF trend against the average of 2019, based on jobs that have been filled from the start of 2019 through to the end of September 2022:

In the most recent Hiring Pulses, we noted that the Time to Fill trend has been dropping over time. This isn’t different with the new approach to the dataset. For instance, the average Time to Fill for August is just 91.5% of the 2019 average.

It’s worth noting the small uptick in TTF for September – but that’s an increase of just .9 of a point. Also worth noting is how May, June and July saw a slight bump upwards in TTF, and there’s of course January with an above-average time to fill a role.

We speculated last month about how recession jitters, greater bandwidth in hiring teams due to business slowdowns in August, and the “rush to fill” urgent gaps in the workforce are all potential factors contributing to the drop in the Time to Fill metric in August.

However, our recently published survey report on the New World of Work for 2022 finds that depleted resources in hiring teams is a growing challenge in hiring – with nearly double the respondents citing this as a challenge compared with two years ago (27.5% vs. 14.9%).

So, that might cancel out the “greater bandwidth in hiring teams” theory. It’s gotta be recession jitters and the rush to fill jobs. And it may not even be those issues, with TTF coming up a bit in September.

What else might be going on?

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

You’ll notice right off the bat that we’re breaking the data down into three separate buckets – companies with 1-50 full-time employees (small businesses), companies with 51-200 FTEs (mid-sized businesses), and companies with 200 or more FTEs. And for comparison’s sake, we’ve also added a line showing the average across all businesses regardless of size.

Naturally, the larger businesses hire more frequently – there’s more occurrences of turnover, backfill, stopgaps, and business growth/adjustments, meaning more job postings in general.

So don’t compare sizes – that’s never a good result.

Instead, look at how the wavelengths for each FTE bucket differs. Let’s look at earlier in the year first where two notable trends stand out:

The 200+ category shows a dramatic jump in job postings at the start of the year, from 13.8 job postings in January to 14.5 in February, a .8 jump compared with a negative .5 for the 51-200 group (8.3 to 7.8) and a milder, even inconsequential -.1 for the 1-50 club (3.7 to 3.6)
Meanwhile, April to May shows a more dramatic drop for the 51-200 group (-.3) compared with just -.1 for 200+ and a flatline for 1-50

And now, some dramatic fluctuations between the company sizes reveal themselves in the three most recent months of the dataset:

The two larger buckets both saw a -.4 change in the average job postings per company from May to June, compared with the exact opposite for the 1-50 category
After that drop, the largest companies in the dataset (200+ FTEs) saw a significant rebound of .9 more job postings on average in July compared with June, while the smallest companies (1-50 FTEs) saw a -.4 shift in their own job posting average
And then, finally, while the largest and smallest companies saw more job posting activity in September compared with August, mid-sized companies (51-200 FTEs) saw the opposite trend, dropping .4 points

Speculation about the mid-sized companies is that many of them are in tech, and we know how hard SaaS companies are being hit by recession fears right now. This may be what we’re seeing here – and we know you’re likely an SMB that’s come here for insights.

So, let’s take an optimistic approach to this if we can: fewer job openings for your company size means there’s less competition with other employers when you’re opening a new job during this time. Does that mean we’ll also see more candidates now with a less diluted talent pool? Well, let’s find out.

3. Candidates per Hire

Just as we expected. The last two months see a pretty huge jump in the Candidate per Hire metric, ricocheting from a below-baseline 91.1 up to 106.6 in August and 106.8 in September.

That’s a staggering uptick – a swing of 15.5 and 15.7 percentage points. If you were getting 91 candidates in a job a couple of months ago, you’d be seeing 106 or 107 candidates just last month. And that’s just the average.

We talked last month about jobseekers becoming a surplus – this trend is continuing to happen, and that, again, may be a good sign for SMBs looking to hire right now.

What’s going on here?

It’s a bit of a no-brainer. The job market is slowing down a little bit – and consequently, candidates are becoming more available. We’re seeing this happening in our data, and in the data out there.

But what’s important is that the job market isn’t slowing down for everyone – it’s the opposite for enterprise-level companies. It’s worth noting that recessions have a disproportionate impact on smaller companies due to their lack of scalability and relatively inconsistent revenue stream, and that’s reflected in our dataset.

However, in the hiring landscape, we’ve noted that SMBs such as yourselves can take a cautiously optimistic approach to this – this developing climate actually may make it easier for healthy SMBs, in the short-term at least.

Then-CFO of Expedia Eric Hart would agree, telling investors in an August earnings call: “Not that I wish ill on any people out there from a layoff perspective or whatever else, but I think there could be an opportunity for us to ramp some of that hiring over the coming months.”

We also talked last month about how a recession would impact certain sectors, and not all of them at once. But we also talked about why we’re not really seeing a recession coming yet. We’re going to be a bit of a wet blanket and tell you that there may (will?) be a considerable setback in the global economy in 2023 according to many internationally recognized economists (including the head of the World Trade Organization) – and that the US Federal Reserve’s aggressive hikes in the inflation rate may be at the very core of it. Here’s an article outlining what’s going on.

And that’s not just in the US. That’s worldwide. Plan accordingly, including in your hiring.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Because one of the three metrics (Job Openings) is different from the other two metrics (Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire), we’re adopting two very distinct methodologies.

And we chose 2019 as the baseline because, frankly, that’s the last normal year before the pandemic started to present challenges to data analysis among other things.

The majority of the data is sourced from businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Announcing The New World of Work, two years on: A 2022 worker survey

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 16:20:50 +0000

Well, two years ago, we found out what “this” meant with the New World of Work survey report, published in August 2020 with numerous insights on what the work world looked like at that point and what it would look like going forward.

We didn’t just experience a societal earthquake two years ago – we saw all changed utterly, to borrow from a Yeats poem. And we had to adapt quickly to survive. There were many adaptations as we quickly learned, particularly in the workplace – the surge of remote work, the incorporation of digital technology, and a mountain of concerns around employee engagement.

What about now in 2022? What does that new world of work look like and did all those predictions from the first time around ring true? Or were they much ado about nothing?

We decided to go and find out for ourselves, by sending out the same survey again in July 2022 – albeit with a few updated questions. The social patchwork that was so rudely ripped apart throughout 2020 has been somewhat stitched together in new ways. We know now what threads from that patchwork remained intact from before, and more so, what new threads are being sewn.

This new report comes in two parts – first, our learnings from the new survey, and second, how the new results compare with the results from 2020. The findings are remarkable. Enjoy the read and do join our conversation on the topic in the Workable Community.

Meanwhile, the major themes are as follows:

Hybrid is the new agreement

The oscillatory negotiation between return-to-office and full remote work may have settled on a new trend: hybrid. Is this a new stopgap measure or is it the way forward?

Jobseekers have the upper hand

The rise of compensation, benefits and opportunities as top value props shows that jobseekers have leverage in what they can get out of a job beyond “getting” the job.

Nothing is ‘normal’ anymore

The majority of businesses are moving on to the “next normal” in terms of working environments and business processes – and there’s no going back to the way things were.

Long-term remote problems

The long-term challenges of remote work are surfacing in the form of tech stack considerations, asynchronous issues and lingering anxieties both for businesses and their workers.

When there are setbacks and disruptions, there are adaptations and adjustments. And now, we’re presenting those in this comprehensive new survey report from Workable, titled The New World of Work, two years on: A 2022 Worker Survey.

The post Announcing The New World of Work, two years on: A 2022 worker survey appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 20:44:44 +0000

For this month’s Hiring Pulse, we have more insights for you on all of the above, and in response to numerous queries we’re taking a deep dive into the SMB hiring trends specifically for the UK and Ireland.

Let’s take the plunge!

How we’re looking at data

First, looking at SMB hiring data allows us to see benchmarks in the hiring landscape. But when the benchmark changes regularly during these last two tumultuous years, it’s not the best measuring stick.

So, instead of looking at data YoY or even MoM, we’re looking at rolling trends. What we’re doing in the Hiring Pulse is looking at that month’s percentage increase or decrease compared with the average of the three trailing months. Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

TTF has significantly dropped in August – unlike in previous Augusts
Job openings are normalizing more “normally” than either Candidates Per Hire or TTF
Recession worries are still very real – but jobs themselves may not be hit as hard as feared

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that are still open as of the end of August are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled are included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at TTF based on jobs that have been filled from the start of 2020 through to the end of August 2022:

One thing that stands out: Time to Fill dropped dramatically in August, with a -3.4% change from the average of the previous three months. Last year, August’s TTF trend was nearly the opposite: 5.1%.

What accounts for this? In the northern hemisphere, where most of this dataset lives, it’s summertime – which means a slowdown in overall business and consequently a slowdown in hiring. And a slowdown in jobseeking as well, of course. Fewer candidates makes it harder to find candidates, and there are fewer people working in hiring teams throughout. Put all that together, and that explains the uptick in TTF – in other words, longer TTF – in August 2021.

This especially should be the case in 2022 with the world opening up again (to a degree), and many workers catching up on their pent-up vacation time. But, instead, TTF dropped in August. TTF is shorter this time around than in previous months.

Why?

Perhaps, the seemingly non-stop predictions of a recession made for a business slowdown, which coupled with the normal downturn in processes during the traditional vacation months, led to less work for a company’s active employees for these few months. This frees up bandwidth for employees to focus on some other important things at work.

Then, more time is spent on sourcing, attracting, and evaluating candidates – which speeds the process along.

And of course, when people quit en masse – as we’re still seeing in the US at the very least – there’s a tinge of desperation as employers rush to fill ongoing gaps in their workforce.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job opened/filled dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire. These are just jobs opened in a given month – in other words, a single event – and are a great indicator of the health of the economy.

This one’s interesting. We’ve been writing a fair bit in previous Hiring Pulses about this thing called a recession and how that may impact our hiring metrics. We pointed to how July saw a change of -6% (now adjusted to -5.5% with data updates) in job openings compared with the three previous months’ average – and that this is unusual considering that previous Julys all saw a relatively opposite trend.

For example, as we showed last month, the job open trend for past Julys is as follows:

July 2019: 7.2%
July 2020: 49.5% (major caveat here, it being 2020)
July 2021: 5.7%

And now, August’s job opening trend has sped up just a wee bit to -2.2%. It’s not something to scream at the rooftops about, but when we compare to previous Augusts:

August 2019: 5%
August 2020: 23% (again, remember, this is 2020)
August 2021: 1.5%

Yes, all three previous Augusts were positive trends while this August is negative – however, the change isn’t nearly as significant.

The difference between July 2021’s 5.7% and July 2022’s -5.5% is 11.2 total percentage points, while for August last year and this year, it’s just 3.7 percentage points.

Last month, we said, and we quote:

“Do we want to be nervous? Should we be nervous? Well… recessions are normal. They do happen. And businesses will respond to that with more conservative projections and austere practices. Let’s watch this space and see what August brings us.”

Well, now that we can see what August brings us, maybe there’s cause to be not as nervous as previously.

Still… the doomsayers in us like to persist. Recessions don’t just happen in a month and go away. It’s a long game and businesses need to be mindful of that.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now, this is interesting. After all that fluctuation that we pointed out in the August Hiring Pulse, we now see a considerable spike in the Candidates Per Hire trend of 13.3% for the month of August.

If you overlook the “recovery” of hiring metrics in the wake of March 2020 – basically, when the big COVID truck hit many of us – this 13.3% marks the biggest positive trend in our data for any month in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 to date.

Surely, this must be somewhat normal for this time of year, you suggest.

News flash: no, it actually isn’t, not according to the data.

Check out what the CPH trend for June, July, and August looks like over the past four years:

Last month, we saw how the data for the three previous months of May, June and July made it pretty clear that 2022 was in a state of relative normalization, with the trend somewhat comparable to the last year before COVID – that being 2019.

But now, this isn’t the case at all. There are more candidates per job in August than previous. And the last time we saw such a monumental spike in the CPH trend was in the exceptional months after March 2020.

While we’ll write off those early COVID months as anomalous, it’s worth mentioning that those months were also months of desperation; there were many candidates out there in the wake of mass layoffs, and they were scrambling to find new work.

This time isn’t so different. Under the lingering shadow of a “maybe” recession, layoffs also surged. Couple that with just-quit workers from the Great Resignation feeling nervous about the road ahead and thinking it might be smart to get back into full-time work before the well runs dry, and we have a situation where jobseekers are no longer at a premium but now potentially becoming a surplus.

Deep dive – UK & Ireland

In the last few months, we’ve received a few inquiries: “All this Hiring Pulse stuff is great and stuff, but do you have any data specifically for those of us in the UK?” Well, we heard you and we’re taking action right now.

So, in this month’s Deep Dive, we look at these three hiring metrics specifically for the UK and Ireland (UK&I).

While we know that you’re interested specifically in UK&I metrics – it helps to see how that looks against the overall data. So, we’re adding an extra line for the overall data in each of the three charts.

Let’s dive in:

1. Time to Fill – UK&I

Let’s first look at the Time to Fill trend:

When we look at the Time to Fill trendline for UK&I, it runs along a similar trajectory as the world trendline – unsurprising, to be fair, considering that the UK is home to the world’s fifth-biggest GDP (the U.S., China, Japan, and Germany being one through four) and thus, wherever the world’s economy rolls, the UK shall roll with it.

Ireland’s own economy is smaller as a whole, of course, but its GDP per capita is more than twice as much as that of the UK, and the fifth largest worldwide – so it has a presence in this data as well.

Now, if you really want to get geeky when comparing the area-specific data against the whole, let us help by pointing out two major areas where the trends differ: March through October 2020 and, yes, the last three months.

First, for UK&I’s data, we see considerable fluctuation for March through October of 2020 with a 4% uptick in April 2020 compared with a relative flatline of 0.01% for the overall CPH trend. Then, UK&I plummets considerably more so than the overall, falling to -9%, -14.7%, and -18.6% in TTF for May, June, and July 2020 compared with -6.2%, -8%, and -9.7% overall.

But then, UK&I recovers just as dramatically, rising to 3.2% and 5% for August and September 2020 with a minor -1.4% hiccup for October before falling back in line with the overall TTF metric, which saw steady recovery of -3.5%, -1% and 4.7% for those three months.

The difference in the last three months isn’t nearly so dramatic, but still worth noting because it’s just happening now: the divergence starts happening again in June 2022 with a -2.6% drop in the trend for UK&I compared with 1.5% overall.

Then, for July, we see a 3.3% uptick for UK&I compared with 0.4% overall, followed by August’s -0.7% for UK&I and -3.4% overall.

2. Total Job Openings – UK&I

Now, let’s look at job openings themselves:

For the most part, the trend for both the UK&I segment and the overall data more or less follow the same path upwards and downwards every month – but the fluctuation of the last couple of months is eye-catching.

June saw a -15.5% change in job openings in the UK and Ireland, compared with -9.6% worldwide, followed by 3.4% versus -5.5% for July, and finally, -9.5% for UK&I in August compared with -2.2% overall. Job openings are down quite a bit in UK&I compared with the rest of the world.

Pretty big differences, honestly. Does it mean anything? Not necessarily if it’s just happening for a few months as fluctuations do occur, but it’s worth watching.

3. Candidates per Hire – UK&I

Now, let’s look at the Candidates per Hire trend for the UK and Ireland:

One thing that the UK has been dealing with on top of COVID-19 is, of course, Brexit. As it happens, Brexit became official to a degree on January 31, 2020. At that time, the virus was certainly on the horizon but hadn’t hit the UK’s shores yet.

But now, the double whammy of the pandemic’s onset with the reduced options for working abroad for many Britons after Brexit is readily visible here, with the CPH metric spiking massively in Q2 of 2020 – the most obvious one being the stunning 54.5% jump in the trend for June 2020 compared with just 14.6% overall.

We don’t intend to ignore Ireland’s numbers – but in this case, with the UK’s much larger population, it’s almost certainly Brexit that contributed to this discrepancy.

Workable’s CEO, Nikos Moraitakis, told us in an email in the early days of the pandemic that books would be written about this time for years going forward. In that spirit, there will be – and already are – books written about the UK’s own unique economic experience in 2020.

What’s going on here?

Let’s wrap this up with a quick overview of the UK job market and then the US job market. First, according to latest data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), July is showing full recovery and then some for payrolled employees, with an all-time high of 29.7 million employees making some level of income.

Now, the US Department of Labor reported last week that there was a gain of 315,000 jobs in US payrolls to an all-time high of 152.7 million employees – just a touch higher than the pre-pandemic high seen in February 2020.

Does this mean full recovery to pre-pandemic levels? Well, yes, kind of. And does this mean no worries about recessions?

No, absolutely not.

Sorry to break your balloon, but the worries of a recession are still very real. A good portion of those worries revolve around the housing market, with Goldman Sachs predicting a considerable crash in real estate to the end of 2022 and more so in 2023, bigger than Russia’s overall GDP crash since their invasion of Ukraine.

Likewise, analyst Ivy Zelman, otherwise known as “Poison Ivy” after predicting the 2008 market crash, is predicting another drop in housing over the next couple of years. We all know what that meant in 2008 and 2009 – a tidal wave leading to catastrophe in other economies.

But Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, had this to say about the surge in jobs and the worries around recession:

“This is a unique period of time, where we have, still, a relatively tight labor market, where there is still job growth, but companies have started to announce hiring freezes, some companies have announced layoffs,” she said.

“This could very likely be a recession where you don’t see the kind of carnage in the labor market that you see in most recessions.”

At no other time has there been such a surplus of jobs (two job openings for every one active candidate, according to DOL data). Couple that with inflation and higher salaries, and candidates have a very powerful deck to play with.

So, the job market remains active. Many employers are desperate to hire, and this trend may not quieten down anytime soon, even with layoffs and recessions. If there’s a downturn, it’s going to happen in economic pockets – not across the whole spectrum.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

To bring the best insights to small and medium businesses worldwide, here’s what we’re doing with our data: when looking at a specific month’s trend, we’re taking the numbers from that month and comparing it to the average of the three previous months – and showing as a percentage how that month looks in comparison.

For example, if July shows an average Time to Fill of 30 days for all jobs, and the monthly average for the three preceding months (April, May, June) is 25 days, we present the result for July as a 20% increase.

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for August 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 17:12:49 +0000

And here’s a sneak preview: it appears that things are actually normalizing to 2019 levels. And we’ll dig deeply into that in this month’s report, albeit with some lingering weirdness – if we go with the theme of “long COVID”, this whole thing could be termed “long disruption”.

But first, we want to tell you something important: we’re making a slight alteration in the way we look at data, specifically for the Time to Fill (TTF) and Candidates Per Hire (CPH) metrics. In past Hiring Pulses, we had measured trends based on jobs being opened.

For example, previously, if a job is opened in June, we would include that job’s data in TTF and CPH – meaning, the more recent jobs opened would naturally skew the data downwards in the latest months of the dataset because they haven’t had the time to build to normal TTF and CPH levels.

So, at Workable, we talked about this internally as a team, and decided on an adjustment – we would start looking at jobs based on the date the job was filled. So again, for example, if a job is filled in June, we would include that job’s data in TTF and CPH.

But since there’s an end date to all those jobs, we don’t have to worry about job data being skewed in recent months.

To be transparent, there’s a small catch that we do want to share – the dataset for jobs filled will be smaller than the dataset for jobs currently open, especially in more recent months. But there’s still a lot in this dataset to draw compelling conclusions from.

You saw a preview of this in the deep dive of last month’s Hiring Pulse. And this month is fully focused on jobs based on their hire date.

Let’s take the plunge!

How we’re looking at data

First, looking at SMB hiring data gives us an opportunity to look at benchmarks in the hiring landscape. But when the benchmark changes at unprecedented levels during these last two very weird years, it becomes an unreliable gauge.

So, it’s no longer helpful to look at the data YoY or even MoM. It makes more sense to look at rolling trends. Consequently, for the Hiring Pulse, we are looking at percentage increase or decrease compared with the average of the three trailing months. Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

We’re returning to before times – in other words, we seem to be stabilizing
The job opening trend continues to trend downwards
A surprisingly robust job market for July

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: jobs that remain open are not included in this graph as they don’t yet have an “end date”. Only the jobs that are filled will be included here.

Got that? Good. Let’s have a look at TTF based on jobs that have been filled from the start of 2020 through to the end of July 2022:

We’ll just keep beating the dead horse here: the last two and a half years are unprecedented times for society. That’s reflected in the wild ups and downs throughout, starting with the incredible drop in the TTF trend right when COVID hit. That’s a sign of SaaS companies rushing to hire en masse as they capitalized on the digital transformation boom early on.

But, when we look at the TTF trend in the early part of these last two years (i.e. February/March/April), TTF drops noticeably (-3.9%, -8.1%, -3.6% in 2021 and -3.4%, -3.1%, -3.9% this year).

This, after particularly positive trends in January 2021 (8.5%) and January 2022 (8%).

Rough conclusion from all this? Because we’re now looking at job data based on the date the job was filled, a job filled in January will have likely been opened a couple of months earlier. There’s a lot of activity involving numerous members of the hiring team – the recruiter themselves, maybe another HR representative, a departmental team member, an executive, and of course, the hiring manager.

And December is holiday time for many – which means delays in business processes including in recruitment. All of those job openings get pushed back to January the following year when everyone is back in the grind – therefore prolonging TTF. Mid-November to mid-January is roughly 60 days – much higher than the average TTF of 42, according to Industry Today (industrial/segmential fluctuations aside).

Another observation: the six most recent months (February through July) suggest a much more stable TTF trend than we’ve seen since the start of 2020. The times they are a-normalizing? We shall see.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job opened/filled dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire.

These are just jobs opened in a given month and are a great indicator of the health of the economy. So, we can include July 2022 in this chart:

In July’s Hiring Pulse, we emphasized the anomaly that was the job opening trend for June – last month, it was -10.2% which is slightly updated to -10.1% in this chart. We suggested that economic jitters and business austerity measures were a factor in that drop in job openings compared with previous months.

That’s especially noticeable since June normally shows a positive uptick in job openings based on years past (2020 excluded, of course).

We’d hoped for the sakes of businesses everywhere that June would prove to be an anomaly. Well, July has entered the chat, and again, it’s a negative trend of -6% – slightly up from June, but still attention-grabbing.

Let’s look at what July looked like in previous years:

July 2019: 7.2%
July 2020: 49.5% (Like we said – we exclude 2020 due to the economic and social cataclysms of that year)
July 2021: 5.7%

See there – generally positive trends. Except for this year. Same as what happened for June – where June normally looked robust in terms of job openings, only to see a negative trend in this year’s June.

Do we want to be nervous? Should we be nervous? Well… recessions are normal. They do happen. And businesses will respond to that with more conservative projections and austere practices. Let’s watch this space and see what August brings us.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. And now that we’re looking at jobs that are already filled up to the end of July rather than jobs opened, we’ll no longer see a skew downwards in the CPH trend in recent months.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through July:

What stands out with this one is the fluctuating CPH trend through the first seven months of 2022 with three positive-trending (February 0.5%, March 4.1%, and May 7.2%) and four negative-trending months (January -5.2%, April -1.8%, June -1.7%, and July -3.5%).

January is an easy one to explain away – as described in the TTF section, December will be a slower month for hiring, and that’s the same for candidate activity. When January rolls around, hiring teams will not have the same luxury of candidates to choose from, but because they really need to fill that job, they’ll just hire one and roll with it.

What about the negative trends seen in June (-1.7%) and July (-3.5%) of this year? We can add some perspective on those by looking back at May (7.2%). Pretty big drop from there forward.

Now, let’s look at what happened over the same period in the three years prior, with 2022 included for comparative purposes:

As stated above, 2020 is an anomalous year, with the spike in CPH very much attributable to the numerous jobs lost in the early part of that year after COVID set on the land.

But then, 2021 shows a huge drop in the CPH trend for May, and slowly rises for June and July.

Now let’s look back to pre-pandemic times: 2019 shows a positive May trend followed by a drop in CPH for June and July – and that’s the most comparable statistic to what happened this year. Is it worth noting that 2019 might be the most recent “normal” year for society and business overall? The lines for 2019 and 2022 in the chart above are visually similar.

Perhaps it is. And if that’s the case, then the fluctuations in the CPH trend for the last three months this year can be considered relatively normal if we’re comparing to 2019.

There’s a lot more data science to be conducted here, of course – but it’s worth thinking about as we move deeper into Q3.

What’s going on here?

Well, guess what? Despite widespread predictions to the contrary, the US job market is sizzling red hot. July saw 528,000 new jobs added – more than twice the forecasts of Wall Street. It’s worth looking at real job changes month-over-month in the chart below:

(If you’re wondering, April 2020 saw a negative change of 20.5 million jobs. Such a huge change that if we adjusted the chart to show it, the changes month over month in the rest of the chart would be not be nearly as discernible. So… we let it fall off the chart to where it belongs.)

In the US, we’re also seeing the highest-ever total employees ever, with a total of 152.54 million working in the country right now. Second-highest total in a given month? February 2020, at 152.5 million total employed. Third highest? January 2020, at 152.13 million.

Fourth highest all time? Um, it’s June 2022, at 152.01 million.

See what we wrote up there about things looking like 2019 and that 2019 was the last “normal” year? Plus, unemployment in the United States dropped to 3.5% – matching a 50-year low that was set just before the pandemic.

We’ll let Charles Schwab’s chief investment strategist Liz Ann Sonders take this one:

“There’s no way to take the other side of this. There’s not a lot of, ‘Yeah, but,’ other than it’s not positive from a market or Fed perspective,” she said. “For the economy, this is good news.”

But – sorry, Ms. Sonders, but we still like buts – 57.7% of the job gains for July are concentrated in four sectors: leisure & hospitality, professional & business services, health care, and government. What’s more – leisure & hospitality is still 1.2 million workers short of pre-pandemic levels.

As we know from experience (looking at you: dot-com bubble, 9/11, subprime mortgage crisis, and most recently 2020) – a good economy always has a half life. We’ve been predicting something bad in the future for a few months now – but the markets indicate otherwise. So far.

Ultimately, it’s good to be prudent. Have a contingency plan in place for whatever potential scenario may play out. After all, highs in total jobs were set just before the great COVID fall, and those highs are now being surpassed in the last two months. What goes up must come down? Maybe, maybe not.

We’ve quoted a former Workable executive in a past Hiring Pulse:

“First of all, make sure that you’ve got a number of contingency plans in place. Work out a lot of different scenarios which you are ready to deploy as the situation evolves. Secondly, don’t lose track of the more short-term or tactical objectives. Essentially, make sure that you also have a weekly plan on how you want to manage this.”

We’ll paraphrase with this: it’s always smart to be smart when managing a business, including in hiring.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for August 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 13:36:07 +0000

Recession jitters and interest rate hikes are factors in decisions around payroll, of course, but what’s also happened is that June marks the end of the first half of the calendar year, and companies are recalibrating and implementing plans ahead of the second half according to Crunchbase.

Also worth noting is that layoffs and discharges according to U.S. Department of Labor data is not spiking across the spectrum – in fact, it’s remained at a stable pace month over month:

Plus, when you compare layoffs and discharges with previous years – and yes, “before times” – in the United States, you’ll find that the number is actually lower than the norm. Of course we’re still in highly unusual times. That crazy spike in March/April 2020 led to a pendulum swing in the opposite direction with a high number of hires soon afterwards.

And now, while layoffs are indeed happening in startups, those more established SMBs may have already optimized their worker base enough from the 2020 tempest that sudden changes aren’t as necessarily required two years later.

Meanwhile, the Great Resignation continues, especially in the United States, which has just seen its 12th consecutive month of upwards of four million job quits. Many of those quits have traditionally been at lower-level positions, but we’re now seeing the trend starting to happen at the managerial and directorial levels.

Anyway, let’s set layoffs and Big Quits aside for a moment and look at other potential fallouts from the gloomy projections of a recession ahead. Here’s this month’s Hiring Pulse, with a special and different look at SMB hiring trends in our deep dive.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

New job postings are down
Jobs being filled are also down – way down
Candidates per hire is going up for jobs filled in May and June

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: if a job is opened in January this year or even as early as August last year, but isn’t filled until June 2022, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day last January or August but is filled on May 31, it does count in this graph.

So, we’re looking at the TTF trends only up to the end of May. Got that? Good. Let’s have a look:

Rather than simply call out the sharp drop in TTF in the most recent months, let’s do what we’ve done in previous months – compare this graph to the one in May, and to the one in April, and so on. In this graph, we see five consecutive months of significantly shorter TTF metrics, down to -18.2% in April and -25.3% in May.

In June’s Hiring Pulse, we saw only four consecutive months of significantly shorter TTFs – ending in -18.5% in March and -26% in April.

In May’s Hiring Pulse, it was – wait for it – just three (four, if you really want to count the miniscule -0.8% change at the start of the drop), ending with -19.2% and -27.4% in the two latest months.

Ditto for April’s Hiring Pulse, ending with -22.8% and -29.2%.

What does this tell us? Even with the clear variable of this data being measured forward from the time a job is opened, TTF is still dropping. If you want to see what the data looks like for jobs filled and going backwards from there instead, we now have that data and we’re going into it in the deep dive below.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire.

These are just jobs opened in a given month. So, we can include June 2022 in this chart:

You know that old trope where a news editor comes running into the room and says, “Stop the printing press! Rip out the front page! We’ve got a story here!”

Well, we may have a story here in that strikingly negative -10.2% drop in the job opening trend for June.

To add context: a drop in new job openings is pretty normal – for the end of the year:

-9.5% and -23.5% in Nov-Dec 2019
-3.0% and -8.3% in Nov-Dec 2020
-0.3% and -11.9% in Nov-Dec 2021

And of course, there’s the COVID-quake that hit us in the spring of 2020 where the job opening trend was a staggering -22.9% in March, an incomprehensible -51.6% in April, and -23.2% in May of 2020.

But this is June. It bears noting that we don’t see this kind of data in previous Junes:

-8.1% in June 2019 (this being the only one closest to June 2022)
20.3% in June 2020 (an anomaly in the opposite direction, since businesses were very much rebounding from the COVID-quake)
6.8% in June 2021 (not much of a change from May 2021’s 6.9% or to July 2021’s 5.7%)

We’ve talked about fragile economic nerves and end-of-Q2 planning – maybe that’s what’s happening here as well. While layoffs and terminations aren’t hugely different from previous months, companies are definitely opening fewer jobs.

That’s interesting considering that the job quit numbers in the US remain at ruthlessly high levels. Normally, when someone leaves, that position will be backfilled. But maybe companies are seeing turnover as a blessing in disguise – rather than backfill, they see this as an opportunity to wait and see what the waters look like ahead without needing to resort to layoffs. Convenient business austerity at work, perhaps?

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through May:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in May. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled. Moreover, even jobs that remain unfilled are included here.)

Again, interesting numbers here in this SMB hiring trend. In last month’s Pulse, we noted that the average candidates per hire for April, the most recent month of data last month, was -4.4% less than the monthly average in Q1.

This time, the most recent month of data, May, shows a much more dramatic -14.4% change from the previous three-month average. And April has changed from -4.4% in last month’s Pulse to 1.9% in this month’s report.

A clear takeaway from this is that applications to jobs opened in April grew significantly throughout June. With fewer jobs being posted in June, this suggests that there’s a spillover to older but unfilled job postings for today’s candidates.

In other words – the list of recent jobs is shorter now, so in scrolling through jobs in reverse chronological order, candidates will encounter those older job postings more frequently than in the past, driving up CPH for those earlier postings.

Maybe there’s an opportunity for SMB employers who are still trying to fill those older jobs: take a look at them, tinker with them so they’re more relevant to today, and resurface them so they’re at the top of the pile once again. Don’t make the candidate have to look backwards to find you. Be the first company they see at the top of the pile.

Deep dive – jobs filled data

The challenge with dissecting these data points is that the dataset involves all jobs that have been opened – not just the ones that have been filled.

Plus, we include jobs opened in May in this dataset – even with the luxury of one full month of extra data after that. Consider that the Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire will be much lower for a job opened just before midnight on May 31 than it would be for a job opened in March. This can create a weird variation in the data because all this falls into the same dataset regardless.

So, as we’ve mentioned umpteen times, the drop in CPH and TTF in recent months makes sense to a degree. We’ve attempted to circumnavigate that by comparing the most recent months between different reports which does lead to interesting insights.

One major reason we’ve done it this way up to now is because we get to analyze a much larger dataset – giving us the opportunity to segment the data based on industry, function, and location.

But you know what? We now have data based solely on jobs that have been filled. This gives us an opportunity to look at SMB hiring trends right up to the end of June. Let’s dive in!

1. Time to Fill

Let’s first look at the Time to Fill trend for jobs based on the date when they were filled:

What’s especially intriguing is that the TTF trend for jobs filled in January 2022 is a significantly higher 7.5% jump from the monthly average of Q4 2021. For “all” jobs whether filled or not, it’s -8%.

Other than that, the TTF trend still drops quite a bit in the months after that – coming up for air in May at 1.1% and June also at 1.1%. We’d like to sit and watch what the trend looks like for this going forward with stabilizing TTF in the two recent months – yes, that means this isn’t going to be the only time we look at jobs based on the fill date.

2. Total Job Fills

Now, let’s look at jobs themselves. This one’s a bit different from the Job Opening trend, because we’re now looking at the trend of jobs being filled in a given month:

Good news or bad news first? Let’s start with the good: Q1 2022 saw a lot of activity in job openings, with 17% in January, 14.2% in February, and 20.4% in March. For jobs filled, the trend is -1.1%, 8.9% and an eye-catching 30.8% for the same three months.

Since a job won’t usually be filled for some time after it’s opened, it makes sense that a higher trend of job openings in January and February would mean a spike in jobs filled for March. And that’s clear here.

Now, the bad: we pointed out the -10.2% for June in the Job Opening trend above – for data based on jobs filled, we see a more moderate -4.4% change in June compared with the trailing three-month average. While that doesn’t necessarily call for alarm, it’s something we should keep an eye on, because for the last two Junes, there’s a positive shift in jobs being filled:

17.7% for June 2020 (take that with a grain of salt – it was -12.4%, -55% and -36.9% for March, April and May 2020 respectively)
11.7% for June 2021 (very significant considering consistently positive trends of 17.2%, 52.5%, 22.2%, and 9.5% for February through May 2021 respectively)

Yet, this June sees a drop, on the heels of an insignificantly positive 0.2% trend for April and 3.2% for May this year. While we can explain away some of this as entrails of these crazy times, we still need to watch this space.

3. Candidates per Hire

Now, let’s look at the Candidates per Hire trend for jobs that are filled in a given month:

The CPH trend in the dataset based on the job-open date shows relatively steady decline in recent months – again, as in the TTF data, it’s because more recent job postings will not have had the time to collect candidates as older job postings.

But this time, we now get to see what the CPH landscape looks like for jobs that are already filled in a given month – and the difference is that jobs filled in May have collected more candidates than previous months, at 6.7% higher than the February-March-April average. But it goes back underwater with a 0.9% shift in June. Still, this is after negative trends in most months dating back to the start of 2021.

So, while the numbers look a little different here, it’s still true that employers hadn’t been seeing as many candidates per job as they had in the past – but the upturn in CPH for jobs filled in May combined with with the evidently unseasonable drop in jobs being filled in June is something to take note of.

What’s going on here?

Honestly, the changes in the most recent months all point to recession jitters. Companies see what’s going on in the market – the plummet of the stock market, the hike of the interest rate, the rise of inflation, etc. – and they will naturally turn to contingency measures to stay afloat and keep their bottom line out of the red zone.

We’re seeing this in the lower number of jobs being posted. This, in spite of the ongoing Great Resignation (which amounts to more than 51 million job quits in the United States over the last 12 months). You’d think more quits would equal more jobs posted as a result of backfills – but that’s not happening in recent months.

And on the candidate side, the throngs of people who have left their jobs for other pastures may be seeing the recession on the horizon and realizing that it may be a smart idea to lock in a more secure job and ride out the storm before pursuing their passion project any further. No, we haven’t grounded this in science – it’s just one potential explanation for the rise in candidates per hire along with more concentrated candidate pools across fewer job openings.

But, then, we have a new report from the US Department of Labor showing once-again strong job gains for June to the tune of 372,000 payroll additions, and those additions at higher wages to boot.

According to Reuters, Indeed economist Nick Bunker said: “If you’re looking at this report for signs we’re already in a recession, you’re likely to come up blank.”

These SMB hiring trends are not numerical soothsayers – they are merely indicators of what the road ahead may look like: first, fewer jobs are being posted; second, more candidates are applying for jobs; and third, there’s a huge drop in jobs being filled in June.

Like the holiday season, the summer months (for those in the northern hemisphere, at least) can be a relatively slow time for hiring. June is potentially just the start of that. Let’s see next month whether these changes are due to recession jitters, seasonal hiring habits, or a mixture of both (or neither).

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for July 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

ATS vs. CRM: what’s the difference?

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 17:03:31 +0000

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that automates the hiring process, from job postings to onboarding. It streamlines talent acquisition and improves candidate experience. A CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) focuses on building and nurturing relationships with potential and existing candidates, creating a talent pipeline for recruitment.

Applicant tracking system (ATS) and candidate relationship management (CRM) software both help automate, organize, and optimize the recruitment and hiring process but knowing how, when, and why to integrate each of these tools into a talent acquisition strategy is key to maximizing their value.

To compare an ATS vs CRM, let’s start with defining each, and then delve into the similarities and differences.

What’s an ATS?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is recruitment software designed to streamline, automate, and optimize the hiring process for recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers.

An effective ATS simplifies the entire talent acquisition workflow from start to finish, using automation to simplify tasks which may include the following:

Publishing job postings to social media, LinkedIn, and job boards
Organizing the application process
Creating a talent pool of candidate profiles
Parsing resumes
Administering skills assessment tests
Collecting and reporting hiring metrics
Scheduling interviews
Sending follow-up communication
Performing background checks
Issuing hiring and job offer letters
Collecting signatures for employment contracts
Onboarding

Using an ATS as a tool during the recruitment process improves the candidate experience while also making it easier for hiring professionals to attract, identify, and retain top talent.

Automating important but time-intensive tasks keeps the entire lifecycle of the hiring process organized, improves communication with candidates and among stakeholders, reduces time-to-hire, and allows hiring professionals to focus on finding the best talent for open roles.

Not sure which ATS is the best option to meet the staffing needs of your business? Look at our ATS buyers’ guide.

What’s a CRM?

CRM is an acronym for customer relationship management (or candidate relationship management when used as a recruitment marketing tool). Recruitment CRM software is used to create a talent pipeline of job seekers, current employees, and passive candidates that recruiting teams can leverage for recruitment and hiring purposes.

Candidate relationship management systems often have features to help with the following:

Building a database of potential candidates
Making saved resumes searchable by keyword
Delivering targeted messaging to talent pool
Fostering a relationship between the employer brand and candidates
Tracking candidate progress during hiring and onboarding
Sending surveys and compiling feedback on hiring process
Collecting and reporting hiring analytics

A CRM is a tool that helps build and nurture relationships with talent, creating a scalable source of qualified candidates to choose from. Having access to an existing pool of candidates can eliminate the need for a recruitment agency, increase the quality of applicants to job openings, and reduce time-to-hire.

Should you integrate your CRM with an ATS?

Although there’s a slight overlap in the services offered by ATS vs CRM software, they’re two different types of tools, each with a distinct purpose. An ATS organizes and coordinates the actual application and hiring process, while a CRM system helps create and maintain a pool of active and passive talent for recruitment — both are valuable recruiting technology tools.

Using a CRM with an ATS integration creates a tech stack that automates and optimizes each and every step of the talent acquisition process, making it easy to source candidates from your own qualified pool while also effortlessly attracting outside applicants.

With a CRM and ATS integration, qualified applicants go through the hiring workflow organized and managed by the ATS, the best candidate is selected by the hiring manager, and the CRM maintains a relationship with the remaining candidates for future job openings, creating a valuable cycle for recruitment.

Aside from the clear benefits to hiring professionals, today’s competitive job market offers candidates a lot of options. Having an organized talent acquisition pipeline with clear communication and professional responsiveness builds trust with applicants while expediting the hiring process in a way that gives your company a competitive edge.

How can Workable help me?

Workable is an industry leader in ATS software and can integrate into your already existing workflow. By partnering with the most popular tools in recruiting technology, Workable offers a single, powerful solution for maximizing efficiency while optimizing your recruitment and hiring process. Find out more about us and our partnerships here.

The post ATS vs. CRM: what’s the difference? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for June 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 23:06:32 +0000

Noted economist Robert Shiller said as much, in an interview with Bloomberg. A recession is coming, and in his words, it’s a “self-fulfilling prophecy” – because all the talk of a recession is motivating decision-makers to make decisions in anticipation of a recession… and therefore, triggering a recession.

Those decisions include layoffs, of course – the go-to formula for many SMBs who are looking to weather a prospective storm. Y’know, just in case. And the startup tech sector is especially getting hit hard, with more layoffs in Q2 of this year than any other quarter over the last two years since, of course, early 2020:

So, let’s keep that in mind as we dive into this month’s Hiring Pulse, which includes a special look at the hiring data for tech companies.

How we’re looking at data

First, looking at SMB hiring data gives us an opportunity to look at benchmarks in the hiring landscape. But when the benchmark regularly changes during these last two very weird years, it becomes an unreliable gauge.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

The Time to Fill metric is largely the same as in previous Pulses – but the other two metrics are seeing a disruption
Job Openings are seeing a negative trend unlike what we’ve seen at this time in previous years
The tech hiring landscape has a life of its own

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: if a job is opened in October or even as early as April last year, but isn’t filled until May, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July or September but is filled on April 30, it does count in this graph.

So, we’re looking at the TTF trends only up to the end of April. Got that? Good. Let’s have a look:

We’d normally go into the usual long-winded spiel about what this chart tells us about SMB hiring up to April 2022 – but honestly, not much has changed or is different from last month. The big drop in the TTF metric begins four months earlier in January – the same trend is shown in our May 2022 report, where the drop begins four months earlier in December.

You might also see here that January’s drop is -12.3% lower than the average of Q4 2021, whereas last month, December showed a much-less dramatic -0.8% drop from the average of the three previous months. Well – we also pointed out the same thing last month. So… again, the point is null. Let’s move on.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.
So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, so we can include May 2022 in this chart:

The sharp drop from March (20.4%) to April (-0.8%) was noted and expected last month – and there’s also a marginal drop from April (-0.8%) to May (-2.2%).

That’s to be expected, based on last year’s trendline from Q1 to Q2 – but what’s interesting is that this time, the last two months are negative trends. It’s worth noting that over the last three years of Workable’s data, back-to-back negative months only happened in November and December – and of course, in the cataclysmic spring of 2020 which we see as a significant anomaly in hiring trends.

Is this continued negative trend a sign of an oncoming recession? It’s very, very possible.

What Mr. Shiller suggested above about companies becoming more austere in their practices is reflected here – after a seasonally normal Q1 of job opening activity, we’re seeing a relatively stark shift in the opposite direction.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through April:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in April. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

Last month, we pointed out how the CPH metric stabilized over the first three months of 2022: -10.1% in January, -8% in February, and -13.9% in March.

That Q1 stabilization holds relatively steady this month, but now we see something: an uptick from the January/February/March average to -4.4 in April.

Nonetheless, that still signals a continued downturn in CPH, even as job posting activity slows down. As we mentioned last month, you’d rightfully deduce that fewer jobs = more candidates per job, but that’s not happening here.

Deep dive – tech hiring trends

Now, let’s dive deeper into one area that’s seeing considerable disruption in recent months – the SaaS sector. If you’re a tech SMB or tech startup, these data trends will be of interest to you.

First, a quick reminder of the layoffs mentioned in the intro. From the same website, we see this chart, this time showing layoffs month by month:

May saw a huge amount of layoffs in startups – and as of the halfway mark of June, we’re already more than halfway to May’s total layoff events.

So, is this unique to tech? Let’s see for ourselves, by comparing the tech sector’s hiring trends with the overall hiring trends in the same charts.

Time to Fill in Tech

First, let’s look at the TTF trend in tech and see if it’s any different from the overall TTF trend.

From afar, the trendlines look very similar. The huge spikes at the start of the pandemic and again going into Q4 of 2020 followed by relative normalcy throughout 2021 – this looks roughly similar for both SaaS and the overall landscape, with some relatively minor variations of course.

But then, as we venture into the last quarter of 2021, we see some noted differences. For instance, October’s TTF trend in tech and software is -4.6%, whereas the overall trend is a very different +1.8% – a point differential of -6.4.

Now, let’s look at the other two metrics.

Total Job Openings in Tech

Now, job openings (JOs) in the SaaS world:

Again, from far away, the trendlines look similar. But zoom in, and you notice some differences, for example:

The JO trend in tech doesn’t drop nearly as drastically in April 2020 (a difference of +6.7 percentage points), and doesn’t rise nearly as drastically over the next few months after that (percentage point differences of +0.5, -3.3, –4.1, and –7.7 for May-August respectively);
The JO trend in tech rose higher than the overall from October 2020 to January 2021 (point differences of +6.4, +6.5, +4.6 and +5.2 respectively);
With the exception of December 2021, the JO trend again rose higher than the overall from October 2021 to January 2022 (+4.3 points in October, +5.5 in November, -2.6 in December, and +4.6 in February;
And finally, the tech JO trend is much lower than the overall trend for February (-6.5) and April (-6.8) of this year.

Candidates per Hire in Tech

And finally, candidates per hire:

The differences between the trend in tech and overall stand out much more here. What stands out for 2020 is how CPH in tech is much higher than the overall average for May (a positive difference of +10.5 points) and June (+12.1 points), but then swings sharply in the opposite direction for July (-7.2 points), August (-5.4), and September (-8.5).

We also see a 17-point positive differential for April 2021 in favor of SaaSers, and another positive differential in February 2022 (+12.5). But then, February 2022 is followed by an almost identical pendulum swing to -12.6 points – a total shift in the tech vs. overall CPH trend of 25.1 percentage points in just two months. That’s huge and it signals something very unique happening in the software space.

Conclusion

ComputerWorld’s very in-depth analysis of the American IT job market bluntly calls out the significant growth in IT jobs in the calendar year 2021 – in fact, more than twice as high as any previous year.

A quick conclusion might be that this is job recovery from 2020, but even then, the cumulative IT job loss in the US for 2020 was just 33K – a small percentage of the 104K tech jobs added in 2018 and 90K jobs added in 2019, and of course, the 213K jobs added in 2021.

The increased digital transformation of the worldwide economy – be it in supply chain, finance, and even the cannabis trade – over the last two years since the pandemic required us to go online more often in every aspect of our lives. So that brings a lot of demand for tech – hence, more jobs for tech workers.

It follows that the tech sector is a volatile beast very much subject to boom-bust cycles – we’ve seen this dating back to the dot-com frenzy of the late 1990s. While tech is part of the overall economy, it also runs on the lifeblood of its own unique subset of the economy.

And now, tech layoffs are all over the news. It may be the first signs of an oncoming recession, with tech, being one of the most agile sectors, leading the charge in terms of austerical adjustments. If you’re one of the companies planning layoffs, you’ll probably need to think about how to go about it tactfully and without irreversibly causing damage to your reputation as an employer.

A sign of things to come? Let’s keep an eye on the upcoming Hiring Pulses and find out.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for June 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

ATS integrations: the benefits and examples

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 12:58:27 +0000

When adding an ATS to your tech stack, it’s worth considering how much it can integrate with your existing softwares and solutions. Here’s everything you need to know about ATS integrations and examples.

What is an ATS integration?

ATS integrations allow you to connect your applicant tracking system (ATS) to other apps in order to create a seamless expansion of the tools, features, and functionality that help streamline the workflow associated with talent acquisition and onboarding.

What are the benefits of adding ATS integrations?

Applicant tracking systems allow you to manage the hiring process from start to finish — reducing time-to-hire and improving the experience for everyone involved. ATS integrations take all of the benefits automation has to offer to the next level, resulting in a software solution that can do the following:

Speed up the candidate application process

From automatically publishing job postings to providing tools that allow your team to quickly review resumes and provide feedback, the right ATS integrations add more efficiency to the application phase of the hiring process.

Promote better candidate engagement

Using automation for data entry, interview scheduling, updating social media, and to set up triggers for actionable next-step tasks improves accuracy and enhances communication with potential job seekers.

Increase hiring credibility among candidates

ATS integrations can help enrich the profiles of applicants, making it easier for stakeholders to review and share information to identify the most qualified candidates quickly.

Accelerate the onboarding process

Integrating a human resource management system (HRIS) to your ATS adds efficiency to the onboarding process by streamlining steps like background checks and drug screening processes.

Help the newly hired get started faster

ATS integrations help empower your new hire by providing the access, tools, and permissions to support success on their first day and beyond.

Maximize productivity and reduce time-to-hire

Using an integrated solution to handle time-consuming administrative tasks supports hiring managers by allowing them to focus their efforts and experience on more important aspects of the recruiting process, like identifying and engaging with top talent to improve the candidate experience.

Common ATS integration examples

The most helpful ATS integrations for your team are largely dependent on your workflow, but consider the following possibilities:

Business communication platforms

Integrating your ATS with a business communication platform like Slack creates one central conversational hub that makes it easier for members of the hiring team to review and discuss resumes, share feedback about candidate interviews, and offer updates on the timeline and decision-making aspects of hiring.

eSignature platforms

Expedite the act of signing on the dotted line with an eSignature integration like Docusign. Automate the action of generating an offer letter and collecting signatures to execute contracts with more ease and efficiency for everyone involved.

Background check platforms

Complete the hiring process with confidence by integrating a background check platform like Checkr to automatically conduct background checks on your new hire.

An ATS integration makes it easier to automate this part of the process; just set up a workflow that initiates a background check once a signed offer letter is received.

ITSM tools

Integrating your ATS with an ITSM tool like ServiceNow helps transform the many steps of the onboarding process into a seamless experience. Create a workflow that initiates actions to set your new hire up with the software and equipment necessary for their workday.

Need integration ideas?

ATS integrations enhance your recruitment software, which ultimately optimizes your entire hiring process. Maximize productivity, attract and attain top talent, and eliminate the challenges associated with talent acquisition by finding the perfect tools for your team.

Workable partners with the most popular companies in HR and can help make your hiring process as smooth as possible. Click now to try our free trial.

The post ATS integrations: the benefits and examples appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for May 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 12 May 2022 13:03:40 +0000

This month, we’d like to keep this short and succinct, with the takeaway that times are ever-changing and we need to be like water – in other words, shape-shifting, adapting, etc. – to remain relevant, to paraphrase Bruce Lee’s famous quote.

Yes, this applies to businesses as well. Let’s get on with it.

How we’re looking at data

First – and we explain this every month to be sure that it’s understood – looking at data gives us an opportunity to look at benchmarks in the hiring landscape. But when the benchmark regularly changes during this ‘Never Normal’ time, it becomes an unreliable gauge.

So, it’s no longer helpful to look at the data YoY or even MoM. Rolling trends make more sense because then you’re comparing data with what’s happening in recent months. Consequently, for the Hiring Pulse, we are looking at percentage increase or decrease compared with the rolling average of the three trailing months. Jump to the end for a more detailed methodology on this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Q1 was busy, very busy – and that’s to be expected
April shows a much sharper drop in job openings than previous Aprils
The candidates per hire trend isn’t dropping as sharply as before

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: if a job is opened in October or even as early as April last year, but isn’t filled until April, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July or September but is filled on March 31, it does count in this graph.

So, we’re looking at the TTF trends only up to the end of March. Got that? Good. Now that we have the full data for Q1 2022, let’s have a look:

And then let’s compare that to what the data looks like for Q4 2021. It’s worth pointing out that December 2021 self-adjusted from -5.2% last month to -0.8% this month, which means jobs got filled en masse in March to push that TTF metric a little higher for December this time around. Also worth noting is how November 2021 also changed sharply – from 1.8% last month to a much higher 7% this month.

That’s two months of significant recalibrations towards the end of the year – indicating that TTF is actually growing as jobs opened in November and December get filled and we get a more complete picture of those latter months of 2021.

What else is happening? To gain perspective, let’s first look at last month’s Hiring Pulse report: in that report, the TTF trend for December 2021, January 2022 and February 2022 (the last three months being analyzed) were -5.2%, -22.8%, and -29.2% respectively. But this time, the last three months (the Q1 2022 months) trended at -16.6%, -19.2%, and -27.4%.

Now let’s look at another huge difference between the reports for last month and this month – the trend of the third-most recent month being analyzed here. In April’s Hiring Pulse, the third-most recent month is December 2021, which shows a -5.2% TTF trend.

This month, the third-most recent month is January 2022, which shows a -16.6% TTF trend.

That’s -5.2% versus -16.6%. Pretty huge difference.

This means that jobs opened in that third-most recent month are more likely to be filled well before the end of the most recent month now compared with last month. Why? Because the absolute maximum TTF possible for a job opened in the third-most recent month would be roughly 90 days (or three months).

Concurrently, jobs opened in December 2021 were likely being filled towards the end of February in last month’s report, whereas jobs opened in January 2022 were more likely being filled well before the end of March in this month’s report.

It’s a clear indication that jobs were getting filled rather quickly throughout Q1 of this year.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, so we can include April 2022 in this chart:

Yowch. Now things have come down pretty sharply after that intensely busy first quarter for hiring teams. We expected that, to be honest, after a similar thing happened last year with a sharp drop from March to April.

But what’s different is that, this time, the job opening trend actually went negative, from 20.4% in March to -1% in April. Compare that to a sizzling 42.9% in March 2021 down to 17.9% in April 2021. This means job openings went *down* this April, rather than simply slowing down as seen last April.

And consider that while Q1 2022 (17.1%, 14.3%, 20.4%) was a busy quarter for hiring, it’s still nothing compared to what Q1 2021 looked like (22.3%, 25.3%, 42.9%).

We can go back further. April 2020 is not worth considering because that was a very special time in our history, so let’s just skip the year altogether and go back to April 2019. Know what it is? 6.5%. It’s down from Q1 2019, but it’s still a positive trend.

So, a negative trend for April this year after not-nearly-as-high numbers for the first quarter of 2022 is an eye-opener.

Two things to think about here – the first quarter of any year is normally a very busy year for hiring. But 2021 was extra special in that it was not only a normally busy time, but also a time of significant recovery after a disastrous 2020 for many businesses. Not to get into too much politicking, but it’s entirely possible that optimism around the incoming Biden administration at the time may have fueled businesses looking to jump ahead on what they anticipated to be a very busy – and hopefully, flourishing – 2021.

This year, however, things are different. We came out of Omicron in roughly OK shape, all things considered. And despite a recent uptick in new infections, it feels like things are starting to return to relative normalcy.

But then, two other things happened: inflation and war. Those are always going to be hard on businesses and workers. Inflation makes it harder for businesses to meet bottom lines since things cost more even in wholesale. And we’re seeing a massive ripple effect from the invasion of Ukraine, rattling economies worldwide.

Not to go too much into detail about any of that but, honestly, a negative job opening trend for April is interesting. This CNN article emphasizes that as well in its US jobs update for April: it says plenty of jobs are being added, and we’re closer than ever to what the job numbers were before pandemic hell hit, but there are predictions of a slowdown throughout the rest of 2022.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through March:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in March. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

Last month, we pointed out how the January trend recalibrated from -18.6% in the March report to 11.3% in the April report. And the same thing is happening in February now, going from -16.1% in the April report to -8% in this month’s report.

But much more worth noting is the stabilization of CPH across the three Q1 months: -10.1% in January, -8% in February, and -13.9% in March.

Compare that with the last three months in last month’s report: -2.5% in December, -11.3% in January, and -16.1% in February – a pretty sharp decline in the trend with each month. We aren’t seeing the same kind of dramatic drop in the CPH trend this time around. Rather, it’s relatively stable month over month.

It should make sense that more jobs being opened would mean fewer candidates per job, because candidates get saturated across jobs. But that’s not happening here – even with the very high job numbers, the CPH trend is still declining but not nearly so dramatically.

Conclusion

Last month, we went into depth on how things are stabilizing in the business world and that’s reflected in the hiring trends. But the biggest eye opener is how April’s job opening trend is lower than it was for previous Aprils in our dataset. And it’s not just a slowdown – it’s an actual negative trend.

And we mentioned above the CNN report and predictions of a slowdown. Here’s the succinct quote from Daniel Zhao, senior economist at Glassdoor: “We’re in for a slower 2022.”

We’ve talked a *lot* in these reports about the importance of agility and nimbleness in business operations. That reality doesn’t change – and as a matter of fact, that’s the stability a business needs to aspire to regardless of trends in the business bottom line or in the surrounding economy.

We have been through a lot as a society. The pandemic and all its waves and surges. The devastating impacts in the early part of the pandemic, followed by a sudden resurgence and recovery. The social upheaval and activism that carry on to this day. The great resignation, with unprecedented quit rates every month exceeding four million for many months on end. Inflation – and yes, salary growth. And now, war – ugh, another war. It’s been quite a couple of years.

A widely regarded quote from noted investment advisor Robert D. Arnott applies here: “The most treasured asset in investment management is a steady hand at the tiller.” Keep that steady hand when you’re running a business – including in the hiring process – and adjust accordingly. We’re having to adjust accordingly at a clip unlike any in recent times, and we should be experts at it by now. As Bruce Lee suggested, be like water.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for May 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Introduction to Recruiting Metrics FAQ

Nikoletta Bika — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 13:59:43 +0000

Intro to Recruiting Metrics

What does KPI mean in recruitment?
What are recruiting metrics?
What can you learn from recruitment metrics?
Which are the most important metrics to track?
How can I have better visibility into recruiting metrics?
Who should be tracking recruiting metrics?
How do I calculate recruiting metrics?
What metrics should matter most to a Talent Acquisition team?
Which metrics should matter most to an external recruiter?
What metrics should matter most to HR?
Which recruiting metrics matter most to the CEO?
What metrics should I track when working with an external recruiter?
How do I increase the number of job applicants?
How do I increase the number of qualified applicants?

Intro to Recruiting Email Metrics

What are recruiter email metrics?
How do you measure recruiter email metrics?

More Recruiting Metrics

Recruiting costs FAQ: Budget and cost per hire
Time to fill and time to hire metrics FAQ
Recruitment process effectiveness metrics FAQ
Candidate experience metrics FAQ
Job offer acceptance rate metrics FAQ

Intro to Recruiting Metrics

What does KPI mean in recruitment?

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator and it can be used in any field or business function to measure performance. In recruitment, key recruiting metrics refer to the important factors related to the hiring process that you should consistently examine. For example, the speed with which hiring teams make a decision may be a KPI for a company that values quick turnaround and does mass hiring.

What are recruiting KPIs?

How do you measure success in recruitment? Recruiting KPIs (or hiring metrics) measure how effective and efficient your recruitment process is. Some metrics are expressed as percentages or ratios (e.g. yield ratios), while others are absolute values that you can compare to industry or company standards (e.g. time to hire.) Use them to discover how well your recruitment process works and identify where you could improve.

What can you learn from recruitment metrics?

Recruitment metrics can answer any question you want them to. At a high level, you probably want to know the quality, cost and productivity of your hiring process. More specifically, you could ask the following questions:

How good are we at spotting the right candidate and how long does it take us to hire them?
How many qualified candidates do we need to make a hire and how quickly do we move them from one stage to the other?
Do we effectively engage the best candidates and getting them to accept our job offers?
How much money do we spend per hire and how does our spending change depending on the role we’re hiring for?
How efficient is our hiring process and which steps or stages are most productive?

Which are the 6 most important hiring metrics to track?

There are many available KPIs, but what are some common recruiting metrics? Usually, companies choose to track the following recruiting metrics examples:

If you want to dig deeper recruiting metrics that matter, add metrics like application completion rate, hiring manager satisfaction or new hire turnover. Choose metrics based on your company’s individual needs.

How can I have better visibility into the best recruiting metrics??

Most recruiting metrics are easy to calculate, but hard to keep track of. The first step is to determine what kind of data you need to monitor. Then, you could invest in an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to track your preferred metrics automatically via a recruiting metrics dashboard and generate reports. Alternatively, business intelligence tools (e.g. Tableau) can collect the recruiting analytics you need.

Looking for better reporting analytics? Workable’s reports will refine your recruiting process. Sign up for our 15-day free trial.

Who should be tracking recruiting metrics?

Recruiters or HR are usually in charge of tracking recruitment metrics. If your company doesn’t have a dedicated recruiting team, executives could monitor metrics for their respective departments and functions. Hiring software, like an HRIS or ATS, can help you collect relevant data.

How do I calculate recruiting metrics?

To calculate various recruiting metrics, use the following process:

Determine what to measure. Some metrics may be important to your company, while tracking others may be counterproductive.
Decide how to collect recruiting data. The simplest way is to use spreadsheets and enter data manually. But, this method is not efficient if you’re working with large datasets. To make things easier, it’s best to use analytics software or your ATS to store and report on data automatically. You could also import data from these systems to spreadsheets when needed.
Identify which calculations to do on your own. For example, your ATS can report on your time to fill or recruiting yield ratios, but it can’t calculate your average cost per hire.
Collect the formulas. Find the formulas and decide the time frame within which to calculate different metrics. For example, you may choose to calculate new hire retention rates annually, but decide to track your source of hire on a quarterly basis.

To get you started, here are the most common formulas you can use for recruiting metrics that matter:

Common Quality of hire formula:

– QoH index = (PR + HP + HR) / 3 where:
PR: Average job performance of new hires (e.g. 80 out of 100 based on quantifiable targets or hiring managers’ feedback)
HP: percentage of new hires reaching acceptable productivity within a determined period
HR: new hire retention rate after a year

See more about calculating quality of hire.

– Cost per hire formula:
CPH = (Internal recruiting costs + External recruiting costs) / Total number of hires

See more about calculating cost per hire.

– Common Time to fill formula:
Time to fill = Number of days between opening of a position until candidate accepts the job offer

For average time to fill, you add all times to fill from different positions and divide them by the number of positions.

See more on calculating and benchmarking time to fill metric in recruiting.

– Offer acceptance rate:
Offer acceptance rate = Number of offers accepted / Total number of offers %

See more on calculating offer acceptance rate.

– Common qualified candidates per hire formula:
Qualified candidates per hire = average number of candidates who were found to be qualified in each hiring process after the initial screening phases (e.g. screening call, resume screening)

See more on benchmarks for qualified candidates per hire.

If you’re interested in more detailed recruitment metrics examples and benchmarks, check out our complete guide.

What recruitment metrics should matter most to a Talent Acquisition team?

Corporate recruiters can use almost every metric to help them improve the recruiting process, though some recruiting metrics will be more useful than others.

Here are examples of the best metrics for recruiters:

New hire turnover rate or new hire length of stay. New hire turnover rate measures the percentage of new hires who leave your company before their onboarding period ends (usually three to six months.) If you compare turnover rates over time, you can pinpoint when there’s an issue and look into your onboarding or candidate screening processes. Also, many recruiters measure their success according to the length of time a new hire stays with the company.
Candidate experience scores. Candidate experience is an essential part of building a good employer brand. Companies can benefit from setting up candidate surveys to discover what candidates liked or disliked about their recruiting process. As a complementary metric, track hiring manager satisfaction with the hiring process, too.
Qualified candidates per hire. This metric measures the number of candidates who made it past the first stage of your hiring process. This metric shows how effective your sourcing and advertising techniques are in attracting the right candidates.
Offer acceptance rate. This metric expresses the percentage of candidates who accepted a job offer. If this percentage is low, Talent Acquisition teams may need to rethink what candidates want or how competitive their job offers are.

Recruiting teams can track many more metrics. Ultimately, what you choose to measure depends on your company’s unique goals and needs.

Which metrics should matter most to an external recruiter?

External recruiters are usually evaluated on two fronts:

How quickly they provide candidates.
And the quality of the candidates they bring in.

Tracking quality of hire and time to fill over time can help recruiters determine whether they are delivering value to their clients. For example, if their time to fill starts increasing, then they may need to revisit expectations with hiring managers or try new sourcing techniques.

What hiring metrics should matter most to HR?

The HR department has a common strategy and budgets for every function, including recruiting. A VP of HR needn’t delve into the mechanics of the recruiting process, but they are likely interested in metrics that indicate recruiting success. Those include:

Source of hire measures how many qualified candidates or hires each recruiting source brings in. HR needs to know which sources are most effective in a given period (e.g. a year), so as to rethink its partnerships and external spend.

Which recruiting metrics matter most to the CEO?

CEOs are interested in the strategic impact of recruiting. Metrics that are concerned with business value and promote action are the most useful. For example:

Quality of hire. This metric encompasses performance and retention rates of new hires. Retention and high performance increase revenue and are important on a strategic level.
Actual hires to hiring goals. This metric shows what percentage of hiring goals hiring teams met. It indicates how well the entire recruiting function works.
Diversity goals. This metric measures what percentage of diversity goals were met or the percentage of diverse hires. If increasing diversity is an important company objective, then this metric can say a lot about your company’s success.

What metrics should I track when working with an external recruiter?

When working with external recruiters, you can still use corporate recruiting metrics (e.g. actual hires to goals), but you should also think about how you’ll specifically measure the external recruiter’s success. Usually, you’ll want to ensure that they provide quality candidates as quickly as possible. You could measure:

Candidates to interview (e.g. percentage of recruiters’ candidates who were invited to a first or second interview.) If you’re working with several recruiters, compare their scores. Those who deliver consistently low numbers of qualified candidates may not be the best match for your company.
Time to fill. If your recruiters manage more phases of your hiring process, instead of just providing you with resumes, then time to fill is important to track.

How do I increase the number of job applicants?

If you need to bring more candidates into your talent pipelines, aim to attract more people to your job openings and encourage them to apply. To achieve both of these goals, you could:

Advertise in both niche and mainstream job boards.
Enhance your sourcing by using various techniques (e.g. social media recruiting, Google and Boolean search.)
Hire a recruiting agency that will provide you with qualified resumes.
Create a short, straight-forward and mobile-optimized application process.
Ensure your careers page has useful information for candidates (e.g. benefits, culture, perks.)

How do I increase the number of qualified applicants?

Here are ways to attract more qualified applicants:

Advertise in niche job boards or websites to target a specific audience.
Write detailed and complete job descriptions to clarify your requirements.
Add qualifying questions in your job application forms. Your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can automatically disqualify candidates who don’t answer important questions.
Conduct screening calls to ensure that only qualified candidates will advance to your assignment and in-person interview stages.
Enhance your sourcing. When sourcing passive candidates, only contact those who are fully qualified for the job.

Introduction to Recruiting Email Metrics

What are recruiter email metrics?

Recruiter email metrics measure the impact that recruiters’ emails have on candidates. If your emails are attractive, informative and aimed at the appropriate candidates, then candidates are more likely to open, click though and reply to them. Here are four recruiter email metrics:

Recruitment email open rate: Percentage of (delivered) emails that candidates opened.

Email open rate formula

Recruiting email response rate: Percentage of emails that candidates replied to.

Email response rate formula

Recruitment email click-through rate: Percentage of recipients who click at least one of your links in an email.

Click-through rate formula

Recruitment email conversion rates: Percentage of emails that translate into a desired action (e.g. recruitment emails that result in interviews.)

Interview conversion rate formula

How do you measure recruiter email metrics?

Email response rate	You could collect the data manually. For example, if you sent 20 cold emails and interviewed five candidates as a result of those emails, your email-to-interview conversion rate is 5/20 = 25%.
Email conversion rate
Email open rate	You could use dedicated email tracking tools (e.g. Hubspot Sales, Newton.) These tools notify you when a candidate interacted with your email (e.g. opened your email, clicked on a link or viewed an image.)
Click-through rate

Just count emails that were delivered, since candidates can’t respond to emails they didn’t receive.

More Recruiting Metrics FAQs:

The post Introduction to Recruiting Metrics FAQ appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 16:22:17 +0000

In short: five-year plans and even full-year strategies are giving way to quarterly shifts in practice – and employers who are quick on the ball will succeed. Your SMB workforce management strategy needs to be just as nimble, just as quick, if not more so than other elements of business strategy.

Now, as we get into this month’s SMB hiring data deep dive, we’re going to share some ideas about the importance of standardizing your recruitment flow because of that same wild unpredictability. You want a system in place that continues to hum along smoothly during slower hiring times, but you also want a system that you can quickly kick to the fifth gear as job openings spike and candidates start to flow en masse.

But first, let’s crunch away!

How we’re looking at data

First – and we explain this every month to be sure that it’s understood – looking at data gives us a measuring stick so we can see what’s going on in the hiring landscape. But when that measuring stick regularly changes during this ‘Never Normal’ time, it becomes an unreliable gauge.

It’s no longer helpful to look at the data YoY or even MoM. Rolling trends make more sense because then you’re comparing data with what’s happening in recent months. So we’re looking at percentage increase or decrease when compared with the rolling average of the three trailing months. Want a more detailed methodology? Jump to the end and check it out.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

In this Pulse, we take a look at these three core metrics, and then we’ll share some ideas on how to run your business so it somehow stays calm and carries on through pandemics, wars, and all of the rest of it.

Let’s start analyzing!

Time to Fill
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire
What’s going on here?
Deep dive
Conclusion
The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Hiring is busy right now for SMBs – more than it has been since the first quarter of 2021
Job metrics are stabilizing in the first quarter of 2022 – which potentially means a normalization of the hiring market
Some sectors are seeing normalization more than others – and some not at all

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: if a job is opened in October or even as early as April last year, but isn’t filled until March, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July or September but is filled on February 28, it does count in this graph.

We’ve pointed out previously that this does explain the recent downward trend in recent months to a degree at least – but it does not explain it fully. Let’s look:

Last month, we saw that the number of consecutive negative-trending months was at six straight months – that point of data has finally started to rectify itself with the recalibration of the TTF metric for September, October and November of 2021. Take a look at the previous month and note that the TTF trend was -2.3%, -5.0%, and -5.6% for those months respectively, and now they’ve changed to 0.0%, 0.6%, and 1.8%.

Read that first paragraph again about TTF only being included once a job is filled. What we’re seeing here is that many jobs opened in Sept-Oct-Nov 2021 were filled in February 2022. A job opened at the start of September and filled on February 28 would mean a TTF of 180 days. Even a job opened at the end of November and also filled on February 28 would be a TTF of 90 days.

This means that job openings that have been languishing in the ether for months on end are getting filled at last – much to the relief of many employers, we’re sure. It’s not so much an indication of a healthier economy or better recruitment marketing or more candidates – rather, it simply reaffirms the reality that the first quarter is always a busy hiring time. And ultimately, what initially appeared to be a plummeting TTF trend is now balancing out with these new developments.

We did note last month that a lot of jobs were opened in January and were filled in January – that still holds true. But we are now in April and the TTF trend looks like it’s stabilizing. In fact, you could call it normalizing.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, so we can include March 2022 in this chart:

Whoa, what a fiercely busy quarter for hiring teams. Last month we pointed out that businesses are starting to hire again – this is continuing to happen. The job market is flourishing, with March seeing a huge 20.4% jump in the job opening trend when compared with the trailing three-month average. And that March number is even more impressive when you consider that January and February are already high on their own.

It’s no longer a rebound from Omicron, even with new variants surfacing. It’s also the job market surging after a traditionally slow December.

We’ve talked about it many times in previous Pulses, but we can’t ignore the Turnover Tsunami, The Crisis of Quits, The Talent Shuffle or whatever you want to call it. It is still dominating the workforce. February quit numbers in the United States according to the Department of Labor (DOL) were more than four million – again.

And March also saw plenty of new jobs in the US – not 678,000 as in February, but still more than 400,000. A huge chunk of that is in retail and hospitality – keep that in mind as you read on.

In short: there’s a lot of activity in the job market both in terms of new jobs and backfills, and that shows in our data.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through February:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in February. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

We discussed how the data can recalibrate based on recent filled jobs – which as mentioned above was happening at a steady clip through the first couple of months of 2022. This is happening here as well – and what’s different this time is the way the CPH trend is now mostly stabilized at just below zero through to the end of 2021.

This again is an indication that those jobs in the latter months of 2021 have been filled aplenty through January and February. And the big upward adjustment in the TTF metric above also means more candidates were being evaluated for those jobs.
We did say last month that we would revisit the January data to see how much it changes – it’s -11.3% now, compared with -18.6% last month.

Could it be that hiring teams simply waited until they found the right candidate, and sifted through as many as possible rather than jumping on the first one they could find? Perhaps.

What’s going on here?

Let’s quickly recap. The TTF trend is stabilizing. The job opening trend is going through the roof. And while the candidates per hire trend is still trending negative, it’s not nearly as dramatic as seen in previous Pulses. All of these things indicate a slow return to normal in the hiring world.

But we’re well aware of the vast discrepancies in hiring experiences across different industries, so we’re going to take a look at them.

The deep dive

We mentioned above the proportion of new jobs being in the retail and hospitality sectors. That’s an important reminder that not all sectors are the same.

These four sectors below were picked because they’re highly impacted by world developments and their fallouts:

Education – because we know that education workers are in short supply due to burnout
Health Care – because it’s one of the sectors that was and is hugely impacted by COVID-19
Restaurants & Hospitality (our categorization) – because of higher-than-normal quit rates as part of the Great Resignation (more on that below)
Transportation – because supply chains and transportation industries have been hit by what seems like a metric ton of different factors (more on that below).

So, let’s look at the four across all three hiring data trends.

Time to Fill

Let’s start with the Time to Fill trend:

What really stands out here is how much TTF in the Restaurants & Hospitality sector grew during the latter months of 2021, with a 15.4% positive trend in December on the heels of 5.4% in October and 6.7% in November.

This is expected – there’s more stress in this sector with increased public socialization and travel combined with holidays and colder weather. Bottlenecks in hiring are bound to happen as this area gets busier – which drives TTF up.

Meanwhile – Transportation saw a 20% positive trend in TTF in October, followed by just 2.2% in November, -12.5% in December, -25.7% in January – and finally, -27.9% in February. Supply chains worldwide have been disrupted significantly, with no signs of abatement for 2022 according to the New York Times. There’s a lot of external pressure in this area.

The transportation industry itself is also seeing wholesale developments through increased EV usage, MaaS (mobility as a service), and last-mile delivery which has grown hugely in the last two years as a result of increased online shopping.

And, of course, there’s a major shortage in trucker talent. Mass migration all around, and quick hiring to desperately fill spots to avoid the domino effect that a gap in the chain can trigger. All of this impacts TTF.

Job Openings

Now, let’s look at the job opening trends across these four sectors:

Again, Restaurants & Hospitality jumps out at us. It’s noted that the Big Quit is especially happening in this area – with twice the quit rate levels here compared with the overall US average according to the DOL. This leads to increased backfill, and more job openings as a result. We’re seeing that in our data, with a huge spike going into 2022 in the job opening trend here (36.6% in January and 63.8% in February).

Also worth noting that back in March 2021, there was a 121.1% increase in the trend – likely pandemic-driven as COVID cases cooled off and the world reopened in the springtime.

Meanwhile, the Transportation sector sees significant growth in job opens in January and February 2022 (16.6% and 14.2%) before finally coming down to relative earth levels for March 2022 (8.8%). It’s still far from what we saw in the three months of Q2 2022 – 27.1% in April, 27.9% in May, and 25.6% in June.

And Health Care? It’s spiking again in the first quarter of 2022 – topping out at 28.7% in March 2022. It’s not nearly as high as Q1 2021 (55.1% in January 2021, 66.2% in February 2021), but worth noting is that it’s very different from 2020 just before the onset of the pandemic – 9.3% in January 2020, 2.8% in February 2020, and 5.0% in March 2020.

The higher job opening trends in Q1 2021 likely was a response to the worst period of the pandemic, when we saw some 15,000 COVID-related deaths per day worldwide that January. And this time, we’re navigating Omicron and other new variants. Cue pressure on the health care system, prompting the need for more staff – hence, more job openings.

However, we’ll also wager that there are many backfills in health care. Workers in the health care sector are tired and overworked after more than two years of this COVID stuff, and opting out of the system. Same goes for Restaurants & Hospitality. Education can’t be ignored, either.

So… this Big Quit is very alive and very real in these areas.

Candidates per Hire

Finally, let’s look at Candidates per Hire across the sectors:

What stands out are two spikes – first, the CPH trend in Health Care jumped 28.3% in December 2021. Second, CPH in Restaurants & Hospitality grew 5.6% in January 2022.

Restaurants & Hospitality’s growth was after a slow November and December and the only one of the four to see a positive CPH trend in either January or February of 2022.

Education, meanwhile, sees a very interesting month-to-month shift in the CPH trend – with more candidates per job in September (13.8%), October (22.4%), and November (15.0%) followed by equally dramatic negative trends in December (-20.9%), January (-20.2%), and February (-38.7%).

So, more people are applying for jobs in Health Care and Restaurants & Hospitality, and fewer are applying for jobs in Education. We know books will be written about the impact of the pandemic on our society in the coming years – in fact, many have been published already – and this particular area deserves a deep study of its own.

For now, we will just point out that this combined with the higher job openings points to higher-than-normal turnover in these sectors.

Conclusion

We’ve got more than a few things happening here – COVID itself, the Big Quit, seasonality, the paradigm shifts stemming from the pandemic in social behavior, purchasing habits, life priorities, and all of the rest of it. We talked a lot the last couple of months about the importance of recruitment marketing and agility in the hiring process of SMBs – this time, we’re going to stress the importance of standardized recruitment using software.

Yes, we know we are a hiring software, and we know this sounds like a plug for Workable. But listen: SMB hiring teams do need a standardized hiring process that can navigate the sudden ebbs and flows of the job market. Having a largely automated system managed at the console by human hiring teams is much, much easier – and less costly in terms of finance and logistics – than adding to and subtracting from HR payroll, as well shifting longer-term business strategies.

As an SMB employer that needs to watch the bottom line closely, you want a system that operates just as smoothly in cruise control as in slower, deader times and in fast-paced, über-turbulent times. That system is, of course, the ATS.

Whether or not you’re in one of the four highlighted sectors above, standardization of hiring is crucial if you want your business strategy to execute smoothly.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for April 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for March 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 13:03:35 +0000

We then talked about ways in which you can overcome that challenge, including this important insight: the candidates are out there, but they’re just not applying to your jobs. It’s not like the world’s available talent magically shrunk overnight – potential hires are still out there, but their priorities have changed during these times of the Big Quit.

So, we emphasized the importance of recruitment marketing, and a shift in your mindset that you have to show the value of yourself as an employer – in other words, your employee value proposition. Instead of asking candidates why they want to work for you, show them why they should want to work for you.

This trend will continue, but we’re also viscerally aware of the recent developments in Ukraine and watching how this impacts the job and talent markets. We don’t have data on this just yet, but we do have tips on what you might do as an employer to withstand any impact this might have on your organization.

Ultimately, we’re talking about managing and hiring through uncertainty (especially if you have a portion of your workforce in Ukraine or Russia – watch for an article on that soon). And more so, with the conflict happening at the tail end of an already debilitating pandemic, it’s as if the only certainty we have is that we live in uncertain times. As we shared from Ira Wolfe in January’s Hiring Pulse – it’s not the ‘New Normal’, but rather, the ‘Never Normal’.

Keep that in mind as we look at the hiring data. Then we’ll share some tips on managing through uncertainty.

How we’re looking at data

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Average Time to Fill is continuing to drop
Candidates per Hire stabilized at end of 2021 – but talent pool became saturated again as job openings skyrocketed in January
Hard to say what to expect in the next couple of months as a new crisis begins to ripple the world economy – so plan accordingly

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important to understand that definition: if a job is opened in October or even as early as March last year, but isn’t filled until February, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July or September but is filled on January 31, it does count in this graph.

We’ve pointed out previously that this does explain the recent downward trend in recent months to a degree at least – but it does not explain it fully. Let’s look:

The first big takeaway here is that the number of consecutive negative-trending months is now at six straight months.

And that last month – January 2022 – is at -32%. Not only is that different from the latest month in the last Hiring Pulse (-21.2%), it’s also a much starker negative drop from the previous month. Last month’s report showed a 7.3-point drop from November to December in the TTF trend – but this month, the drop is from -12.2% to -32%, a staggering 19.8-point drop.

Our take is that a lot of jobs were opened in January – and were filled in January – which drives the TTF down, way down. January (and Q1 in general) is traditionally a very busy period for the recruitment process as businesses kick their respective strategies into action, and that shows here.

Shorter TTFs are the norm – but that’s also been compounded by a very healthy job market (read on for more).

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, so we can include February 2022 in this chart:

Again, we’re seeing a healthy spike in job openings with a 14.1% upward trend in February on the heels of 17.1% in January. That’s normally good news as it indicates that businesses are hitting their stride and starting to hire again.

Data crunchers will naturally dig for the “but”. It’s probably that businesses are getting back into the hiring swing after a slow December hiring month and also are no longer feeling Omicron skittishness.

But we’re countering that by saying that a 14.1% growth in job openings in February compared with November, December and January is a good indicator that things are looking up. It’s not just a one-off thing.

We do have to point out another reason for increased job openings: the Big Quit. When someone leaves a job, that job generally becomes open for backfill. So, more job opens. Makes sense. But that’s just one part of the equation.

The US Department of Labor did announce 678,000 new jobs in February, a sharp rise from 467,000 new jobs in January. The challenge now is how the conflict in Ukraine may impact the worldwide job market. Time will tell. For now, we offer what the Washington Post reported in the first week of March:

“[E]conomists say it is unclear exactly how the war might affect American jobs, they note that skyrocketing energy prices, slowdowns in consumer spending or looming uncertainty could prompt businesses to pause hiring in the coming weeks.”

Uncertainty. That word again. Keep it in mind.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through January:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in January. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

Important: As jobs get filled, they then are included here. In previous monthly reports, we haven’t normally seen such a huge recalibration in the CPH trend in recent months – but this time, the shift is drastic, with now only the last month in the chart (January) showing any clear drop-off. Last month’s Pulse showed double-digit drop-offs in the CPH trend for three months running:

-11.2% for October 2021
-13.6% for November 2021
-15.3% for December 2021.

That’s since changed to -7.6% for November, -1.5% for December, and -18.6% for January 2022.

Here’s our take on it: Fewer jobs mean less talent saturation. And those looking for jobs aren’t just going to take some time off in December – they still have bills to pay and food to put on the table, so they’ll keep up their jobhunt in December even as job openings dwindle for the month.

So: the candidates per hire trend recovers a little bit for the holiday season, before dropping steadily again in January as job openings again spike while the raw number of candidates remains steady. Does that make sense? Let’s check back in next month and see what happens as the data for January fills up more with more “complete” jobs data.

What’s going on here?

While nothing staggering in these numbers, they do point to how quickly data can change from month to month even with our “rolling trend” approach to the data. In other words, these are uncertain times and they have been since early 2020 – and one might even say that it’s been uncertain for much, much longer than that.

Consider some of the “earthquake moments” that have happened recently that have shifted the world economy – and your business and hiring: the 9/11 attacks, Brexit, the election of Trump, the Greek debt crisis, the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, and, of course the COVID-19 pandemic and now, the war in Ukraine. There’s more, but you get the idea.

The lessons of uncertainty

This new conflict in Ukraine is not a regional issue. It has potentially far-reaching consequences – energy costs (which we’re already seeing), migration, consumer spending, the whole bit. This brings us back to the core concern here: how do you navigate a business through uncertainty?

The good news for you is that, in a way, you’ve had some ‘practice’ from navigating the pandemic. While COVID-19 had a debilitating impact on businesses around the globe, the silver lining is that it taught businesses – and employees – how to be more agile in their work.

Employees are also leaving the workforce in droves, as we know, but the flip side of that is they’re looking for something more meaningful while continuing to collect income. They’re looking to be more autonomous and flexible in their work – hence the growth of the self-employed economy – and companies would do well to adapt to that new expectation of work.

That emerging talent pool, as a rule, meets short-term personal and business needs. That actually benefits you as a business.

Being agile means thinking month-over-month or quarter-over-quarter as opposed to year-over-year. To survive, your business strategies ultimately become shorter and more nimble – even if you’re a larger company. You want to be able to react quickly to developments – and even capitalize on them.

The importance of flexibility

That kind of agile mindset in business also means being more flexible – and even giving your employees greater autonomy to make decisions rather than needing to go through a long approval process before getting something done. Greater flexibility and autonomy in your jobs will speak volumes for your employee experience and even attract more candidates to your jobs, and that mindset and approach is also ideal for your business when navigating these uncertain times.

As Workable’s CMO Doug Ellinger wrote in an article:

“Use this as an opportunity to refocus the team on what it can organically produce through activities like content creation, enhanced distribution, email marketing, and improved alignment with the rest of the business. This is a time to get nimble and take a bare-bones approach.”

And as one-time Workable COO Grigoris Kouteris told us once in the early days of the pandemic:

Business planning is important especially now. Focus on yours, and ideally see the results in the form of talent attraction, retention and engagement – and overall success as a business.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for March 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for February 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 19:17:56 +0000

Now, don’t ask where we got that from – we’re not sure either, but we did hear it somewhere. If you want things to go well, put together a solid framework and put some thought into it first. There’s more there if you want to take a deep dive.

This month, we want to focus on the short supply of candidates that you might be seeing in your open roles. Is that happening elsewhere as well? Oh yes, it is. We’re seeing it in our hiring data. Let’s read on and then look at the ways you can overcome this challenge so you can keep your SMB engines running at full throttle.

How we’re looking at data

First: Data, as a rule, provides us with a measuring stick for comparative purposes, but when that measuring stick changes regularly as is the case in these times, it becomes unreliable.

So, looking at the data YoY or even MoM makes for a flawed study. So, instead, we’re looking at rolling trends. This means we’re showing data as a percentage increase or decrease when compared with the rolling average of the past three months. Jump to the end for a detailed methodology on this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

In this Pulse, we take a look at these three core metrics, and then we’ll take a broad look at how 2021 looks compared with 2020.

Let’s start analyzing!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Employers are hiring faster – and that’s becoming the norm
There are plenty of candidates out there – but their numbers are diluted across numerous job openings
Job openings are about to surge in the first quarter of 2022

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important that we understand this distinction: if a job is opened in October or even as early as March, but isn’t filled until January, it won’t count in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July or September but is filled on the last day of December, it does count in this graph.

While this measurement strategy partially explains the recent downward trend, there’s more happening. Let’s take a look at the TTF trend:

At first glance, this chart really isn’t much different from the ones preceding it – except for one thing: the number of negatively trending months is now five consecutive months.

It was four straight months in last month’s Pulse. And in December’s Pulse, while also five consecutive months, the first two of those five months were only a sliver below zero at -1.1% in June and -1.9% in July. So, really, December’s Pulse is just three months of significantly negative trends.

This time, the first two of the five months are –3.7% and -8.2%, and nosedives after that. What’s the story here? Shorter TTFs are becoming the norm now.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on job open/close dates like TTF and Candidates per Hire, so we can include January 2022 in this chart:

Finally, a reversal in trends: January 2022 shows 17% more job openings than the Q4 monthly average from 2021.

To be fair, December is traditionally a slow hiring season and we highlighted three reasons for that last month: holidays, Omicron, and strategic planning for 2022 – which, of course, includes a hiring plan. Now that 2022 is here, that plan turns to action – including the hiring.

Quick note: The US Department of Labor (DOL) also just announced 467,000 new jobs in the country in January – a full third of which are in the hospitality sector.

The data from past Januaries – even before the pandemic – also show the month to be traditionally strong for jobs. Keep this in mind for later.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through December:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in December. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

We commented above that employers are really struggling to find and attract candidates to their open roles. This is pretty clear here, with just one positive month in the 17 months since July 2020.

What do we need to say here? There’s no reversal in sight – fewer candidates are the norm.

What’s going on here?

In January’s Hiring Pulse, we highlighted the importance of pre-planning the recruitment process. We’re doubling down on that message here because hires are happening faster than ever.

That’s a good thing for candidates who are (or were) frustrated with long waits for decisions from the employer side. Candidates have a plethora of job openings out there at their disposal, especially now in January. They don’t have to wait around for your next interview or your job offer – they have choices now.

As an SMB employer competing with many other employers for those candidates, you don’t have the luxury of time when evaluating candidates for roles. This means it’s time to get proactive in your hiring process – not only do the prepwork, but also work on your candidate attraction strategy. More on that below.

4. 2021 versus 2020

A debate about 2021 versus 2020 is kind of like debating King Kong versus Godzilla or DC versus Marvel. Both years have been nothing short of eventful, both significant when analyzing via a historical lens, and – closer to our own area of expertise – both come with their own specifically crazy challenges in the world of hiring, far more than anything before the pandemic.

With the full 2021 data at our disposal, let’s take a look at both 2021 and 2020 and how they measure up against each other.

Time to Fill

First, let’s have a look at Time to Fill:

Obviously, 2020 was a whack year for many SMBs. You can see the impact of the pandemic at the start – and the lengthening of the Time to FIll metric (peaking at 9.1% in March 2020) as SMBs held off on hiring until things stabilized. Then, we see some reversal (bottoming out at -5.5% in June 2020) as employers scrambled to rehire and backfill.

Finally, we see the TTF metric stabilize going into Q3 2020 with a mild uptick towards the end of the year.

In 2021, TTF metric looks relatively stable before trending down from August 2021 onwards. This is the Great Resignation at play here – more open roles and fewer candidates are forcing the hand of employers who are desperate to fill roles so they can keep business going.

Total Job Openings

Now, the job openings:

Again, you see the impact of the pandemic in early 2020, plummeting to an astonishing -51.6% in April 2020, followed by drastic recovery peaking at an equally dramatic 49.4% in July 2020. Then the job opening trend stays significantly positive until the last two months of 2020.

The other takeaway here is that with January 2020 being at 20.3% and January 2021 at 22.5% – and January 2022 at 17% – job openings get posted en masse throughout January and that’s normal. If the first quarter of 2021 are any indication (22.5% in January, 25.3% in February, 42.9% in March), this will continue to be the case throughout Q1 of this year.

Candidates per Hire

Finally, let’s look at Candidates per Hire for both years:

Huge upturn in the CPH trend, especially in April with 36.7% and May with 34.3% more candidates than the trailing three-month monthly average. The market was flooded with jobseekers in early 2020 due to mass layoffs (correlating with abysmally high numbers in jobless claims from March to May 2020 in the US).

We then see the signs of economic recovery due to the market opening up again through Q3 2020 with a mild uptick in December.

And finally, as pointed out above, the CPH metric keeps trending negative every month throughout 2021 – this is despite Delta and all of the rest of it.

What’s the lesson here for SMB employers? While job openings are relatively normal (so far, knock on wood), the CPH metric is not. There’s very little correlation between 2020 and 2021 here. There simply aren’t as many job applicants per role as there were before.

Conclusion

We’ve already talked about doing your prepwork before posting the job ad as a way to get ahead of that shorter TTF metric.

Now, with candidates at a premium, let’s talk about candidate attraction strategies once the job’s been posted.

The reality is that there are candidates out there. They’re just not applying to your jobs.

There are some factors at play here:

They’re passive candidates. They’re not actively looking or interested right now.
They don’t know that you have a job open at your company because they’ve never heard of you.
They’ve heard about you and that’s why they’re not applying for jobs at your company.
They’ve seen your job ad and they don’t like your value proposition so they’ve chosen not to apply.

Let’s go through each one by one:

1. They’re passive candidates.

Either they’re working and not looking, or they’re not working and not looking because they’ve found another way to live life. They’ve gone to the farm in Maine and started their online soapmaking business, or they bought a van and are traveling across the country. But that’s not necessarily a forever thing – just a ‘now’ thing.

Or maybe they can’t/won’t work because family takes priority (yes, we found this in our Great Discontent survey – especially for women, who are more than twice as likely to not be working because of family commitments).

But that doesn’t mean they won’t talk to you. But you still need to take the first step of reaching out to those potential candidates. Understand who these people are, and what they’re looking for in a job. Build out your talent sourcing strategies beyond the usual InMail. Establish an employee referral program. One way or another, you need to find them and strike up a conversation.

2. They don’t know about your job or company.

Unless you’re Google or SpaceX, not everyone will have heard of you or your product or service. Or your jobs, for that matter. That means it’s on you to try to get your jobs out in front of people – whether that involves smart distribution or the latest technology.

If you just post to LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed, then you’ll get a segment of candidates who regularly visit those sites. But not everyone frequents those places.

There are numerous places to promote your job opportunities. Think of your job ad as a public announcement. You can’t afford $50 million to get that cherished Super Bowl spot during halftime, but it’s worth diversifying your outreach, whether that’s on niche job sites, via your extended network, through clever marketing campaigns, or even sanctioning an article talking about your company culture – think of it as an investment in your future employees.

3. They’ve heard about you and because of that, they’re not applying.

First off, this is about your reputation as an employer; in other words, your employer brand. Maybe something happened during layoffs in mid-2020 that just shed bad light on you as an employer. Maybe your salaries aren’t up to par with similar roles in other companies and people are talking about it, or you’re known for being inflexible in your work processes.

Or maybe it’s about your company brand. Perhaps your product or service is controversial. Maybe your public messaging or positioning rubs some the wrong way.

First, find ways to build (or rebuild) trust with the workforce as an employer. Maybe it’s doing some PR work. Maybe it’s getting your employees talking more about the good things in your company. Maybe it’s about marketing yourself as an awesome employer (see more below).

And second, you might emphasize something about the company that helps candidates reconcile the company’s priorities with their own. Look at Northrop Grumman, a US defense contractor that built a microsite highlighting technological innovation and creativity as a way to appeal to jobseekers with a passion in that area. Or target candidates who are more aligned with your company’s objectives.

4. They don’t like your value proposition.

Finally – what’s your employee value proposition (EVP)? In other words, what value are you giving your workers in exchange for what they bring to you? Can you pay your employees more? Can you be more flexible in your working setup? Can you offer remote or other benefits? Can you support working parents? And so on.

Study the local talent market and determine what’s competitive there. Understand the trends and developments in the world of work and see if you can evolve your own EVP to meet those expectations.

Overall, recruitment marketing is at the heart of all this. If you can market your company as a place where people *want* to work – and market it to those people specifically – then you can overcome many of the hurdles described above.

Think of it like a funnel.

Top of funnel: Are they aware of your job?
Middle of funnel: Are they interested in the job?
Bottom of funnel: Have they decided to apply?

Marketing types speak very loudly to this stuff. Go talk to them and find out how you can establish a recruitment strategy that makes candidates *want* to work for you, and motivates your current employees to stay.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for February 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2022

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 21:59:29 +0000

We’ve suggested a couple of perspectives including:

A more concentrated – and higher quality – candidate pool as a result of applicants being more selective in their jobhunt; and
Frustrated employers just locking in on the “good enough” candidate rather than the “ideal” candidate.

In December’s Hiring Pulse, we warned SMB employers against the latter strategy – being quick to hire just to fill those looming gaps – because while it’s a great stopgap measure, it can hurt in the long run.

Instead, we recommended that employers put in the prepwork ahead of time before even posting that job ad – ideally as a collaborative hiring team. For example, you and your team can prepare for the recruitment process by:

Outlining the overall goals of the team
Identifying the gaps within that team
Determining what job opening(s) ideally fill those gaps
Crafting the “ideal candidate profile” (ICP) for the job opening(s)
Drafting a job description clearly encompassing details from all of the above – including all elements of the employee value proposition
Establishing a clear selection process – with interviewers and interview questions, assessments, screening strategies, etc.
Preparing for negotiations as needed – and budgeting for a specific salary range
Clarifying a timeline – both for the benefit of the team and the candidate

That’s a lot right there, and that’s before the Time to Fill even starts with the posting of a job ad. But as stated in December, this is future proofing – the more prepared you are for a recruitment process beforehand, the better results you will have and the less likely you’ll have breakdowns.

Part of all that is data, of course. Nothing runs without knowing the benchmarks. We know that this as important to you as any of the above when recruiting in the SMB world. If you’re finding that you’re getting X number of applicants for your open roles, is that normal? If you’re taking Y days from the point you posted a job to the point your candidate signs that job offer, is that something others are experiencing as well, or is that something you need to get better at? And so on.

To help you, we’re taking a fresh approach to hiring data to support you when you analyze your own numbers.

How we’re looking at data

‘Normal’ doesn’t really exist anymore, even if it is a ‘new normal’. In fact, Future of Work thought leader Ira Wolfe calls it the “Never Normal” – which looks to be more and more the case with every passing month.

Quick note: ‘Uncertain times’ is a damn cliche – but it’s still the case, and as Ira suggests, it’s the standard now. So, looking at the data YoY or even MoM makes for a flawed study because of the regular fluctuations in the data over short periods of time. So, instead, we’re looking at rolling trends. This means we’re showing data as a percentage increase or decrease when compared with the rolling average of the past three months. Jump to the end for a detailed methodology on this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

In this Pulse, we keep things short by staying with just these three core metrics. For the fancy stuff like regional trends and function-based trends, you’ll have to wait for a future Pulse.

Let’s start crunching away!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Jobs are getting filled – but there are some with very long Time to Fill
Job open trends are not correlating with job quit rates
The Candidates per Hire trend is still very, very low

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important that we understand this distinction with this graph updated to November: if a job is opened in October or even as early as March, but isn’t filled until November, it won’t count in this graph’s dataset. If another job is opened on the same day in July or March but is filled on the last day of November, it does count in this graph.

While this measurement strategy partially explains the downward trend in recent months, we’re going to sidestep that for now, and instead look at how the overall graph changed from last month.

Let’s start with a look at the new graph updated to November:

This chart really isn’t much different from the ones preceding it – except for two things:

First, the July number has now breached the surface to 2% above the trailing three-month average, indicating that jobs opened that month were finally filled in November. In other words, July’s TTF data has been updated with those newly filled jobs since last month’s Pulse data which had July at -1.9%. That’s nearly a four-point swing. That’s huge.

The flip side of it though is that those specific jobs took from July to November to be filled. That’s roughly four full months until the job was filled. And because we’re looking at a huge dataset here, it takes quite a few jobs to prompt such a significant swing from -1.9% to 2.0%.

The second big thing we want to point out is the huge drop in the CPH trend in the fourth and fifth months counting backwards from the current month’s chart. In this new chart, the drop from July to August is significantly sharper (2.0% to -8.2%) than the June-July drop (-1.1% to -1.9%) shown in the December data.

As is the case for data, we can draw a million conclusions from this. We’re open to your thoughts – please send us a note to content@workable.com and let’s chat about it.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on open/close dates, so we can include December in this chart:

In the December Pulse, we highlighted a potential slowdown in business due to Omicron. Whether it’s correlation or causation, we do see the slowdown here. December’s job open trend is a staggering -12.5% below the preceding three-month average. That’s lower than it’s ever been since the onset of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. Even December 2020 dropped to “only” -8.3%.

In 2021, the trend stayed positive – to a high of 42.9% in March 2021 – before returning to surface level at -1% in November.

We know that job quits in November as reported by the US Department of Labor (DOL) was a surprising (for some) 4.5 million. Which would logically mean more job openings in December as companies struggle to backfill those positions, right? But that’s not happening.

We did say in December that it’s worth waiting to see what data DOL releases in January. We said that because we thought the drop in job open trends in our data in November was a predictor of lower job quit rates for that same month – i.e. a correlation between people quitting and new jobs being posted. But that didn’t seem to happen.

That’s not to say we were wrong – it’s just to ask the question: if job quit rates continue at a crazy high, then why aren’t we seeing the subsequent result of increased job openings?

Three reasons come to mind:

The holiday season – an overall slowdown in business processes, including both for hiring and for applications (and therefore, better to wait until January before announcing a new job).
Omicron – no further explanation necessary here.
And finally, businesses often do plan for 2022 rather than act at the end of 2021.

Let’s see what happens in February.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through November:

In December, we cried from the rooftops about candidates being at a premium, with October’s CPH trend being -26%. That’s since “recovered” to a more modest -16.6% as the month readjusted based on jobs being filled by the end of November. Still, CPH is negatively trending, with November showing a -18.6% drop.

Also: the CPH trends for October and November 2021 are at the lowest level since October 2020.

So… yes, candidates continue to be at a premium. No speculation or theorizing needed – simply put, employers are starved for candidates all around.

What’s going on here?

In the December Hiring Pulse, we pointed to candidates having the luxury of being able to wait until the perfect job comes along – they no longer want (or need) to grab whatever comes their way. It’s worth waiting just a few extra weeks to see what other jobs are out there – it’s a candidate’s market, after all.

And we challenged you, the SMB employer, to adapt to the changing rules of engagement and better understand what appeals most to today’s candidates before putting your job ads out into the wild. That’s still incredibly important, so keep at it.

The new lesson that comes with this month’s Hiring Pulse is what we highlighted at the beginning – you need to put in the work ahead of time before you kick off the recruitment process. There’s a well-known business lexicon that goes something like this: the best kind of business involves six days of planning and one day of actual execution.

The same idea applies here with job openings predicted to come raging back in Q1 2022.

So, this is a time for planning – and that’s not just polishing off your recruitment marketing strategy and evolving your employee value proposition. You also have to preplan and futureproof.

In short: don’t panic and rush to backfill roles when Cristobel in accounting or Siddiq in sales or Janie on the dev team hands in their notice. Take a step back and see this crisis as an opportunity to fine-tune and calibrate your teams. Look at where the gaps are – whether or not those are newly exposed or long entrenched – and determine the best fill for those gaps. And then get the damn job ad out.

So, one more time for effect:

Outline the overall goals of the team
Identify the gaps within that team
Determine what job opening(s) ideally fill those gaps
Craft the “ideal candidate profile” (ICP) for the job opening(s)
Draft a job description clearly encompassing details from all of the above – including all elements of the employee value proposition
Establish a clear selection process – with interviewers and interview questions, assessments, screening strategies, etc.
Prepare for negotiations as needed – and budgeting for a specific salary range
Clarify a timeline – both for the benefit of the team and the candidate

You know what to do more than anyone. Let’s make this a good 2022!

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for January 2022 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Flexible work hours: it’s important for 58% of US workers, survey finds

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:50:05 +0000

In short: we included flexible work in our new Great Discontent survey of US workers. Flexible work, however, is more complex than it sounds – it consists of two distinct areas of flexibility including location and time. They are two very different things.

For instance, some jobs can be performed remotely but require fixed timelines, such as a customer support role during business hours or a position requiring synchronous collaboration with others such as in software engineering.

Other jobs can’t be performed remotely but can be carried out at any time, such as stocking positions which tend to be more deadline-intensive (do this by X day) rather than timeline-intensive (you’re working from X to Y hours), or a restaurant with multiple shifts that can be distributed to employees.

Flexible schedules can also mean one employee arriving at work at 10:30 a.m. and leaving at 6:30 p.m., with another starting at 5:30 in the morning in order to wrap things up shortly after lunch – again, all so long as the work gets done. Knowledge workers are especially familiar with this kind of schedule.

So the difference warrants separate questions for each. We’ve already shared insights on the value of remote work in the US workforce. And now we have findings for you on flexible work schedules in the eyes of our audience.

Are they doing it?

In contrast to the numbers of those working remotely, the majority of respondents (57.9%) are indeed working on flexible schedules.

While working remotely can blur the lines between home and work – and naturally make way for a more flexible schedule as a result – the fact that flexible schedules are more common indicates more of a paradigm shift beyond COVID-19 for flexible work hours than for remote work.

Can they do it?

Similarly to our questions on remote work, we wanted to understand what respondents thought about the real-life feasibility of flexible schedules in their own job. The results were striking, with 32.1% picking 5 (“completely”), and 19.4% picking 1 (“not at all”).

Combine the numbers and you have 57.1% picking 4 or 5 to say yes, their work can reasonably be performed on a flexible schedule, compared with 31.5% picking 1 or 2.

The message is clear: flexible schedules are more doable than remote work in the minds of our respondents (with just 37.8% picking 4 or 5 for remote). Maybe that means there’s some value in on-location work after all – more on that in the next chapter.

“Unfortunately, I work for a niche market in healthcare so my ability to up and move is difficult unless a job opportunity happens to arise. Being a medical provider also limits the flexibility of my work schedule.”

How important is it?

Again, flexible schedules showed a much stronger trend than remote work in terms of how important it is for respondents. More than a third (34.3%) picked 5 (“completely”), and nearly another quarter of respondents (23.9%) rated 4 out of 5.

Combined, that makes 58.2% clearly stating that the ability to work flexible schedules is important to some degree.

“I think it’s great to be able to work flexibly from home.”

And what makes it important?

It’s clear that flexible working schedules are doable, and they’re important to people. But why? We asked that too.

The most popular benefit is that “it’s easier to balance personal and professional priorities”, with 55.8% of respondents choosing that as one of their top three. “I find it less stressful” (44.4%) and “I’m more productive at specific times” (39.4%) are also popular benefits of flexible work schedules.

55.8% of US workers say the ease of integrating personal and professional priorities is a major benefit of having a flexible work schedule.

Common sources of stress for a fixed schedule could include needing to be at work on time, the guilt of leaving work early to pick up kids, and even feeling like they have to be productive at specific times during the day.

Regarding productivity, that ties into the third-most popular item on the list, which is “more productive at specific times in the day”. We are all different – some of us like to start work early in the day, others thrive in the mid-afternoon, others still like to burn the midnight oil because that’s when they’re most productive.

Whatever it may be, it’s clear that incorporating flexible working hours into your business is crucial to your future success. Learn more about how to do so here, and feel free to use our flexible work hours company policy template!

The post Flexible work hours: it’s important for 58% of US workers, survey finds appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Flexible schedules a must for 57% of UK workers: Great Discontent survey

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:49:59 +0000

So far, we’ve found that changes aren’t happening as much as workers in the UK would like.

Phil Flaxton, CEO of Work Wise, spoke his mind on this.

“There are many ways of avoiding the misery of commuting during the dark mornings and evenings, which millions of people endure as they struggle to get to and from work. These include implementing flexitime, staggered working hours and working from home,” says Phil.

“Clearly the government, public transport providers and employers must do more in order to address the major negative impact on the UK’s economy, lost productivity and the environment.”

With all this, we included flexible work in our new Great Discontent survey of UK workers.

We’ve already shared insights on the value of remote work in the UK. And now we have findings for you on flexible work schedules in the eyes of our audience.

Are they doing it?

As it happens, the majority of respondents (55.2%) are working on flexible schedules right now.

This isn’t too different from the percentage of respondents working in a remote or hybrid environment (54.6%). Obviously, there’s some (or a lot of) overlap, since those working remotely are likely to be also working on their own schedules, and vice versa.

Can they do it?

Similarly to our questions on remote work, we wanted to understand what respondents thought about the real-life feasibility of flexible schedules in their own job. The results were striking, with 29.6% picking 5 (“completely”), and 14.6% picking 1 (“not at all”).

Combine the numbers and you have a convincing 53.8% picking 4 or 5 to say yes, their work can reasonably be performed on a flexible schedule, compared with just 23.8% picking 1 or 2.

The message is clear: flexible schedules are very doable for a good portion of our respondents.

“More organizations need to apply a shift system so more persons can get jobs and workers are not overworked.”

How important is it?

Again, flexible schedules showed a much stronger trend than remote work in terms of how important it is for respondents. Nearly a third (32.9%) picked 5 (“completely”), and another quarter of respondents (24.8%) rated 4 out of 5 – that means 57.7% altogether.

On the flip side, only a combined 19% picked 1 (“not at all”) or 2, meaning flexible hours are very important to many of our respondents – and more important than remote work.

And what makes it important?

It’s clear that flexible working schedules are doable, and they’re important. But why? We asked that too.

The number-one benefit by and far is that “it’s easier to balance personal and professional priorities”, with 57.3% of respondents choosing that benefit as one of their top three. “I find it less stressful” (37.9%) and “I’m more productive at specific times” (36.5%) are also popular benefits.

Common sources of stress for a fixed schedule may include needing to be at work on time, the guilt of leaving work early to pick up kids, and even feeling like they have to be productive at specific periods during the day.

Regarding productivity, that ties into the third-most popular item on the list, which is “more productive at specific times in the day”. We are all different – some of us like to start work early in the day, others peak in the mid-afternoon, others still like to burn the midnight oil and work deep into the night.

Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that incorporating flexible working hours into your business is crucial to your future success. Learn more about how to do so here, and feel free to use our flexible work hours company policy template!

The post Flexible schedules a must for 57% of UK workers: Great Discontent survey appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2021

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 14:46:38 +0000

So, we’re addressing your top concern of filling the roles you need to fill, and filling them quickly. Minimizing turnover is, of course, a grave concern as well.

We know that data benchmarks are important to you when recruiting in the SMB world. If you’re finding X number of candidates applying to your open roles, is that normal in your area? If you’re taking Y days from job posted to job filled, is that something others are experiencing as well, or is that something you need to improve? And so on.

To help you, we’re taking a fresh approach to hiring data to support you when you analyze your own numbers.

How we’re looking at data

‘Normal’ doesn’t really exist anymore, even if it is a ‘new normal’. Looking at the data YoY or even MoM is a flawed study because of the regular fluctuations in the data over short periods of time. So, instead, we’re looking at rolling trends. This means we’re showing data as a percentage increase or decrease when compared with the rolling average of the past three months. Jump to the end for a detailed methodology on this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

And we dive deeper by looking at the data in selected job functions to see how the data differs in each. Now, let’s start crunching away!

Main highlights

The three main highlights for December’s Hiring Pulse are:

Time to Fill is still dropping steadily
Job opens are negatively trending for the first time in awhile
Candidate availability is once again trending sharply downwards after a modest recovery the month previous

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important that we understand this distinction with this graph updated to September: if a job is opened in October or even as early as March, but isn’t filled until November, it won’t count in this graph’s dataset. If another job is opened on the same day in July or March but is filled on the last day of October, it does count in this graph.

While this measurement strategy partially explains the downward trend in recent months, we’re going to sidestep that for now, and see how the trend in the latest data compares with last month’s and see how they compare.

So, let’s start with a look at the new graph updated to October:

What we see here for the Time to Fill trend is -26.4% for October compared with the previous three-month average. That’s compared with -29.6% in the last month trend of the same chart from November – suggesting that TTF is slightly longer this time around.

But is that really indicating anything? Probably not. Numbers have a habit of jumping and falling, like the stock market. What we want to point to, instead, is the consistent nosedive in the TTF trend – last month, it was four consecutive months of negative trends, and now it’s five straight months where the latest TTF data is shorter than the previous three-month average.

Employers are continuing to hire faster than before, with only two of the last 10 months showing TTF on a positive trend, and even where the trend turns positive, it’s barely at all – just 1% in April and .9% in May.

Last month, we went into a thing about how this is a good thing for employers because they’re succeeding in finding and hiring the right candidates for their open roles – and doing so quicker than before.

But you know what? We’ve also heard anecdotes from businesses that they’re just plugging holes quickly in an attempt to stem the increasing flow of quits (watch for an article on that soon). Perhaps it’s not that employers are finding the right candidates quicker than before – it’s more that they’re just grabbing anyone who walks in the door and saying, “You’ll do. Can you start on Monday?”

We also pointed out last month that candidates are moaning about the long recruitment process. This may be the answer to their grievance. But if employers are just trying to fill job holes with “good-enough” candidates, that may lead to a poorer employee experience all around as newly hired employees realize they’re not a good fit for the role or company after all – a consequence of not putting enough thought or care into the employee selection process.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

So, let’s look at the raw job open numbers – which aren’t contingent on open/close dates, so we can include November in this chart:

Look at that. A negative trend of -2% for the month of November, the first time since December 2020 that we see a negative trend in job openings. It’s not much, but it does indicate something when it’s more than a six-point drop from September’s 4.4% and October’s 4.1% trends.

Questions abound: perhaps employers have hit the ceiling in terms of how many jobs can be opened. Then again, the Great Quit / Big Resignation / Huge Whatever remains at unprecedented levels – at least according to the US Department of Labor (DOL) up to the end of October.

Is this -2% trend in the Workable network in November a prediction of lower job quit rates according to DOL once they release their own numbers in January? We’ve found that the trends for DOL and Workable network data do align throughout the year, so the answer is very potentially yes.

We won’t know for sure until January, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

Let’s look at what’s going on here through October:

(NOTE: Again, as in the TTF chart, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in September. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

Last month, we pointed to what we called “modest recovery” in the September CPH trend from a 2021 low of -16.6% in August.

But that’s changed significantly in October, which shows a staggering 26% drop in CPH compared with the previous three-month average. All that blather last month about CPH not trending downwards as much as before is now obsolete. This -26% metric marks a brand-new low for all of 2021 – and even 2020 for that matter.

Maybe candidates really are at a premium after all.

What’s going on here?

Last month, we shared the explanation that candidates are more deliberate in their applications than before. They’re no longer throwing applications at the wall to see what sticks. There’s a wealth of opportunities for candidates and greater emphasis on a job that’s more suited to their priorities. So, they’re more selective in applying for openings.

SHRM points to the shifting supply and demand of the job market as a factor, as well as extended benefits going into September that gives them this luxury. But we maintain that, even in a ‘normal’ job market, candidates are feeling more emboldened in landing the perfect job they want. They’d rather go without a job than take on a ‘meh’ job that doesn’t do much more than pay the bills, and they’re willing to tough it out to get there.

And that insight of this month’s Hiring Pulse challenges you, the SMB employer, to rise up and meet those increased expectations of the jobseeker. Grabbing the first candidates as they walk in the door because “they’ll do, if they can start on Monday” may come back to bite you later.

If you want great candidates for your roles and you want them to stay with you, they are out there and they’re as interested in finding the perfect long-term arrangement as you are. With Time to Fill shorter than it’s been in a long while, it may be that you invest your time and resources into recruitment marketing and employee value proposition even before opening the job, if you want those superstars on your team.

4. Job function metrics

Of course, a business is not one single ecosystem. Different things happen in different departments and functions when the economy ebbs and flows, leading to different outcomes in the data even within the same organization.
So, with that in mind, we wanted to look at eight main functions in a business, some or all of which an SMB employer can relate to:

Accounting/Auditing
Administrative
Customer Service
Engineering
Human Resources
Information Technology
Marketing
Sales

And obviously because of the pandemic times, we decided to add the health-care provider function to the mix, just to see what that looks like against some of the others.

Time to Fill

First, let’s have a look at Time to Fill:

The obvious and predictable insight here is just how volatile the health care provider metric is. It’s an absolute roller-coaster of a trend, even in the latter half of 2021. It’s clear that with the volatility of COVID and all its variant offshoots, the need for health care jumps and falls.

As for the other functions, the TTF trend for IT is the lowest for October with a downward drop of -35.8% – and it’s also the fastest-plummeting trend across all functions in this chart (with August at -9.9% and September at -21.2%. IT workers are plentiful – and their skill set usually standardized, leading to quicker evaluation and a faster hire for an IT opening.

On the flip side, accounting / auditing sees the downward trend in TTF slowing down over the past three months (-26.6% in August, -21.9% in September, and -20.6% in October. Could it be that because we’re nearing the end of the fiscal year for many companies – therefore a sudden need for more number crunchers? The increased competition means accountants are being snapped up, leaving to unlucky employers taking longer to find fiscal talent.

Total Job Openings

Now, the job openings across these functions:

We’re seeing positive job open trends across all functions – with the most dramatic jump in Customer Service from -19% in October to 17.8% in November (perhaps due to increased shopping for holiday season?). Health care also spikes again from 1.7% in October to 27% in November.

But we really want to point out the consistent increase in the job open trend in Human Resources at 27% in November (from 1.4% in August, 8.3% in September, and 17.2% in October).

Why? The developments of 2020 and 2021 have also trickled into companies, with an increased awareness of DEI, emphasis on salary and benefits, remote work trends, increased compliance considerations, and higher turnover – much of this falls on HR’s shoulders.

So, it makes sense that employers would add to the HR payroll – and for SMB employers to make their first hire in HR earlier in their business tenure than previously.

Candidates per Hire

Finally, let’s look at Candidates per Hire across these functions:

The big change in CPH is, again, in the health care provider function, with a staggering 50% decline in the average number of candidates per job in October compared with the three previous months. Perhaps health care workers – bless ’em – are burning out and shifting their priorities in terms of work. Perhaps it means the function has stabilized and that there isn’t as much movement – or hiring – as there was before, meaning fewer candidates out there in the job market.

But then again, we know that job opens for health care providers is on the rise. That suggests that it’s more about the burnout and change in priorities than it is about stabilization. They’re leaving, but they’re not moving to other roles in health care.

Meanwhile, we also see an equally sharp decline in the CPH trend for those in accounting / auditing, from 41.4% in August to 24.5% in September to -11.9% in October. Above, we mentioned the increased demand for fiscal wizards as year-end budgeting looms; that may be the factor.

Those in marketing are also at a premium – going from .9% in August to -21.7% in September to -36.1% in October. Businesses recover and grow, meaning increased marketing spend, meaning more marketers are being hired? Perhaps; lots to talk about there as well.

Conclusion

We’ve mentioned in a previous Hiring Pulse that the onset of Delta would rock the hiring world. While it didn’t have the impact that March 2020 did, it did shift a few things. Now we have Omicron – but it’s still early to gauge what, if any, influence that will have right now. One thing we know: it’s normally flu season at this time, and COVID had a marked impact last year starting at this time, and people are bracing for a sequel.

We are also approaching the end of the year. As we delve into increased holidays for many workers and businesses, and therefore slowdown in processes and logistics combined with torrid consumer activity during the traditional holiday season. It’s also a fiscal crunch time for businesses who are thinking about plans for 2022 and doing a postmortem of 2021.

That spirit of a postmortem and thinking carefully about plans and strategy for 2021 also involves futureproofing. That’s what C-suiters and executives do – they look to maximize potential and minimize risk for as long a period as possible. Snap decisions will not do, even as businesses do look to be nimbler and more agile than ever before.

This mindset must also apply to recruitment in the SMB space. You can’t afford to make snap hires every time because, as stated above, it’ll come back to bite you in terms of turnover and workforce disillusion. It’s worse during tumultuous times. You need to build a stable ship – a strong, well-thought-out strategy that’s prepared for shifts and bumps in the road ahead.

When hiring, think like a strategist:

refine your recruitment marketing
standardize your hiring
pre-plan your processes before you even open a job
and establish a solid reporting system to help you identify areas for improvement.

Do all that – and more – and you’ll find that this “Big Quit” may not be something to worry about in the long run.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for December 2021 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Devil in the details: The cost of the hiring process and what you can do about it

Keith MacKenzie — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 12:07:51 +0000

Let’s face facts: you want infallible accuracy in ensuring all the minute details fall into the right places and are executed properly. Who better to talk to than someone in Finance to refine and optimize the cost of the hiring process? All departments are integral to a smoothly sailing ship, but Finance is the backbone.

They’re there for a reason – to keep the books aligned. The person in charge of finance is an empathetic, patient person with enough organizational skills to ensure that everything is as much balanced at year-end as at year-beginning, and with enough contingency planning in place to allow the company to successfully navigate even the rudest awakenings that befall organizations.

That’s where Craig DiForte comes in as Workable’s CFO. He’s been in the finance biz since graduating with an MBA in Finance from Boston University Questrom School of Business in 2002 and has been managing Workable’s money since 2016.

So, he’s seen a lot in his work. He also knows what costs money and what makes money, and to take it to another level, he knows where money can – and can’t – be spent in order to have it reflect on the bottom line. And mostly, he knows how to make sure it all ties together into a nice bow.

So, according to Craig, here are seven ways you can optimize the recruitment pipeline without getting hit too hard by the actual cost of hiring staff:

Communicate, communicate, communicate
Measure the process regularly
Remember, timing is money
Consider different timing processes
Plan for the inevitable turnover
Implement clear processes
Keep checking in

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate

“The one thing you have to make sure that you’ve done,” Craig says, “is that you’ve effectively communicated the plan to all of the hiring managers.”

He explains, using an example: everyone – including the hiring managers – needs to be fully informed on how many they can or need to hire that year. “If your VP of Sales doesn’t know that she only has the budget to hire 20 heads,” he says, “and she opens up a requisition for 30, you’re immediately going to have a problem.”

That scenario is a lot of things, but it’s especially a problem for Finance. This planning conflict will throw the books out of whack because your VP of Sales has put a process in place for something that your budget won’t allow for. Ten additional heads being hired means 10 more salaries than you’ve planned for. And 10 more interview processes that are a time and resource suck for your hiring team. And, of course, there’s the expensive damage control in rolling everything back to the original 20. All of these things cost money and force Finance to move things around to accommodate.

You don’t want that to happen in your company, so you need to make sure everyone is on the same page for absolutely everything. This means meeting regularly, keeping communication channels open and keeping everyone together in the loop as to where you are and where you’re going in the hiring plan.

“You need to make sure that this hiring plan is communicated,” Craig reiterates. “You want to be sure that the plan has been communicated out, and that you’re now executing on it.”

2. Measure the process regularly

You must continually check the pulse of your recruitment process at regular stages, and measure where you’re staying on plan and where you’re going off plan, Craig says.

“Your [hiring] plan basically comes down to the question: ‘Have I hired the people that I meant to hire, at the time that I meant to hire them?’ There’s a timing variance you need to think about.”

Measurement doesn’t just apply to timing and scheduling – true to Craig’s background, he reminds us to look at the actual money being spent on payroll: “Did I hire them at the right salary that I thought I was going to hire them at?” he asks as an example. Again, a slight variance in salary for multiple roles can add up, creating a fresh headache for Finance.

Salary differences isn’t the only flux in the cost of the hiring process: measuring also means looking at reports and identifying the areas where you can optimize the recruiting process.

For example, Craig asks: “What are the savings related to cancelled hires?” Once that’s in place, he says, “then you can have a net hiring plan adjustment number, where you can say; ‘OK, the original hiring plan has 100 people, but we added 15 and took out five, so now we’re really at 110.’”

“The extra cost of doing that is Y, whatever Y happens to be. That’s one metric you want to be able to track,” he says, because you’re going to want to measure your anticipated outcome against your real outcome. “You want to be able to ask, ‘How am I doing against the original plan? And what are my variances?’”

When you look at reports regularly, and identify opportunities for optimization, then you’re tightening up the process and making it move more effectively – making things more cost-effective. You’re not just saving money, you’re also making your existing money go further.

3. Remember: timing is money

Drilling down deeper, Craig says that looking at the savings opportunities in the hiring plan isn’t just about looking at salaries. When you’re looking at the cost of hiring staff or hiring ahead of schedule, you also have an opportunity to cut back costs.

Craig says, “Hiring people too slowly can be a bad thing from a performance standpoint, but it can save you some money because you thought you were going to fill a role in January and you didn’t fill that role until March. That might be a problem from a company performance standpoint – but from a headcount standpoint, you just saved two months’ worth of salary.”

It’s just one example of many, but the intricacies of the many moving parts of the recruitment pipeline are such that money will always play into the overall equation. It’s not so easy to budget for a hiring strategy, particularly since you’re often accounting for unexpected events and benefits.

Crunch those numbers: learn how to calculate recruitment costs for budget planning in our new tutorial.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking timing alone is a valid criterion. For instance, you may need to speed up the hiring process and hire someone earlier than originally planned – despite the cost of doing so – if this means you’ll hire an exceptional candidate who may not be available later.

Or, in some cases, it makes sense to offer a higher salary because of the higher productivity that new employee can bring to the table. You’re not necessarily costing your company money if you paid a higher salary than a competitor – you’re recruiting better talent who will ultimately boost productivity.

In short, keep an eye on timing (when you open up a new requisition and when you hire a new person compared to when you need them), but also factor in these other qualitative and quantitative gains.

Craig explains further: “You need to be able to find the mechanism to take all of those things into consideration to determine; How much am I saving on my hiring plan right now? Or how much am I costing myself more? Because if I’m hiring everybody fast, and I’m hiring them at higher salaries than I thought, I’m costing myself too much money.”

“But maybe,” Craig notes, “I’m making myself more productive. There can be a benefit.”

4. Consider different timing processes

You also have to think about onboarding schedules for new hires and upcoming projects that you’re hiring for. These both take into account the type of roles you’re filling for.

“For instance,” Craig says, “if they’re salespeople, there can be a great benefit to hiring early because they start ramping faster and they’re going to get to full productivity earlier.”

The impact to the bottom line is easily tangible for sales: with more salespeople – particularly if commission-based – you get more sales, and your company is more productive.

But what about engineers? “If you’re hiring an engineer for a certain project that you’re going to work on, but the project doesn’t start until April and you hire them in February, that might not be the best early hire; depending on the project, and the skills of the person you’re hiring, the ramping time can be different in each case.”

Whether you’re hiring ahead or behind, Craig says, it’s a strategic decision based on the role you’re hiring for. You don’t want employee salaries burning a hole in your pocket when they’re not contributing anything to your bottom line or producing anything.

5. Plan for the inevitable turnover

“You’re going to have something come up during the year,” Craig warns. “The ubiquitous backfill. Some people will leave – there’s no getting around it. You’re going to have to replace them.”

Of course, turnover is a real fact of business. But there’s something else impacting the cost of the hiring process: “One of the things that you need to make sure of in your plan is that when you backfill, you’re not adding an extra position.”

This could happen if, for example, “Jane tells you she’s leaving, but gives you a month-long notice and you say, ‘Well, Jane is very important. She has to be replaced.’ So you open a new request for Jane’s replacement while Jane’s still there.”

Which is fine, until: “A month later, Jane actually leaves. Then if you’re not watching your hiring plan, somebody might open a new request for Jane’s replacement because Jane has actually left now,” Craig says.

“That’s how one position turns into two positions. You want to make sure that you have a good process for managing your backfills and how they go into your hiring plan so that you don’t double-count them.”

6. Implement clear processes

“You could have created the greatest budget in the world, and within a month or two months depending upon the industry that you’re in, it will start to go sideways a little bit,” says Craig. “You’ll find out that either because certain people leave or because you come up with new initiatives, or because something changes the economy or the market, that you need either more or less people than you thought you did.”

So, you need to have a procedure in place from the get-go for removing or canceling hires and requests in the hiring plan. You’ll also want to open up some resources – be it time, money, or otherwise – to accommodate unbudgeted hires.

And what’s more, Craig says, you have to have a clear approval process in place. “What’s your process for making sure those [new hires and cancellations] get approved? Sometimes people forget to get approval on both sides of that – they know they need an approval to add a new hire, but they forget they need an approval to remove one.”

And communication, again, is key. “Sometimes they’ll remove one, and then the manager will think they still have a request in place and they’ll try to hire for that role.”

Check out here how GCC Services fosters a more inclusive hiring process with Workable Video Interviews.

7. Keep checking in

We come full circle here: in the spirit of communication, keep checking in with each other on a regular basis. “You need a clear communication and approval process for making sure everyone’s coordinated on how you put in new positions and how you take out positions you decide you don’t need anymore.”

Once you have those kinds of changes, you’re adding another level of complexity to your reporting where, Craig notes, you want to measure, for instance, the added cost of unbudgeted hires.

Again, communication is key, Craig says. And this involves everyone who’s involved in the hiring plan, including HR, Finance and hiring managers. “Plus, the hiring manager should understand clearly what’s happening with their respective teams so people know where they are.”

In the end, your hiring strategy for the upcoming year should be run like a business within the business. Have regular meetings and check-ins with everyone who’s a part of the whole process. “Make sure that you have policies and procedures in place to handle changes to the plan, which could be additions, subtractions, cancellations if you will, or backfill positions. You need to have processes for all three of those.”

And then make sure you have the numbers crunched regularly. “You want to know: what are your metrics and what are you reporting against in terms of total cost-to-hire, total time-to-hire. Then, there’s the other more nuanced pieces that we talked about; that is, how many are you hiring early? How many are you hiring later? What’s the net effect of that on your numbers for your total cost?”

Craig smiles, knowing this is a lot to take in if you want to run things smoothly with an outcome as optimal as possible. What if you don’t have the time to incorporate all of that into your hiring process? Well, he has an answer to that, adding a joke about shamelessly plugging the Workable product: “That’s one of the reasons the Hiring Plan module in Workable is incredibly useful, because everybody has access to the same platform and can check in and see what’s happening at every step of the way.”

That’s a sure-fire way to get Finance on your side in the hiring process. Your work life will be a lot easier in the end, and the bottom line will thank you.

Want to figure out what’s normal and what’s not in your budget calculations for a hiring plan? Check out our tutorial on how to do that.

You can also see Craig and Matt Buckland – who was Workable’s VP of Customer Advocacy for two years – on planning a strategy for high growth in this webinar:

The post Devil in the details: The cost of the hiring process and what you can do about it appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2021

Keith MacKenzie — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 14:03:01 +0000

But what you really want to know is: what does this mean for your hiring? As an SMB, you just want to fill the roles you need to fill, and fast (good news on that, by the way – read on).

We know that data trends are important to you when recruiting in the SMB world. You and your hiring team want to know whether the trends you’re seeing in your own processes are ‘normal’. Because there’s no real ‘normal’ anymore, we’re moving away from traditional year-over-year and month-over-month data analysis and instead taking a fresh approach so you can make the most informed decisions as an SMB employer when assessing your own data.

How we’re looking at data

Remember, we’re looking at trends here. This means we’re showing data as a percentage increase or decrease when compared with the average of the three months previous. Jump to the end for a detailed methodology of how we’re doing this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

And we dive deeper by looking at the data in five broad regions to see how the data differs in each. Now, let’s get into the numbers.

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Time to Fill is still dropping sharply despite SMB employers saying they’re having problems finding candidates
Job openings are continuing to rise going into Q4 – as predicted in a recent Manpower report
SMBs in Latin America are having a strikingly different experience than the four other major economic regions when it comes to hiring

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled. It’s important that we understand this distinction with this graph updated to September: if a job is opened in July but isn’t filled until October, it won’t count in this graph’s dataset. If another job is opened on the same day in July but is filled on the last day of September, it does count in this graph.

That *might* explain some of the downward trend in recent months, especially for jobs opened and filled within September – but it’s still not the only factor.

Let’s look at the trend graph for overall Time to Fill up to and including the month of September.

Note the dramatically negative TTF trend in August 2021 (a -19.2% shift compared with the May-June-July average – followed by an even more substantial drop of -29.6% in September 2021 compared with the June-July-August average.

That’s interesting, isn’t it? Just when you think it’s going to bottom out, this metric just keeps trending further downwards. TTF has been negatively trending for four months in a row going back to June – and seven of the last nine months. Employers are hiring faster and faster now.

Good news? Sure, let’s look at it that way. There are two reasons why it could be good:

First, and perhaps obviously, employers are succeeding in finding – and hiring – the right candidates for their open roles, at a torrid pace. That does contrast with the popular and legitimate narrative that businesses are having a hard time finding people, though. That deserves a more in-depth discussion elsewhere, so let’s set it aside for now.

Second, one of the biggest candidate gripes – on Reddit, for instance – is what they see as an excessively long recruitment process. So… the shorter TTF can be seen as good for candidates as well.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Let’s look at job openings overall, bearing in mind that these are raw job open numbers that aren’t contingent on open/close dates. So, we can include October in this chart.

Last month, we pointed out the modest uptick in job opening trends in September 2021. We’re seeing the same for October 2021, with another 4% increase, after a 4.4% growth in job opening trends in September.

Some insight to add to that: In the United States, we’ve just seen a huge upturn in payroll for October that beat previous expectations by a good margin – with the unemployment rate at a new low since the start of the pandemic. And quit rates were still surging as of September – we won’t see quit data for October from the US Department of Labor until a bit later. But more likely, the trend of the last two months is simply skewed by August’s 2.4% trend, the lowest of any month in 2021.

Still, it’s clear: while there’s reason for optimism, this all shows considerable volatility in the job market. Not what SMB employers want to see, honestly. They’d rather hire the right people and have them stick around.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire (CPH) as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. Let’s look at what’s going on in the numbers through September:

Last month, we pointed to the sharp drop in the CPH trend – but there’s modest recovery in that area. September 2021’s the drop in CPH actually slowed down from a 2021 low of -19.8% to -15.5%.

Regardless, CPH is still trending downwards – just not nearly as much as before.

What’s going on here?

So, this begs the question: if job openings are surging and CPH continues to trend downwards, how is it that Time to Fill is growing shorter all the time? There’s one potential explanation:

Candidates are more deliberate in their applications. Perhaps we’re no longer seeing hundreds of applications thrown around like confetti, leading to recruiters’ inboxes being overfilled with irrelevant resumes.

Instead, we’re seeing jobseekers being more targeted in their job hunt as we see a greater tendency to pursue the things that really matter as a result of the pandemic. Also, it’s a candidate’s market, so they can be more precise and pursue the job they really want rather than going the route of “any job will do”.

And, in turn, they’re probably highly motivated – and even more qualified – for those jobs.

So, SMB employers benefit: they’re getting more concentrated pools of better qualified applicants for their open jobs – so hiring becomes a quicker process from job opened to job filled.

4. Regional metrics

Of course, the world is not one single economic entity. Different things happen in different areas, ultimately leading to different outcomes in recruitment data.

So, let’s look at things at a very high level, looking at the above metrics for five broad regions:

Asia-Pacific (APAC)
Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA)
Latin America (LATAM)
North America (NA)
UK & Ireland (UK&I)

Time to Fill

First, let’s have a look at Time to Fill:

This one’s interesting – we see a lot of differences across regions especially in March 2020, during the last quarter of 2020, and the first part of 2021, all coinciding with massive spikes in COVID cases for each of the time periods in different areas.

Correlation doesn’t mean causation, of course. Instead, it’s just interesting how the numbers start to “reconcile” during Q2 and Q3 of 2021.

There’s one significant outlier though: the Latin America group, which has a much less pronounced drop in Time to Fill (-17.7%) than the other four regions (-29% to -31.4%). Keep that in mind as we move to the next metric.

Total Job Openings

Now, the job openings across these five regions:

Of course, COVID was felt worldwide, as plainly obvious in the drop in job opens during March-April 2020. That aside, while the trends look similar across all five regions from afar, there are notables to point out here.

First, after a sudden drop in job opens in August 2021 (-13%), EMEA is seeing a positive trend of job opens over the last two months (7% and 16.1%).

Second, UK & Ireland saw significant upward trend in job opens in September 2021 (16.5%) before leveling out at 0.1% for October.

And finally, Latin America is the only one of the five regions seeing a negative trend in job openings, with a -5.3% drop in October, standing in stark contrast to the other four regions.

Candidates per Hire

Finally, let’s look at Candidates per Hire across the five regions.

Unlike the other two metrics which saw more closely aligned trends across regions, this one is more dramatically scattered with job quits, layoffs, business closures, strikes, and other factors differing significantly as the pandemic continues its waves throughout the world.

For instance, UK & Ireland saw consistently negative trends in every single month dating back to August 2020 – with the tiny exception of December 2020 where it nosed above the surface to .8% before going under again.

Meanwhile, businesses in North America also saw negative trends in every month dating back to the summer of 2020 with spikes in CPH trends in December 2020 (8.7%) and January 2021 (2.1%).

EMEA, meanwhile, jumped a bit in March 2021 (4.8%) and July 2021 (.6%), but otherwise saw regular drops in its CPH metric as well. APAC spiked in December 2020, April 2021, and July 2021 – likely due to seasonality – but otherwise stayed in the negatives.

Latin America, again, stands out – where the other four regions stayed negative, LATAM businesses saw a sharp 6.5% increase in the CPH trend compared with the previous three-month average, the only one of the five to see a positive upward trend in that metric.

Does this mean more people are looking for work there and not finding enough? Perhaps – especially with dismal news out of Brazil, LATAM’s largest economy, of a faltering economic landscape and predictions of a recession in 2022.

Conclusion

Last month, we predicted that once reliable data for September became available, we would see it as a catalytic month as a result of children returning to school, a shortage of childcare workers in the U.S., and potential economic fallout coming from the Delta variant.

We didn’t see the fallout from Delta – the opposite, in fact, since Delta was already on the wane – but there are still fears of a resurgence of the virus due to winter seasonality, waning immunity levels among the vaccinated, and overall increased mobility according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Washington.

That being said, the TTF metric is decreasing, job opens are on the rise – and we’re seeing a modest slowdown in CPH’s decline. Does that last metric mean people are starting to look for work again after quitting en masse during the Great Resignation? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, SMB employers are still very worried.

One thing’s clear – different regions see different trends that impact hiring. That’s worth keeping in mind, especially if you’re an international employer or you’re hiring globally.

And no matter where you are, it’s always worth thinking about your ideal candidate profile, fine-tuning your recruitment marketing strategy, and really targeting those candidates so you can stay ahead of the trends.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for November 2021 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Integrating work and home a top benefit of working remotely in US

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:18:06 +0000

Because of that seismic change, we included questions around remote work in our Great Discontent survey, which surveyed 750 US workers on what matters to them in a job.

And we have interesting findings for you on what the benefits of working remotely are, whether remote work is indeed happening, and how important it is to workers in the United States.

Remote work

Are they doing it?

We asked respondents if they’re currently working remotely or in a hybrid setup. More than half (55.6%) say they aren’t – but that still leaves a significant portion (44.4%) who are working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement.

While those numbers show that remote work is still a very common trend, it’s still a significant shift from the early days of the pandemic in 2020. The aforementioned New World of Work survey found that a staggering 94.9% (62.6% fully, 32.3% partially) of businesses moved to a remote environment as a result of the pandemic.

While the survey respondents are different this time – i.e. the employable population rather than employers themselves – the data still indicates a shift to some kind of normalcy.

But that’s not to say remote work isn’t still happening. It’s very much a reality. Let’s first look at the feasibility of it according to our respondents.

Can they do it?

So, can people work remotely, regardless of whether they want to or are able to? We asked respondents to rate their response on a scale of 1 to 5 (from “not at all” to “completely”). The responses are varied, with nearly one-third (31.8%) choosing 1 (“not at all”) and a quarter of responses picking 5 (“completely”).

If there’s anything definitive here, it’s that a good portion of respondents (31.6%) are clear that their job can’t be done in a remote environment. Reasons can vary – perhaps it’s the employee themselves and they feel unable to do so, or it’s a literal requirement of the job to be on location – for instance, jobs in the hospitality or manufacturing sectors.

How important is it?

We also asked how important working remotely is. What stood out is that respondents don’t consider remote work as important as flexible schedules.

When asked to choose from 1 to 5 the importance of remote or hybrid work, only 17.8% picked 5 – “completely” – whereas 26.1% picked 1 – “not at all”. Nearly a third (32.6%) of respondents picked 3 – suggesting no strong feelings either way.

Perhaps the remote work trend is more a pandemic-driven rather than paradigm shift, and now that people have settled into remote work, it’s not as important as they once felt.

They aren’t even convinced that the ability to work remotely opens up new opportunities, with 28.8% picking 1 (“not at all”) and 16.9% picking 5 (“completely”). (Chart is not displayed.)

And what makes it important?

But sure, remote work has to be important in some ways. So, we asked what benefits can be gained from it. One understandably popular answer is that “it lowers pandemic health risks” (39.4%). Other top benefits are that it’s easier to integrate personal and professional lives (tops at 39.7%) and it’s cheaper than the alternative (36.8%).

Another major benefit is the extra hours in the day gained from not commuting (33.5%) – understandable, considering a US Census report showing the average American commute to be approaching half an hour each way, longer if in larger metro regions.

Meanwhile, “I have fewer distractions” (17.9%) and “I’m more productive” (20.1%) do not rank as highly. Since distraction is regularly cited as a major factor and inhibitor to productivity, we were surprised at this.

Likewise, the freedom to choose where to live is far down the list, with just 13.8% citing that as a major benefit of remote work – again, something we thought would rank higher.

So what does this indicate? Health during the pandemic aside, the holistic benefit of integrating work and home lives as a whole, combined with the tangible benefits of lower cost and more hours in a day are huge factors in why people like remote work.

39.7% of US workers say the ease of integrating personal and professional priorities is a major benefit of remote work

As emphasized by one respondent:

“Work/life balance is important for everyone at all levels. Work has become a part of my life vs. working to live. I get back 3 hours of my day but by not having to commute and I feel like my productivity has increased.”

The post Integrating work and home a top benefit of working remotely in US appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Benefits of working remotely: UK workers get back an hour a day – and they like it

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 14:16:37 +0000

Because of that seismic change, we included questions around remote work in our Great Discontent survey, which surveyed 500 workers in the UK on what matters to them in a job.

And we have interesting findings for you on what the benefits of working remotely are, whether remote work is indeed happening, and how important it is to workers in the UK.

And we have interesting findings for you, starting with a matter-of-fact comment from one respondent:

“Whilst financial recompense is an important factor in talent migration, I think other factors such as greater opportunities for agile working and flexible working are becoming increasingly important for career decisions.”

Remote work

Are they doing it?

We asked respondents if they’re currently working remotely or in a hybrid setup. The result was quite evenly split, with 54.6% saying they’re currently working remotely or in a hybrid setup, and the remaining 45.4% saying they aren’t.

While those numbers show that remote work is still common in the UK, it’s still a significant shift from the early days of the pandemic in 2020. The aforementioned New World of Work survey found that a staggering 94.9% of businesses – predominantly in the UK and the US – said they moved some or all operations to a remote environment as a result of the pandemic.

While the survey respondents are different this time – the employable population rather than employers themselves – the data still shows a shift back to some kind of normalcy in the UK, pandemic spikes notwithstanding.

But that’s not to say remote work isn’t still happening. It’s very much a reality – and even a new standard. Let’s look at what our respondents say about the feasibility of it.

Can they do it?

So, can people work remotely, regardless of whether they want to or whether they’re actually able to? We asked respondents to rate their response on a scale of 1 (“not at all”) to 5 (“completely”).

The responses are relatively polarized, with one quarter (25.3%) choosing 1 and nearly half (48.3%) picking 4 or 5.

If there’s anything definitive here, it’s that a good portion of respondents are clear that their job can’t be done in a remote environment (25.3%). Reasons can vary – perhaps it’s the employee themselves and that they feel unable to do so, or the job is literally required on location – for instance, jobs in the hospitality, food service, or manufacturing sectors.

As another respondent explains:

“Not everyone works in an office. Some of us have to swing off big steam valves. And you would be screwed if we didn’t because there’d be no electricity.”

How important is it?

We also asked respondents how important working remotely is. What impressed us is that respondents don’t consider remote work as important to them as flexible schedules – not that it isn’t important; it’s just not as strongly indicated.

When asked to choose from 1 to 5 the personal importance of remote or hybrid work, 42% picked 4 or 5, whereas 22.4% picked 1 – in other words, “not at all”.

The dominant choice for nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents is 3 – suggesting no strong feelings either way.

Perhaps the remote work trend is more a pandemic-driven rather than paradigm shift in the end, and now that people have become comfortable in remote work, they realize it’s not as important as they once felt.

“I enjoy working from home but would like to return to the office at least 1 day per week.”

Respondents aren’t even very convinced that the capability to work remotely opens up new opportunities for them, with 26% picking 1 (“not at all”) and 15.8% picking 5 (“completely”). A resounding 28.4% picked 3, again showing little alignment in either direction. (Chart is not displayed.)

And what makes it important?

Nevertheless, remote work has got to be important in one way or another. So, we asked what benefits are associated with it. The top answer is that “it lowers pandemic health risks” (41.5%), but other top benefits are that it’s easier to integrate personal and professional lives (also 41.5%) and it frees up time during the day (41.3%).

Freeing up time during the day is a pretty obvious benefit, considering that UK residents spend an average of 59 minutes per day on the commute to and from work – 79 minutes per day for Londoners – according to Work Wise UK.

Says Phil Flaxton, CEO of Work Wise:

“There are many ways of avoiding the misery of commuting during the dark mornings and evenings, which millions of people endure as they struggle to get to and from work. These include implementing flexitime, staggered working hours and working from home. … Clearly the government, public transport providers and employers must do more in order to address the major negative impact on the UK’s economy, lost productivity and the environment.”

Another major benefit of remote work is that it’s cheaper all around. The costs associated with commuting, parking fees, takeaway lunches, and other expenses can be mitigated and even eliminated when working remotely.

One respondent was pretty clear about their allegiance:

“Love working from home, less travel costs and stress and I can dress and eat as I want.”

Meanwhile, “I have fewer distractions” (17.6%) and “I’m more productive” (20.6%) do not rank as highly in the list of most popular benefits for those in the UK. Since distraction is regularly cited as a major factor and inhibitor to productivity, we’re surprised that these don’t rank as highly as we thought they would.

Likewise, the freedom to choose where to live is far down the list, with just 13.2% citing that as a major benefit of remote work. Again, we thought this would rank higher given the ability given by remote work to avoid the high costs of living in dense urban centres such as London where most jobs exist.

So what does this indicate? Health benefits aside, the holistic benefit of integrating work and home lives as a whole, combined with the tangible benefits of lower cost and more hours in a day are huge factors in why people like remote work.

The post Benefits of working remotely: UK workers get back an hour a day – and they like it appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your recruitment automation tech stack: 10 must-haves

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:39:14 +0000

As a result, hiring post-pandemic has suddenly become more complex. Plus, AI and automated processes are becoming more of a standard in the process than ever before.

Consequently, to stay relevant and apace with increased competition for new hires, recruiters and hiring managers need to possess sharp talent acquisition skills and have a robust recruitment tech stack to capture the best talent for the position. Recruitment guru Josh Bersin emphasizes the evolution of recruitment and how this is an opportunity for recruiters to really step up their game.

One big step in the right direction is purchasing an ATS and other technologies to support that. If it’s your first time investing in recruitment software, ensure you have the following capabilities in your recruitment tech stack:

Employee referral program
Chatbots
Candidate texting
Email automation
Social media automation
Talent network
Virtual recruiting events
Job postings
Content management system
Candidate relationship management

1. Employee referral program

An automated employee referral program helps in creating a solid company culture by building high-performing teams. It reduces the hiring process and costs and, at the same time, getting more high-value future employees.

Most recruitment marketing softwares have built-in employee referral programs. Job openings are automatically sent to the employees’ email addresses with the job description and the ‘refer’ button to submit the referred candidate.

Some of the automation rules or processes you can create with your referral program include:

Monitoring where the referred candidate is in the hiring cycle and send updates to the referrer.
Linking your ATS to your payroll system, so referral fees go straight into your employee’s salary.
Measuring the success of your employee referral program – i.e. number of shares via email or social, number of referred candidates, number of successful hires and the quality of those hires.

Check out our complete guide to employee referrals.

2. Chatbots

Chatbots are a form of AI used in messaging applications. They are automated programs that interact with web visitors like a human would do.

In recruitment, chatbots can help increase your engagement with candidates, hasten the recruitment process, reach out to more candidates, and provide quick answers to their questions.

Chatbots can be the first point of contact after the candidate submits his resume. They can be tasked to contact candidates to explain the overall application procedure.

Chatbots can also gather contact information, answer applicants’ initial questions and schedule interviews. More advanced capabilities include ranking and scoring candidates, enabling recruiters to remove unsuitable candidates for the specific role.

Incorporating chatbots eliminates the HR team’s repetitive tasks so they can focus on more critical activities. In addition, chatbots are easy to scale and can keep the hiring process progressing fast, even when you are inundated with candidates for an open role.

3. Candidate texting

With candidate texting technology, recruiters can send job openings right to candidate’s phones. It is a big help for recruiters, especially during seasonal or bulk hiring or in sectors with a large component of deskless workers and high turnover such as in hospitality or food services.

Plus, with a 98% open rate for SMS and text messages, it’s a great communication tool with assurance that your message will get through.

Recruiters can reach thousands of job seekers quickly with customized text messages. Textbots can automate screening, so the process continues. Since these texts are integrated into the recruiting software, data is collected automatically so interviewers and hiring managers can evaluate whether to pursue a candidate or not.

Another feature is automated intelligent interview scheduling. Texting makes it easier for candidates to reply and confirm interview schedules. Scheduling changes or unexpected cancellations can be communicated instantly.

The automated messages help answer common application questions quickly on the candidate’s side, empowering them to screen and move ahead or out of the recruiting process quickly.

If they’re hired, automated text-based communications will help facilitate the candidate’s onboarding process and provide a seamless candidate experience.

4. Email automation

Automated email sendouts allow personalization at scale and can recommend ideal content for every candidate.

Despite being around for some time, HR teams can still capitalize on this marketing strategy to communicate with targeted candidates regularly and stay on top of their minds.

Email marketing automation comes with templates and sequences to save time and resources when reaching out to candidates to introduce the company, announce current job openings, send follow-ups, send alerts for future vacancies, etc.

Once the candidate is hired, you can send an email on the first day of work explaining the onboarding process and setting expectations. The hiring manager can then send a follow-up in six weeks to check how things are going and maybe schedule a call or a lunch.

And then again, if they’re on a fixed contract, emails can be scheduled at a determined later time if they’re reaching the end of their contract and looking for their next opportunity.

5. Social media automation

Social media automation enables recruiters to distribute jobs across Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media channels. They can set logic-based rules around which vacancies should be sent to which social networks, the date they should be posted and taken down, based on the performance of specific jobs.

Social job distribution can also broaden the demographics of the target job seekers – a must for any DEI-minded employer – enabling recruiters to broaden the candidate pool by reaching out to media-savvy social applicants.

Recruiters can also compose and edit new content via mobile devices while on the go. This ability to work remotely provides flexibility to deliver other content like blogs, industry updates, company news, etc.

The benefit of using social automation tools ensures that recruitment messaging is consistent across Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and other social channels. It also helps you find qualified candidates easily, and add them to your list of potential hires in the future.

Check out our FAQ guide on social media recruitment strategies.

6. Talent network management

You can automate your talent network by adding a form to provide an alternative for candidates to opt in if they don’t complete the application. Having CTAs scattered across your site and content can capture those all-important passive candidates.

Once the candidate opts in, you can set up rules in your recruitment marketing platform to segment talent based on preferences, interests, and skills. You can send preference emails asking the types of content they want to receive and the types of roles they are interested in, and record email opens and links clicked.

To set up your automation, you need to understand and build your target candidate personas and the type of information they are searching for. Then, create a messaging sequence for their journey.

The more targeted your messaging, content, and job you send to your talent network, the better candidate experience you can deliver and possibly, outbid your competitors for those star candidates.

7. Virtual recruiting events

Virtual recruiting events allow HR to expand and diversify the talent pipeline by reaching to them anytime, anywhere. It can also improve your diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

With this software, you can build your events page that allows you to handle interviews and registrations. For career expos, as an example, candidates undergo a screening process set with pre-qualifying questions. They are scored and matched directly towards jobs and recruiters for engagement.

VRE software provides a better candidate experience and avoids wasting each other’s time if they do not match.

Other features include the ability to promote events across social media, manage on-site attendees, capture leads and resumes, and build employer brand by emailing invitations, post-event surveys, and other campaigns for ongoing candidate engagement.

Some virtual events you can adapt to suit your staffing objectives: career expos, professional development events, educational workshops, info sessions, hackathons and creative challenges, theme-based panels or presentations, virtual presentations, and much more.

8. Job postings

A good recruitment marketing platform allows you to automate the process of writing (with pre-defined job description templates) and posting jobs on various free and paid job boards and social media networks within a single platform.

You can also manage your media budget and inventory and even facilitate the use of programmatic job advertising to optimize advertising spend.

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Job Posting.

9. Content management system

Today’s candidates search employers the same way consumers find products and services.

To stand out in the crowd, organizations must build unique candidate experiences through employer brand content and recruitment marketing strategies to attract the right talent. This is called inbound recruiting, as emphasized by Hubspot:To perform inbound recruitment, you need a CMS.

With a CMS (Content Management System), you can quickly and easily create and update content, optimize your job listing and share vacancies on social media, to name a few. You can also integrate your applicant tracking system (ATS) and configure your content to be searchable on search engines.

10. Candidate relationship management

CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) helps you nurture relationships with passive candidates.
With the right CRM, you can:

Track candidate’s journey during the application process
Easily build and segment talent pools and cascade targeted communication to the right job seeker at the right time
Update all your ATS information so you can target the best applicants for open roles
Automatically track and measure your campaigns’ performance and results to improve future marketing strategies

Your hiring tech stack matters

Talent acquisition is poised to evolve post-pandemic and beyond as recruitment platforms become savvier and more sophisticated, largely due to AI and emerging technologies.

Hence, it would be best to keep abreast of the latest developments in recruitment automation software to stay ahead of competitors in the high-stakes talent game.

Gem Siocon is a digital marketer and freelance content writer at Recruiter Copywriter. She specializes in recruitment marketing and employer branding, helping staffing agencies and recruiters for over 10 years. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Your recruitment automation tech stack: 10 must-haves appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Not everyone in the US values the same things in a job

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:14:01 +0000

So, let’s take a look at what those popular features are for each demographic, according to our Great Discontent survey of 750 workers in the US.

Females want more flexibility

First, we found differences by gender identity when asking about top attractors for a new opportunity. Those identifying as male are attracted to more job-specific factors including compensation of course (67.3% vs. 61.8%), clarity of job role (23.3% vs. 19.1%) and especially job security (39.4% vs. 25.5%).

Those identifying as female pointed to factors not necessarily about the actual day-to-day job itself, but rather about the supportive aspects of working life. For instance, if a mother is able to leave work early to pick up her kids or meet other home life obligations – all with the express support and encouragement of their employer – that’s hugely valuable for them.

The data shows this: work flexibility (44% vs. 31.6%) and moral / emotional support from the company (13.6% vs. 9.4%) are more important for females than males.

This is not to suggest that job-specific factors are not important to those identifying as female – rather, these responses indicate that there are other needs that have to be met in order to make their working arrangement feasible and better aligned with their personal needs and priorities.

“With more moms in the workforce than ever, there is flexibility lacking in schedules to accommodate children related needs. Child care is astronomical and salaries are not reflecting that.”

Minorities want more support

One of the demographic questions we asked in the survey was; “Do you identify as a member of a minority group (be it race, ethnicity, language, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender, or another characteristic)?”. A full third (33%) say they do, compared with 61.6% who say they don’t, and 5.3% prefer not to say. So we also looked at responses based on those answers.

We found significant differences in minority status here as well, particularly that compensation is more important for non-minorities than it is for minorities (67.9% vs. 55.1%).

So, what’s more important in a new job opportunity for someone who identifies as a minority? Training & development (18.9% vs. 13.5%) and moral / emotional support from their company (11.4% vs. 6.1%) top the list in terms of how much they differ from non-minority answers.

Likewise, when asked about what their current employer could do to improve employee experience, minorities pointed to career growth (38.7% vs. 28.5%), work flexibility (32.3% vs. 23.5%) and day-to-day work support (21.5% vs. 14.9%) as areas in need of improvement.

Of those who are open to other opportunities, those identifying as a minority are much more likely to pick “I need more meaning in my work” (23.8% vs. 16%) as a reason for doing so.

This isn’t to suggest that compensation isn’t important for someone who identifies as a minority – it, as said above, remains the top factor across all groups. It’s also important to note that the question of “Why are you looking for – or open to – new opportunities?” asked respondents to pick just one reason from a list, whereas for the other questions, they could choose up to three items. So if they must choose one priority and disregard all others, compensation will generally top the list.

Compensation aside, these results indicate that minorities are more likely to want support from their employer in other areas than non-minorities. Plus, there’s a clear need to feel more engaged in their work – likewise something that can be delivered by a thoughtful and empathetic employer as much as the role itself. The overall amplification of voices highlighting DEI in society may be a factor in all that.

Compensation grows with age

Likewise, we found differences across ages. Salary is more valued in older generations, whereas career growth opportunities tend to be more valued by younger generations. Those in the 21-29 age bracket ranked salary significantly less than those in the 40-49 and 50-59 age brackets (51% vs. 67.9% and 69.9% respectively).

Career growth opportunities trends the opposite direction, with those in the 21-29 and 30-39 age brackets valuing that higher than those in the 50-59 age bracket (40.7% vs. 33.1%).

This makes sense, as those in older generations will tend to be past the peak of their career development and starting to migrate out of the workforce, while those in younger generations may see the opportunity to grow in a career as having much stronger long-term benefit than straight-up compensation.

Plus, younger generations tend to have fewer financial obligations than their older, more settled counterparts – and therefore can be more flexible in what they need in a job.

Why is all this stuff important?

Let’s face facts. Money makes the world go around. It’s also a powerful measuring stick when showing the value you place on what someone brings to your company. Also, the correlation between money and happiness has been established in studies, including a widely cited one by Matthew Killingsworth of Penn’s Wharton School in Philadelphia.

And the reason why, says Killingsworth:

“When you have more money, you have more choices about how to live your life. You can likely see this in the pandemic. People living paycheck to paycheck who lose their job might need to take the first available job to stay afloat, even if it’s one they dislike. People with a financial cushion can wait for one that’s a better fit. Across decisions big and small, having more money gives a person more choices and a greater sense of autonomy.”

More choices, more autonomy, more command over all aspects of life. Keep that thought in mind as you proceed in your talent attraction game.

This is an excerpt from our Great Discontent survey report – want to read the whole thing? Check it out here.

The post Not everyone in the US values the same things in a job appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Different UK workers appreciate different things in a job

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:09:37 +0000

So, let’s take a look at what those popular features are for each demographic, according to our Great Discontent survey of 500 workers in the UK.

Females want more flexibility

First, we found differences by gender identity. Those identifying as male lean to factors around longevity and ascension, such as job security (43.7% vs. 36.1%) and career growth opportunities (30.8% vs. 26.1%), when thinking about what would lure them to a new opportunity.

The data shows this: work flexibility (47% vs. 39.3%) and moral / emotional support from the company (13.7% vs. 9.3%) are more important for females in the UK than for males. Day-to-day work support also is preferred more by females – 11.2% choose this attractor compared with 8.1% of males.

The priority of compensation doesn’t differ all that much – both genders ranked it equally high (71.7% for males, 69.5% for females).

This is not to suggest that career growth and job security aren’t important to those identifying as female – rather, these responses indicate that there are other needs that have to be met in order to make their working arrangement feasible and better aligned with their personal needs and priorities.

Minorities want more support

One of the demographic questions we asked in the survey was; “Do you identify as a member of a minority group (be it race, ethnicity, language, religion, country of origin, sexual orientation, gender, or another characteristic)?”. Three out of 10 (30.9%) say they do, compared with 66.1% who say they don’t, and 3% prefer not to say. So we also looked at responses based on those answers.

We found significant differences in minority status when asking about top attractors to a new job. Those identifying as a minority placed less priority on the most popular items than their non-minority peers, particularly compensation (58.7%% vs. 75.2%). We also found significant differences in work flexibility (36.8% vs, 46.8%) and job security (35.5% vs. 41.7%).

So, what’s more important in a new job opportunity for someone who identifies as a minority? Career growth opportunities (35.5% vs. 25.7%) is a big one, followed by training & development (25.2% vs. 21.1%).

Although not a popular overall item, moral / emotional support from their company (14.8% vs. 6.9%) is still a much higher priority for minority respondents than for non-minority respondents.

Likewise, when asked about what their current employer could do to improve employee experience, minorities are twice as likely to want more clarity of job role and responsibilities (28% vs. 13.3%), and more likely to want better career growth opportunities (39.2% vs. 27.6%).

Again, this doesn’t mean that salary isn’t important for those identifying as minorities. In fact, it’s actually more so. When asked to choose just one reason why they’re looking for – or open to – new opportunities, three out of five (59.5%) picked compensation, compared with half (50.6%) of non-minorities.

“I need more meaning in my work” is also a more popular reason for minorities than non-minorities (26% vs. 20%), and “I need more support in my work” is likewise a higher priority (13.7% vs. 6.4%).

On the flip side, non-minorities are more likely to say they don’t feel valued in their present capacity (15.3% vs. 10.7%).

This suggests that minorities in the UK are more likely to want support from their employer in other areas in addition to compensation. There’s also a need to find more meaning in work, something that can also be delivered by a thoughtful and supportive employer who values its people.

Compensation grows with age

Likewise, we found differences across ages among UK workers. Salary is more valued in older generations, whereas career growth opportunities are more valued by younger generations. Those in the combined 21-39 age bracket ranked salary less than those in the 40-59 age brackets did (66.9%-67.9% vs. 71.5%-77.6%).

Career growth opportunities trends sharply in the opposite direction, with those in the 21-29 age bracket valuing that significantly higher than those in the combined 40-59 age bracket (39.3% vs. 24.3%-24.7%).

Younger generations also lean to training and development whereas their older peers are more aligned with the need for job security.

This makes sense, as those in older generations will tend to be past the peak of their career development and starting to migrate out of the workforce – perhaps increasing the need to build up their financial support base as they prepare for retirement.

Younger generations, on the other hand, are heavily inclined towards progressing in their career with training & development being a logical ingredient in that.

Why is all this stuff important?

Let’s face facts. Money makes the world go around. It’s also a powerful measuring stick when showing the value you place on what someone brings to your company. Also, the correlation between money and happiness has been strongly established, including in a comprehensive survey carried out in 2016.

And the reason why, says study author Matthew Killingsworth of Penn’s Wharton School, who carried out a similar study in the US:

“When you have more money, you have more choices about how to live your life. You can likely see this in the pandemic. People living paycheque to paycheque who lose their job might need to take the first available job to stay afloat, even if it’s one they dislike. People with a financial cushion can wait for one that’s a better fit. Across decisions big and small, having more money gives a person more choices and a greater sense of autonomy.”

More choices, more autonomy, more command over all aspects of life. Keep that thought in mind as you proceed in your talent attraction game.

This is an excerpt from our Great Discontent survey report – want to read the whole thing? Check it out here.

The post Different UK workers appreciate different things in a job appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to optimize your hiring & recruitment funnel with metrics

Suzanne Lucas — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 14:49:25 +0000

You have used a funnel to pour gasoline into your lawnmower or salad dressing into a narrow-necked bottle, but have you thought about using a funnel to recruit and hire?

All funnels start broad and narrow, resulting in a small amount going into the container. A hiring and recruitment funnel does that with one big difference from how you fill your lawnmower – a recruitment funnel gets narrower because candidates fall to the wayside. Not everyone within your funnel will land the job.

Here’s how it works and how you can use this tool to get a great candidate pool and, ultimately, the right people in the right positions.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is a recruitment funnel?
Why is a hiring funnel important?
How to create and optimize a hiring funnel
Metrics to monitor at each stage of a recruitment funnel

What is a recruitment funnel?

Recruiters don’t have a universal agreement on what constitutes a recruitment funnel, but they generally follow the same sort of progression. Here is what a recruitment funnel looks like.

1. Brand awareness

If a recruiter contacts just about anyone in the world and says, “Hi! I’m calling from Google about a position doing X,” the person will already have an opinion about the company. But, when you call and say, “Hi, I’m calling from Joe’s House of Accounting,” the person is far less likely to know what you are talking about.

While many candidates apply to companies they know very little about, and recruiters reach out about companies the candidate has never heard of, you increase positive responses if you can increase your reputation as an employer of choice.

Forty-seven percent of people work for small businesses. Most likely, people outside the area won’t recognize the company as an employer of choice. Changing that can dramatically change how you hire. Getting people to know what you do as a company and that you are a good company to work for can make a huge difference in hiring – it’s a core element of recruitment marketing.

2. Attracting candidates

Not everyone that knows about your company (the Brand Awareness funnel level) will apply for a job with you. This is the first narrowing, and it’s steep! But you want to keep it as wide as possible.

Well-crafted job descriptions are a critical step in this. If the job isn’t straightforward, or the requirements are too detailed and steep, you won’t get applicants. Having referral bonuses for your current employees can also bring candidates into your funnel. Targeted advertising or recruiters who search for candidates can also bring people in.

There isn’t one way to attract candidates, but you must get applicants to apply.

And a word of caution: If your online application process is too long and tedious, you’ll lose out on candidates who aren’t desperate. Asking questions that require long answers or making people input every line of their resume are things that drive candidates away.

3. Screening candidates

This is the next step in the narrowing neck. You can use an applicant tracking system to help you narrow candidates down, but depending on the number of candidates, it may be best to have a human look at each candidate. Humans can make connections that an ATS cannot.

There are often several layers of screening. The first may be the standard “six-second review’ where a recruiter determines if a resume is worth looking at closely. Then comes a thorough reading for those that passed the six seconds, and finally a screening call.

Businesses vary in how they do this type of screening. Some recruiters skip phone screens altogether. Some use recorded video interviews to narrow the funnel. And some recruiters use text messaging to reach out to and evaluate candidates. Whatever method your business uses, this is an essential step for the recruiter to shorten the list of candidates.

Some hiring managers prefer to do this screening themselves rather than having a recruiter do it. This works well when there are only a few candidates, but when you get 100-plus applicants for an open position, it can overwhelm even experienced recruiters or hiring managers.

4. Interviewing

The top candidates from the screening make it to this narrow neck of the funnel. Traditionally, this hiring process step is an in-person interview with the hiring manager or hiring panel, but now this step may take place via video conferencing.

This step is often where hiring managers create an unnecessary clog. It’s not unheard of to have three, four, or even more rounds of interviews at this stage, with the idea of narrowing it down to one candidate. However, candidates aren’t likely to stay around for a fifth round of interviews with the current job market.

Ideally, at the end of a single round of interviews, the hiring manager should know which candidate would be best and which would be a close second. At this point, you really should have no more than one or two candidates in the funnel.

5. Background check

Some companies make the job offer first, and some do a background check first. Either way, the background check is an essential last screening of a candidate. Is the information on the resume accurate, or did the candidate embellish their accomplishments or say they have degrees when they never graduated?

Checking with former managers, running criminal checks, and (when appropriate) credit reports are all part of this final step of hiring. Most companies do wait until the very end of the process to run this type of check. In the end, you should know whether someone will be a good fit for your organization.

6. The job offer

While candidates can leave the funnel at any time during this process, the job offer is where companies worry. They’ve gone through the entire process and selected this person, and now it’s time for this person to accept, negotiate, or reject the offer outright.

If you haven’t been upfront about salary expectations, or whether the position is remote or in office or hybrid, you may find yourself back at the interviewing step of the funnel and hoping that the other candidates are still around.

If the candidate accepts, you may think you are entirely done with the recruiting funnel for this position. But, there is one more step.

7. Onboarding

It’s one thing to make an offer and have the candidate accept it. It’s another to have that person show up and work. Ghosting or traditional quitting with notice, especially during the first 90 days, shows a problem with recruiting. Did you hire the wrong person? Did you lie to the candidate about what to expect? Are your salaries not competitive?

Companies may widen the job offer part of the funnel for high-turnover positions and offer places to more people than they need in the knowledge that some won’t survive the 90 days of onboarding.

But, after that 90 days is over, if the person is still there, congratulations! You’ve successfully navigated the recruitment funnel, and now it’s on to the next person.

Why is a hiring funnel important?

You can do hiring without thinking of a funnel. You may never have heard of the recruiting and hiring funnel, but you have one, but it probably is lopsided and sloshes the candidates around, making more of a mess than you need to.

When you have a clear hiring and recruiting funnel, you can look at every step and optimize what you need for you and your business. If you neglect to consider your company’s reputation, it will be challenging to gain qualified applicants. If your application process is tedious and filled with unnecessary steps, your funnel will fail at that spot.

When you keep in mind that each step is meant to narrow down the list and move people forward, you can create a better candidate experience.

How to create and optimize a hiring funnel

You have a hiring funnel already, even if you haven’t thought about it. Even if you hire everyone who walks through the door, not everyone is coming in and surviving the onboarding period.

Creating and optimizing a hiring funnel isn’t as difficult as it may seem. Here are the steps.

1. Acknowledge you need a funnel!

This may seem ridiculous, but acknowledging it and creating one go hand in hand. When you look at increasing company visibility or the company’s reputation, you’ll be talking to people outside HR, and you need to explain the funnel concept.

2. Write down each of the steps for your funnel.

These may or may not be exactly what is listed above. If your business requires a security clearance, that needs to be part of the funnel. If you have testing that candidates must pass, that is part of your funnel.

3. Create metrics for each step (see below).

Ask yourself: How will I know if I’m successful? If you can’t come up with that, then rethink what you need at each stage of the funnel.

4. Get buy-in from all relevant stakeholders.

Your funnel can be great, but if your onboarding stinks, everything falls apart. If it takes six rounds of interviews to make a decision, you’ll have people climbing out of your funnel faster than you can make an offer.

5. Apply the funnel to your recruiting efforts.

Monitor it at each step to make sure you are using the best tools possible and maximizing your productivity.

Do this and you’ll have your funnel running!

Metrics to monitor at each stage of a recruitment funnel

If you can’t measure it, it’s not real. Applying metrics at each step of your process helps you know when you’re successful and when you need to make changes. Here are some metrics you can apply to each step of the funnel.

1. Brand awareness

You can speak with your marketing people about how well known your company is, but there are things you can check directly:

How many hits are you getting to your company webpage?
What about followers on social media?
How about your Glassdoor page?

All these things indicate how many people know about your company and brand.

2. Attracting candidates

The easiest metric is how many people apply to positions, but it’s not quite that simple. If you’re hiring for entry level positions, you’ll get a lot more applicants then you will if you’re hiring looking for a highly specialized senior position.

So, don’t only look at the number of applicants – look at the following:

Applicants per position
Internal applicants
External applicants
Employee referrals
Hits on your careers page and conversion rate
Hits on your job board page and conversion rate
Number of people who start to fill out your application and then drop off

These things can all help you refine your methods.

3. Screening candidates

Take a look at the number of applicants that meet the job requirements. That can tell you if your job descriptions are well written – numerous unqualified applicants may mean you need to edit the descriptions.

4. Interviews

Consider looking at the number of candidates who are qualified and could do the job. This helps you measure your screening process and your job descriptions. But, you can also use this as an opportunity to evaluate what training you need to do with your hiring managers.

How many rounds of interviews do they need? (Ideally, you want this to be a low number!) If you have candidates that meet with multiple people, take a look at how their evaluations correlate. Are you getting accurate views of each candidate?

5. Background check

While you may be looking at pass/fail, that doesn’t tell you a lot about your funnel (although it may tell about your ability to be snowed under by someone who says they’ve done things they haven’t). Instead, take a look at your turnaround time.

Again, right now it’s a job seeker’s market: if your background checks take three weeks, you’ll lose candidates.

6. Offers

Measure offers made to offers received. Also take a look at negotiations. While negotiating is standard, counting on candidates to negotiate will have a disparate impact on groups who are less likely to negotiate.

Make your highest and best offer first, and then look at your acceptance rate. If that acceptance rate is falling, then you probably need to increase your pay and benefits.

7. Onboarding

Of course, you want to look at your failure rate – people who quit before a 90-day period is over. But, you also want to look at performance for new hires as well. This can tell you about your training programs as well as your candidate evaluation skills in the screening and interview stages.

Standardize and measure

If you take a look at all these metrics regularly, you can create a funnel that gives you quality employees.

Understanding your recruitment funnel can really help you to maximize your recruiting efforts and bring on the best candidates.

The post How to optimize your hiring & recruitment funnel with metrics appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2021

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 21:24:01 +0000

More specific to you: we know that data trends are important to you when recruiting in the SMB world. You and your hiring team want to know whether the trends you’re seeing in your own processes are ‘normal’. Because we’re not even sure what ‘normal’ is anymore, we’re moving away from year-over-year and month-over-month data because those don’t make sense.

So, we’re taking a fresh approach so you can make the most informed decisions as an SMB employer when assessing your own data.

How we’re looking at data

Remember, we’re looking at trends, not hard numbers. This means we’re showing data as a percentage increase or decrease based on the three trailing months. Jump to the end for a detailed methodology of how we’re doing this.

As always, we look at the worldwide trends for three common SMB hiring metrics:

Time to Fill (TTF)
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire (CPH)

And we’re making it more interesting by looking at the data in three specific industries to see how they differ in each.

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month’s Hiring Pulse are:

Time to Fill is continuing to drop overall
Candidates per job are also continuing to drop overall
Real Estate recruitment data is far more pronounced than overall data, especially in jobs opened and candidates per hire

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled.

Let’s look at the trend graph for overall Time to Fill …

… and then look at the same graph for the September edition of the Hiring Pulse. You’ll see that the numbers are slightly different across all months – that’s because the data only counts when a job is filled.

It’s important that we understand this distinction: if a job is opened in July but isn’t filled until September, it won’t show up in this graph. If another job is opened on the same day in July but is filled in August, it’ll show up here – which will partially explain the downward trend in TTF numbers in recent months.

But, that being said, in September’s Hiring Pulse, the last month recorded (July 2021) shows a negative TTF trend of -17.9% compared with the trailing three-month average. Here, the last month recorded (August 2021) shows an even more negative trend of -28.4%.

Both include the same variables described in the previous paragraph, so something’s happening here. Time to Fill is steadily dropping overall.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

Let’s look at job openings overall, bearing in mind that because these are raw job open numbers, we can include September in this chart.

Note: September is the start of the traditional hiring season as we come out of summer, when post-secondary graduates enter the job market, kids return to school enabling parents to start working, and so on and so forth. Of course, the pandemic throws a particular wrench into this as we see in the data in 2020.

But this time, there’s a gentle uptick in job openings in September 2021 – a 4.1% increase in job openings compared with the average of the three previous months. Healthier economy? Fresh hiring season? Spike in backfills due to the Great Resignation? You decide.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled. Let’s look at what’s going on in the numbers through August:

(NOTE: Again, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in August. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

When you compare with the same graph from September’s Hiring Pulse, you’ll see a little bump in July – because more candidates will show up on the doorstep of a job going into July for a job opened in June. That’ll update the numbers in this new graph a bit.

But as in the Time to FIll chart, the downward trend is sharper in the latest month’s data. Fewer candidates are showing up per job than before.

4. Industry metrics

Now, let’s look at all of the above across three specific industries that are considerably impacted by the pandemic, whether positively or negatively:

Software as a Service (SaaS)
Retail
Real Estate

Software as a Service (SaaS)

First, let’s look at SaaS. In the early days of the pandemic, digital transformation was fast-tracked by many organizations as teams moved to remote operations and online work. This necessitated new tech for organizations to survive and thrive – especially as emphasized by Deloitte in April 2021 – and concurrently, opened huge windows of opportunity for existing and new SaaS organizations to innovate and grow. Consider the “digital nomad” wave in Europe as described by the Economist, and you have it in a nutshell.

Time to Fill – SaaS

What does all that look like in Workable’s network data? Let’s take a look at Time to Fill:

Clearly, there’s a pandemic marker where TTF numbers shortened in the early days of COVID-19, likely as SaaS companies found it easier to fill roles quickly due to a fresh influx of recently laid-off candidates in the market (see graph below). TTF then sped up throughout 2020 until it started to drop in Q4 2020, and sped up again from the start of 2021 to end of August.

Job Openings & Candidates per Hire – SaaS

Now, let’s look at total job openings and CPH for the SaaS sector:

Pretty dramatic stuff here. Job openings plummeted at the start of the pandemic as SaaS and other SMBs reduced or froze hiring – and laid off employees – as they shifted to survival mode.

Then in June 2020 onwards, job openings surged and candidates per hire dropped measurably through to Q4 2020 likely in response to steady and increased DX needs, where SaaSers hired at a torrid pace to further develop their tech to meet that demand. Finally, the numbers start to stabilize at the end of 2020 before seeing another surge in the first three months of 2021.

As we pass through mid-2021, we’re still seeing a moderately positive trend in job openings – yet a sharp downward trend in CPH during the same time period with the exception of near-zero change in July 2021 compared with the trailing three-month average.

Retail

The second area we’re looking at is Retail, specifically because it’s one of the hardest-hit sectors when it comes to job quit rates in the United States according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to JOLTS, it’s second only to Accommodation & Food Services with a quit rate of 4.4 – meaning, 4.4% of total employment for the month of July.

Time to Fill – Retail

What does TTF for Retail look like in Workable’s network data? Let’s take a look:

Very erratic graph here that can be explained by two things: Retail TTF remained relatively stable from one month to the next throughout this period, making any shift of more than several days a dramatic one when we look at it as a trend compared with previous months.

Secondly, the retail sector is hit hard by the pandemic – as stated in another Deloitte report: “Retail orthodoxies will be challenged, and the industry will likely look much different than when we entered this crisis.” It’s a destabilized time for retail, and that’ll ultimately show in hiring data.

Job Openings & Candidates per Hire – Retail

Now, let’s look at the job opens and CPH for retail:

No surprise here. As consumerism took a dive in early 2020 and people stopped going out and spending their money, retail outlets suffered and many shut down – as in SaaS, we see a surge of candidates who had flooded the market as a result. After enduring a particularly tough COVID-19 winter in the United States and Europe, cases dropped significantly across the board and we see a surge in job openings to the end of Q1 2021 as retailers started opening up again.

Moving through Q3 2021, we see job opening trends continue at a positive rate. CPH numbers continue to trend downwards however – despite an uptick in July – likely as a reflection of the Great Resignation.

Real Estate

And finally, we take a look at Real Estate. Home prices and home sales are just going through the roof since the onset of the pandemic – we can surmise on the “why” of it, but let’s focus on the recruitment metrics here. When there’s much more activity in this sector, there’ll be more employment opportunities, right?

Time to Fill – Real Estate

So, let’s look at Time to Fill for the Real Estate sector:

Real estate sales are often seasonal – they rise in the summer months and cool down when the weather gets colder. Pandemic aside, we see this in the TTF metrics – less urgency is put on real estate hires at the end of 2020 and start of 2021.

As real estate heated at a torrid pace through March/April/May 2021, TTF dropped significantly, valleying in May with a 26.8% drop in time to fill compared with the three previous months. Don’t let that spike in July 2021 fool you – it’s still a negative trend of -3%, meaning TTF is still shortening every month even after dropping so dramatically in Q2.

Job Openings & Candidates per Hire – Real Estate

Now, let’s look at the job opens and CPH:

Now what’s very interesting here is that the numbers here for retail feel like a fun-house mirror version of the overall data. Overall, June, July and August show a positive trend for job openings with 6.8%, 6.7%, and 2.4% per month respectively, compared with -0.8%, 9.5%, and 18.4% in the real estate sector.

We see similarly dramatic differences in CPH data: overall, June, July, and August show a negative trend of -12.7%, -9.6%, and -27.3% per month respectively, compared with a much more negative trend of -34.1%, -44.7%, and -31.3% for the same three months in real estate.

That is a huge downward trend right there. One might suggest that this is partly a consequence of the Great Resignation, but JOLTS data places real estate only in the middle of the list of sectors when it comes to job quit rates.

Maybe it’s just an organic shift in career choices. Perhaps there’s skittishness about real estate in that the bubble might eventually burst – and so, job applicants are applying for jobs that have more assurance of longevity and security.

Conclusion

Something to think about: in recruitment metrics, September will prove to be a catalytic month. Reuters reported at the start of September that U.S. childcare workers are in short supply – which would have a domino effect on workers, especially mothers, who must make concessions in their working schedule to accommodate their younger children.

Combine that with uncertainty around Delta – and whatever new variant may be around the corner – and we still have a lot of uncertainty.

Yet, we don’t have all the data in front of us as the calculations for Time to Fill and Candidates per Hire data are not complete for more recent jobs – when a job takes a month or two to fill, we’ll be in November before we have reliable numbers to look at for September. Our Hiring Pulse comes out on the first Tuesday of every month – we’ll have something for you then.

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for October 2021 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Great Discontent: It’s time to evolve your US talent attraction

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:43:50 +0000

Let’s start by looking at how we got here in the first place. We’re in a strange age right now.

We’ve seen a volatile transition from one presidential administration to another. We’ve seen the increased awareness of issues in the form of Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, and other socially dynamic movements. We’re still navigating a terrifying virus.

And what’s happening among all this is that we’re experiencing an upheaval of the way we operate as a society – both at home and in the workplace.

What’s also happening – and something you’re likely noticing as an employer – is unprecedentedly high levels in job quit rates in the United States, coupled with equally striking levels in job openings. This graph from the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) speaks volumes:

People in the United States aren’t merely changing jobs. They’re bowing out of the traditional workforce altogether. It signals a discontent unseen in our history.

“The Great Resignation” is no longer a prediction; it’s a current reality, and it’s evolved to a Great Discontent. It’s becoming more challenging to motivate people to stay in their jobs, and harder to attract candidates to new roles. Data from the Workable network confirms this as well.

We see this, and we want to help you – the employer – overcome this challenge. After all, you need your people.

So we surveyed 750 people in the US – some employed, some self-employed, some unemployed, all more or less employable – to understand the most important factors influencing their career priorities. And now, we have results.

We identified four major themes in the dataset:

Money still talks

Despite all the new workplace developments, salary, perks and benefits are still top of mind. People want – and need – more of it when working.

Flexy is sexy

Flexible work arrangements are important to many workers – and much more for women than men – but it’s not as high of a priority for their employers.

The power of connectivity

No matter the kind of work involved, people are at the heart of it all. When people feel connected to their colleagues and leadership, they’ll stay and they’ll thrive.

There’s no place like home

Integrating personal and professional lives is very important for people – it’s the top reason why those not working aren’t working and the top benefit of flexible work.

Major takeaways include the following:

Want to attract people? Increase the salary, and build up the perks and benefits. 63.4% say it’s the reason why they’re looking for other opportunities, and 62.2% say salary, perks and benefits represent the top factor influencing their decision whether to accept a new job.
Build strong teams with people who work well together. Relationships with colleagues is the number-one most attractive factor about a potential new employer (37.1%), and a major area for improvement at their current employer (31.3%).
Make it worthwhile for your workers to stay. Seven out of 10 (70.7%) respondents say they are either actively or passively looking for work, and 54% started looking just in the last half year.
Pay attention to your younger workers. More than two out of five (42.8%) of those aged 21-29 say they’re actively looking for a new job, compared with just one quarter (24.7%) of those aged 50-59.
Establish remote work and especially flexible schedules as a permanent policy. Both are highly valued by workers, with 58.2% saying flexible schedules are important to them – particularly because it’s easier to integrate personal and professional lives.
Keep an eye on the potential disconnect between you and your employees in the importance of flexible work. Nearly half think their employer will ultimately return to in-office (44.7%) and set schedules (46.8%).
Support your employees’ home lives as well as their work lives – especially if they’re women. Females are more than twice as likely as males to cite family priorities as the reason why they’re not working (39.4% vs. 19.3%).

Read more: check out our in-depth analysis of what matters most to workers in the United States in a job. Or stay tuned for the next excerpt from our Great Discontent survey report for the US.

Interested in seeing what’s going on at the other side of the pond? Check out our UK version of the Great Discontent report in its entirety.

The post Great Discontent: It’s time to evolve your US talent attraction appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Evolve your UK talent attraction and survive the Great Discontent

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:42:44 +0000

That’s a pretty loaded question, we admit. But it’s an important one. Let’s start by looking at how we ended up here in the first place – we’re in a strange age right now.

We’ve seen a volatile exit of the UK from the European Union in the form of Brexit, combined with a terrifying virus, both of which have shaken our society at the foundation – leading to economic and social upheaval at home and in the workplace.

What’s also happening – and something you’re likely noticing as an employer – is a mass talent exodus in the country, with one study by Workable partner Personio finding that four out of 10 UK employees will leave their job in the next six to 12 months.

This puts the onus on you, the employer, to take action, and quickly, says Personio CEO Hanno Renner:

“As businesses look to emerge from the crisis in a position of strength and turn the tide on the costs of a potential talent exodus, they now need to come up with a long-term people strategy. By prioritising their people and taking a more strategic approach to people management, employers can prevent an impending talent drain and drive their business performance as well as the wider economy.”

“The Great Resignation” is no longer a prediction. it’s a current reality, and it’s evolved to a Great Discontent. It’s becoming more challenging to motivate people to stay in their jobs, and harder to attract candidates to new roles. Data from the Workable network confirms this as well.

We see this, and we want to help you – the employer – overcome this challenge. After all, you need your people.

So we surveyed 500 people in the UK – some employed, some self-employed, some unemployed, all generally employable – to understand the most important factors influencing their career priorities. And now, we have results.

We identified four major themes in the dataset:

Money still talks

Despite all the new workplace developments, salary, perks and benefits are still top of mind in a job. People want – and need – more of it when working.

Flexy is sexy

Flexible work arrangements are important to many workers – and especially more so for women – but it’s not as high of a priority for their employers.

The power of connectivity

No matter the kind of work involved, people are at the heart of it all. When people feel connected to their colleagues and leadership, they’ll stay and they’ll thrive.

There’s no place like home

Integrating personal and professional lives is very important for people – it’s the top reason why those not working aren’t working and the top benefit of flexible work.

Major takeaways include the following:

Want to attract people? Increase the salary, and build up the perks and benefits. 70.1% of workers say that’s one of the top reasons why they’ll bolt to a new job.
Build strong teams with people who work well together. Relationships with colleagues is the number-one most attractive factor about a potential new employer (47.3%), and also the top area in need of improvement at their current employer (31.8%).
Make it worthwhile for your workers to stay. Three quarters of respondents (74.6%) say they are either actively or passively looking for work right now – and 56.6% started looking within the last half year.
Pay attention to your younger working population. More than two out of five (41.7%) of those aged 21-29 are actively looking, compared with just 12.9% of those aged 50-59.
Establish remote work and especially flexible schedules as a permanent policy. Both are highly valued by workers, with 53.8% saying flexible schedules are important to them – particularly because it’s easier to integrate personal and professional lives.
Mind that disconnect between you and your employees in the importance of flexible work. Nearly half think their employer will ultimately return to in-office (44.7%) and fixed schedules (46.8%).
Support your employees’ home lives as well as their work lives – especially if they’re women. Females are more than six times as likely as males to cite family priorities as the reason why they’re not working (41.7% vs. 6.7%).

Read more – check out our in-depth analysis of what matters most to workers in the UK in a job. Or stay tuned until next week for the next excerpt from our Great Discontent survey report for the UK.

Interested in seeing what’s going on at the other side of the pond? Check out our US version of the Great Discontent report in its entirety.

The post Evolve your UK talent attraction and survive the Great Discontent appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Auditing to improve the HR workflow

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 13:47:42 +0000

HR professionals are no stranger to audits. If you ask an HR professional how they spend the bulk of their time, you’ll hear the same response: auditing.

HR audits are a critical part of ensuring an organization’s employees are productive, satisfied and constantly improving. Audits are kind of like checklists for HR managers. According to SHRM, audits are most commonly used to go over current HR policies, systems, documentations and other various aspects within an organization.

After working in human resources for various corporate organizations over the last 20 years, I know firsthand how important auditing is to both HR professionals and to the overall health of an organization. Audits and productivity go hand in hand.

Here are a few auditing tips for HR professionals to facilitate an organization’s workflow.

Focus on the employee experience
Fine-tune your candidate experience
Conduct ROI analyses
Create consistent audit schedules
Survey your employees

1. Focus on the employee experience

When auditing an organization’s workflow, the best place to start is by focusing on the organization’s employee experiences. Look at the recruiting, onboarding, service/performance milestones, and administrative processes you have in place. Ask yourself, are they intuitive? Are they simple? Are they effective?

If not, identify areas of improvement within the organization so employees will want to brag about where they work. If employees have positive experiences, they’re more likely to be more productive.

Factors that may contribute to a positive employee experience include:

Additionally, employees with a more positive experience are more likely to produce higher rates of employee retention, customer satisfaction, profitability and work performance.

Read more: Josh Bersin also has a lot to say on the subject of employee experience. Check out our top 10 insights from a recent webinar.

Because of the abundance of hiring laws involved in nearly each step of the employment process, it is also critical for HR professionals to constantly conduct audits to ensure their organization’s workflow is in compliance with all applicable policies and laws in their jurisdiction.

2. Fine-tune your candidate sourcing

Whether or not your candidate sourcing process is effective can also have a massive outcome on the number of new hires your organization receives, as well as the types of hires your organization receives.

How often an organization audits its candidate sourcing practice will vary from business to business. An easy rule of thumb to remember is, if your hiring successes are low, then your audit has been delayed for too long.

Start out by determining how candidates are entering your hiring pipeline, from what sources, and whether or not you’re finding the right kind of talent. Are you using hiring boards? Social media? Have you noticed a pattern since using these sources?

Experience the process as a candidate

This step is more focused on mapping out a potential candidate’s journey. By doing this, HR professionals can clearly see an overview of what an organization’s application process looks like, and whether or not it is effective.

It is important to constantly adjust these processes to ensure your organization is focusing on hiring relevant talent that will only contribute to the growth of an organization.

Define your candidate persona

Additionally, in order to effectively recruit potential employees with relevant work experience for your organization, you must determine more than just where and how candidates are applying in the first place. Start by creating a candidate persona and aligning that persona to the employer’s or organization’s brand.

Next, check the engagement numbers on each of your recruiting platforms. Is posting on Instagram more effective than posting on LinkedIn? Is that technique bringing in large amounts of potential candidates with relevant work experience?

Auditing the hiring process goes beyond avoiding candidates with little to no relevant experience. Ultimately, it saves an organization time, money, energy and resources.

3. Conduct ROI analyses

Return On Investment (ROI) is a term used when measuring the financial return on an investment made. This concept can be applied in HR when conducting audits to analyze employee productivity, budgets, future initiatives, and of course, an ATS.

If you’re looking to build a case for a new ATS, we’ve got an ATS ROI Calculator to get you started. You can tell your decision makers that a good ATS can save your business $127,875 annually – no exaggeration!

When auditing an organization, you should also analyze your budget forecast and scrutinize your spend. This can be achieved by determining which items make sense to continue to invest in and which areas are no longer needed.

This ultimately frees up dollars to improve the HR workflow. Organizations can gauge whether or not they need to reinvest in employees, or save for a future initiative. ROI analyses help HR professionals clearly see what is worth spending on, rather than continuing to spend company dollars on expenses that have a low ROI.

4. Create consistent audit schedules

Most HR processes are heavily dependent upon employee data. Keeping the data clean and updated is imperative in order to create analytics dashboards that help your organization make important people and business decisions. Audits are a reflection of the data at your organization. If your audits are consistent and accurate, then it will reflect in the data you collect.

Regular process audits keep data clean and serve to identify breaks in the process before those breaks become a huge problem. Process audits examine a set of results and then determine whether the activities, resources and behaviors that caused those results are being managed effectively and efficiently.

HR professionals will most likely create a schedule for their process audits, either annually, monthly or quarterly. Each organization’s auditing needs will vary based on many different factors such as the employee workforce population size, the company’s size as well as the company’s overall goals.

Process audits can also help HR teams better assign roles and responsibilities within the team, identify administrative burdens and ways to resolve them, and whether or not the process is worth continuing altogether. In turn, process audits boost the overall productivity of an organization.

5. Survey your employees

Surveys are an important tool, often overlooked by many organizations and HR professionals. The best and most effective way to know what your HR team should be focused on, is by simply asking your employees.

Begin outlining your survey by deciding what type of survey you would like to conduct in order to answer your question. Different types of surveys produce different outcomes. Do you want to conduct a qualitative survey, focused on written feedback? Or would you like to gather data by using a quantitative survey instead?

Planning these surveys out can be easy and quick, depending on the content and length of each survey question.

Surveys, while sometimes cumbersome, provide the insight you want and the opinions you need to hear to overhaul processes and develop a meaningful people strategy. They blatantly show us what we should be focusing on, as well as how employees feel toward certain elements of your organization.

Employees are willing to tell you where you are falling short, what things they love about the company, and what things need more attention. Asking for employee feedback also establishes a level of trust between supervisors and employees; if employees feel safe enough to give quality, in-depth feedback, most HR professionals can assume they have a high level of trust with them.

Auditing is worth the time

While auditing may seem like an unnecessary or time consuming process to many people, HR professionals know how important auditing is. Auditing an organization’s processes, employees, investment returns and hiring practices ultimately give HR professionals a clear picture of what’s working and what isn’t.

They save organizations time, money and resources while continuously striving for improvement and improving workflow. That’s exactly why audits should be included in every organization’s HR toolbelt moving forward.

The post Auditing to improve the HR workflow appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Post-COVID tech talent: the gap and the bridge

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 13:56:26 +0000

The post-COVID job market seems to operate on different logic, particularly in the tech sector. The pandemic-induced digital transformation placed heavy demands on technology professionals, and much of our collective COVID success can be attributed to their solutions. Based on the aforementioned principle, there should be no shortage of talented professionals and early-career candidates flocking to tech.

But hiring managers across all industries are losing time and money in the struggle to fill their (often urgent) tech-related positions.

The talent battle and the mounting skills gap

When researchers at McKinsey & Co. sought to understand the apparent skills gap, they separated relevant technology skills into seven separate ‘battlegrounds.’ Offering CIOs across the globe their choice from the seven, they asked survey respondents what will matter most to their organization in the next three to five years.

The largest percentage of CIOs ranked data analytics, IT, mobile, and web design as the fields with the most talent mismatch – the highest amount of need and the lowest amount of supply.

Quantified, McKinsey’s experts are predicting a global deficit of 3.5 million cybersecurity positions by the end of this year. They expect that demand for agile skills in tech-related roles will outnumber supply by four to one, and the need for big data talent will be roughly 60% greater than the available labor. For a sector that’s shaping our post-COVID future, it’s not the demand-supply curve that one would expect.

Real continuous learning: evolution as we speak

The numbers paint an alarming image, but they don’t say much in the way of why. A crucial consideration is the rapid mental upkeep that the ongoing modernization of technology requires. A candidate today is required not only to have in-depth knowledge of existing systems, but also to understand how to transition from one system to another. Outdated programming languages, shifting organizational needs, and new-to-market vendors make intensive continuous learning a part of every tech-adjacent role.

Hiring managers and employers might ask themselves, then: are we supporting that learning? Generally, most leaders understand that training, re-skilling, and upskilling are all lifeboats in choppy COVID-19 waters. Turning to existing team members for new needs is not only cost-efficient, it’s necessary for a healthy corporate culture. 82% of global executives seem to understand that, but only 27% of McKinsey’s respondents said they’ve seen their employers pursue a talent transformation within the last two years.

Filling those seven areas of tech-related needs will require an artful combination of re-skilling, up-skilling, and open-minded recruitment methods that draw on alternate sources of talent. For post-COVID tech talent recruiters and hiring managers, below are a few promising ways to extend a talent search.

The post-COVID tech talent search: talent comes from anywhere

New candidates could determine the course of a company’s recovery; it’s crucial that employers remain open to talent in all of its many forms, shapes, sizes, and funnels. Beginning on a local level, accredited educational institutions should be a feature of every recruitment scheme. Developing relationships with nearby colleges and universities can help hiring teams engage early candidates and better understand the candidate’s skill set based on curricular offerings.

The pandemic has also shifted the educational landscape, bringing with it long-awaited changes. A number of options now exist on the market for certification and needs-aware training, helping candidates at any stage of the career train move toward the specific needs of their local job markets.

Partnering with training institutions, employers can not only engage with a self-motivated pool of applicants, they can help training professionals understand the nuances of what their local business ecosystem is seeking.

From soft skills training to advanced coding languages, local and virtual training courses are alternative talent pools, and recruitment teams should make every effort to be involved at the early stages.

The new professional ecosystem: a holistic approach

The current shortage landscape calls for non-traditional solutions. At the talent sourcing phase of the recruitment process, hiring managers can capitalize on educational settings, training platforms, and online certification offerings to find incredible talent that will be perfectly positioned to make an early contribution.

The vetting phase, too, requires new techniques. The number of self-taught IT professionals is higher than ever and continues to rise. Many candidates go through short skill acquisition programs that don’t hold the same weight as a formal degree on a resume.

But one look at their portfolio might make it clear that this is a candidate the company can’t afford to lose. Opening up the recruitment process not only to different sources of talent, but also different forms of credentials, is a crucial part of post-COVID tech talent hiring. Portfolios and skills tests should be as important, if not more important, to the hiring team.

To better understand the performance of the candidate outside of their credentials, hiring managers can involve senior IT executives within the company in the recruitment process. Roles are growing more sophisticated and malleable; it’s likely that the current employees know best the kind of competence and skills that would make the most beneficial addition to the team.

Tech-focused candidates want to speak the language of tech with other tech professionals. Rather than trying to get a full recruitment team up to speed, involving senior tech executives, and maybe those anchor hires, is the superior strategy.

Technology is driving business success and post-COVID enterprise relevance. But it won’t be a linear path to securing a well-staffed and well-supported team. Non-traditional strategies, from talent sourcing to skills assessment, will be needed to build a robust, diverse and competent team.

By partnering with education institutions and local training programs, giving due weight to a candidate’s portfolio, and involving tech professionals throughout the recruitment process, hiring managers and employers will have what they need to appeal to top talent and compete in the post-COVID hiring arena.

Pablo Listingart is the Founder and Executive Director of ComIT, a non-profit organization designed to help people overcome employment barriers and re-introduce themselves to the local market. With an extensive network, ComIT builds ever-changing courses tailored to industry needs, connecting promising graduates with companies in need of local talent.

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Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2021

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 13:44:15 +0000

We know that data trends are important to you when recruiting. You and your hiring team want to know whether the trends you’re seeing in your own processes are ‘normal’. But it no longer makes sense to go back to historical data – read: pre-pandemic – as a measuring stick.

Even year-over-year and month-over-month data doesn’t make sense either, due to the dramatic spikes and valleys we’re seeing in the job market – let alone the craziness that was 2020.

So, instead, we’re taking a new approach so you can make the most informed decisions as an SMB employer when assessing your own data.

Jump ahead:

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology
Main highlights
Time to Fill
Total Job Openings
Candidates per Hire
So what’s the conclusion here?

The Hiring Pulse: Methodology

Got it? Great. To start, we’re looking at the worldwide trends for three common hiring metrics: Time to Fill, Total Job Openings, and Candidates per Hire. The majority of the data is sourced from small and medium businesses across the Workable network, making it a powerful resource for SMBs when planning their own hiring strategy.

Stay tuned for more immersive analysis in the coming months – including industry-specific, function-specific, and location-specific reports.

Main highlights

The three main highlights for this month are:

A sharp downward trend in Time to Fill starting in Q2 2021
A significant spike in job openings in March 2021, followed by steady growth in job opening numbers every month after that
A drop in average candidates per hire every single month in 2021 – and dropping more significantly throughout Q2 2020

1. Time to Fill

For this report, Workable defines “Time to Fill” as the number of days from when a new job is opened to when that job opening is filled.

As you can see in the graph below, first of all, there’s a dramatic spike in Time to Fill coinciding with the start of the pandemic – more than likely due to many new job openings being put on hold in response to economic uncertainty.

But there’s also a clear upward trajectory in Time to Fill starting at the end of Q2 2020, followed by a dramatic downward trend in Time to Fill at the start of 2021 – and especially in Q2 2021. (Note that these trends are based on a trailing three-month average, making these changes even more dramatic.)

Let’s speculate a bit here, starting with the upward trends from mid-2020 to end 2020. We have three explanations in mind:

The recruitment process is managed by leaner teams and budgets due to drastic cutbacks in Q2 2020 – therefore slowing down the overall recruitment process.
The spike in unemployment in Q2 2020 contributed to a higher number of candidates per job opening – requiring more time to sift through candidate pools for a job.
The upwards trend towards the end of 2020 is due to slowdown in day-to-day work including the hiring process due to the holiday season.

And what about the drastic drop in Time to Fill trends in 2021? Again, we have three thoughts:

With the economy opening up again, businesses started hiring/re-hiring more quickly.
The lessons of 2020 include the need for more agile, nimbler processes requiring quicker turnaround, including in hiring.
Businesses are now hiring for stop-gap; to fill immediate needs in addition to longer-term solutions – especially when navigating a more volatile and unpredictable business environment.

(NOTE: You’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in July. That’s because the data is based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled. For instance, the Time to Fill for a job opening published on August 15 would be 15 days or less – therefore skewing the data. So we’ve omitted August for this chart.)

Let’s go to the next metric: overall job openings.

2. Total Job Openings

Total job openings represent the total number of job openings activated across the entire Workable network.

What we see is a significant decline in job opening trends starting with the pandemic followed by an equally dramatic spike in the trend in Q2 2020 as the economy started to reopen after the first wave of COVID cases.

But then the numbers return to a negative trend towards the end of 2020 worldwide, which can be attributed to two factors: the exponential growth in COVID cases worldwide and particularly throughout the US and the UK, combined with the usual slowdown of day-to-day business into the holiday season.

We then see positive growth in job openings starting in January 2021, climaxing in March which saw a 42.9% increase in job postings over the previous three-month average.

Again, this is made more significant as it’s based on a rolling average of the past three months. Even as the trend appears to taper off going into Q2 2021, this chart actually show job openings are continuing to grow at an approximate 7% clip every month.

This indicates a revitalized job market. When businesses are hiring, that signals a healthier economy and growth – at first glance anyway.

With that, let’s now look at the Candidates per Hire.

3. Candidates per Hire

Workable defines the number of candidates per hire as, succinctly, the number of applicants for a job up to the point of that job being filled.

In 2020, we see the expected spike in candidates per hire with the start of the pandemic – after all, as a basic rule of thumb, mass layoffs lead to higher numbers of applicants. And this trend slows down towards the end of 2020, going into a negative trajectory in Q4.

But in 2021 even to July, we see a consistently negative trend in candidates per hire every single month. That downward trajectory doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

(NOTE: Again, you’re probably wondering why we stopped the numbers in July. Again, as stated above, that’s because these data are based on the time the job was opened, not when it was filled.)

Let’s now look at both job openings and candidates per hire as an overlay. In 2020, we see some correlation between the drop in job openings and the drop in candidates per hire – understandable, because fewer job openings indicates more jobs being filled, leading to more candidates finding work, ultimately leading to fewer people looking for work.

We can theorize a little deeper, although that’s a good basic explanation for 2020’s trends. But then we look at 2021 data, and we’re not seeing that same correlation. This year, job openings are still trending upwards, but candidates per hire are trending downwards.

What’s going on here? Well, there has been a lot of talk about the “Great Resignation” and unprecedented quit rates in recent months. Let’s wrap up with a conversation on this topic.

So what’s the conclusion here?

A clear observation is that workers are leaving jobs, but they’re not applying for other work. Forbes chalks this up to worker burnout, pointing to the correlation of quit rates with increased productivity.

Perhaps this signals a disconnect between employers and employees. The old way of business isn’t working anymore, and workers are dropping out of the system in a modern version of 1960s counterculture icon Timothy Leary’s famous statement, “Turn on, tune in, drop out.”

To paraphrase Leary from his autobiography, Flashbacks, he explains this statement as first becoming more intimately aware of one’s internal needs and triggers (turn on), connecting with the external world in a more harmonious way (tune in), and finally, committing to one’s own priorities and sense of self (drop out).

In short: workers are finding more meaning in life beyond work, and they’re acting on it. To stay relevant as an employer, you may need to reconsider your employee value proposition because the traditional one no longer resonates in this new world of work.

The post Your Hiring Pulse report for September 2021 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

4 employee value proposition examples to survive the Great Resignation

Linda Le Phan — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 14:00:45 +0000

Workers are quitting in record numbers this year and it’s causing an already challenging post-pandemic season to be almost unmanageable for HR. It’s now not only about hiring new talent – which is already difficult in this talent market – it’s about keeping the talent you already have.

A Microsoft study from earlier this year found that 41% of the global workforce are considering leaving their employer this year, and those intentions are becoming a reality already.

The number of workers who quit their jobs in the month of April alone was the highest it’s ever been since this metric started being recorded about 20 years ago; nearly 4 million people quit, pushing the quits rate to 2.7% of those employed.

Hence the terminology: The Great Resignation, coined and foretold by a Texas A&M professor in May 2021.

So what can employers do, now that this massive talent migration is fully underway?

The first step is to change old ways of thinking: your biggest obstacle is not a shortage of talent, but a widespread shift in job candidates’ motivations. You need to evolve your employer brand using new employee value proposition examples.

Talent shortage vs. evolving candidate motivations

Even before the pandemic, the concept of a “talent shortage” has largely gotten the blame for why it’s so difficult to hire skilled workers. This is still true; a recent global study showed that nearly seven in 10 (69%) of companies have reported talent shortages and difficulty hiring.

But that’s not the full picture.

Yes, there is some level of talent shortage, but candidates have also evolved in what they expect from a job. Many don’t want to simply “go back to normal” and have decided they’d rather pursue something else. So, companies hiring in this labor market aren’t just competing against each other, they’re also competing against:

early retirement
the gig economy
self-run businesses
unemployment benefits
a search for a new environment
prioritization of a flexible schedule to be with loved ones

How should companies use this information?

Well, if your company wants to attract candidates in this labor market, you should be thinking about how you can directly address these new candidate motivations. Although salary, perks and benefits understandably are top of mind for candidates, there are many ways where you can further evolve your employer brand.

That’s especially when your budget doesn’t allow for higher salaries or you have difficulty competing with Amazon, Google, or any other competitive employer for talent.

What that all boils down to is evolving your employee value proposition (EVP) so that working at your company actually contributes to – rather than competes with – the life they’re trying to make for themselves.

These four employee value proposition examples can help you evolve your employer brand so that working at your company is attractive to today’s talent:

1. Offer true work flexibility – in location and schedule

The ultimate dream for most employees is to work anywhere they want and whenever they want, doing work that offers fulfillment and growth. What’s ideal about this type of setup is it gives employees the autonomy and freedom they want and need in their day-to-day lives, while also being able to do work that feels purposeful. This is part of the employee value proposition at companies who are already or have shifted to remote-first.

However, for a great number of employers, this isn’t a desirable or feasible option. They’re not willing to let go of the very real benefits that regular in-person, in-office work brings to culture, collaboration, and unity around a common purpose for the whole organization.

If your company is decidedly not going to go fully remote, here are some ways to get as close to that level of flexibility as possible. This will make a world of difference in helping you attract (and keep) the talent you need.

Offer employees the option to work from home at least a few days of the week
Let employees choose what days of the week they’d work remotely vs. in the office
Allow employees to shift their daily work hours around to when they prefer (e.g. starting and ending early)

2. Have a mission that goes beyond ‘the work’

Younger workers have always paid attention to what a company stands for as they look for a job and that interest has become even more pronounced, especially in these recent years of social and political unrest.

What these candidates are really striving for is to find work that means something and stands for something. This means company values that go beyond making a profit. These could include:

backing BLM/LGBTQ movements
establishing environmental equity
building up societies
supporting mental health and wellness

The list goes on. Candidates today are driven towards employers who have a clearly defined vision and values that are actually lived and felt among current team members.

Remember, though, that you can’t just pick a popular cause and slap that on all of your recruiting materials as your new mission. That isn’t genuine and candidates will see right through that. What you can and should do is talk to your current employees and do some internal introspection and brainstorming as a team as to how the work that you do helps make the world better.

Aside from your actual day-to-day work, you could also introduce:

paid volunteer days
charitable donations and company matching
team fundraising events.

Workable’s mission and vision are a great example of an employee value proposition: the entire organization is driven toward helping great companies and great talent find each other. It’s a very people-driven concept and it attracts candidates who love the idea of supporting it.

3. Foster genuine employee connections

While talent today overwhelmingly prefers remote work over going back to the office five days a week – and many big-name companies feel the same – there’s one aspect about office life that’s still important to them: connecting with other members of their team in a meaningful way.

Just think of all of the different ways employees connect with each other organically throughout a work day when in the same physical workspace:

seeing each other daily face-to-face
catching up over a snack or drink break
real-time in-person meetings
lunch-time banter
mini-celebrations in the desk aisles

And so many other impromptu moments. In this shift to remote work, that’s what employees today are missing.

Even though “employee events” isn’t on their job search list, companies who prioritize employee connection in their company culture (especially while remote) will attract more talent than those who don’t.

For example, some companies fly everyone together into a really cool location once a year and call it their annual kickoff or team retreat – including Workable. Many also hold regular all-day events for things like team bonding, new hire orientation, and strategy sessions.

Making time for employee connection in these ways is huge for building morale, and people have something exciting to look forward to doing together. It’s one of the most powerful employee value proposition examples you can implement at your company.

4. Offer programs to support work-life integration

If your company is letting go of some or all of your office spaces in favor of remote or hybrid work, you haven’t actually eliminated the office – you’ve simply shifted “the office” into employees’ homes. The name of the game is then no longer about employees’ work-life balance, but work-life integration.

Learn how SmartBug CEO Ryan Malone manages work-life integration at his company – which has been fully remote since its inception in the late 2000s.

Knowing that this is the new way, supporting your employees’ work-life integration will be a huge differentiator for retaining and attracting talent today. To do that, it’s all about helping employees create a fluid and healthy environment where both their personal life and work life can co-exist and not constantly compete for their attention.

It also means addressing the additional financial burden many employees are taking on due to working from their own homes, such as caregiving costs, internet bills, and paying for technology to help their time management.

Here are some programs you’ll see most commonly these days among companies who prioritize healthy work-life integration:

one-time or recurring home office stipends to cover all equipment needs
subsidized food delivery or monthly flexible meal stipends
monthly cellphone and technology reimbursement for ongoing tech needs
wellness apps or a monthly flexible wellness stipend
backup childcare, caregiving support, and general family stipends that support all types of families

Get ready: evolve your EVP

Even though signs of the Great Resignation, or the “turnover tsunami”, was identified way back in February, none of us could have known how massive the impact would actually be.

These four employee value proposition examples are just to get you started. It’s ultimately up to you as an employer to show how quickly you can move and how nimble you can be in addressing this evolving talent market – by also evolving yourself and what you’re really offering your people.

The post 4 employee value proposition examples to survive the Great Resignation appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Why companies outsource recruitment (and why you shouldn’t)

Suzanne Lucas — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 14:36:13 +0000

Not every company can do every function. When your company is small, you can’t afford experts in every aspect of the business, so you outsource. One of the functions where businesses often choose to outsource is recruiting.

In some cases, this makes perfect sense, and in some cases, it does not. Here’s what you need to know when making a decision on whether or not to outsource recruitment.

What is recruitment outsourcing?

Outsourcing is hiring someone outside of the company to do a task. This can be a consultant or a contractor, or a company. It can be someone who lives and works in the same town or lives in another country.

When you outsource a task, you give it to an outside person or organization. When you outsource recruitment, you can use several different types of outsourced recruiting.

Headhunters. This is the colloquial term for recruiters that recruit for specialized positions. They often work on a commission basis. While they can technically recruit for any role, they often have specialized areas. Headhunters increase their value by building relationships in their chosen industries. Companies, not candidates, pay headhunter fees (usually a percentage of the salary if they place a candidate). Some executive or highly specialized headhunter contractors are retainer-based. In this case, the recruiter receives pay for providing candidates and sourcing, and is not contingent on job acceptance.
General recruiting. You can hire an outsourced recruiter or recruiting firm to handle all your recruiting needs, regardless of specialization. Again, the company, not the candidates, pays the recruiters.
Staffing companies. These companies not only find people to work for you, but they hire them and pay them as well. Consequently, the employees work for the staffing company and not for you. This model is popular in industries with high turnover and low-skilled labor. It’s also popular for some IT roles, and larger companies, including Google, use this model.

When outsourced recruitment is good

Suppose you are a startup looking to hire your first of everything. In that case, it’s far better to hire a professional recruiter to help you find a CFO than to appoint your college roommate who majored in musical theater but never managed to get their big Broadway break.

For senior roles, the headhunter option generally remains a good idea, as these positions are highly specialized and critical to company success. If you get a mediocre junior analyst, it can get expensive (as bad hires tend to be), but if your newly recruited Chief Marketing Officer is a failure, it can tank your entire company.

You may also want to consider outsourcing recruiting during intense hiring phases, as your in-house HR may not have the bandwidth to take it on. For instance, if you are launching a new product and you need to hire 100 new salespeople across the entire country in a short time, your lone in-house recruiter may not be able to handle that added workload (although a great ATS can help alleviate that stress!).

You can, of course, use a contracted recruiter for all your positions, and some companies do this. Smaller companies can’t afford a dedicated recruiter or don’t hire enough people on a regular basis to warrant an extra employee for that task.

When outsourced recruitment is bad

Relying on someone outside the company to market your jobs, source candidates, and screen them, can be problematic in many situations.

If you want to build a specific company culture, you probably want to bring your recruiting in-house. An external recruiter generally has multiple clients at a time and won’t be able to dedicate themselves to the unique needs of your company as well as an in-house recruiter can do.

Because external recruiters typically get paid upon placement, there can be a bigger push to fill the role than to focus on finding the right person for the position.

If your turnover – whether voluntary and involuntary – is higher than the industry average, you may wish to take a look at in-house recruiting. People do leave when they feel that the company is a bad fit for them. You also need to fire people who turn out to be not a good fit for you.

If your turnover in either of these categories is too high, it could be due to wrongly or poorly targeted recruiting. There are times where assigning the recruiting to someone who knows the employees personally, who walks your warehouse floor every day, or sits in on exit interviews and sees the problems firsthand can result in a better candidate fit.

If you have the proper HR systems in place – a good applicant tracking system and a compatible HRIS – running the recruiting in-house can save you time and make your reporting more straightforward and more accurate.

If you choose outsourced recruitment

This is a path that fits some companies, and if you go in this direction, there are a few things you need to remember when you search for your recruiter.

If employees work in the office, ensure the recruiter has visited and understands the working environment firsthand. There are different challenges in different businesses, and seeing the physical facilities can help the recruiter’s understanding.
Go over the job descriptions with the recruiter in depth so that the recruiter understands the key points to look for. You can’t assume an external recruiter understands the unwritten rules of your business because she doesn’t work there.
Consider the costs. If you hire more than one or two professional people per year with a headhunter, the associated costs can become higher than an in-house, salaried recruiter.
Keep communication channels open. Hiring managers often change criteria during the recruitment process. If you aren’t communicating clearly, your recruiter will waste valuable time looking for the wrong candidates.
Figure out how you will coordinate your onboarding process. Frequently, in-house recruiters handle that part of the process. If you outsource recruitment, someone in-house will need to process the paperwork and new-hire orientation.

In-house recruitment benefits

Whether you’re growing or in a high-turnover industry, you might consider bringing the whole thing in-house – the technology is there to help even the leanest hiring teams manage the recruitment process, and at cost. And the benefits of doing it internally can far outweigh the conveniences of outsourced recruitment.

Consider the following:

Your recruiter can help identify internal candidates that may or may not apply for an open position. Someone with an intimate knowledge of the business will have powerful insight into people who can fill gaps when an external recruiter cannot.
You can control costs. Many employers outsource recruitment to reduce costs, but filling two senior positions in a year with an external recruiter can cost more than a full-time salary for an experienced in-house recruiter.
You have more flexibility. If you think you need to do a job fair, you can organize one. If you’re working with an outside firm, you may have to renegotiate the entire contract.
An internal recruiter can help anticipate business needs. They can spot things before requisitions appear and plan ahead.
Internal recruiters have a better understanding of company culture because they work there every day. They have a vested interest in getting the right people in roles because they have to work together.

Whatever you decide for your business, remember that good quality recruitment needs to be a high priority. Your business needs people to succeed, and that can’t happen without quality sourcing, recruiting, and hiring.

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How to calculate the ROI of an ATS: A step-by-step guide

Zoe Morin — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 18:26:52 +0000

Don’t be discouraged! We’ve got four simple calculations to help you break down the ROI of an ATS and build a rock-solid business case.

1. Avoid bad hires

A bad hire is shorthand for a new employee who leaves the business within 12 months of their hire date. The US Department of Labor estimates that the individual cost of a bad hiring decision is roughly equivalent to 30% of that new hire’s first year salary.

Bad hires can be especially costly. For one, a longer time to ramp can result in delays in other areas of the business, such as a product launch. Even after all that time and training, a bad hire may never ultimately realize their revenue-producing potential at your organization.

In short, you have no choice but to cut your losses and start over with a new hire.

So, how can you quantify the cost of all bad hires to your business? First, you need to estimate a few numbers:

Estimated number of hires in the next 12 months
Average % of new hires that leave w/in 12 months
Average employee salary

Once you have those numbers, it’s time to start calculating. Follow this formula:

Cost of Bad Hires Calculation

For example – let’s say your company is planning to hire 20 new employees this year.

The average salary of those 20 employees is $55,000.

Historically, 15% of your new hires churn within the first year.

(Avg. employee salary) * (30%) * ((estimated # of hires in the next 12 months) * (% of hires that leave w/in 12 months)) = Annual cost of bad hires

First, multiply that average salary of $55,000 by 30% to calculate the cost of one bad hire. Then multiply that by the projected number of bad hires in a year (20 employees * 15% churn).

That brings your total annual cost of bad hires to your business to $49,500.

Total Annual Savings: Avoiding Bad Hires Calculation

Now, in this same example, using the formula below, imagine you’re able to decrease bad hires by 25% using the ATS you’ve selected. It’s as easy as taking that $49,500 total above and multiplying it by 25%.

(Annual cost of bad hires) * (% decrease in bad hires) = Total annual savings from avoiding bad hires

That totals $12,375 in bad hires, alone – a worthy addition to the ROI of an ATS.

So, how does a good ATS help you avoid bad hires? It helps you:

Find more qualified and diverse candidates to choose from. With Workable, you can find more qualified candidates using proactive sourcing tools like AI Recruiter, People Search and Referrals.
Make better hiring decisions with fair and consistent evaluations. With Workable, use standard interview kits and scorecards, objective cognitive pre-employment assessments, and one-way video interviews to help you screen more thoroughly at scale.
Engage your hiring managers from the start. With Workable’s click-efficient UI, global support and industry-leading mobile app, hiring managers will be more engaged throughout the entire process.

2. Reduce external costs

Think about all of the extra money you spend on different softwares and services in your tech stack – can you eliminate any of them with a good ATS? In the short term, your ATS will cost money, but in the long term it can actually save you money.

With Workable, for example, most customers can rely less on external agencies and costly third-party sourcing tools because Workable has a full suite of sourcing features built right into the ATS.

Now, you need to show that to finance. How can you calculate the reduction in external costs to your business with an ATS? Think about the following:

Average annual spend on job boards and third-party sourcing tools
Average annual spend on agency fees
Average annual spend on third-party tools (like e-signatures, assessments providers, video interview providers, texting providers, etc.)

First, add these costs together to understand the total cost of all of your external recruitment tools. Then, think about which ones a good ATS can help with. You’ll find that you can reduce some costs – and eliminate others outright. Remember, in the eyes of finance, every little bit of savings helps.

For example, if you can decrease reliance on expensive external staffing agencies by just 20% AND get rid of just one other third-party subscription, the combined savings from these alone will likely far outweigh the cost of the ATS you’re asking finance to approve.

Total Annual External Costs Calculation

Let’s try out this scenario: every year, your company spends $20,000 on sponsored job posts and third-party sourcing tools. Add to that another $37,000 on agency fees, bringing that total to $57,000.

That’s not all; there’s another $15,000 being spent per year in combined costs for e-signature software to get those employment contracts signed, plus a texting tool so you can quickly contact interested applicants.

Just put them all together into one tidy sum: your total external costs per year.

(Avg. annual spend on job boards and third-party sourcing tools) + (Avg. annual spend on agency fees) + (Average annual spend on other third-party tools) = Total external costs per year

In this case, the total annual cost to your business of these external tools amounts to $72,000.

Total Annual Savings: Reducing External Costs Calculation

Now, imagine that you decrease the reliance on your sponsored posts and external agencies by just 20% now that you’re able to use passive sourcing features and a referrals platform. Plus, the new ATS includes e-signature offer letters and texting built right into the software – so you can fully eliminate the cost of those subscriptions.

So, in this case, you take that $57,000 spent on agencies, sponsored posts, and other third-party sourcing tools, multiply that by 20% – bringing the total to $11,400.

((Annual spend on agencies, sponsored posts and third-party sourcing tools) * (% decrease in)) + (Average annual spend on other third-party tools)) = Total annual savings from reducing external costs

Add the annual costs of the other third-party tools ($15,000), and you have $26,400 saved in external recruitment costs with the addition of an ATS. That’s a compelling addition when presenting the ROI of an ATS.

So, how does a good ATS help you reduce external costs?

Native sourcing tools bring sourcing in-house. With Workable, best-fit candidates are automatically recommended for every job. Prefer to reach those candidates via social media channels? Workable makes it easy to extend your reach through custom Facebook and Instagram campaigns to those highly valued passive candidates.
Most hiring teams rely on a suite of tools from different providers to get hiring done. With Workable, most of those tools are built right into the ATS, eliminating the need for additional, costly subscriptions. Native video interviews, assessments, texting and e-signatures not only save your organization money, but they create a more natural and cohesive candidate experience.

3. Increase recruiter productivity

One way to demonstrate the value an ATS provides is to calculate the bottom-line impact of a more productive recruiting team. This is especially important for scaling companies, where the talent team is often asked to do a lot more with the same resources – or in some cases, leaner teams and budgets.

Our first impulse is to often use time-saved to demonstrate ROI — but for a finance team that’s focused more on revenue, time doesn’t always calculate well. Yet, you can still make a strong impression on your C-suite and decision makers when you highlight the real value of time in terms of salary.

So, what’s the best way to calculate this? You’ll need these inputs:

Number of recruiters on your team
Average recruiter salary + benefits
Estimated increase in productivity

Added Recruiter Productivity Calculation

Now, let’s say there are three recruiters on your team, with an average salary of $71,500 (including benefits). You can increase the productivity of the team by 20% with an ATS that reduces or even eliminates bottlenecks via automated email scheduling, automatic approval workflows, and more engaged hiring managers.

You’re looking at total cost savings of $42,900 – that’s over half the cost of an additional recruiter! That speaks volumes for the ROI of an ATS.

Total Annual Savings: Increased Recruiter Productivity Calculation

(Number of recruiters) X (Average salary + benefits) X (% increase in productivity) = Total cost savings from increased recruiter productivity

So, how does a good ATS help you increase recruiter productivity?

Intelligent automations that eliminate tedious, administrative tasks and reduce human error. With Workable, automated actions keep interview scheduling and candidate communication completely streamlined.
Engagement and collaboration is key. Your ATS should keep the entire hiring team engaged from the start. Workable’s mobile app is the perfect personal hiring assistant for busy hiring managers, and our two-way email and calendar sync keeps all communication easy to find in one place.

4. Decreased time to fill

Reducing time to hire and time to fill are at the top of every recruiter’s wishlist. And, at first, it seems pretty straightforward to measure. After all, if your time to fill was reduced to 29 days from 36 days after you implemented your ATS, it stands to reason that your new ATS reduced your time to fill by seven days. Pretty simple stuff, right?

But, that doesn’t really tell the whole story. Reducing time to fill can have a massive impact on your business. With a few simple calculations, you can help your C-suite understand how critical that seven-day reduction can be to the success of your organization.

So, how can you better quantify the ROI of decreasing time to fill?

You’ll need a few key inputs for this one:

Current time to hire
Desired time to hire (what you think a good ATS will help you achieve)
Estimated number of hires in the next 12 months
Annual company revenue
Number of full-time employees in your company

Total Cost of Time to Fill Calculation

Calculating the total cost of our time to fill will take a few steps. The first thing we’ll do is calculate revenue per employee:

(Annual company revenue) / (Number of full-time employees) = Revenue per employee

Next, we’re going to to calculate the cost of vacancy, per day using 220 (roughly the number of working days in a calendar year if you’re in the US, for instance):

(Revenue per employee) / (220) = Cost of vacancy per day

To calculate the total vacancy cost for your organization, simply multiply cost of vacancy per day by current time to fill and the number of estimated hires for the next 12 months:

((Cost of vacancy per day) * (current time to fill)) * (Number of estimated hires in the next 12 months) = Total cost of time to fill

For example: you’re a company with $2.9 million in revenue. You have 60 full-time employees and you want to add 30 more over the next 12 months. This means your revenue per employee is roughly $48,300. Divide that by 220 working days, and you have a cost of vacancy per day of roughly $220.

Multiply that cost of vacancy per day by those 30 additional employees you plan to hire, and multiply that by your current time to fill of 36 days – and your total cost of time to fill is about $237,600.

With that, you can calculate the total annual savings when you decrease your time to fill by seven days. That calculation can give you a pretty compelling case when presenting the ROI of an ATS.

Let’s give it a try: subtract the desired time to fill from the current time to fill (resulting in seven days in this case), and multiply that by the cost of vacancy per day ($220).

(Current time to fill – desired time to fill) * (Cost of vacancy per day) = Money saved per hire

The result is your money saved per hire, which totals $1,538.

Total Annual Savings: Decreased Time to Hire Calculation

You can then project your savings out over the entire year when you multiply your money saved per hire ($1,540) by the 30 hires planned over the next 12 months.

(Money saved per hire) X (Number of estimated hires in the next 12 months) = Total annual savings from decreased time to hire

The result is your total annual savings from your decreased time to fill, which in this scenario would be $46,200. Your ROI of an ATS just got even stronger!

So, how does a good ATS help you decrease time to fill? It helps you:

Attract more qualified candidates. The faster the right candidates find you, the faster you can hire them! With Workable, you can expand your reach with one-click job board posting and boost your brand with a highly customizable and engaging careers page.
Create a modern candidate experience. From the moment a candidate applies to the moment they (electronically!) sign the job offer – Workable is designed to make it easy, fast and enjoyable for candidates to move through the process.

5. Total ROI of an ATS: Putting it all together

Now that you’ve done your research, gathered all the inputs and made your calculations, it’s time to put it all together into one compelling case. Here, you’ll want to show all of the expected monetary savings, along with the added value the ATS provides.

Using the examples and calculations above, here’s how you can pull it all together into a simple sheet presenting the ROI of an ATS:

Annual Savings – ROI of an ATS
Total Potential Savings	$127,875
Avoiding bad hires Cost of bad hires % decrease in bad hires By expanding candidate reach through referrals and syndicated job board networks. By reaching more diverse candidates and mitigating bias through anonymized screening. *With structured evaluations using video interviews, assessments and scorecards.	$12,375
Reducing external costs Total external costs % decrease in spend With built-in passive candidates sourcing tools to help fill niche roles. Through native solutions like video interviews, assessments, texting, e-signatures and more.	$26,400
Increasing recruiter productivity % increase in productivity With intelligent automation that eliminates tedious administrative tasks and human error Through click-efficient UI, global support and mobile app to keep hiring managers engaged	$42,900
Decreasing time to fill Cost of vacancy % decrease in time to hire By increasing qualified candidates Through a modern, remote-friendly candidate experience *With an engaged and collaborative hiring team	$46,200

The post How to calculate the ROI of an ATS: A step-by-step guide appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

11 recruitment time-saving tips for the overburdened recruiter

Keith MacKenzie — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 14:12:28 +0000

Your workload is mounting as a recruiter, especially as your company gains a windfall from a new funding round, operates in a high-turnover industry, or is about to enter a new market with a new product. All of these involve a lot more work on your part to find the right candidates to fill all the extra spots being opened up every month.

That’s not all. There’s the extra burden placed on your day-to-day with legal and moral expectations to meet diversity, equity and inclusion metrics, increased compliance obligations including data privacy, employee vs. contractor classifications, and wage regulations.

And all of that while working on the same hiring budget you’ve had on your desk since before the pandemic – but with one or two less people in your team. That’s a lot to ask of a hiring team – especially in terms of time.

So, to help you out, here are 11 recruitment time-saving tips to help you optimize your hiring process while working with a lean budget and lean team. Spoiler: Workable’s recruitment solution can help you with pretty much all of them.

11 recruitment time-saving tips to speed up hiring

Automate the process
Offer self-scheduling options for candidates
Take advantage of templates
Enable mobile-friendly recruitment
Introduce e-signatures
Utilize a user-friendly career page builder
Take advantage of AI
Clone the process
Post to multiple job boards with one click
Automate your reporting
Remote interviewing

1. Automate the process

When handling large numbers of applicants, it becomes nearly impossible to engage each and every one of them personally, even when shortlisted.

Luckily, there are tools available that allow you to automate different steps in the process. Steps that can be automated include:

An initial thank-you email in response to an application
A rejection message for those who are not the right fit
Moving candidates through the pipeline based on assessment scores
A calendar self-schedule link sent out to someone who’s been moved to the next stage (more on that later)

Remember, you’re still dealing with human beings in the process. An automated, impersonal, careless rejection email can be off-putting for the candidate and may even impact impressions of your company in their network. Ensure that the tone and style of the email is appropriate, and always prioritize that candidate experience!

Workable’s automated actions tool can help you preset emails and processes while providing the templates (more on that below) to help you get started on recruitment time-saving.

2. Offer self-scheduling options for candidates

Whether you’re a recruiter or hiring manager, you know how much time can be spent communicating back and forth when planning for a phone screen, a video interview, or an in-person interview at any stage in the process. Factor in the number of candidates involved, and you can see how you might be wasting time that’s better spent on other, more applicable tasks.

All of that can be eliminated, however, by giving the candidate the opportunity to reserve an available time slot right through a link to your calendar. Workable’s self-scheduling tool enables easy scheduling from start to finish – and is one of the leading recruitment time-saving tips in this list.

3. Take advantage of templates

Writing a job description or a series of interview questions from scratch for every job opening can be a time-consuming task, especially when you’re hiring en masse after a new funding round or expansion to a new market. It’s also potentially susceptible to bias in terms of the language used, job requirements listed, and questions asked.

Save your time by utilizing templates. Templates, of course, don’t need to be posted as is – rather, they provide a great foundation for you to start to customize to each job. Plus, they save you a lot of time in the workflow.

Workable has more than 700 job description templates, 390 interview question templates, dozens of company policy templates, checklists, emails and much more that can be imported right into your applicant tracking system.

4. Enable mobile-friendly recruitment

Recruiting is a full-time job for recruiters, but is an added workload for hiring managers and executives whose decisions are needed to move candidates through the pipeline. Bottlenecks will happen as a result.

You can alleviate those breakdowns by giving busy hiring managers and executives the option to sift through candidates on their smartphone. Think about it – they’ll be able to check in during their commute, while taking a break in their day, or when (ahem) taking care of other business. That’ll speed things along.

Workable’s mobile-friendly app enables all of that, and more. Ben O’Mahony, from Cytora, commented on why the mobile app is awesome for busy hiring managers:

“They don’t need to see the entire recruiting pipeline at all times. They just need to see who they’re interviewing. And this is quickly done through the Workable app.”

5. Introduce e-signatures

Getting candidates to sign that job offer so you can close the books on the process is easier said than done, especially when it’s a remote hire or a new employee from another location. Having contracts delivered to and from the new hire is a time-consuming process, and that piles up when you’re handling multiple hires at once.

E-signing can solve all of that hassle. Everything’s going digital now – especially as the work world becomes increasingly remote. That includes all the legal stuff, like contracts, in a fully secure online environment to boot.

Workable’s ATS comes ready-made with its own e-signature tool to meet those important signature needs and is a small but important recruitment time-saver.

6. Use a user-friendly career page builder

Careers pages, like anything else in your website, can involve a lot of design work involving a team that’s already busy working on marketing and sales materials day in and day out. Plus, there’s a lot of back-and-forth involved where you have a ‘perfect’ careers page in mind and you’re working with design to make that happen.

You can skip all of that by bringing in a feature that enables even the least tech-savvy HR manager to build an impressive careers page using click-and-drag options.

Workable has its own advanced careers page builder built into its software. And this tutorial can help you whip together an amazing careers page in a short time, putting your employer brand on a pedestal and attracting the very best candidates to your company.

7. Take advantage of AI

We’re now in a strange time where many companies are experiencing difficulty finding the right candidates – or even a satisfactory number of candidates – for specific job postings. This especially applies when you’re hiring in a hyper-competitive space, such as developers or software engineers, or when looking to fill a niche role – both situations that often result in a shortage of candidates. This can put the onus on the recruiter to seek out potential applicants – including passive candidates – which involves a lot of legwork and time invested.

But there are ways around that. Artificial intelligence, when used in the right way, can seek out and find great candidates for you based on your job description and other parameters that you set – including specific keywords, qualifications, and other directives.

Workable’s AI Recruiter was introduced specifically for this purpose. And it can come in especially useful for you right now.

8. Clone the process

When someone – especially one of your top employees – puts in their notice, it feels like you have to start all over again. Not only is it like capturing lightning in a bottle, it also takes time to set up a new job ad, put together a new series of interview questions, create a new assessment, etc., etc., etc.

What if you just went back to that original process that led to the hire of this amazing employee, and simply cloned it? Not only can you replicate what was successful before, you can skip those steps doing this for high-turnover roles such as in sales and hospitality.

9. Post to multiple job boards with one click

Your job description is approved and you’re ready to distribute. Next steps:

Step 1: Post job ad to LinkedIn.
Step 2: Post job ad to Facebook Jobs.
Step 3: Post job to Indeed.
Step 4: Post job ad to Glassdoor.
Step 5: Post job ad to Monster.
Step 6: ….

You get the point. Doing that over and over and over again can eat up all the hours in a day, and that’s just for a single job opportunity. Although it’s standard to expect an ATS to deliver job ads to numerous job sites automatically, you want to be sure you have the right ATS to post to not just the most job sites, but the right ones.

Check out the list of Workable’s existing job site integrations to get an idea of how many job sites you can post to with one click using our recruitment software.

10. Automate your reporting

Reporting on recruitment metrics is crucial to successful hiring, but it can take quite a bit of time to analyze data and then break it down into reports for the C-suite who are most interested in how your hiring process impacts the bottom line.

There are many different reasons you need reports in hiring, such as:

Identifying breakdowns and bottlenecks in the process that can prolong time to hire and time to fill
Understanding where your best candidates are coming from
Tracking diversity metrics in your candidate pool
Staying compliant with government-mandated requirements, including EEOC, CCPA, and GDPR protocols

All that data in your recruitment process can be automatically turned into reports to benefit all of the above, including having reports sent directly from your software. Workable’s software has reporting functions to meet each of the above needs.

11. Remote interviewing

While it’s not necessarily time taken out of your own work day, you’re asking a lot of a candidate when you schedule an in-person interview. Assuming the commute takes an hour each way door-to-door, you’re making the candidate spend three full hours – or more – for a one-hour interview. Not only that, it doesn’t bode well for candidate experience, especially in an increasingly digital work world. A recruitment time-saving tip here will be invaluable.

With a few exceptions – such as the more intensive later-stage interviews – do your candidates a favor and carry out your interviews via phone or, ideally, video. There’s a multitude of tools out there that can help you – including Workable’s one-way video interviewing tool which can take care of the screening stage and even that first “interview” stage in one step.

Optimize and grow

Of course, these time-saving recruitment tips won’t free up your entire day – but they can free up a good number of hours in your workflow that can be better spent on the more in-depth work.

You can now invest time and energy into branding yourself as an employer, meeting with hiring managers to best understand what they want and need in a new hire, and overseeing new employee onboarding.

Not only do these increase your profile within the company as someone who can do the job without fail, you can better participate in more high-level discussions around workforce planning. It’s a win-win all around – for yourself, for candidates, and the company as a whole.

The post 11 recruitment time-saving tips for the overburdened recruiter appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Introducing automated actions: Increase productivity and hire more efficiently

Brianna Dougherty — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 18:55:43 +0000

Workable helps customers scale their hiring efforts while staying efficient with tools that automate process and manual tasks, like getting approvals, creating reports, managing compliance, and more.

With automated actions, our newest efficiency-boosting tool, make recruiters’ jobs easier and speed up time to hire by automating repetitive tasks and emails. Automate and personalize bulk candidate communication to increase productivity, allow candidates to self-schedule meeting times to streamline interview scheduling, and ensure every applicant gets a customized and personalized response to improve both the candidate experience and your employer brand.

Workable helps companies in 100+ countries efficiently scale up their hiring processes with tools like hiring plan, interview self-scheduling, native video interviews, and top-notch customer support.

The post Introducing automated actions: Increase productivity and hire more efficiently appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How to scale up your hiring process: 13 features for rapidly growing companies

Zoe Morin — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:58:56 +0000

Whether you’re growing from one to 100, or hiring 100 new employees, here are 13 essential Workable features to help you scale up your hiring to align with your overall business goals.

How to scale up your hiring: 13 features for rapidly growing companies

1. Hiring Plan
2. Department Hierarchy
3. Access rights and permissions
4. Integrations
5. Compliance
6. Interview self-scheduling
7. Automated actions
8. Bulk actions
9. One-way video interviews
10. Mobile app
11. Customer support
12. AI Recruiter
13. People Search

Maintain transparency, accountability and control

When you scale up your hiring in a company that’s growing aggressively, that hiring process no longer involves just the recruiter or hiring manager. There are other stakeholders involved, including those at the executive level, department heads, finance managers, and others. Plus, the recruitment process grows in complexity as you’re no longer hiring just to fill a seat.

For that, you need to have a recruitment system that maintains transparency to all interested parties, holds them accountable to their respective roles in the hiring process, and is controllable all in one place. The following features will enable you to have such a system in place.

1. Hiring Plan

Rapid growth requires a strategic hiring plan that’s as dynamic as your company. You might be able to manage requisition approvals manually for one or two employees, but certainly not two hundred at a time. When you’re hiring at high volume, you need an organized approach so you can prioritize requisitions properly, budget them accurately and maintain visibility at all times.

With Workable’s Hiring Plan, you can track requisitions, manage approvals and review budgeting data, all in real time. Hiring managers create requisitions when they need to hire, and follow standard or custom approval workflows. As roles are opened and filled, your Hiring Performance report updates automatically, so you can track changes, make adjustments and forecast your hiring budget for the year.

2. Department Hierarchy

As your organization evolves, so does your organizational structure. As teams change and expand, you need a system that makes it easy to adapt.

Enter Department Hierarchy. This centralized department management makes it for you to manage custom departments and hierarchical structure — meaning, as your company grows your hiring structure does, too.

Filter your careers page, dashboards and reports based on the departments you’ve set up and organize key features of the hiring process by department and location. Super admins control every aspect of department management and setup, so you can maintain strict control and organization as you scale up your hiring process.

3. Access rights and permissions

When you grow from five to 500, the number of people involved in the hiring process expands exponentially. With more users and varying degrees of seniority, it becomes more difficult – and more essential – to protect sensitive data. Control who sees what, when with Workable’s roles and permissions.

User roles define which hiring tasks team members should (and can) perform, and user permissions ensure they get just the right amount of access to get the job done.

4. Integrations

Growing companies usually don’t depend on just one system to get their hiring done. From SSO to background checks to HRIS and onboarding Workable connects with the tools you rely on.

With Workable you can transfer candidate data seamlessly and safely or connect to your business intelligence suite to access robust analytics and measure custom KPIs. Need to go custom? With Workable’s open API and world-class Tech Solutions team, nothing is out of reach.

Check out Workable’s extensive list of integrations.

5. Compliance

Managing compliance can get more complicated as your business grows. As you expand across countries and continents, so does the list of regulations and laws you must comply with.

Workable helps you navigate local, national and internal regulation – no matter where you’re operating. Our suite of automated compliance features make it easy to manage and demonstrate compliance. Whether it’s GDPR, CCPA or EEO – Workable has you covered with features like automated data deletion, candidate opt-out links, and anonymized candidate surveys and reports.

Save time, automate admin and hire at scale

When you’re processing hundreds of applications for a single job opening, that’s a lot to manage. That number grows exponentially when you’re filling multiple positions at once and on a regular basis. The following features will help optimize the process in a scalable way, and avoid lengthy delays in the recruitment process.

6. Interview self-scheduling

It can take days to coordinate scheduling for just one candidate — imagine trying to do it for one hundred! At a rapidly scaling company it’s downright impossible to schedule interviews the old-fashioned way — 100% admin and 0% value added.

With Workable’s self-scheduling option, you can eliminate the back-and-forth and book timely, convenient interviews with just a few clicks. In your initial outreach template, simply include the self-schedule link. The candidate can view the available slots on your calendar and book on the spot. All you have to do is show up!

7. Automated actions

Stuck doing the same old boring hiring tasks over and over again? They’re not just tedious, they can also cost you serious time and effort when multiplied over hundreds of open positions. What seems like just two minutes can easily turn into two hours of admin work per day as candidates and open roles pile up.

With Workable’s automated actions you can increase productivity and speed up time to hire by automating repetitive tasks, emails and invites. Develop custom email templates and create automations by job, department or hiring stage.

Whether you’re sending an assessment test, self-schedule interview links or disqualification emails – Workable makes it easy to set up, cancel and edit automations.

8. Bulk actions

At a rapidly scaling company, you’re likely dealing with hundreds or thousands of candidates. Taking basic actions like sending emails or disqualifying applicants, can take ages if you’re forced to do it one-by-one.

Luckily, Workable’s bulk actions make it easy to take action with just a few simple clicks. In Workable, you can use templates with bulk emails to email sourced candidates or send mass rejection emails to disqualified applicants.

Simply open the hiring stage, select the candidates you’d like to email and click ‘send bulk emails’ from the bulk actions menu. Workable even has built-in duplicate detection to prevent candidates from receiving emails twice.

9. One-way video interviews

When you’re scaling up, you need your time-to-hire to go way down. You need tools that will help you screen at scale, and more easily identify qualified candidates. Enter, Video Interviews. Video Interviews reduce the time you need to spend communicating, scheduling and carrying out the screening process.

Workable’s one-way video interviews are built with the candidate in mind – there’s no messy tech, no downloads and no leaving the application form. It’s all built into the Workable platform, which also makes it easier for the hiring team to collaborate and compare feedback. And since hiring teams can review responses and provide feedback at any time, from any device, you’ll identify your best candidates faster, too.

Engage the entire hiring team

Hiring may be in your day job, but it’s not always in the day job of the hiring manager or executive. Nevertheless, to do your job well, you need their active participation. The following two features will help you make their part in the process easier – which in turn makes it easy to do your own job even at scale.

10. Mobile app

The hardest part of hiring at scale can be getting hiring managers on board and engaged. The mobile app makes it easy for hiring managers to stay connected, no matter where they are.

The mobile app acts as your personal assistant giving you an overview of upcoming events, overdue tasks and all the helpful context you need. You can screen, communicate, evaluate and even hire, all from your phone.

Learn how a Workable sales executive hired 20 salespeople in three months using her smartphone, despite a packed schedule.

11. Customer support

When you’re at a high growth company, you can’t get hung up on a tech question. You need real answers from real people, real fast. Workable’s global support team has you covered, no matter what timezone you’re in.

An agent is never more than a simple call, chat or email away. And, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating, you could say we specialize in solving problems.

Fill your (rapidly growing!) talent pipeline

Finally – talent shortages and niche roles often pose a challenge to recruiters who need to attract the best and brightest candidates to your company. This feature will help you.

12. AI Recruiter

When you’ve been tapped to help your company double in size by scaling up your hiring, the best place to start is with a healthy talent pipeline. But instantly filling your pipeline with a host of diverse, qualified applicants is easier said than done.

Until now. With Workable’s unique sourcing toolkit you won’t need external recruiters or additional sourcing software to get a leg up in the talent market. With AI Recruiter you can take sourcing into your own hands. Get a list of the top 50 passive candidates for every job in your account, instantly. Add them all into the sourced stage with one click.

13. People Search

Already know what skills you’re looking for? Leverage the power of the internet in an instant. Be as specific or as general as you like while running a full boolean search based on experience, keywords, location, education, etc. You’ll get matching passive candidates with their best contact info.

Learn how an insurance startup tripled their employee base in 2.5 years, hiring for difficult-to-fill niche roles using People Search.

The post How to scale up your hiring process: 13 features for rapidly growing companies appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

5 candidate complaints on Reddit and what to do about them

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:07:02 +0000

Let’s start with looking at a recent Reddit post in the “True Off My Chest” subcategory that surged up the popularity ranks in May 2021. It’s titled, aptly: “The American workforce’s hiring process has become entirely toxic.”

Dragging applicants over the coals

The post tells the story of one jobseeker who graduated into the workforce in 2001 into a standard recruitment process – you apply, you go through a few interviews, you talk awkwardly about salary, and then finally, you get the job offer, all within a few weeks.

But now? In that jobseeker’s own words:

“Interviews upon interviews, frivolous personality quizzes, unscheduled hour-long calls to discuss said quizzes, team/roundtable interviews with a half a dozen people grilling you and throwing you curveballs, creative submissions galore (requiring substantial unpaid work or ‘spec’ work), additional references from each company, drug tests, background checks, etc.”

While they understand that the point is to eliminate risk in taking on a new employee, they add:

“Some sort of risk is involved. You simply have to take a chance on the potential employee. You have to be able to determine if someone is a fit without building a comprehensive profile fit for the CIA.”

Plus, that burden of risk is being shifted to the candidate.

“It seems like it’s getting to the point where companies are seeking to eliminate all risk on their end while dragging applicants over the coals, subjecting them to endless hoops to be jumped through.”

In short: overanalyzing your job applicants will ultimately lead to a poorer candidate experience.

It’s not just one candidate complaint

There were more than 3,500 comments in response to this post. We’ve broken them down into five major candidate complaints, direct from the source:

Long game for the short job
Poor communications across the board
Duplicated efforts when applying
Making it unnecessarily weird
The job bait and switch

1. Long game for the short job

The gripe: The recruitment process takes much longer than what feels necessary. This is understandable if you’re evaluating candidates for a higher-lever position (director, VP, C-suite), but when you’re hiring for entry-level or relatively rudimentary roles, it can feel excessive, especially when there’s little payoff at the end.

Bkiersta: “My 19yo daughter had 3 interviews over several weeks to be a clerk at a local smoke shop. 3 interviews. 3 weeks to hire. For a $9.75 cashier job. It’s ridiculous!”

NimbyNuke: “I had to interview 3 times for a job [at] Subway like 6 years ago. Gave me immense pleasure to tell them on the last callback that I had already been hired somewhere else that didn’t need 3+ weeks to decide.”

MicrowaveEye: “Yes. Yes. Yes. Some of the things these employers do should be illegal. I recently had an interview process roll on for 8 weeks. They had me do countless long Zoom calls and create difficult portfolios I would normally do for big bucks. I interviewed with people that didn’t know about my job, people who were emailing the entire time I talked, and entry-level people that didn’t even understand my work. In the end, they said I was their top choice but they were going to create two new positions instead of one and wait for a few months because of covid. The nerve of these places.”

Guideinfo: “I recently spent 6. SIX. Siiiiix hours interviewing for a level entry hr position. Three separate interviews. Met the owner. Toured the grounds. Saw the cafeteria options. Was introduced to several different people and departments. I didn’t get the job.”

The lesson to be learned:

Your time to fill metric isn’t just for your own benefit. It also helps you see how much time candidates spend in your pipeline. What you don’t want is for your most prized candidates to self-select out of the process, get hired elsewhere, or complain publicly because you took too long for a decision on their status.

What you can do:

Do a deep audit of your recruitment funnel, using your applicant tracking system’s reporting tools. Look for the bottlenecks in the process where candidates spend most of their time. Identify the causes for the delays, and correct them.

Try these solutions:

Improve communications with hiring team members when their input or action is needed to move candidates through the funnel.
Introduce tools to speed up the process, such as self-scheduling options and email triggers.
Reassess whether you really need that additional interview or evaluation stage for certain roles.
Spend more time developing your new employees and less time on hiring the “best” one. Having a great employee isn’t just about finding them; it’s also about developing them.

2. Poor communications across the board

The gripe: Candidates are often left in the dark in the process. While updating every single candidate is a lot to ask, jobseekers still need to decide whether to pursue another opportunity or just to know where they stand. Internal communications within your team are also a common candidate complaint.

ZipZopZoopittyBop: “The thing that blows my mind is that almost zero companies call you back to tell you that you didn’t get the job, even after you’ve interviewed one or multiple times. They seriously don’t give a single [expletive] about you as a person.”

ChairmanJawa: “Also add, not informing the applicant that they weren’t chosen. So you’ve just been waiting for months to hear something only to realize you’ve been ghosted.”

SeaKingDragon: “I had an interview booked for this week, it was a telephone interview but I took the day off work so I could focus on it. The designated time came and went without a word from them, I tried contacting them but have been ignored. I waited all afternoon for nothing and wasted a holiday day but get no apology or even an explanation as to why they stood me up. I’m expected to want to give my all to your company solely out of my own drive to see it succeed (because God forbid I want to work to earn money), yet they can have me chasing my tail and treat me as if my time is meaningless.”

Cjandstuff: “My now ex-wife actually got a job at Best Buy. Goes in for training. No one knew she was supposed to be there. After spending about an hour trying to find out what’s going on, she leaves. A month later the store manager calls her and asks how she likes the job.”

The lesson to be learned:

If you ‘ghost’ candidates when you’re no longer interested in them, if you don’t respond to requests for an update, or if your hiring team doesn’t seem aligned, it sends a message that you’re poorly organized and you don’t treat your people well. Candidates will call that out in their various networks – including Reddit and LinkedIn. This hurts your employer brand, and can lead to other jobseekers deciding not to apply for other roles with your organization.

What you can do:

While personal emails and phone calls for shortlisted candidates is ideal, that’s obviously not feasible for every situation. But ensure that every candidate gets notified whenever an action has been taken on their application.

Try these solutions:

Set up an automated email system with trigger points.
Keep your hiring team communications transparent and in a single place.

3. Duplicated efforts when applying

The gripe: Candidates spend hours crafting a solid resume and cover letter, only to have to reenter all their information again via the online application process.

Jim_from_snowy_river: “Do you also forgot the whole input your resume and cover letter and then spend the next hour answering the questions that are already answered on your resume and cover letter.”

Mycatiswatchingyou: “Don’t forget how they ask you for a resume with recommendations and a cover letter, only to have you type ALL of that information into their poorly-crafted online application. And no, don’t type ‘see resume’ because they explicitly say that typing that will get your application thrown out.”

The lesson to be learned:

One of the key aspects of entering candidate information into your ATS is so you have a standardized and scalable system making it easy to compare applications. Fair enough. But when your process requires reentering information that candidates have already shared with you, all you’re doing is handing off the hard work to them. That sets a poor candidate experience from the get-go.

What you can do:

Remember the candidate experience. Their resume has all the needed information already, and they’ve already shared that. Find a way that works for both of you.

Try these solutions:

Invest in a “smarter” application system that allows resumes to be properly parsed with minimal additional maintenance.
Add an “Apply with LinkedIn” button so that people can submit their LinkedIn profile as part of their application.
Introduce a seamless application process that values the candidate’s time as well as the recruiter’s.

4. Making it unnecessarily weird

The gripe: Some parts of the hiring process are uncomfortable for some people, for example, an introvert who’s required to face three interviewers in a single setting.

BenAdaephonDelat: “As an autistic person, I hate the hiring process in IT. I hate the need to bull[expletive] about myself. I hate having to mask in an interview to seem like a ‘team player’. I hate getting asked questions that they don’t want honest answers to. … And even after all that, 9/10 you’re looking at a contract-to-hire position for a company that probably wants you to do 5 jobs for the price of 1, has no flexibility, and no respect for the fact that programmers need different office environments than most other people (especially when 90% of your employees are extroverts and you hire largely introverted developers).”

The lesson to be learned:

Not all jobs require all of the traits or skills that you’d love to see in a candidate. Some jobs, such as the above-mentioned developer roles, may have some collaborative element to them but that’s not the core criteria for success in a position. When you push a candidate through these seemingly unnecessary steps, you’re hurting the candidate experience again.

What you can do:

Go through the job opportunity with a fine-toothed comb. Look at each of the requirements and determine whether they’re really needed or just “nice to have”. And even for the “nice to haves”, think about how much you really need them for the role.

Try these solutions:

Put your candidate at ease by telling them exactly what they can expect at each stage.
Communicate openly about the purpose of each stage of the process as it pertains to the job itself.
Don’t forget that you’re ultimately hiring for a job, not for a personality trait.
Train your hiring managers on proper evaluation techniques so they’re not focused on areas not necessarily tied to job success.

5. The job bait and switch

The gripe: Candidates go through a lengthy process only to find out at the end that the job isn’t what they applied for, or it was changed at some point.

Belatorius: “It’s the same even for a technical degree. I just graduated for automation technician and I’ve had interviewers lie saying they were looking for maintenance only to turn around and state it was for a operator position. I’m still looking and the amount of experience asked for entry level is insane and often the titles are misleading. Came across several ‘automation technician’ job postings only to have the description describe it as a production gig. It’s a [expletive] storm. Companies bitch about not having enough skilled workers but they don’t want to take the time to train fresh grads for 6 months – 1 year.”

CatelynsCorpse: “My husband was laid off from his job of 14 years (20 years experience total as a graphics designer). Most of the local places that are hiring graphic designers want to pay $12/hr. AND they want you to have a bachelor’s degree. They all use the same personality tests and basic graphic design tests, and they all want you to do work for them (for free) to ‘see what you can do’. Half the time when he does get an interview, he arrives only to find out that WELL… ’I know that the job posting was for a Graphics Design job, but it’s not really a Graphics Design job, per se, it’s more of a Receptionist/Assistant/Salesperson/Assistant Manager job where you’ll have to do Graphics Design stuff from time to time.’”

Deepestbluest: “holy [expletive], I’m experiencing nearly the same thing right now. One particular position I’ve been in the interview process for (going on about a month now) has had me do multiple creative submissions to prove my ‘chops’ and now they’re asking me for something that would require a literal CREW of people and equipment I don’t have. I told them this and they’re like ‘well we’re looking for someone who can do it all’.”

And take another look at MicrowaveEye’s complaint in the first subsection above.

The lesson to be learned:

As above, your candidates are your customers. If you market a job falsely, it’ll antagonize them and hurt your employer brand. Just don’t do it.

What you can do:

Any reasonable candidate will understand that the role may not be the ideal fit for them, but will go ahead anyway because it’s mostly a good fit. They can also work with adjustments in the role based on their own qualifications. That’s fine, but stop the changes there. Also, candidates will respect you more if you set expectations from the get-go even if the job isn’t that clear.

Try these solutions:

Meet with the hiring team and make sure you’re all aligned on the job description before posting, and stick to it.
If something has to change, communicate that earnestly with the candidate as early as possible to respect their time and commitment.
If you’re indeed looking to fill a utility, lower-paid position in your team because you’re a fast-evolving startup, be honest about that in the job ad and even the careers page. Candidates who opt to keep going are the ones you want.

And now, candidate attitudes are changing evolving

These candidate complaints make it clear: jobseekers are fed up. They’re deciding it’s just not worth going through a toxic evaluation process just to get a job.

For instance:

Katieleehaw: “Something has switched in my brain in the past few years, I think from a combination of the changing landscape of our world and also from, for the first time in my almost-40 years, I have been working for an employer that treats me with respect and is the opposite of a toxic environment. If I went to a job interview now, my attitude would be very different than it once was. I used to go in, like most of us, and basically try to politely beg/simper/people-please my way into the job, not because I particularly wanted it, but because I was desperate and they were the gatekeepers. Now I just don’t have time or energy for this [expletive]. I am an extremely capable person who can be a huge asset to any employer – I want to know what they can do FOR ME in exchange for that. Considering starting to interview just to practice this.”

You know what you have to do

We’ll let another Reddit commenter take it home:

WorkingContext: “It’s a good point that you bring up the risk, because it is a risk to hire someone, but if it doesn’t work out you let them go and hire someone new, if they’re worried about how hard it is to hire someone new, maybe rework your hiring process so it’s not that hard haha”.

Let’s repeat that: “Rework your hiring process so it’s not that hard.”

So, how does reworking that process look? Well, shorten that time to fill, for starters. Optimize the process. Keep communications alive and engaged. Make it an inclusive, fair experience for all applicants. And survey your candidates regularly – they are, after all, your target audience. Be sure to establish a baseline by tracking key metrics so you know where to improve.

The end result? Fewer candidate complaints. Impressed candidates who will apply again and tell their friends about it on Reddit and LinkedIn. That’s what it’s all about in the end, isn’t it?

The post 5 candidate complaints on Reddit and what to do about them appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The best free applicant tracking systems

Olivia Jones — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 16:15:51 +0000

Let’s get into a bit more detail about what a free applicant tracking system can do for your organization compared with paid ATSes, and how to choose the best one for you.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Evaluating free vs. paid applicant tracking software
- Features you can expect on a free ATS plan
- Features likely to be missing from a free ATS
Who are free applicant tracking systems suitable for?
Signs a paid ATS may be more beneficial for your business
Top 5 best free applicant tracking systems

Evaluating free vs. paid applicant tracking software

Luckily, there is applicant tracking software available for any budget or business need. Rather than just choosing one from our list, check out the pros and cons of each to see what is right for your organization. After all, there’s no reason to pay for a level of service you don’t need and won’t use, but free applicant tracking systems do have limits to what they can offer.

Features you can expect on a free ATS plan

So what kind of features come standard with most free ATS plans?

1. Seamless job posting

One of the most useful tools an ATS can offer is the ability to post job listings across many platforms at once. This saves time and effort for your HR department.

2. Resume aggregation and management

When applications start coming in from the many places you posted your job listing, an ATS can help you aggregate and sort the resumes that you receive. Free applicant tracking systems have features built in to allow you to search for candidates in your applicant pool by background, job title, skill set, and other factors. This helps you pull the most qualified candidates for further research and interviews.

3. Communication & automation

Many free applicant tracking systems also come with communication features that streamline the applicant management process. This means that key elements of the communication process with job applicants – such as email communication, interview scheduling, and first-round interviews – can be automated in order to save time and labor costs. Depending on the type of free applicant tracking system you’re using, this can range from simple communication features to full, large-scale process automation.

Features likely to be missing from a free ATS

Free applicant tracking systems may have a lot of time-saving features to offer, but paid applicant tracking systems have some seriously useful features that you just can’t get with a free plan. These may include:

1. Unlimited job postings

Free applicant tracking systems often have limits on the number of job listings you can post at a time. They might also limit the number of websites that they cross-post your job listing on, whereas more robust paid plans offer access to many websites at once and unlimited job listings.

2. Resume storage, CRM-style

This feature stores applications and resumes submitted in a searchable database that your HR team can access at any point in the future, essentially giving you a ready-made talent pool of candidates interested in your organization, even if they were not selected for the role they originally applied for. Free ATS’ usually have limits on how long your resumes can be stored for, if they retain them at all. However, know that the recent growth in data privacy legislation will require more attention on compliance than in the past.

3. Social media functionality

A free applicant tracking system can aggregate and filter applications for your HR department, but it usually can’t pull information from social media as well. A premium ATS finds candidates through their social media profiles as well as through submitted applications. This broader candidate pool is a huge asset!

4. Analytics

Another paid feature is data analytics for your talent pool. A paid applicant tracking system can gather and analyze data on your candidates. It can also monitor for compliance and DEI goals when using candidate surveying tools.

5. Mobile compatibility

When you use a free applicant tracking system, you pay with less access to features like mobile compatibility. With so much work activity done on the go these days, it may be worth paying for a system that includes a native app or, at the very least, is mobile compatible.

6. Ad free & secure

One way that companies can afford to release free applicant tracking systems is by running ads on their systems. This not only makes for a distracting and messy user experience, but also poses potential security risks.

7. Scalability

Due to their limited features, free applicant tracking systems are not great for businesses that may need to quickly scale up in the future. If your business is growing quickly, it’s a good idea to invest in an ATS that can handle a higher load of applications.

Who are free applicant tracking systems suitable for?

Free applicant tracking systems aren’t the best choice for everyone. There are real limits to the features they offer, and in many cases, paying for an upgraded program is far more cost-effective. Here are some scenarios where a free applicant tracking system may work best for your organization:

1. Your recruitment process is pretty simple

There’s no need to overcomplicate something if it’s already working for your business. If your recruitment pipeline is simple yet effective, a free ATS may be all you need.

2. You only hire a few candidates each year, or have a small recruiting budget

If you only fill a few job openings each year, it may not be worth the cost of a paid ATS to fill those openings. A free ATS can get the job done in this scenario, with limitations.

3. You have an IT team that can alter open-source software for your ATS

There are a few open-source ATS solutions out there. If you have an in-house IT team with the bandwidth to tweak and customize this open-source software for your company, that may be a better solution than paying for a full service ATS. Bear in mind, however, that you’re also limiting yourself to your IT team’s capabilities and while the ATS is “free”, the amount of hours invested in customizing the open-source ATS solution can be seen as an added expense.

Signs a paid ATS may be more beneficial for your business

If you have a feeling that your organization could benefit from a more sophisticated program with better features, here are some signs a paid ATS could be worth it for you:

1. Your hiring process is complex

Larger businesses with complicated talent pipelines can benefit from the features offered by a paid ATS. A paid applicant tracking system can help you standardize your recruitment process. It can also make continuous hiring a breeze, which is great for industries with high turnover.

2. You hire many people per year

The cost of a wrong hire is a price no business can afford to pay. But the larger your organization is, the more likely you are to be hiring for a number of management positions, which can be some of the most costly to hire or replace. A paid applicant tracking system with better features will easily pay for itself in an organization that hires many people each year.

3. You want to free up time for your HR/recruiting staff

With the automations, streamlined communication, and analytics offered with most paid applicant tracking systems, your HR team will save valuable time that can now be spent on resolving internal matters or interviewing high-value candidates. A paid applicant tracking system will also keep your hiring team on the same page throughout the hiring process.

4. You want to keep track of standout applicants

A paid applicant tracking system often includes the ability to store resumes from applicants in an easy-to-use database, allowing hiring managers to search the database for qualified candidates, even after the position they applied for is filled. Again, as above, be mindful of compliance considerations when storing candidate data.

5. You want to find the most qualified candidates

Free applicant tracking systems simply can’t compete with the premium features offered by paid versions. If easily finding the most qualified candidates is your top priority, it’s probably worth investing in a service that will truly get the job done.

6. You want to audit your recruiting process for efficiency

Is there time waste in your HR or recruiting department? Has your organization gone through the frustrating process of multiple bad-fit hires? The automation and other features that a paid ATS offers can help your leadership pinpoint and correct areas of inefficiency and waste.

Top 5 best free applicant tracking systems

But not every organization can afford or needs what a paid applicant tracking system has to offer. If you’re still interested in trying out a free applicant tracking system, here’s a breakdown of the five best free programs out there and what each of them has to offer.

SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters offers tons of features for large firms to recruit and hire; their free version is great for smaller companies who are looking to fill fewer positions. Unlike many free applicant tracking systems, their free version offers most of the same features of their paid version, the main difference being limits on the number of active job postings they allow.

Zoho

Zoho’s free applicant tracking system is tailored for recruiting and staffing firms, so if you’re in another industry, you might want to take a look at the other free ATS’ listed here. That being said, it has many useful integrations like evaluation management, job description templates, and background check software.

BreezyHR

BreezyHR is one of the few applicant tracking systems to offer a limited version for free forever, rather than just a short free trial of the full version. Highly rated by software review site Capterra for its robust features, Breezy offers many features other ATS’ don’t, like skill assessment and a native video interview system. The free version only allows for one active position and one active talent pool at a time.

Recruitee

While free only on a trial basis, Recruitee is a highly flexible ATS with all the features you’d expect from a free ATS: resume search, job posting, and interview scheduling automation. It also offers integrations for internal HR processes, like recruitment goal checking, and workflow management. Recruitee does not include onboarding software.

Teamtailor

Like Recruitee, Teamtailor offers a free trial as opposed to an outright free option. With branding features, an easy-to-use interface, integrated onboarding, and mobile compatibility, Teamtailor is yet another great option.

Olivia Jones is a freelance writer and marketing consultant. She helps companies create compelling content. Learn more about what she does on her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post The best free applicant tracking systems appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

What is workforce planning, and why is it important?

Suzanne Lucas — Thu, 27 May 2021 17:22:49 +0000

Table of contents:

What is workforce planning?
What is involved in workforce planning?
How to create a workforce plan

What is workforce planning?

Workforce planning is the people side of planning, but some businesses skip it, thinking that people will just appear when needed. Workforce planning aligns core business goals with people strategy. It makes no sense to plan on a new product launch next year without thinking about R&D, supply chain, and sales staff.

Workforce planning is the tool you use to ensure that alignment.

What is involved in workforce planning?

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) identifies the critical points of workforce planning as follows.

Reduce labor costs in favor of workforce deployment and flexibility
Identify and respond to changing customer needs
Identify relevant strategies for focused people development
Target inefficiencies
Improve employee retention
Improve productivity and quality outputs
Improve employees’ work-life balance
Make recommendations to deliver strategic value through talent

This article will break down these points and how they apply to your business.

1. Reduce labor costs in favor of workforce deployment and flexibility

Labor is often the highest cost for businesses outside of manufacturing. Some estimates put labor costs at 60% and even 70% of expenses. With these costs, planning to reduce costs while increasing flexibility is critical to continued success.

This isn’t advocating for low-balling employees or providing rotten benefits for employees. It’s about getting the right people in the correct positions. An engaged, competent, happy employee will cost less than an unhappy, unqualified employee. Remember, turnover is expensive as well.

2. Identify and respond to changing customer needs

The classic case study of a company that didn’t respond to customer needs is Kodak. As the king of film, Kodak had digital technology early but decided to focus on film, thinking digital was a fad. It wasn’t, and the company struggled for survival, dropping from a peak of 145,000 employees to 5,000 as of August 2020.

Human resources departments need to be a bit of a fortune-teller to accurately predict workforce needs. Because SHRM doesn’t issue crystal balls, HR needs to work closely with each department to help predict needs and create plans for meeting these. Open communication between HR and each department is critical.

3. Identify relevant strategies for focused people development

The very premise of workforce planning is that business changes, and because business changes, people need to change. Figuring out talent gaps and plans to fill those gaps is a core function of workforce planning.

People development needs to happen before the need exists. Remember, you can go out and search for the “unicorn” candidate to fill a need immediately, but it’s often more manageable if you plan and develop an employee to take care of that specialty skill gap – if you do it right. This can mean training classes, graduate programs, or stretch assignments.

4. Target inefficiencies

If you’ve ever heard “we’ve always done it that way” as an explanation, then you know that the business has inefficiencies that can be rooted out. Good HR will ask; “What should we stop doing?” as well as “What should we do?”. You can find inefficiencies in all areas of the business.

5. Improve employee retention

Turnover is expensive – not only does it take time and money to find, interview, and onboard a new employee, training them can take months. Good HR focuses on retaining employees who have potential. (You shouldn’t retain just to retain – if someone is a toxic employee, giving them more technical skills won’t eliminate their toxicity.) Creating career paths within the company can be an excellent workforce planning tool to aid employee retention.

6. Improve productivity and quality outputs

While managers need to figure out how to improve productivity and quality, HR can provide support. For instance, are there policies and procedures that can increase productivity and quality? What support do employees get for reaching their goals? When HR takes a look at the workforce, they can spot problems that decrease productivity. For instance, an employee who bullies their coworkers can destroy productivity in a department.

HR needs to plan to find, coach, or remove such employees, as well as helping managers find better ways to do things.

7. Improve employees’ work-life balance

Employees are at the center of workforce planning – without employees, all plans are worthless. You can increase your productivity by requiring everyone to work 80-hour weeks, but your turnover will shoot through the roof, and your quality will collapse.

Through making sure that employees have sufficient downtime and are supported at work, your workforce will be a lot more stable.

8. Make recommendations to deliver strategic value through talent

Sometimes managers can undervalue employees – they think if they can get someone cheaper, they should. But, good workforce planning demonstrates that you pay for top skills. While we use the word talent often in HR, you really should think about it in terms of skills. What skills do these employees have that can make a difference in your business?

Remember that treating employees right is a lot easier than trying to squeeze value out of people who are exhausted and burnt out.

How to create a workforce plan

This is more than just figuring out who you need to hire. There are many ways to approach this, but here are four critical elements that will make your workforce planning a success.

1. Understand the company’s mission and goals

Workforce planning doesn’t exist in a vacuum – it needs to support the company’s goals. Are you looking to expand across North America? Well, that’s quite different from a company that is content operating out of a single location.

The company’s mission matters as well. What’s the most important thing to the CEO, shareholders, employees, and customers? Make sure you have that answered before you move to step two.

2. Conduct a present gap analysis

This is a systematic method of understanding the gaps in the organization. What is missing? While workforce planning focuses on the people side of the business, keep in mind that a gap analysis looks at all business areas, not just skills and talent.

People aren’t at their best unless they have the equipment, training, and support they need. This is looking at the situation now. Remember all the points above – you need to look for improvement in all these areas.

3. Project for the future

This involves speaking with company leadership and involving every unit in the business. You’re looking for where the growth will be and where the workforce will shrink. You want to determine what skills the company will need in the coming years, not just now.

4. Conduct a future gap analysis

Knowing what you do about the current employment situation and the business’s goals and projected path, put together what the workforce will need and look at your gaps:

What do you need to reach these goals?
Do you need more employees?
What type of training will your current staff need?
Can you conduct this training in-house, or do you need people to receive formal training or even degrees?
Do you have a formal employee training and development company policy in place?

Make sure you look at external trends as well. In 2019, no one would have guessed the massive shift toward remote work, but now, you’d be remiss not to consider where the workforce will be in the future. Will employees continue to work remotely or will they expect to? If so, is your company prepared to support people in other states? Or do you want to limit hiring to your local area, regardless of where they work?

Of course, there are many more things that you can do to plan for your workforce’s future, but these will get you a solid foundation. And, one last note: remember to be flexible. Plans change, and your workforce planning documents need to flex as the world changes as well.

The post What is workforce planning, and why is it important? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Diversity in leadership: Why it matters and what you can do

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:08:58 +0000

We have a problem. While it’s great that the conversation is growing around diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, there just isn’t enough diversity in leadership – namely, at the top level. Perfect diversity is one thing – the distribution of that diversity is another thing altogether.

A recent Mercer study proves this lack of diversity in leadership:

The demographics of leadership

85% of US-based executives and 83% of senior managers in the survey are white, compared with 64% of those in support and operations.
77% of executives and 71% of senior managers worldwide in the survey are male, compared with 53% of support staff.

Seeing these numbers, you’d expect some momentum to increase that diversity at the executive level. There is – but not to the scale you might think.

Contents:

The demographics of leadership
Prioritizing diversity in leadership
Why is diversity in leadership important?
Diversity in leadership: The payoff
Diversity in leadership: The initiative
Diversity in leadership: The action items
Diversity in leadership: Leaders demand it

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Prioritizing diversity in leadership

In Workable’s survey on DEI at work, 64.8% cited diversity throughout the entire company as an area of priority in their overall DEI strategy.

But when it comes to leadership at the top level, just 25% of respondents included that as a leading priority in their strategy.

So, not only is there not much diversity in leadership, it doesn’t even seem to be as important as overall diversity in the minds of business professionals.

If you can’t point to equal representation at the top level, then how can you really declare real progress in your company DEI strategy? Ticking off that “diversity” box doesn’t mean much when the distribution of that diversity remains uneven.

Why is diversity in leadership important?

So, why should you care? Well, there are three major reasons.

1. Your leadership sets the tone.

Work processes and company cultures are traditionally guided – and influenced – via a top-down approach. If you have a lack of diverse leadership in your workforce, you’re not going to make real progress in the equally essential and more impactful cousins of equity and inclusion. They are all different parts of the whole, after all.

2. Your employees want to feel included.

Think about your employees. If you already feel underrepresented in everyday society – whether you are Black, female, non-binary, etc. – and that underrepresentation is even starker at the top level in your workplace, how can you expect to feel truly equal, included, and understood as an employee?

Related to both #1 and #2: The employee experience is crucial. We’re no longer in a time where there’s a clear separation between personal life and work life. You want all your employees feeling safe, appreciated, valued, and included in the workspace – thus bringing their full selves to work.

3. Your bottom line is at stake.

The payoff can be immense. While there’s no arguing about the moral imperative for ensuring diversity in leadership, doing so actually has a positive influence on your bottom line.

Diversity in leadership: The payoff

The data proves the real and positive business impact of diversity in leadership. Let’s look at the numbers from a McKinsey study:

Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity at the executive level are 21% more likely to generate higher profits and 27% more likely to have superior value creation.
Companies in the top quartile for ethnic/cultural diversity on executive teams are 1/3 more likely to have industry-leading profitability.

What’s more, if your leadership is homogenous, there’s a negative impact on your bottom line.

Those companies in the bottom quartile for both gender and ethnic/cultural diversity are 29% less likely to be above average in profitability.

Diversity in leadership: The initiative

Let’s go back to our own survey, where we asked respondents when they introduced diversity in leadership as an action item. One in five said they did so in 2020. Another fifth say they’ll implement it as an action item going forward.

20.8% of companies introduced diverse management and leadership as an action item in 2020
19% will do so going forward.

Diversity in leadership: The action items

Do you have leadership diversity in your strategy or do you plan to? More so, what can you do to increase diversity in leadership? It’s no longer about raising a flag in support of DEI – you need to act to make a real difference.

There are many ways to do it – including establishing clear, attainable goals, for example:

“Our executive team will be fully representative of our society’s demographics by June 2022.”

You will also need to define action items to reach each goal.

For example:

“Implement a process to track advancement metrics throughout the organization.”

When you track representation in your hiring, you can establish a baseline and identify opportunities for improvement. You can do that using an anonymous surveying tool such as Workable’s Candidate Surveys.

Another example:

“Utilize tools to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.”

Hiring the right people to lead your business is clearly top of mind – but are you also doing so in a fair, unbiased way that treats each candidate equally? It’s possible that you’re unintentionally excluding or disadvantaging certain minorities, as suggested in another Mercer report.

You can reduce that unconscious bias from the recruitment process via anonymized screening where candidates’ names and other identifying features are removed from their applications. There are tools to help you there, such as Workable’s Anonymized Screening.

Diversity in leadership: Leaders demand it

There is a growing call for action from investors, and implementation of new standards and expectations are being set by regulators – including S&P. Some organizations are even seeing leaders stepping down on the requirement that their replacement contributes to a more accurate representation of the overall community.

If you do it right, you’ll be able to have a diversity pyramid that now looks like this:

Company diversity is great – but it’s the equal distribution of that diversity that really counts. It’ll really show your mettle as a business that values employee experience when you have diversity in leadership.

Let’s get to work!

The post Diversity in leadership: Why it matters and what you can do appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

6 workplace changes we can expect in the 2020s

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 14:27:43 +0000

The workplace changes we face are significant, and they primarily challenge our well-established MOs. Some of these issues are long overdue, so it might be that a global virus pandemic can bring about some positive changes to the table. One of the surprises we’re witnessing at the moment is the increasing value placed upon soft skills, across corporate levels.

There’s a lot more. Let’s take a look how the world of work has changed and will continue to change in the coming years.

EX marks the spot
‘Moneyball’ HR
IT takes the wheel
Redefining departments
Going (fully) remote
Flexibility goes mainstream

1. EX marks the spot

Just like in Stevenson’s classic, Treasure Island, where X marks the treasure, EX is making a mark on the rapidly changing workplace around the world.

Employee experience (following previous hits such as UX and CX) is gaining momentum and moving front and center in the world of work., According to Josh Bersin, the value of the EX industry rose to $15 billion during the pandemic, which included surveys, feedback, case and knowledge management, and other developments.

In the past, EX was often an HR project on the back burner, mainly concerned with core metrics such as retention and productivity. It’s since moved through phases of development corresponding with business trends, including resource and time optimizations for a certain job, employee engagement, perks and benefits, and standard HR fare.

Now we’re seeing a fundamental shift in corporate culture, signaling long-term changes in EX through organizational overhauls.

While the brand-defining aspects of EX unfolded with bigger players long before the pandemic, including Google, Facebook and Apple. The new EX brings a deep culture shift in the business world and encompasses every stage of the employee lifecycle, starting with the initial candidate experience:

The job ad and careers page
The application process
Screening call / one-way video interview
Face-to-face interview (be it video or in person)
Job offer and acceptance of offer

And then the experience of the role itself:

Onboarding and training (including in remote environments)
Working across and within teams
The day-to-day of the role
Management of the employee
And every other element of the employee’s tenure with your organization

And finally, the overall employee experience lifecycle includes moving on to another job: how the news is received and handled, the transition phase, and even the exit interview.

EX efforts have recently transformed from passive observation to active action-taking, designing the full experience on top of the basic tenets of monitoring, surveying, and responding as needed. The pandemic has driven numerous challenges to the forefront.

Remote work has unique challenges for EX, and women are more affected than men – from parenting to racial issues to other inequalities underaddressed until now. From an EX design perspective, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is top of mind.

As an HR practitioner, know that the advent of EX is penultimate in the list of workplace changes for the 2020s.

2. ‘Moneyball’ HR

Much like Brad Pitt in Moneyball, the new HR will not use their stats just for making reports, but also to pre-define strategies and come up with solutions for new challenges. This is a shift in focus from analysis to proactive planning.

The major upskills for HR specialists will focus mostly on soft skills: learning to identify problems and solutions faster, and implement them. This requires clear communication at all levels, especially in a remote setting. Clear discussion in a language that makes sense to the person you’re talking with will become crucial for a problem-solving approach to work.

Other skills that make HR a bigger player include:

Analytical thinking and attention to detail – taking information from hiring managers, datasets, economic and hiring trends, etc., and turning that into meaningful guidance for your organization’s hiring plan
Employee personas – i.e. defining your “perfect” employee and designing your recruitment strategy to attract those candidates
Developing scenarios and strategies, and executing on them

These all need to be backed by a continuous influx of quality data. In doing so, the goal of the HR department will be to address individual requirements in more detail, but also to develop a strategic approach to potential problems and challenges, including safety and health issues of working from home, a plan to hire at scale, or the implementation of a new policy.

Oversimplifying again: the new HR needs to leverage people analytics while maintaining genuine connections on a human level.

2020 saw cuts in HR staff around the world, while the department faced entirely new challenges (which often came with a bigger workload). This is not exclusive to 2020. HR is already notoriously understaffed, even when dealing with an increased workload or a growing workforce. The pandemic has led to limited MOs in all types of businesses, leaving HR practitioners to find solutions on leaner budgets – and find them fast.

The new – sudden and unexpected – close collaboration with IT, business intelligence, and other data-focused teams might be the answer to these pain points, even in the long run. HR is now:

Accessing and recruiting a new type of labor with different needs and requirements
Needing solutions for new developments such as virus strains, vaccinations etc.
Taking into account increasingly louder calls for greater diversity and equality;
Crunching serious numbers into stats and reports.

The new processes and solutions need to be standardized, reliable and adaptable, since they need to accommodate for a diversified talent pool and new lines of communication. The need for quicker and better decision-making and problem-solving, with a leaner HR team and budget, while simultaneously incorporating new developments, is putting another department to the forefront – IT and data.

Brad Pitt’s character in Moneyball, Billy Beane, led his Oakland Athletics to a string of winning records year after year – all the more impressive considering his tight budget. One of the big developments in that story was the hiring of an expert data analyst (played by Jonah Hill in the film), who played an integral role in Beane’s data-focused approach to baseball.

As Jonah Hill’s character says: “Your goal shouldn’t be to buy players – your goal should be to buy wins.” Is Moneyhire next?

3. IT across all departments

The previous decade saw a steady rise in digital economy – with it, IT rose as a core function. IT is developing automations not to replace workers, but rather, to support them. As Josh Bersin says, “You’re getting augmented; you’re not getting replaced.”

The sudden shift to remote work in 2020 identified bottlenecks in various workflows: some long-awaited workplace changes were expedited to enable successful remote work. When executed well, it contributes to a better EX.

A much closer cooperation with other departments is benefiting IT experts as well: they are becoming multidimensional workers, not only IT specialists. Their soft skills are now more important than ever, especially in working with team leaders.

Closer cooperation with staff and the need to quickly overcome challenges adds value to everyone’s role. And the crucial goal is better and more uniform data distribution across all departments – including HR.

4. Redefining departments

As mentioned above, the newly evolved EX will require different functions and departments working more closely together in a flexible and streamlined manner.

Working remotely and managing labor – which can now be located across the globe – will require newly designed and defined workflows, including easy-to-follow roadmaps, flowcharts, clearly defined procedures, concept maps and similar fresh approaches to recruitment, interdepartmental projects, safety protocol implementation, and other standard business processes.

With the trend towards “flatter” organizational structures, employees now have a more direct influence and better engagement – they can work directly on solutions for their unique needs. These tasks often involve close collaboration with other departments. While this usually required a stroll down the hall to your colleague’s desk or office, things can become more challenging in a remote setting.

Which brings us to:

5. Going (fully) remote

Even as the pandemic becomes a thing of the past, workers will likely continue to be free to choose their locations. In fact, a Microsoft study states that 46% of them plan to move since work is no longer necessarily tied to a physical location. The shift to remote was also one of the biggest workplace changes we identified in our New World of Work survey.

This can work both ways: it means access to a larger talent pool for employers, but also a bigger job market for candidates. Likewise, tools are being developed to streamline recruitment at both ends, making remote work easier for candidates and HR specialists. Remote work also prompts dialogue on reimbursements for Internet charges, utilities and other home office-related expenses.

However, a physically distant work environment brings new challenges. It requires a proactive approach to re-skilling or up-skilling on all levels, especially soft/social skills, asynchronous communication, and resiliency. This will include both existing employees – especially HR, Management and IT – and job candidates.

Nevertheless, candidates and employees can now leverage all of the above for their own benefit, and it seems we have a new umbrella term for it: work flexibility.

6. Flexibility goes mainstream

The primary concern in 2020-propelled changes was productivity, as well as trust levels between employees and management. Both remained high throughout lockdowns.

Following this success, flexibility is becoming mainstream in 2021 and beyond: new work relations in a post-COVID place more value on empowering the labor force. The workers have more control of their time and careers, which leads to more engaged employees, which leads to better performance.

There’s a downside to it as well: working with ambiguity, always being ‘on standby’ for new measures and guidelines, etc. – but as is the case with every new trend and development, new processes and policies are introduced and adapted.

Again, like remote work, flexwork is less of a trend and more of a paradigm shift. In April 2020, Forbes found that 63% of leaders expected increased flexibility in time and location; by September 2020 that expectation grew to 87%.

Workplace changes are here to stay

From implementing safety protocols, to providing all the necessary hardware and software for remote work, to maintaining a sense of community, the leverage now shifts to the employee. The employee now expects these things from their employer. Not only that, but new candidates can leverage a host of newly-available options and requirements as well – as an HR practitioner, you need to stay on top of this with a candidate-first approach.

In the workplace itself, culture is transforming from mere ambient care to having proactive team members who are initiators, making sure all employees feel a connection to their work beyond their paychecks. This all means a better EX.

2021 marks a period of stabilization after the rollercoaster of 2020. It’ll define and consolidate what 2020 (sometimes hastily) set in motion. Let’s see how the new normal transforms into the next normal, paying close attention to our workplaces and work environments. With a touch of proactivity and a pinch of creativity, it could include resolving issues and progressing in areas in dire need of attention.

—

Silvana Carpineanu is a Marketing Specialist who works at mindomo.com. Driven by passion and creativity, she’s responsible for copywriting, advertising, SEO, and content creation. She does all of this knowing that for every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.

The post 6 workplace changes we can expect in the 2020s appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The 12 best applicant tracking systems

Content team — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:40:56 +0000

The market for applicant tracking systems is packed with numerous solutions for every kind of business to meet all kinds of different needs. Whether you’re in the market for your very first hire or you’re a 500-employee organization looking to scale your business with new product offerings or entering new territory, there’s quite literally something for everyone.

We’re in the industry ourselves, so we know how overwhelming it may be. To make it easier for you to decide on an ATS best suited to your needs, we’re presenting you with the best applicant tracking systems in the market today.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is an Applicant Tracking System?
What are the Benefits of Applicant Tracking Software?
- Are They Worthwhile for Startups and Small Businesses?
- How does an ATS Work?
How We’ve Compared the Best Applicant Tracking Systems
Top 12 Best Applicant Tracking Systems
- Workable
- Greenhouse
- Lever
- Teamtailor
- Jobvite
- iCIMs
- Taleo
- SmartRecruiters
- JazzHR
- Zoho Recruit
- BreezyHR
- Recruitee
Time to make a decision

What is an Applicant Tracking System?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software that automates administrative tasks in recruitment and hiring. For example, an ATS enables faster interview scheduling, easier job advertising, optimized referrals, automated processes, and more. Overall, a good ATS helps relieve many recruiting pains that recruiters and hiring managers often face.

Alternative names for an applicant tracking system include: ‘hiring software’, ‘talent acquisition software’, ‘hiring platform’, and ‘recruitment software’.

What are the Benefits of Applicant Tracking Software?

It’s not out of sheer luck that applicant tracking systems (or generally, recruiting software) keep gaining popularity in the business world. They take a huge burden off the shoulders of hiring teams and give them time to focus on what matters – connecting with candidates and making hiring decisions.

Some major benefits of applicant tracking systems include:

Increase in productivity and efficiency when hiring – particularly at scale
Better candidate experience through faster scheduling and communication – especially in remote and hybrid work environments
Access to multiple job boards and the ability to manage all applications in a centralized location
Improved employer brand that attracts great candidates
Valuable metrics and reports to improve the hiring process (e.g. HR analytics)
Easier compliance with laws related to recruitment

Are They Worthwhile for Startups and Small Businesses?

In a word, yes. Everyone involved in recruiting, such as business owners, hiring managers, and recruiters, will find an applicant tracking system or recruitment software to be incredibly useful when building teams. Whether they’re making those first few hires or growing their business by adding team members, an ATS can help optimize the hiring process both in terms of time and money.

How does an ATS work?

Simply put, an ATS is a software that helps you standardize your recruitment process for a variety of reasons, including hiring at scale, operating with leaner HR teams, making a quick hire, and more. With an ATS, you can do the following:

Posting to multiple job boards at once, exponentially increasing your reach across popular and niche job sites
Scheduling screening calls, one- and two-way video interviews, in-person interviews, assessments, and other key components of candidate evaluation
Moving candidates from application to offer in the hiring pipeline
Communication between candidates and hiring teams
Collaboration with teammates to enable unity when it comes to making hiring decisions
Legally compliant candidate sourcing
Candidate evaluation with the use of assessments and scorecards
Employer branding to convey the company culture and vision
Measuring hiring effectiveness through recruiting reports, e.g. candidate sourcing reports

How We’ve Compared the Best Applicant Tracking Systems

Each ATS may specialize or excel in specific recruiting areas. Before purchasing an applicant tracking system, it’s useful for organizations to compare several options with each other.

To do so correctly, they may map their individual hiring methods, analyze the problems they need to resolve or identify opportunities for improvement. Then, they can evaluate available systems based on important criteria.

Top 12 Best Applicant Tracking Systems

We’ve researched the top ATSes extensively so you don’t have to. And we’ve come up with these 12 best applicant tracking systems that will help you make the best decision on what to use for your organization. Of course we’re aware that we’re in this list, but rest assured, we’ve done our best to be as impartial as we can because we want to help you make the best decision for your company’s needs.

Workable

We know we’re patting ourselves on the back here, but we really think we have good reason to do so. Workable provides best-in-class recruitment tools, processes and automation in one complete solution. Whether you’re hiring employee #2 or 200 new employees, Workable’s scalable tools, know-how and support help you make the hires that make your business great.

With clients including RyanAir, Sephora, and Soho House, Workable is the solution of choice for many reputable brands interested in boosting their employer brand, attracting the right candidates, managing high volumes of applicants, and streamlining their recruitment process.

Companies who use Workable get from requisition to offer letter faster, with automated and AI-powered tools that source and suggest candidates, simplify decision making and streamline the hiring process.

More than 20,000 companies ranging from local chains to global enterprises have used Workable to hire over one million people in 100+ countries.

Workable leads all other ATSes in G2’s Best Applicant Tracking Systems list for 2021, with a cumulative score of 4.5 out of a potential 5 stars.

Greenhouse

We won’t lie – Greenhouse is one of the world’s leading recruitment software companies. It is listed near the top alongside Workable in many lists of best applicant tracking systems. Headquartered in NYC, its software caters primarily to the mid-market and enterprise, and integrates seamlessly with many other HR tech vendors.

Greenhouse offers many of the same features as Workable, with notable differences in product implementation, integration options, sourcing capabilities, hiring team communication, and hiring manager engagement.

Compare Workable to Greenhouse

Lever

Joining Workable and Greenhouse in many best applicant tracking systems lists, Lever is a recruitment solution based out of San Francisco and Toronto. It’s tailored to tech startups as well as midsize and enterprise organizations.

Again, like Workable, Lever offers many similar features, with notable differences in native product offerings, integration options, implementation and support, candidate sourcing, and scheduling capabilities.

Teamtailor

Teamtailor is a Swedish recruitment solution operating primarily across Europe, with a heavy emphasis on its employer branding and recruitment marketing capabilities. It prides itself on its native careers page feature, capabilities for marketing to specific talent markets, and features including text recruitment, referrals, and candidate nurturing.

Jobvite

Headquartered in Indianapolis with locations in Portland, the UK, and Canada, Jobvite started out as a social media-focused approach to recruitment for enterprise-sized businesses. Its platform augments the recruitment process with AI-powered processes, including the ability to automatically screen and rank candidates based on preset parameters.

ICIMs

iCIMS, which stands for Internet Collaborative Information Management Systems, was one of the very first SaaS companies in a fledgling recruitment software market in the early 2000s. It’s a reliable legacy solution suited for enterprises, and continues to present itself as innovative and forward-thinking with a continually evolving product roadmap. It operates out of the US and UK and enjoys a worldwide market base.

Taleo

Originating in Quebec, Canada, and now headquartered in California, Taleo is more of an all-inclusive talent management software than a dedicated ATS, presenting modular offerings based on the size and complexity of customer needs. It describes itself as an easy-to-use Fortune 500 ATS interface catering to candidates and hiring teams alike, and focuses on a mobile-first and data-driven approach.

SmartRecruiters

Unlike other ATSes which focus on startups and SMBs, SmartRecruiters is tailored towards enterprise-sized organizations looking for a larger solution for their recruitment challenges. Headquartered in San Francisco, SmartRecruiters is one of the largest ATSes in the recruitment solutions market, offering numerous integrations in a number of languages.

JazzHR

This US-based recruitment SaaS presents itself as a lower-priced solution that offers users the opportunity to rank, track and collaborate in the candidate evaluation process with custom workflows for each job opening.

Zoho Recruit

Zoho Recruit pitches its ATS as being designed for both recruiters and corporate hiring teams working together to build workforces that adapt quickly to evolving talent needs. Offering solutions to both in-house recruiters and staffing agencies, Zoho Recruit is a part of Zoho’s one-stop stop of business tech solutions including email, project management, budgeting and other needs.

BreezyHR

Florida-based BreezyHR offers an affordable, pared-down solution for companies just starting out. It promotes job openings on job boards, enables its users to organize existing applicants via drag-and-drop, and pulls hiring teams together into a streamlined communications channel that also includes the candidate.

Recruitee

Founded in Amsterdam, Recruitee is one of the newer kids on the block, having launched in 2015. It’s growing rapidly as a presence in the ATS market, with a user-friendly system that enables drag-and-drop options to move candidates through a customized hiring pipeline. It’s tailored primarily to SMBs with <100 employees.

Time to make a decision

Need help making a decision on the best applicant tracking system for your business? Hop into a no-obligation call with one of our product experts for an in-depth discussion on your hiring needs and pain points, and we’ll help you decide. Alternatively, try out our recruitment software for 15 days – for free – and see how it goes from there.

The post The 12 best applicant tracking systems appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Starling Bank scales from 50 to 1,100 employees in five years, staying efficient with Workable

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:34:43 +0000

The challenge	The solution
Meet fast-growing market demand with consistent evaluation and hiring of top-caliber candidates Avoid costly breakdowns in a highly competitive space Speed up candidate evaluation for active roles while onboarding new hiring team members Maintain high-volume hiring process after shift to remote work during pandemic	Enable recruiting team to screen candidates at scale with Video Interviews Cultivate a positive candidate experience through self-scheduling options Provide recruiters and hiring managers with reliable, quick-acting customer support Establish a digital recruitment solution in a fully remote hiring environment

Described as a digital challenger bank in the United Kingdom, Starling Bank operates out of four locations in the UK and Ireland with headquarters in London. They take a more customer-centric approach to banking, and continue to grow rapidly as a disrupter in the financial industry. They have amassed £363M in total funding and more than two million customers to date, plus they have been voted as Best British Bank for three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020.

Starling Bank’s incredible growth requires a highly efficient recruitment solution that can handle the volume of candidates and hiring managers while maintaining seamless, easy to use functionality. Workable’s ATS gives Starling Bank what it needs to confidently maintain its recruitment process.

Says Marc Douch, Talent Acquisition Manager at Starling Bank:

“It’s a simple platform to use from a recruiter and a hiring manager point of view… Training new hiring managers is almost non-existent because I just set them up with an account. It’s fairly self-explanatory.”

To meet the skyrocketing demand of its services in the market, Starling Bank has consistently hired at a high volume in two major areas: engineering and customer support.

“We hired just under 600 people last year and, I think so far [as of November 2020], we’ve hired about 450,” says Marc. “So, it’s been a bit of a busy past couple of years from a hiring perspective, that’s for sure.”

The Video Interviews feature, which eliminates resource-heavy communications between the recruiter and job applicant to set up screening calls, has been particularly helpful, says Marc.

Marc adds that recruiting continued at its torrid pace even as Starling Bank shifted to a remote working environment, making Video Interviews an even more useful tool in the company’s recruiting toolbox. In fact, he says business has moved even more smoothly than it did when everyone was in the same working space.

“We’ve gone from a company that was five days a week in the office to no one’s in the office five days a week,” Marc says. “We’ve ended up doing some stuff in quicker time than we probably would have done in the office.”

Marc also highlights Workable’s award-winning customer support team as a huge bonus to using the recruitment solution – when operating in such a busy recruiting environment, recruiters like Marc rely on solving problems as quickly as they arise.

“The support that you get is more responsive, more thoughtful, more on the ball than any other ATS I’ve ever worked with,” says Marc.

Starling Bank’s choice to use Workable’s recruitment solution enabled it to continue to grow its workforce rapidly to meet booming business demands. Moreover, it ensured a seamless shift to a fully online recruitment process throughout the COVID-19 pandemic – making possible a highly efficient operating system beyond the crisis as the business continues to scale rapidly in future.

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Introducing candidate surveys: Improve inclusive hiring practices

Brianna Dougherty — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:47:09 +0000

Workable is committed to helping customers build a diversity, equity and inclusion action plan, starting with tools that will help customers mitigate bias and create a more equitable hiring process.

With candidate surveys, our latest DEI feature, assess DEI performance in your hiring strategies and evaluate ways to improve. Collect anonymized data post-application to understand candidate demographics, identify sources that generate more diverse candidates, and monitor pipeline performance by demographic to improve inclusion within your company.

Workable helps companies in 100+ countries create a more inclusive hiring practice with diverse candidate sourcing, anonymized screening, candidate surveys, structured interviewing, and enhanced reporting.

Read more on this topic:

How to measure diversity using candidate surveys
Candidate survey template

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DEI at work: It’s time to take a deep dive

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 16:57:22 +0000

It’s been a challenging time in so many different ways. COVID-19, highly publicized police shootings of Black individuals, and the politically charged climate in the United States especially stand out. Amidst all this is a considerable spike in awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a crucial topic. For many, recent events merely amplified long-standing issues around DEI and brought to light the challenges that hinder progress for DEI at work.

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

What are the biggest DEI workplace trends?
What are the biggest challenges in DEI at work?
How do you take action on it?

Being a natural extension of society, the workplace is affected as well. So, we surveyed a wide range of HR and business professionals near the end of 2020 to better understand the status of DEI right now in companies, what the priorities are at this point in time, the subsequent action items and goals, and the challenges that hinder DEI progress at work. Nearly 800 completed the survey.

Major takeaways on DEI at work include the following:

A combined 63% of respondents list DEI as a priority in their organization, whether it’s some initiatives in place or a permanent part of their mission, vision, and values.
An additional 17.6% say they’re interested – but either haven’t started or don’t know how to start.
22.4% of those in Manufacturing said they are interested, but don’t know where to start.
A combined 23.6% of respondents say they started considering DEI in their business strategy in 2020.

A near-unanimous 96.7% of females say DEI is personally important to them – while 12.3% of males say it is not.
28.8% of those in entry-level / individual contributor jobs think executives, directors and managers should own DEI progress, compared with 22% of the latter who think the same.
Moral obligation is a top motivator in prioritizing DEI in a company, according to 50.6% of respondents. The other traditional motivators – business case and compliance – lag far behind.
Buy-in, lack of diverse talent pool, and know-how are major challenges to DEI at work.

We identified four major themes from the survey results:

The democratic driver

The prioritization of DEI at work is largely a response to an amplified call for action at the grassroots level, especially from employees.

We talk, but can we walk?

While the voice for DEI at work is clear and largely unified, there are disconnects in who should be leading it and how.

The gender division

There are stark differences in responses by gender identity – particularly in terms of personal opinion and perceived progress.

Talent pool isn’t broad enough

For many respondents, talent availability is a major limiter in diversifying a workforce – this is especially the case in Manufacturing.

In short, there are optimistic – and very much actionable – lessons here that will help reconcile the chasm between “talking the talk” and “walking the walk” when establishing a tangible and sustainable DEI strategy in your organization.

We hope you find our survey results on DEI at work to be helpful to you both professionally and personally. Any thoughts or questions, please feel free to share them with us via Twitter, LinkedIn, or direct email (with “DEI report” in the subject heading). We want to hear from you!

Check out the other excerpts from our survey report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

2. What does DEI mean for you and your business?
3. Is there meaningful progress in DEI? Depends on who you ask
4. DEI leadership – and who’s actually doing the work?
5. Your DEI strategic plan: The road is fraught with hurdles
6. What are your top DEI initiatives for the workplace?
7. Your DEI recruitment strategy: What are your action items?
8. Time for a DEI action plan: We’ll help you get there

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Looking to improve your D&I data strategy? Learn from Multiverse’s example

Alexandra Marinaki — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:29:20 +0000

Make the most of your data. That’s the very first step to a successful diversity and inclusion strategy, says Siobhan.

“If you have diversity initiatives in your organization, that’s fantastic. If you have initiatives but you don’t know the ethnicity of your workforce and you don’t collect this data, then how do you know if any of those diversity initiatives work? How do you even know if you’ve got the right initiatives?” Siobhan asks.

So once you’ve collected the right data, then you’ll know exactly what initiatives to introduce. To make this happen, it’s crucial to understand your business priorities and needs.

D&I data collection

What kind of data does Multiverse collect from apprentices to track the progress of their own D&I business goals? For Multiverse, what’s important is taking an intersectional approach and having a holistic view of both the diversity of their apprentice candidate pool and their own workforce. Here is their typical data list:

Gender
Ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Neurodiversity
Disability
Education
Socio-economic background
Dependents and caring responsibilities

“It’s then important to be looking at the data across the apprentice and employee lifecycle,” Siobhan adds. “From the point of application, each stage of the recruitment process and then once hired we’re looking at outcomes like progression and retention.

“For our apprentices there are also educational outcomes like successful completion of their qualification, satisfaction with their programs and many more to ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Siobhan highlights that sharing this data is optional for everyone:

“People always need the opportunity to be able to say ‘prefer not to say’ that might not be information that they’re comfortable to share with you. But for us, it’s about having a really holistic and intersectional understanding of who our staff and apprentices are so that we can build an inclusive environment and rigorously monitor our processes and systems for areas of improvement.”

The data will not only show you the way to increase diversity in your workforce, but it will also help you understand each person’s needs so that you can build an inclusive culture.

“All of these different things are what make me, me and are what kind of impact how I experienced the world, whether that’s privilege, whether that’s prejudice or whether that’s systemic disadvantage that’s taking place in the different processes and systems that we have across education and the workforce,” says Siobhan.

D&I data contextualization

So if Multiverse’s mission is to democratize access to top careers and lifelong learning how do they treat data such as socio-economic background and education? In this video Siobhan explains how they contextualize data in the application process, through a contextual flagging system and academic out-performer status:

These data contextualization features support young people who are underrepresented in the sectors Multiverse works within or who are facing barriers to employment, by helping recruiters and hiring managers to understand each person’s unique achievements and what challenges they had to overcome to meet their goals in a given context. This approach allows them to recruit apprentices more based on future potential rather than prior attainment.

“We recruit based on five competencies, which include things like grit, resilience, conscientiousness, intent, how much does the individual want it, interpersonal skills, and communication,” explains Siobhan. “By looking at those things, we feel that you can more holistically assess what an individual is going to bring to your company. That’s what really shapes our processes. That’s us.”

D&I data strategy: measuring success

To grasp how successful your D&I actions are and what you need to improve, data will also prove to be life-saving in the process. Here’s what to do:

Set clear goals

For Siobhan, the more precise your goals are, the easier will be to track their progress.

“You need to really pinpoint what you’re trying to achieve,” says Siobhan. “You then need to look at the data. What is your baseline? Set yourself a target. Look at your process. What are the initiatives that you’re going to put in place?”

Once you choose those initiatives, you can test what you think is going to move the needle on that specific target. Siobhan adds:

“You do that for a period of time and then have a look at the data again. What is the data like since the baseline, when you didn’t have those initiatives?”

In short, it’s a process that you have to vigorously monitor and improve over time.

Run frequent surveys

Running internal employee surveys is another way to collect data on how successful and suitable your D&I approach is. For instance, Multiverse conducts bi-annual surveys to measure inclusion:

“We have two kinds of key questions around inclusion, and there are two statements where people can agree and disagree and share their views. One is that I feel included at work and one is that I feel respected at work. So that’s something that we measure over time. We also do pulse surveys that are much more about wellbeing”.

At Multiverse, they also ask apprentices if they have access to the resources they need to do their work and how they could help set them up for success.

“We’ve been really proactively pulse surveying to understand, do people have all of the resources that they need to do their job? Do people have an appropriate working environment so that they can really do their job? And if any of the answers to those questions are no, what can we do to support them?”

Thus, they create a safe and inclusive space for everyone, by taking their individual needs into account. And that’s what inclusion is really about.

Step by step…

Data is critical for Siobhan – and should be for you, too – to ensure that diversity and inclusion initiatives count and really make a difference in a company. This D&I data strategy also gives valuable, tangible information to hiring experts about how they attract young people with their messaging and what they can improve to support all potential candidates going forward. But, Siobhan advises, patience is a virtue here.

“Diversity and inclusion is not an overnight fix. It does take time and it’s very much systems based. So it’s about understanding what your system is and then proactively disrupting any bias that could be taking place at any point in that system. So you kind of need that structured process of reviewing to be able to see whether with the data that you started with, whether that is changing with the initiatives that you are putting in place or not.”

So identify your D&I goals based on your business needs, determine your measurements for progress, and regularly collect data to see how your initiative evolves. The more concrete the goal you set is, the easier it will be for you to monitor it, and tweak your strategy as needed. And remember – take it step by step. Progress takes time, but with commitment, it’ll happen.

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Zinger Property enhances their inclusive hiring process with Workable Video Interviews

Johanna Cohen — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 18:50:08 +0000

The challenge	The solution
Difficult for execs to gain insight into candidates with only resumes and cover letters Resource-heavy phone screen process Small, in-demand talent market Rapidly growing property management group across multiple Midwest states Tasked to manage recruitment for two brands	Enable every member of hiring team to view top candidates’ video interviews Engage candidates to complete interviews on their own time, showcasing their best selves Recruit on-the-go using mobile app for field staff Recruit in one place for Zinger and subsidiary brand, RuMe

Zinger Property is a property management group that owns 16 buildings across the US Midwest with 4,000 apartment units. Based in Chicago, their mission is to blend technology and the traditional human touch in property management. With Workable, they’ve found a recruitment technology partner that aligns with their mission to ensure a personalized touch in the hiring process. Alongside their main Zinger brand, they also hire for their subsidiary company, RuMe. Their multi-tenancy account with Workable allows them to hire in one place, keeping senior leadership aligned on their robust hiring plan.

Says Kate Blake, Assistant Director of Operations at Zinger: “Workable has completely streamlined our entire recruiting process. Furthermore, our staff working in the field is able to utilize the mobile app, which has been a game-changer.”

Prior to COVID, Zinger had been vetting video interview solutions to reduce the administrative time required to screen candidates. When Workable offered their new solution, they went with it because it was a fully native platform keeping all the elements of candidate evaluation in one place.

Says Kate: “Every member of our hiring team reviews the video interviews. Early in the process, our direct hiring manager will review. As candidates progress, our corporate staff utilize video interviews prior to approval.”

Inclusivity increased with the introduction of video interviews as senior leaders who approve hires were able to gain a better overall impression of candidates. The enhanced inclusivity of the video interview feature aligned naturally with Zinger’s vision of a fully inclusive company culture. This was an added benefit to the original value proposition of Workable Video Interviews, which was to eliminate the time-consuming nature of phone screens in the hiring process.

Says Kate: “I would say that video interviews have cut our recruiting time practically in half.”

Video interviews are sometimes stigmatized among candidates as being impersonal. Zinger combatted that by keeping branded video interviews and ensuring increased flexibility for the candidate – so much that a newly hired employee spoke out about their positive experience.

Says Jim Oates, Associate Analyst at RuMe: “It was definitely easier to schedule than a phone screen because you can do it on your own time. I found this online interview to be a great process that was very time-flexible and very much in favor of the applicant.”

Zinger Property Group’s choice to use both Workable’s ATS and Video Interview products enhanced inclusivity, decreased admin screening time and solidified a branded, personalized candidate experience.

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HR statistics and trends: Demystifying 2020

Zina Panagopoulou — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 14:17:24 +0000

Feel free to navigate around our HR statistics:

Remote work introduced itself as the new normal
Many companies were forced to layoff people
Hiring froze but is now recovering
We’re all in this together
A big ‘thank you’
This is the end and the beginning

1. Remote work introduced itself as the new normal

According to the New World of Work survey report published in August 2020, 62.2% of businesses moved fully to a remote work environment – and 32.3% partially remote – when the pandemic hit. This transition proved a struggle for many companies which suddenly had to digitize their processes and find new ways to continue their operations in a seamless way.

Some of the biggest topics that emerged included:

Employee engagement and worker morale
Team building, recruitment and onboarding
Team collaboration and project logistics
Productivity and work-life balance

Workable also switched to a remote work environment – one of the first to do so. According to our experience we share with you what soft skills our colleagues find that are a must-have for staying productive and efficient in a virtual office — you can take those into consideration when you seek your next remote hire:

Zaharenia Atzitzikaki, our VP of Design and an experienced remote manager long before the pandemic, also shared with us the challenges of remote management, tips to maintain human connection, and thoughts around productivity and required skills:

2. Many companies were forced to layoff people

Letting people go is difficult for everyone. Many companies handled the situation one way or another. We present some of this year’s HR statistics and facts.

You can get an idea of the gravity of this situation in this chart from CNBC:

According to our New World of Work survey, those in hospitality (62.5%) and manufacturing (50%) were more likely to layoff or furlough their staff, whereas healthcare (7.4%) and education (4.3%) were less likely to do so.

3. Hiring froze but is now recovering

Hiring freeze was also a fact, but not the dominant one. 67.1% of respondents confirmed that their company continued hiring employees, either with the same or with lower/higher frequency.

Our Benchmark Report tool tracks job postings created via Workable. The good news is that after the downfall in April, it seems that hiring velocity is back to where it was compared to 2019. Hopefully, better days are coming:

You can also get an idea of how many candidates were hired per region over the last couple of years via Workable:

And how a selection of job functions were affected the most globally:

Note that while the vast majority of job postings fell from 2019 to 2020, there was job growth in:

Healthcare: This states the obvious. The pandemic called for greater mobilization of health services which meant more hiring in the healthcare sector.
Manufacturing and Production: This is perhaps due to a shift to more local manufacturing and production as the pandemic strained worldwide supply chains. Another indication is that, after numerous layoffs in the manufacturing sector in the early months, the rebound was strong with many new jobs over the remainder of 2020.
Administrative: The complex logistics of shifting to online markets and remote work environments required more administrative work than previously.

4. We’re all in this together

We’re not talking only about this year’s events; we’re talking about life. Both the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic underlined that nobody is alone — or at least should not be.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, allyship and unconscious bias were some of the most important topics this year that extended far beyond the sphere of the workplace.

Fadjanie Cadet was one of the experts that talked about how DEI has changed over time, how you can get started, what makes it unique now, and how to make it sustainable over time:

Mental health

The same applies to mental and physical well-being. This was a tough year and it’s OK to not be OK, plus you’re not the only one feeling like that.

Psychological safety, stress management, self care and work-life balance were all topics that initiated discussions among experts and will continue to gain attention in the future.

Here you can also find some tips to share with your team and achieve a healthy work-life balance:

5. A big thank you

This is a time for reflection – and it’s also a time for gratitude. We dedicate this to the front-line workers in the healthcare industry and all of those working to contain COVID-19.

There are no words to describe what you’re facing, nor what you’re sacrificing. None of us can even imagine.

We’d also like to thank our partners and customers for supporting us throughout this tough time.

Thank you.

6. This is the end and the beginning

Endings bring us closer to the path built for this moment and prepare us for the future. We wish you to only grow stronger from this year and never forget that we’re all in this together. You’re not alone.

Cheers to a happier new year.

The post HR statistics and trends: Demystifying 2020 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

11 efficiency-boosting releases from Workable

Brianna Dougherty — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 22:10:29 +0000

More of a visual learner? Watch this quick, on-demand webinar to learn about our latest features and get a sneak peek at what we’re working on for 2021.

In 2020, talent teams were looking for ways to diversify their sourcing channels and methods. With AI Recruiter, we helped customers immediately source 50 passive candidates from outside their existing network for every job.

Many companies faced unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 crisis. Unfortunately, with the pandemic came layoffs and furloughs at many companies. For customers trying to help former employees find a new job, we built Bridge, a tool that connects former employees with employers actively looking for candidates.

The move to remote work made it harder for candidates to get a feel for company culture, meaning employer branding and careers pages became increasingly important in showcasing your company. With Branded Careers Pages, we help you put your best brand forward: flexible templates and customizable sections are included right in the Workable platform.

As remote work opportunities increased, companies continued to attract talent globally. With language options, we made it easy for you to localize the entire candidate experience in the languages of your choice, available in English, French, German, Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Many HR leaders looked to advance diversity, equity and inclusion as their organizations continued to navigate the new world of work. To address customer requests and needs, Workable released anonymized screening: the ability to anonymize your screening process by hiding details like candidate name, background, and gender. Anonymizing this data in applications can help companies decrease inherent bias and increase inclusivity in their hiring practices.

To help customers connect with candidates more easily, we introduced two premium features: Video Interviews and Texting. Video Interviews streamlines remote screening efforts, helping candidates record responses to interview questions at their convenience. Personalize the experience with a welcome video or pre-record videos with prompts. It’s a flexible process proven to help you screen more candidates, faster. Texting encourages recruiters to message candidates directly from the Workable platform or app and track responses in real time on the candidate timeline, just like with email.

With updates to our hiring plan, you now have the ability to filter by hiring manager, requisition owner and status for more granular reporting. To make company growth simple, we introduced Department Hierarchy. Department Hierarchy offers centralized department management with hierarchical structure, meaning as your company grows, your hiring structure does too.

Speed up executive sign-off and get candidate signatures faster with updated offer letter templates, approval workflows, e-signatures and more, right within the platform. We take compliance very seriously and make it easy for your teams to stay compliant, adding CCPA to our existing suite of EEO/OFFCP and GDPR features.

What’s coming in 2021

We’re building out our product roadmap based on customer feedback, market research, and our overall product vision. With that in mind, we wanted to give a sneak peek at what’s to come in 2021.

We will continue our focus on DEI with the release of a native Assessments feature and customizable surveys for candidate experience and diversity metrics. We’ll introduce automation to current communications, meaning you’ll be able to automate emails and text messages based on hiring stages. We’re bringing a slew of enhancements to our current candidate database, and we’ll focus on developing a number of additional features based on your feedback. We’re thrilled for what’s coming in 2021 to Workable, and we hope you are too.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Introducing Texting: Make the right hires, faster

Brianna Dougherty — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:35:35 +0000

With Texting, Workable’s latest premium feature, you can now message candidates directly from the platform or app. Reaching out about a new opportunity, or scheduling an interview? Texting makes it easy for you to reach candidates quickly, wherever they are. Track responses in real time on the candidate timeline, just like you would with email.

Texts have a 98% open rate and a 60x faster response time than email, and 95% of all text messages are read within 90 seconds. Communication templates help you personalize with ease and seamlessly switch from email to text at any stage of the recruiting pipeline. By getting in front of candidates faster with Texting, you can focus on what actually matters: hiring great candidates.

The post Introducing Texting: Make the right hires, faster appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Check out Workable’s 13 new integrations for 2020

George Gkanidis — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:02:36 +0000

Assessments

	Alva helps to make better hiring decisions with psychometrics tests, providing predictive and unbiased insights into the personality and logical abilities of candidates. Assess candidates with Alva.
	BrainsFirst NeurOlympics cognitive assessment games upgrade your candidate (pre)selection. Assess with BrainsFirst NeurOlympics.
	Speexx is Workable’s first language assessment partner. Large organizations everywhere drive productivity by empowering employee communication skills. Assess language proficiency with Speexx.

Background checks

Zinc’s automated reference and background screening solution saves you time, delivers valuable candidate insights, and makes your due diligence effortless. Conduct a background check with Zinc.

Job boards & candidate sourcing

	Hiresweet helps companies easily automate search and outreach to recruit passive candidates. Source today with HireSweet.
	Otta is a free tool that is a smarter way for candidates to find jobs at the world’s leading technology companies. Find UK candidates with Otta.
	Reach millions of active U.S. candidates by posting your job to Resume-Library’s partner network of 100+ job sites. Post a job on Resume-Library.
	WorksHub advertises job opportunities and open source projects across its seven tech-focused hiring hubs for faster and more efficient hiring. Source a developer with WorksHub.
	We Work Remotely is the largest remote work community in the world. List your remote job on We Work Remotely.

Onboarding & HRIS

	Make sure your new hires hit the ground running with the new Workable Connector for ADP Workforce Now®. New hires automatically transfer from Workable to ADP® once they accept your offer. Learn more about this exciting new integration.
	Enboarder’s onboarding platform turns new hires into highly engaged, long term employees and managers into onboarding rockstars. Onboard with Enboarder.
	Increase employee engagement, satisfaction and productivity with HR Cloud, a leading provider of HR software and HRMS solutions. Manage employees with HR Cloud.

Video interviews

We’ve expanded our video interview offering to make it even easier to go – and stay – remote. In addition to Google Meet, Workable now integrates directly with Zoom. Any customer with a Zoom account can automatically add their Zoom link to their Workable events. Learn more about our Zoom integration.

More integrations coming soon

Workable automatically integrates with over 90 HR providers, keeping all of your recruitment information in one place. From sourcing to converting candidates to successful hires, collaborate with your hiring team while candidate information stays secure. The Partnership Team is looking forward to what’s yet to come in 2021.

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The Startup Hiring Guide: Hiring for rapid growth from 5 to 50

Content team — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 17:57:54 +0000

“I meet too many founders who’ve read 27 blog posts on landing page optimization but make it up as they go along in interviews. Startup literature urgently needs more guides to headhunting and fewer how-to’s on the email etiquette of VC introductions.”
— Nikos Moraitakis, Workable CEO

The hardest thing you’ve not been told

The Series A crunch may be tough but the talent crunch is brutal. We talk to high-growth startups every day and we keep hearing versions of “compared to recruiting, fundraising was easy”. Just like fundraising, it’s very competitive. It takes time, preparation and selling, and getting it wrong can slow down or kill your startup. It’s the hardest thing to get right. It doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

You need to be a hiring obsessive

Whether it’s two founders talking to an angel investor, a team of 10 making something from nothing, or a high-growth company with 50 staff, team quality is the single best predictor of success. If you can get great people then everything else becomes so much easier.

Growth hacks versus talent hacks

Silicon Valley has figured out how to build great products and turn them into successful business models. Methodologies have emerged like Lean Startup, agile product development and growth hacking. They function as roadmaps for the non-experts and inspire conversation and innovation in those fields. In comparison hiring practices have remained in the dark ages.

Getting from 5 to 50 and beyond

Your first five hires pretty much picked themselves but in getting from 5 to 50 you will need the best tools and analytics, and you will need to be systematic. It’s about more than ping pong tables and bicycle racks. We’ve spent the time to curate the best thinking on everything from employer branding and headhunting to every step in the interview process, whether you’re building a distributed team or you’ve got an office. We’ve thrown in ideas, tricks, talent hacks and real life examples from great companies. The result is this startup hiring guide that offers some structure when hiring for rapid growth from 5 to 50. It’s a starting point. And my aim is to get all of us to talk about hiring.

Building an attractive company: Employer branding
Always be hiring: developing a hiring process
How to write job descriptions
What to look for: Hiring for a startup
Sourcing 101: Passive candidates
Creating an interview process
Workplace benefits and compensation
Recruiting software and tools
Where to post your jobs

1. Building an attractive company: employer branding

Smart companies typically operate in competitive talent markets. This means that the people you’re looking for are likely to be juggling several job offers. Competing for outstanding candidates with the likes of Google, Facebook and Twitter might seem like a losing proposition but it’s not.

It can be done but, first, you have to realize that hiring is marketing. We live in what’s called the “age of transparency”. It has never been easier for employees to be able to tell who you are or what working with you would be like. Digital platforms mean that even the youngest companies can affordably showcase why they’re an exciting place to work. There’s more to social media hiring than just tweeting your jobs. Everything you do or say on social media is building your brand.

PRO TIP: Intercom’s blog is a great example of doing marketing and employer branding at the same time.

You’re speaking to two audiences: Customers & talent

In the early days, the way you market your product and the way you think about the problems you’re solving, says a lot about the kind of company that you’re about to build. If you become known for doing interesting things for your customers, you will attract talented and ambitious people. Smart people want to solve interesting problems. They’re not looking for a job, they’re looking for a mission. Smart people want to work with smart people.

Your presence in communities, your reputation, your contribution and ideas represent you. Use blogging, social media and public conversations to keep speaking to your ideal future hires. Signpost your involvement in events and your own content to make it easy for people to find out what you stand for and why you matter.

PRO TIP: Buffer’s focus on transparency led to their Open Salaries initiative which has created huge buzz and awareness of them.

Who the hell are you?

In the beginning were the founders. The early hires in startups don’t have a company reputation to buy into, so usually they’re taking a gamble on joining the founders in their big initiative. When you’re in the early phase, it’s the personal brand of the founders that’s going to be the strongest component. Simple steps like having an engaging personal blog can project why you’re worth working for and what you’re trying to do. Let prospective candidates get to know you.

Even in the early days of a company your employees become your brand and signal what kind of people work there. Chances are you’ve hired people who reflect your company’s brand and values well. Showcase your employees on your website and empower them to talk confidently about your business. Employees attending meetups and events, sharing a video of their home working environment, or just speaking with genuine passion about their jobs are a powerful marketing tool.

Hire people who can build teams

Good people know good people. Hire people who are already networked and know much of the talent you’ll be needing. When you can, go for people with a personal brand. This is also a signal to future hires. Remember, some of your best people will be high-potential junior hires who will grow with the startup. So, always look for those who can nurture and grow your young talent.

PRO TIP: FullContact’s paid-paid vacation initiative offers holiday bonuses to staff who go completely off the grid. Everyone needs to from time to time.

Live in the real world

Don’t just be digital. You’re going to be employing people after all and they congregate at events and around offline communities too. Be an active participant in these ecosystems. An event sponsorship or even a few beers can go a long way. Even as remote work becomes more of a standard in 2020 and beyond, human interaction is highly valued and appreciated.

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2. Always be hiring: developing a hiring process

Networks are king

Ask any startup where most of their hires came from or ask bigger companies where their best people came from and the answer is usually the same: friends, friends of friends or ex-colleagues. It’s all about networks for one simple reason: good people know good people. Part of being a good CEO is building a great network with quality and reach. There are no shortcuts here, it’s real work. The better your network is, the easier your next hire is going to be.

If you don’t know the right person you will at least know someone who does. Remember quality as well as quantity. It’s not just about having thousands of LinkedIn connections (although it can’t hurt). Are you working hard enough to be an authentic member of the community where your talent pool is? If your tech is built with Ruby are you taking part in the relevant meetups and hackathons? Are your developers known for their thought leadership and contribution in your sphere?

Hiring is everyone’s job, especially sourcing

Just as you look for candidates through networks, the best candidates are looking for their next job in the same way. Word of mouth matters. The best recommendation you’re going to get will be when someone you’d like to hire is told by a friend of theirs who is already on your team that your startup is great place to work. If your team is proud of where they work they’ll tell their friends.

What happens when your own network runs out? Keep trying. There will always be someone you haven’t told that you’re hiring. You can go further, take the time to sit with your employees one by one and go through their online networks (LinkedIn is a good example). You’ll find good people and you can get your colleagues to message them then and there. This is a time-consuming process but worth it.

There’s tremendous value in referred employees in the form of greater job satisfaction, higher retention rates, quicker applicant-to-hire conversion – all metrics that ultimately reduce the cost of recruitment, especially when hiring for rapid growth.

PRO TIP: Set up a formal employee referral program in your company, with incentives for your current colleagues. You can even gamify the process to further motivate employees to refer people in their networks.

Get out of your bubble

Your own network can only extend so far and the chances are your colleagues’ networks have a lot of overlap with yours. Plus, there’s the potential for bias – as the old saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. If you’re hiring friends of friends or former colleagues of existing employees, that’s a potential trap in homogenizing your workforce. Get out of that bubble and speak to new people, ask for introductions from your own network so you can start tapping into adjacent ones.

Learn how a tech sales VP established gender balance in her team in a male-dominated field, by looking outside of the usual candidate resources.

PRO TIP: Sending your developers to the best conferences is a sure fire way to grow your network, as well as encouraging them to spread the word through their online networks where they live and play.

How to do social the right way

If you’ve done most things right so far you’ll start with an audience. This means you have something to bootstrap your social media recruiting effort to. Using social for hiring isn’t just about tweeting jobs and getting your colleagues to retweet. The companies who are most successful at social hiring have built up a relevant audience and target their tweets to influential people in their community. Not all retweets were born equal — you want to be talked about in context. You want influential people in your field talking you up as an authority.

PRO TIP: Netflix put their culture presentation online:

[slideshare id=36216034&doc=netflixorganizationalculture-131001173045-phpapp02-140623172442-phpapp01]

That open presentation promoting Netflix’s Culture of Excellence went viral – clearly boosting their employer brand and reputation.

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3. How to write job descriptions

Don’t go with the flow

Job descriptions could and should sweep candidates off their feet. But all too often, we’re content to lean on the old-fashioned and generic with the result that most job ads are mediocre. We’re guessing you don’t want to be average. You’re not one of those guys looking for superheroes who is too lazy to craft a job description that might actually attract them.

PRO TIP: The first time we came across Medium’s careers page was in Lou Hoffman’s article: The best job descriptions on the planet. Enough said.

Love at first sight

We all know that applicants like to scan. They want to look at an opening and be able to recognize in the blink of an eye if it’s their dream job. Like all busy people they have a thousand things competing for their attention; especially the passive candidates for whom you’re trawling. Make every job description seductive. Start with the job title, keeping in mind that most job boards work like search engines, therefore candidates use keywords to search for jobs.

The about-the-company part

This is your chance to make a good first impression, so start thinking about the distinctive characteristics that make your company special. The type of job description you publish is closely related to who you are as an employer. Give them a glimpse of your company that will charm them into coming to working for you.

PRO TIP: Check out some of our favorite job ads from the Workable job board – each of which can fit different needs in your business.

Candidates need to be able to relate to job descriptions on a personal level. Tell them a story about your company that will make them sit back and picture themselves working with you. Start with an educated guess, with something simple, ask for feedback and then optimize. Ask employees why they enjoy working for your startup. If you have a marketing department lean on them for some content marketing advice. Hiring for rapid growth should not to be done in isolation – it’s a team effort. You’ll need to put in some extra effort but it will pay off.

The about-the-job part

You know that if you go with the flow then your job descriptions will be deathly dull but you’re tempted to do so anyway. Because that’s the way everybody is doing it. But it won’t help your company stand out, it will just add to the mountain of identical job descriptions that grows larger every day.

How are job seekers (let alone the precious, passive ones) supposed to spot that you’re offering a dream gig when it looks like a machine wrote your job description? It’s not necessarily because they’re not well-written, it’s because they’re presented as if they were not written by or for a human being. Do everyone a favor and stick to the important stuff. There are tons of job descriptions out there listing every tiny little task a future employee might perform. That’s not the point.

It’s all about clarity

Start writing job descriptions that build businesses. They will attract the best talent and convert prospects into candidates. How?

Sell your company and their future in it in an engaging fashion
Get rid of the boring corporate tone
Keep it chatty and friendly
Use words that evoke feelings
Make them aspire and then act on that desire
Use “you” or “we’; drop the passive voice

To up the ante you can also add a list of people the future hire will get to work with on a regular basis.

The about-the-requirements part

We’ve covered the basics in our “There’s a difference between what you want and what you need” blog post. If you’ve used Workable, you may have noticed the must-haves and nice-to-haves requirements. Why did we add this feature? To make sure that candidates won’t get excluded from the hiring process just because they clicked “NO” on a secondary skill that is unlikely to be pivotal. Think about what skills would make sense, adding to the equation the fact that they are individuals and not miracle workers. Must-have requirements are the bare minimum: the can’t-live-without list. Nice-to-have requirements are the extras: they belong on the we-can-live-without list.

Jobseekers also have a hierarchy of needs that you need to keep in mind as you craft the perfect job ad. In fact, if Maslow were alive today, here’s what he might think about your job ads.

PRO TIP: Worth looking at KinHR. They might not have a careers page at the moment but this sales job description rocks.

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4. What to look for: Hiring for rapid-growth startups

Punch above your weight

A startup literally is its team in the beginning. These are the people who will signal your ambition and set your limits. So, go for the people you think you can’t get. You’ll be surprised and once you’ve got the first few heroes it will become a lot easier to attract more of them. This is not a luxury. It seems obvious to punch above your weight but a successful startup will continually shift up the weight categories. If you don’t get these people you’ll get stuck.

Hire deliberately

You’re not hiring to fill a job, you’re building a company. Make the first 20 hires deliberately with the future in mind. Don’t hire people just because they’re good in general and available. These kinds of opportunistic or bad hires early on in a startup’s life can sink you. The cost of a pointless hire can be astronomical. That’s money that most startups cannot afford to waste. Beyond the cost of getting it wrong, your first few hires will set the tone for the future. Getting it right will make something that’s intrinsically hard a lot easier.

PRO TIP: Avoid hiring a candidate who badmouths their previous employers and coworkers.

Hire for potential

A successful startup will quickly outgrow everyone’s current skills and roles. If things work out as intended it’s going to grow and morph unpredictably. So will the demands on your employees. One of the most exhausting aspects of startups is this constant evolution, or as some founders call it “keeping up with their own company”. While it can be fairly simple to assess a candidate’s current skills rating their potential is less so.

Look for people coming into their professional prime. The past is a good guide, so take into account lifetime achievements whether they’re jobs, schools or hobbies. With few exceptions, smart, decisive and hard working people usually manage to go to a great school and do well in exams they care about. Look for high achievers.

PRO TIP: Include pre-interview assignments in the hiring process. Those who bother to go the extra mile will prevail.

The culture fit

This can be hard to pin down but it’s almost always important. It has its roots in the unfashionable word “congruence” — the fit between personality and organization. It means that you need to assess people on their behavior, mentality and match to the values of your organization.

PRO TIP: Valve’s Employee Handbook (the production quality, akin to what you would expect from their best marketing material) tells you a lot about who they are and how important this is for them.

But there’s one simple rule: never hire people with a bad attitude. It only takes one to poison an otherwise stellar team. That little problem you noticed in an interview will be magnified one-hundred fold by six months of hard work in a small team. Don’t overlook it. Go for people with an opinion, people who can honestly explain what they like and dislike. The kind of people who believe in missions, values and visions. They care. Those are the people who will be telling the truth when they assure you that they believe in your startup’s vision.

Hire for attitude, train for skills

You have to like a candidate before you hire them. This sounds highly subjective and unfair to them, especially when the context is strictly professional. However, someone’s ability to blend into your team, get along with you on a daily basis and build up some emotional reserves for tough times will ultimately determine their performance.

Malcolm Gladwell and Tim Ferriss can argue all they want about what and how fast a human being can learn but the truth is that certain human traits can’t be acquired beyond a certain stage in life. Focus on the fundamentals: intelligence, personality, diligence. Instead of testing for specific knowledge, check how a prospect reacts when you ask them to do something they haven’t worked on before.

PRO TIP: Carry out behavioral interviews, in addition to the standard ones. Always have a good store of questions.

Look for things you can’t train

You can teach financial management or how to interpret Google Analytics reports, but it’s probably too late to instil manners, ethics or numeracy. Skills and experience are worthless when not put to use. Knowledge is useless when not shared with others. The smaller your business, the more likely you are to be an expert in your field, so transferring those skills to new employees is relatively easy. But you can’t train enthusiasm or a solid work ethic.

According to a LeadershipIQ study, only 11% of the new hires that failed in the first 18 months did so because of deficiencies in technical skills. The majority failed due to lack of motivation, an unwillingness to be coached, or problems with temperament and emotional intelligence.

PRO TIP: Always ask for references. Poor players struggle to provide solid and believable references.

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5. Sourcing 101: Passive candidates

Build a profile

Most people don’t know how to fish for talent that’s not looking for a hook. These elusive prospects are known as passive candidates. Sourcing is the process of finding people who are not overtly looking for a job. Your starting point is to know what you’re pursuing and as much as possible about where you’re likely to find it. Think about what the ideal person looks like. What experience do they need to have? What kind of job are they doing now? Which companies must have good people doing this job? Start building a profile. The key to sourcing is figuring out what you’re pursuing and where it lives.

What is sourcing?

Mature companies: You’re looking for established companies doing a great job at what you’re looking for (eg. selling to SMEs, content marketing). You’re looking for people trained by the best, whose options have vested, who are ready to move on to a new exciting gig.

Vulnerable companies: Startups are volatile. When a company experiences a shakeup, there’s a window of opportunity. Signs to look for include the departure of a leadership figure; ventures which have gone 18 months with no follow-up funding or rumors of layoffs. You’re looking for drift and discontent where the talent works so mine the industry reports (Crunchbase, Mattermark, CBInsights, Owler) and listen to the gossip.

Events: Where do the best people on your shortlist hang out? Think about what kind of events they attend and make sure you’re there – be they virtual gatherings or in person. These settings give you the chance to meet people who you may want to approach in the future. When the time comes you will have less cold calling to do.

Universities: The very best talent are only truly unemployed once in their life: right out of college. Universities have structures that help you identify this top echelon. They’re at careers fairs, on internship programmes, or even doing work experience that contributes course credits.

PRO TIP: Look for companies 6-12 months after a seed funding without followup.

Make a shortlist and lean in

Now that we know what to search for, all these sourcing tools (LinkedIn, TalentBin, GitHub, Sourcing.io, and of course, Workable) actually become useful. Start browsing profiles and make a long-list of prospects. Prioritize people who you can reach out to through your extended network. If you can’t get an intro, then see if you can engage them on social media (Twitter) or engineer a chance meeting.

PRO TIP: Attend startup community meetups, design conventions or hackathons.

A courtship doesn’t begin with leaning in, it starts with people getting to know each other. If you do this well the prospect will have already gotten to know you before the conversation turns to a job offer. These are people you may not hire today, or even one year from now. They may also be the key to introducing you to your best hires in the future.

External recruiters

This is where you turn when you’re short on time or confidence to follow the steps above. They can be a fantastic shortcut. It might look simple but there are a couple of things to bear in mind. Look out for recruiters who have hired for small companies before and have a track record of placement in the role you’re looking for. Most startups use contingent recruiters whom you pay only when they deliver someone you hire (typically one-third of the hire’s annual salary).

The upside is that you only pay for what you get. The downside is that your aim and the recruiter’s aim are not the same. You want to hire great people. They want you to hire someone. This subtle difference can lose you time dealing with uninspiring candidates.

PRO TIP: Pay your recruiter more than they ask for. They’ll think twice before referring the next high-quality candidate to another competitor or well-funded company.

A nod to ethics

You need to be competitive but you also live in a community. Employee poaching can backfire on you, especially when you’re just starting out. Getting the balance right can be as simple as being mindful of basic good manners.

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6. Creating an interview process

One of the biggest mistakes made when hiring for rapid growth in a startup is to think that just because you’re small you don’t need a process. If you think “process” means doing things slowly, think again. Get the right tools, remember to hire as a team and you will stay on track. The selection process is a funnel – you get a lot of applicants, you speak with some of them, you meet a few of them, you hire the one you like best. An efficient filtering process will save you and your candidates time.

Pre-interview questions

This all starts with the pre-interview questions, the questions you ask a candidate when they apply that will help you decide whether to progress with an applicant. Make sure candidates can sensibly weigh themselves against the requirements. Do you know anyone who will say “no” to the requirement “must be hard working”? Neither do we.

PRO TIP: Get candidates to do an assignment or task related to the job as part of the pre-interview.

Pre-interview questions can only get you so far. They weed out the most inappropriate candidates and give you an insight beyond a basic resume. However, a major factor in your hiring decision will be how well a candidate will fit in with your business. It’s personal and you need to get to know the candidates.

Screening assignments / testing

Ever walked in to an interview and known within 30 seconds that the candidate you’re meeting is never going to work out? Sure, most people have been there. The worst thing is that it wastes your time. You can’t just stop the interview after half a minute so you go through the routine and waste an hour of your time. It doesn’t have to be that way. An initial phone call, Skype screening conversation, or asynchronous video interviews will prevent that scenario nine times out of 10. Resumes, pre-screening questions, screens, interviews – we use these techniques to use past performance as an indicator of future success.

But what if you want to better understand how candidates will actually perform in the job you’re hiring them for? One way of finding out is to get candidates to do an assignment or task related to the job – in other words, a skills assessment. Hiring for a customer support associate? Test candidates by getting them to answer some hypothetical customer queries. If you are hiring developers, there are online tools like Codility which can put developers through their paces so you can see exactly how they code.

Interviews

Have a plan. Don’t just ask the same questions over and over. Take the time to know who you are meeting before you walk in. Not just their name and not just the job title of the role they’re interviewing for. Get to know them a little, check their resume and note some questions in advance.

Interviews shouldn’t slavishly follow a script. There are probably some standard questions you want to ask all candidates, such as whether they’re eligible to work in your territory. But these are just hygiene questions – you have to go further. Ask open questions that encourage a discussion, engage with the candidates’ responses and consider follow up questions you want to ask. If it’s boring, it’s not working. There’s nothing worse than the candidate feeling like the interviewer hasn’t read their resume and is just going through the motions: “Tell me about this job, now this job, and now this job…” No one gets much out of this kind of interview.

Interviews work both ways

When you leave an interview you should have a much better understanding of the candidate’s credentials and suitability. Equally, they should leave knowing a lot more about the role and the company. If you’ve screened your shortlist properly then everyone you interview should be a real contender – which means it’s worth selling to candidates in interviews. Chances are you’re going to offer them below market rate if you’re an early stage startup. Generally people don’t like getting paid less so you’d better give them a good reason to be excited.

PRO TIP: Note down personalized questions for candidates before the interview but don’t stick slavishly to the script.

Take a deep breath

If you have a nagging feeling that something isn’t right when you’re making an offer, don’t rush. Take your time to identify where that uneasiness comes from. Talk it through with a colleague. Don’t be afraid to ask a candidate to come for another meeting. Chances are if you have a concern, the candidate will be feeling the same and a quick conversation will iron out any problems. In the long term a bit of caution will pay off.

When you’re hiring for a function where you have little or no personal experience, it can be very hard to assess resumes or know what to ask during interviews. You might want to consider bringing in some outside help. This doesn’t need to be paid help, it could just be a friend or ex-colleague who can help you out with the skills-based aspects of the hiring process.

Keep it challenging

This is where you set the bar and show your rigour and ambition. A challenging interview process is a signal to candidates that your company doesn’t do average. This doesn’t have to mean a drawn-out 15-phase interview – even Google is moving away from the huge number of interviews they put candidates through – but you absolutely should establish a thoughtful pipeline that gives the candidate an opportunity to prove their mettle.

PRO TIP: Level the playing field by posing customer support queries for a tool most people are familiar with or can access easily e.g. Facebook.

Taking references

Not everyone believes references from previous employers are useful way in determining future performance. Candidates are unlikely to provide a reference whom they expect to say negative things about them. And many people don’t want to talk badly about someone so even if your candidate was terrible in a past job their reference won’t tell you.

This is not a reason to ignore references. It’s a reason to work harder at getting them right. Get more references. Successful entrepreneur-turned-VC Mark Suster recommends getting at least five, including people the candidate didn’t propose. If we assume people are smart enough to gather good references, ask yourself: “Are they glowing?” If not, why not? Ask candidates why they chose the referees they did.

PRO TIP: Get at least 5 references and make sure some of them come from people the candidate hasn’t put forward. Read this.

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7. Workplace benefits and compensation

You can’t pay for groceries with equity

You’re not going to compete on salary with Google and Facebook but you need to get survival out of mind. Even your earliest hires ‐ and that includes you, the founder ‐ will need to pay bills. Some startups go to extremes, trying to make their runway last longer. Don’t build your runway on the backs of an exhausted and underpaid team. You objective is not to delay the next round but to get to it in the best possible shape. Here’s a few things you can do to achieve the right balance.

The power of perks

You’re not going to have the swankiest offices but you can make them reflect why people came to work for you. You don’t need a big budget to create a friendly, informal and energetic work space. Our environment helps to shape our mindset and reminds us who we are. Spend the time to make it attractive to your team, even if you can’t initially spend much money. There are many ways to make your company an attractive place to work – even if you’re in an “unsexy” location.

PRO TIP: Buffer’s emphasis on transparency led to their Open Salaries initiative, which has created huge buzz and awareness of them.

Perks are powerful and cost effective. When you take into account tax and deductions a $10 lunch is worth more to your employee than $10 on their salary. But it’s about more than a free lunch. Taking care of peoples’ needs makes them feel taken care of. This pays off handsomely in productivity and morale.

That shouldn’t mean that you neglect traditional benefits. Before you start on the ping pong tables and games consoles make sure everyone has access to health insurance. When people know the basics like health are covered they’re more prepared to live leaner when it comes to salaries.

Compensating risk

Equity compensates risk. It is a form of deferred reward. When deciding whether to join your startup a prospect is looking at what they could earn at market rates for their skills over the same time period and balancing it against a potential future return that should be several multiples of the income they lost out on. It’s mathematics.

All early employees should have a significant amount of equity. This ensures their sense of ownership and mission. A properly structured stock option is also a commitment on the part of the employee. Equity grants usually vest over a period of three to four years and there’s a “cliff period” (typically one year) before a new employee earns their first tranche of shares.

This way, you’re not giving your company away. Instead, you’re binding the core team to your mission for long enough to make meaningful progress. With that in mind, don’t wait till the best people are restless. The best companies also give retention equity packages to fully vested employees. You need to think about this, before your star performers do.

How to research market rates, equity standards

Knowing the going rate for salaries and equity is notoriously difficult. A good place to get a benchmark is AngelList (for startup equity and salaries) or Glassdoor (for market rates). Make sure to compare yourself to similar companies. For each hire, check what’s on offer for jobs they could take so you know what their other options look like.

Especially when it comes to equity, it’s always better to err on the generous side. Rather than being hung up over a 0.1% more or less, think about whether this employee will improve your chance of success by that amount. A good hire will make it worth your while.

PRO TIP: Wealthfront’s Startup Compensation Tool is one of many benchmarks you can use.

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8. Recruiting software and tools

You need tools

We consider an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to be the centerpiece of any effective toolkit – especially when hiring for rapid growth. This is why we built one from scratch and obviously consider it to be the best of its kind. When choosing an ATS, ask yourself how well it integrates with other tools that you’ll need. A good one will integrate or at least play nicely with most of the software we recommend below.

Even then, it helps to know which ones are tops in the market. We’ve compiled for you the 12 best applicant tracking systems to help inform your decision on purchasing an ATS.

Sourcing and referral platforms

TalentBin, Sourcing.io, 3Sourcing and Gild are people aggregators with searchable, often pre-evaluated or classified profiles of people. Professional networks or communities like LinkedIn, GitHub, Dribble, AngelList are good places to do manual sourcing. Zao is one of the best referral platforms we came across. It’s made based on best practices, optimizes matches across all companies’ open jobs, has a gamification layer making it fun to participate and allows extended referrals. Another one to consider is RolePoint.

Online interview systems

Interviewing has gone video and this lets you record video questions, invite candidates to submit their responses so you can review them. Set time limits for responses, pause to take notes, tick the ones that are a perfect match, share if you’re not sure to take a second opinion. Workable’s Video Interviews can set you up for success here – particularly if you’re hiring for rapid growth in a short period of time and need to establish a standardized screening process with minimal breakdown.

Assessment tools

Codility is a niche, engineers-only, database. These guys are loaded with millions of engineers — active and passive. Considering the gap between demand and supply then this app is a treasure trove of prospects and a pretty straightforward tool to use if tech job boards aren’t cutting it. You can browse and filter data, collaborate with your team and do social recruiting too.

Smarterer have revolutionized skills assessment. Just give them 10 questions, 2 minutes and voila! you get a quantified skill. It’s basically a skills testing app but different. All of its test content is crowdsourced from the individuals who take the tests.

SHL has ability and personality tests if you need to test for critical qualities. They only offer science-based assessments and benchmark data.

Weirdly has your cultural fit riddle all figured out. It’s a four-step culture assessing recruitment tool. Define your desired cultural profile, publish the vacancy, watch candidates complete the quiz and select the right kind of weird.

Onboarding & talent management

KinHR is probably the best when it comes to onboarding new hires in a comprehensive and thoughtful way. The new employee signs in and reads about the company and the team they’re going to work with and what tasks they should start working on.

Zenefits is good for payroll and benefits management.

The shift to remote work also means onboarding remotely – such that you’re bringing people on board without them having met anyone on the team in person. Learn some tips and tricks of successful remote onboarding for you and your company.

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9. Where to post your jobs

You know exactly what you’re looking for so what’s your next step? Plaster your ad over every job board out there, right? Wrong. It pays off in time and money to do a little homework. Consider these questions:

Where does the rest of your industry (in your city or country) post jobs?
Did you get enough qualified candidates the last time you hit publish on XYZ job board? Did you get any candidates at all?
Did you get too many candidates, maybe?
Ask people who already have this type of job, where they first saw it?
Visit alexa.com to see how popular the job board you are considering is.
Find out where the audience you want to reach hangs out online
Study the other job postings on that XYZ job board where you’re thinking of publishing your opening

The job board forest

To facilitate the job board selection process, we brought together a handy list of the top ones (below).

Horizontal

LinkedIn is the leader due to its three-way nature; professional social network/headhunting tool/job board – the biggest of its kind with 760 million members. It enables you to search profiles, pay to post jobs and more besides. With LinkedIn InMail, you can even contact candidates directly.

Indeed is the premier job site globally with 250 million regular visitors. You can post all types of jobs, sponsor the ones from your careers page, pay per click and search resumes.

Craigslist is the site for classifieds. Doesn’t match the traditional job board criteria, is famous for its no-frills user interface but beats everyone for inbound traffic.

Monster is one of the oldest job boards that keeps expanding worldwide. It’s a bit expensive in some countries (unless you post through Workable), has a lot of traffic and loads of resumes and free content.

Careerbuilder operates in the US, Europe, Canada and Asia. CareerBuilder is used by 80 million job applicants and has three million job postings per month.

Stepstone is one of the most successful job boards in Europe.

Beyond automatically distributes postings to niche sites and talent communities based on specific criteria. What’s in it for you? Targeted exposure and more relevant applications.

Tech

StackOverflowCareers is the careers platform of StackOverflow. It’s used by more than 100 million developers and technologists and is the trusted first destination of tech recruiters. If you’re looking for developers, it’s the place to go.

Dice is also a leader in the tech job boards industry. It has a cross-posting network and minimizes unqualified clutter due to its niche nature, with a database of more than nine million members.

Github Jobs taps into developers and engineers by being the place they hang out. Good place to trawl for passive candidates – especially with 50 million developers checking in regularly.

Creative

Behance is where some of the top brands post their creative jobs. It’s also the place where professionals showcase their work enabling you to take a sneak peek before you decide.

Dribbble gives you access to designers’ portfolios and profiles. Workable’s designers are really fond of it. Plus you can post your jobs and connect with top talent.

Authentic Jobs introduces recruiters to creative professionals. Simple and efficient.

Remote & flexible jobs

We Work Remotely is the job board without borders allowing you to narrow down talent without it having to be in the same location as you.

Upwork is free and for freelancers only. If you’re looking for one, check out their well-rounded freelancers’ database.

Flexjobs is free and effective when it comes to flexible jobs job posting. Only applies if you’re in search of part-time, telecommute or freelance employees.

Startups

AngelList ‐ you probably already know it if you’re a startup. Candidates get to apply privately and see salary and equity up front and startups get to access a huge list of developers and designers actively looking for a job. On top of that, it’s free!

Startuply is a free job listing site aimed mainly at small startups, which find it rather difficult to attract engineering talent. Startups can create a detailed company profile to give prospect candidates a sense of what it’d be like working for them. You should definitely give it a shot.

StartUpHire lists hundreds of jobs, but only for venture capital backed companies. It also comes at zero cost and has a widget that enables you to automatically add your open positions to your website

The Muse lets job seekers look behind the curtains of great companies. You can “showcase the heart and soul of your company” in 500 words, videos and photos and then display your job openings.

The post The Startup Hiring Guide: Hiring for rapid growth from 5 to 50 appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The ultimate guide to job posting

Content team — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 16:03:34 +0000

Meet the modern jobseeker

The modern jobseeker could be spending up to 15 hours a week looking and is just as likely to be using their smartphone as their laptop while doing so. More than half the traffic on Glassdoor, one of the world’s most popular job boards, comes from mobile with the group of 35-44 leading the way. And this is why employers who accept mobile applications are twice as likely to get high quality candidates as those that don’t.

This guide was created so as to give you a quick overview of job posting and help you bring those talented jobseekers to your doorstep. If you know the basics, you can navigate and jump into the topics you want:

Choosing the right job title for your open role
How to write a job description
How to post a job listing
Where to post a job for free
The best places to post jobs free and paid
Specialist job boards
How to post to multiple job boards for maximum impact
Tips for successful job candidate management

What are the different ways to attract candidates?

There is no magic bullet in recruiting. Instead there’s an exciting variety of channels and the challenge is to get the mix right. The starting point should be a great careers page that showcases what’s good about your company and the roles you’re hiring for. The next step is to take advantage of social media to spread the word that you’re hiring. Get everyone you work with involved with the help of a referral program. Then turn to job boards where there are a host of free options for job posting, as well as premium job boards, which if used right, are worth the money.

How do people collect and review applicants?

Even now some of the smartest companies are still hobbling their recruiting effort by using accounting tools to get it done. Spreadsheets are great for a lot of things. They suck as a hiring tool. Likewise email – which you can’t work without – becomes overwhelming when you’re hiring. The answer can be found in some of the great hiring software solutions that an increasing number of employers are turning to. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), like Workable, are bringing the advantages larger organisations have long enjoyed when hiring and delivering them to smart companies of all sizes.

Do I need to hire a recruiter?

Hiring a recruiter isn’t always necessary but it can be a great shortcut. Here are some important points to bear in mind:

Look for recruiters who have hired for businesses like your own.
Look for recruiters who have hired for roles like the one you’re hiring for.

Contingent recruiters, who get paid when they deliver results, have become increasingly popular. The upside is that you only pay for what you get (typically one third of the hire’s annual salary). The downside is the cost and a possible conflict of interest. You want to hire great people. The recruiter gets paid when you hire someone. Bear this in mind.

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1. Choosing the right job title for your open role

Whichever job title you choose for your job advertisement, remember that it will be displayed in job listings, on your own website and in search results. While you might think of a job title one way, your candidates could be busy searching for something else. The answer is to do some research to make sure your title is something a jobseeker would look for on Google or Bing. While a designer might reasonably expect to search using the term “designer”, this won’t help them to find your posting if you’ve used the job title, “graphical ninja”. Clarity of writing comes from clarity of thought.

Tech tricks to inform your choice:

Go to the job board Indeed to check out the most searched job trends.
Use the Google Keyword Planner, or if you don’t have an Adwords account one of these free keyword tools.

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2. How to write a job description

First impressions count. For many jobseekers, the job description is where the relationship between employee and employer begins. Should this step turn into a stumble it’s all over very quickly. Job descriptions can alienate, demoralize and intimidate. They can also engage, motivate and inspire. To achieve the latter we need to revolutionize the way we think about this relationship.

We’re starting with a list of tips and tricks on how to write a job description, then we’ll break it down to provide specific guidelines for your company profile, requirements and benefits.

How to write a job description in 10 steps

Discuss the role with someone who already does this job, or its nearest equivalent within your organization, and get them to describe their average day.
Describe the role using words that feel inviting and evoke an emotional response. Resist the temptation to use jargon, buzzwords or a flat corporate tone.
Keep it short (but not too short) or it can become confusing. As a general rule, don’t use more than a half-dozen bullet points and don’t exceed 700 words.
Be specific. Vague meaningless prose won’t cut it here. Know your industry and where your company stands. Make sure you’re familiar with the role and what it consists of and spell it out. Add a start date to create a sense of urgency.
Think like an applicant. What would make you apply for the job? Is it just perks and benefits or the chance to work with a smart group of people? Perhaps it’s the clear career path, the opportunities to learn and add to your skills, the company’s vision or the way you do things.
Help applicants to picture themselves in the role. Share details of the team they could be working with on a regular basis; include quotes or links to social media accounts.
Leave out trivial tasks or minor details. It’s all about what’s important in the role.
Offer value. It’s not all about how great your company and the job you’re offering is. This is about the potential candidates. Share content that interests and attracts them, talk about knowledge, ideas, and working methods.
Don’t write job descriptions in isolation. Talk to other departments to gain their expertise, content writers for wordsmithing, marketing for promotional ideas, designers for smart-looking visuals.
Spell-check and proofread. And once you’re done, do it again.

Looking for more? Check out our ultimate and most updated list of how to write a good job description.

Your company versus all the companies out there

To stand out in a crowded market you need to show some personality in your company profile. Your company is a unique combination of people, culture and knowledge, and your target is to attract candidates who share your approach and values. Make a pitch. Tell them the story of where you are, how you got there and where you’re going. Invite your candidates to join you in getting there.

Make it visual; an image of your workplace, a video or a quote from one of your employees offers an inside look at your company. Two-thirds of jobseekers admit to being influenced by the presentation of a job ad. Make yours memorable.

But don’t be self-absorbed. Many ads brag about how special their company is, how they only employ the best. This can come across as boastful, which is a turnoff for some candidates and will make others suspicious or fearful of applying. Brevity is your friend, keep this part to no more than 200 words and focus on your candidate; what’s likely to capture their attention.

This job versus every other job out there

The two most common approaches when writing a job description are to present a detailed list of daily tasks or a vague run-through of responsibilities. Neither will make the role compelling. Focus instead on deliverables and explain how these will contribute to the success of the business.

Here you can use bullet points (not a laundry list) that describe the nature of the work and how the role functions within the broader team. Rather than describing tasks, focus on the type of decisions they’ll be making, who they will be working with and reporting to.

The requirements list

You get what you ask for, so it’s tempting to go all out with a wish list. What you actually need is someone who can do the job and has the potential to grow. Candidates aren’t sitting on a shelf waiting to be picked. Distinguish between what you “want” and what you “need”. Come up with a list of 15 requirements. Read, rethink and cut the list in half.

A good approach is to rank skills by importance and frequency and be clear about it. Treating all skills as equal will demoralize jobseekers. The wrong emphasis could cost you good candidates who are concerned that they lack some skills which could really be picked up with a few hours basic training. Likewise don’t dwell too much on experience. Keep in mind that skills can be learned, people can be trained.

Benefits & perks

Here you can knock yourself out with as many bullet points as your actual benefits deserve. Still, you would be wise to focus on what’s special about your company. Keep in mind that attracting people through perks isn’t the best recruiting strategy. You’re looking for someone to meet the challenge and buy into the company as a whole, not a benefits shopper.

Make it easy to apply

We’ve all come across job ads that require a lot of patience to apply. Sending resumes to email addresses, filling out a bunch of fields with basic personal details or even worse rewriting your entire resume in individual form fields. Don’t be that guy. The candidates’ application experience is important.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that automatically fills in required fields and offers a simple resume upload is all you need. Screening questions are useful and can weed out poor candidates to save you valuable time. A simple question like “What attracted you to this job?” can say volumes about the candidate. But go easy on open-ended questions that require candidates to write an essay. Multiple choice questions to check on skills and knowledge should be the default.

Worried about starting with a blank page? Try our job description templates, or jump right in and post your job to the best job boards today.

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3. How to post a job listing

You need to create some buzz around the job you’ve just published on your careers page. To do this you want to get your listing noticed by the communities where the passive candidates hang out. Linkedin has scores of groups you can join, mention jobs in or initiate general discussions around the role, your company or the industry.

First things first. Does everyone on staff know you have just listed a new job? Share it across your company. If you don’t have a referral system in place we’d strongly advise you to set one up. Include a social sharing feature and give incentives to your staff to start sharing from their own social accounts.

An alternative is to create your own communities. Smart companies make sure they have created Facebook groups or a Facebook Jobs tab, or even run a Facebook ad campaign, with the sole purpose of attracting potential candidates. Promote your employer brand through these pages and when you post a job you’ll have a talent pool of existing fans. Add as many touch points as possible between you and prospective candidates.

The top job boards

Posting your job on your careers page and social media is not enough. You need job boards. The leading premium job boards in terms of ROI (return on investment) are LinkedIn, Craigslist, Indeed and Monster.

Some job boards, like Indeed, also offer a free option as well as a paid. SimplyHired and Glassdoor offer free postings when you access them through an ATS like Workable. For the most effective places to post your jobs, check out our job board directory, which enables you to choose job boards based on industry, location, and cost (paid versus unpaid).

The best day to post a job

Don’t post your jobs on Friday evening, by Monday they’ll be last week’s news! Instead, wait until Sunday evening or Monday morning and advertise your roles when the candidates are most active.

Most job sites use freshness as a factor in ranking job search results. Plus, the new jobs of the day usually land in email updates and job board front pages, so getting there when the action is happening can get you up to double the candidates you’d receive on a slow day.

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4. Where to post a job for free

To keep costs low, share your job on social media – with a well-thought-out strategy – and harness the power of your best brand advocates: your employees. Wondering where to post jobs for free? Get word-of-mouth referrals for free by having your team share your job descriptions far and wide on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Twitter
Twitter is the most open and transparent of these three social networks. In other words, you don’t have to be a Twitter user to read tweets. Putting your job listing on Twitter is a great way to connect with audiences you don’t already know. Help jobseekers find your listing by using relevant hashtags, such as #jobopening or #joblisting. You can even use industry-specific hashtags, such as #greenjobs, or location-specific hashtags, such as #bostonjobs. This list of hashtags is written for jobseekers but equally useful for recruiters
Facebook
Facebook has more users than LinkedIn and Twitter and is by far the most popular social network. It’s designed for personal sharing and the best channel for employer branding. To get the most traction from Facebook, intersperse job listings with photos and videos that feature your corporate culture. If you’re planning to do a lot of recruiting on Facebook, try adding a Jobs Tab to your page. This is a free, effective way to enable your audience to browse all your open jobs on Facebook.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is purely a professional network and a natural fit for recruiters. LinkedIn profiles are formatted much like a resume, with most of the same candidate data—education, work history, technical skills, and some extras, like recommendations and endorsements. This is what makes LinkedIn so effective for sourcing highly specific types of candidates. Although LinkedIn has paid job listings, you can also post an open job as a status update on your company page for free.

Talent pools and the power of referrals

IMPORTANT NOTE: Choose your social media channel based on where your target talent pool is likely to be. Communications professionals in fields like advertising, marketing, and PR, are likely to be active on Twitter. If you’re hiring for construction jobs, Twitter won’t be an effective recruiting channel for you. You’re not limited to these social networks either. For example, if you’re a lifestyle or fashion brand and primarily communicate with your audience through images, Instagram may be your best bet.

Try pairing social media with an employee referral program. This is a warm, efficient way to reach your colleagues’ trusted contacts and make higher quality hires. Referrals are the number one source for hires, and social media provides employees with an easier, more personal way to share open jobs. Increase participation in the referral program with incentives. Gift cards, gadgets, and bonuses are popular, but feel free to get creative.

For example, APAC Customer Services had offered concert tickets as a reward for referrals. It was fun, but also smart, with the concert date functioning as a kind of countdown. When creating a referral program, think about the way your colleagues like to communicate, such as Slack.

Where to collect your candidates

One efficient way to post to job boards is through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). In addition to posting to multiple job boards and social networks with one submission, any applicants from those job boards will automatically be imported into your ATS. Hiring teams can work smarter, not harder, by cutting email and spreadsheets out of the process and storing all their candidate profiles and resumes in a searchable database.

The best ATS options, including Workable, offer you a simple hiring pipeline that makes sense of your recruiting tasks.

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5. The best places to post jobs free and paid

Get more eyes on your job listing today. With one click, post your listing to free job boards like Indeed, SimplyHired and Glassdoor. Workable integrates with numerous top job boards around the world. All you need to do is select the ones you want and we’ll do the rest.

Premium Job Boards

Indeed
Indeed is a leader among job boards and is visited by nearly three-quarters of all jobseekers. The site also boasts substantial reach with over 4 million jobs posted directly to Indeed.com. Indeed is also a job search engine that anyone can use for free. It takes jobseekers’ input, such as skills and location and then aggregates all matching jobs from thousands of other websites.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional social network, a powerful sourcing tool and a job board. LinkedIn enables recruiters to create narrow searches for candidates by parameters such as location, job title, industry and more. With more than 722 million users in total, LinkedIn has the largest user base. And they’re growing fast with 172,800 added per day. The site is also visited by a whopping 310m active users a month.
CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is both a job board and a destination for career advice. It operates in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia and is visited by more than 24 million unique visitors a month. It has 3,200 partner sites in 60 countries. CareerBuilder is used by 80 million job applicants and each month it has 3 million job postings.
SimplyHired
SimplyHired, like Indeed, is a job search engine at its core. It is a highly-targeted pay per click job board that gets around 30 million unique visitors per month. SimplyHired is used by 3 million employers. When jobseekers search on SimplyHired, they’re able to discover jobs on the SimplyHired site, mobile app and numerous partner sites.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is used by over 1 million employers and 7 million active job seekers each month. They offer a speedy way to get candidates by enabling recruiters to post to more than 100 job boards with one click, in addition to having a job board of their own.
Monster
Monster enables recruiters to target jobseekers in other countries, as well as through niche sites like Military.com, thousands of newspaper sites and social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. It’s a recognized name in job boards, having been around for 25 years. Monster also gets a ton of traffic with more than 926 million monthly unique visitors.
Portfolium
Portfolium is a job board and a portfolio site that enables approximately five million students and recent graduates to get their work samples, video clips and skills in front of employers. Hiring college talent is not easy for recruiters but it is especially challenging for small businesses. Portfolium enables any company to look beyond resume keywords and effectively reach and hire college talent with verified skills.
StackOverflowCareers
StackOverflowCareers is the careers platform of StackOverflow. It’s used by more than 100 million developers and technologists and is the trusted first destination of tech recruiters. Both employer profiles and developer profiles on this network are designed with the interests of developers in mind. In addition, there’s more for employers and recruiters to look at besides resumes. Recruiters look at code samples and interaction with other users to build a high quality pipeline of talent.

Free Job Boards

Glassdoor
Glassdoor offers jobseekers free access to more than 70 million company reviews, interview questions, salary reports and more, all posted anonymously by employees. It allows hiring managers to post jobs free, and is quickly rising in popularity as a job board and recruiting site. Glassdoor enables employers to update their company info, see who is viewing their company profile and respond to reviews. Glassdoor gets 50 million visits monthly
Trovit
Trovit is the leading classifieds search engine in Europe and Latin America. They have a presence in 57 countries and are available in more than a dozen languages. Jobs are one of their five major verticals and they partner with thousands of job boards and newspapers to help jobseekers be more efficient in their search. Trovit listings are highly visible as they are visited by 11 million unique users a month.
JobRapido
JobRapido is a global job search engine similar to SimplyHired and Indeed. They conduct business in 58 countries with more than a thousand companies, have 85 million registered users and are visited by 35 million monthly users. They’re a frontrunner as far as job aggregators go and continue to expand in Europe and the rest of the world.
JobInventory
JobInventory is a job search engine that eschews pay-per-click campaigns for a contributor program. This means that the search results provided to jobseekers are 100% organic. They offer a wide selection as they post jobs from all sources: employers, job boards and classified sites.
CareerJet
CareerJet is a job search engine with a worldwide presence. They’re available in 28 languages and source job ads from nearly 60,000 websites around the world. They own and operate two other brands, Opcionempleo for Spanish language markets and Optioncarriere for French language markets.
Recruit.net
Recruit.net is the leading search engine for jobs in the Asia Pacific region. Their search technology pulls jobs from corporate web sites, job boards, recruitment agencies, classifieds and more enabling jobseekers to quickly find millions of jobs. They also offer pay-per-click advertising, detailed analytics, and tracking for employers and recruiters. Recruit.net operates 18 localized websites in 6 major languages.

Looking for more? Check out our ultimate and most updated list with the best job boards.

Why you would pay for a job board versus free job boards?

Which job board is right for you and whether you should spend the extra on a paid job boards depends on a few factors:

The urgency of the hire – if you need to hire quickly you’re likely to find them faster by putting some money behind a paid or sponsored ad.
The type of role – some roles are simply harder to find candidates for. Take for example technology roles and often more senior hires. For this type of role you’ll often need to use a specialist/niche paid job board. The cost of the board will be justified by the quality of candidate it can attract.
Your location – if you are based in an area where there is high competition for candidates, a paid job ad can help you stand out from the crowd and make sure you’re speaking to the best people.
Ongoing hiring – as free job ads get old they fall down the rankings on job boards as newer jobs take the top spots. Simply reposting the same job on the same job board won’t get it listed back at the top. So if you’re hiring for a particular type of role over a long period of time you’ll keep your job ad fresh and the candidates flowing by paying for a job ad to keep it high on job board search results.
Cost control – how much you pay for job ads is completely customizable, especially with pay-per-click (PPC) options. Many job boards have PPC campaigns that you can use to target a highly specific audience. This means that you only pay when interested and suitable candidates view your job listing.

Never forget that a badly written job ad will never attract the best candidates whether you pay for an ad or not. So be sure that your job ad is up to scratch before you start.

So a paid ad is always better?

Not necessarily. There are many jobs where the free job boards can perform very well. Indeed for example is the biggest job board in the world, its free version has a huge amount of candidate traffic and can provide great candidates.

You’ll need to decide which job boards are best for you on a role by role basis and whether paying for a job ad will work out better in the long run.

Try Workable free for 15 days, and see which job boards work for you. Post your job to multiple free job posting sites with one submission, and get discounts on premium listings.

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6. Specialist job boards

Specialist Job Boards, also referred to as niche job boards, trade on quality of candidates over quantity. Many have grown out of successful community sites or evolved into community hubs as well as listings sites. This is an introduction to some of the top job boards in their respective fields — or head straight to our job board directory for the full breakdown.

Industry-specific job boards

TECH AND PROGRAMMING

StackOverflowCareers
StackOverflowCareers is the place to go if you’re looking for developers. Some 100 million devs and technologists use it every month.
Dice
Dice the other tech job board giant with a database of more than 9 million tech resumes in the US. Has a cross-posting network and minimizes unqualified clutter due to its niche nature.
Github
GitHub is a community of 50 million developers but it also has its own small job board. More often used to trawl for passive candidates.

DESIGN

Dribbble
Dribbble is a community that gives you access to designers’ portfolios and profiles. Plus you can post your jobs and connect with top talent.
Behance
Behance is where some of the top brands post their creative jobs. It’s also the place where 10 million professionals showcase their works enabling you to take a peek before you decide.

HEALTHCARE

Doximity
Doximity has attracted almost 75% of US doctors. It’s a professional network and a job board. You could call it a niche version of Linkedin.
HealthECareers
HealthEcareers with 6,500 employers and more than 11,000 medical & healthcare jobs posted, this job board is guaranteed to provide you with qualified applicants.

SALES

Rainmakers
Rainmakers attracts top performing salespeople, making it a leading sales career site and sales talent community.

RETAIL

AllRetailJobs
AllRetailJobs board adds 4,000 resumes per month on their database and has more than 19,000 employers and recruiters using the platform.

HOSPITALITY

HCareers
HCareers is the premier job board that covers all hospitality jobs (hotels, restaurants, travel etc).

MEDIA

Mashable
Mashable has emerged as a global media company with 45 million monthly visitors and its job board is a go-to for digital talent.

FINANCE & BANKING

eFinancialCareers
eFinancial Careers includes jobs in finance, accounting, banking and insurance and has an audience of more than 1m finance professionals.

Job boards for different types of work

FREELANCE/FLEX

UpWork
UpWork (previously oDesk) is free and is for freelancers only. If you’re looking for one, check out their well-rounded database of 18 million freelancers.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is free and effective when it comes to flexible jobs. But only if you’re in search of part-time, telecommute or freelance employees.
WeWorkRemotely
WeWorkRemotely is the job board without borders allowing you to narrow down talent that doesn’t have to be in the same location as you.

SEASONAL

Snagajob
Snagajob is the largest resource for hourly employees. Has 100 million registered job seekers and 700,000 employer locations in the US and Canada.

INTERNSHIP/RECENT GRADS

Internships.com
Internships.com is used by more than 80,000 employers that can post and manage their internship jobs for free.
Looksharp
Looksharp is made for entry-level jobs and internships.

STARTUPS

AngelList
AngelList will be familiar to most startups. More than 100,000 of them use it. Candidates get to apply privately and see salary and equity up front and startups get to access a huge list of developers and designers actively looking for a job. All for free!

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7. How to post to multiple job boards for maximum impact

Recruiting software (like an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS) takes the hassle out of hiring by automating repetitive tasks and enabling you to keep everything you need to do your hiring in one place. Posting your job to multiple job boards and social media sites used to take hours. Now, it can be done in a click. Your recruiting software may even offer discounted or free job listings with specific partner sites.

Get candidates in one place

As candidates apply through job boards, their application data flows directly back into your recruiting software, or Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Your ATS will organize each applicant’s resume and application materials, track how many candidates are applying to each listing and enable you to see how many candidates you’re moving forward in the hiring process. You’ll also be able to discuss candidates with colleagues and keep all their communication on the candidate’s timeline.

How to post jobs that will be seen everywhere

Maximize your reach by using the job board integrations offered by your ATS. Posting to several job boards at once is a great way to get more exposure, and more exposure means more applicants. Automating this task with an ATS saves time but also increases productivity. With an ATS, your hiring team can save hundreds of work hours you’d otherwise lose to filtering a large pool of applicants. This helps you identify top talent faster and focus on the more important work of choosing the best candidate for your job.

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8. Tips for successful job candidate management

You’ve posted your job and applications are rolling in. Now, it’s time to start building a shortlist. Hiring processes vary from company to company, but generally your next steps for job candidates are one-way video interviews, phone screening, assessments, in-person interviews and at the very end, offer and onboarding, or rejection letters.

In the United States the average cost per hire (including direct and indirect costs) is $4,129. (Source: SHRM)

How to collaborate with your hiring team

Close collaboration with your hiring team will result in more efficient processes for candidate management and a hire who fits better. Whether you are an in-house or agency recruiter, it’s a good idea to send regular updates to your clients or hiring team. Using recruiting software means you don’t have to stitch together spreadsheets, email and elaborate filing systems. Some tools provide seamless and customizable collaboration features so that you’re always in the loop.

Methods used to score candidates

Time to rank your candidates. There are different approaches that can be taken here. One way is to simply rank candidates between 1-5 stars based on a few key elements. Some useful things to look for are:

Initiative and drive
Trend of performance over time
Past accomplishments
Comparable experience and education
Problem-solving and analytical skills

How to move candidates through the process

It can be hard to pick up where you left off while managing multiple hiring pipelines. Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to easily identify next steps and efficiently move candidates through the different stages of hiring.

The typical stages of the hiring process include “sourced”, “applied”, “phone/video screen” and “in-person/live interview”. The right system will enable you to disqualify candidates from the process or even move a candidate from one hiring pipeline to another for a different job.

Chances are you know this scenario:

You write a job ad then post it to every job board one at a time. Your inbox gets jammed with randomly formatted resumes. You forward the ones you’ve had time to read to colleagues. It gets messy so you try to track it on a spreadsheet. We like spreadsheets, they’re great for all sorts of things like metrics and accounting but they’re useless for hiring.

That’s why we made Workable. A simple and powerful tool designed to help you hire better. Workable helps thousands of SMBs and Enterprises hire better candidates faster. Post to all the best free job boards with one click, share your jobs on social media and get discounts on premium listings. When the applications roll in, Workable keeps them all in one place, where you can browse and decide painlessly. Hiring made simple.

The post The ultimate guide to job posting appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Recruiting strategies: a comprehensive guide for small business

Content team — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 16:31:32 +0000

Considering how important it is to just about everything a business does, it’s a surprise that hiring isn’t given more strategic attention. The quality of the team you have around you is the single best predictor of future success for any venture.

Stop us if this sounds familiar. At this stage your company doesn’t have a dedicated recruiting team. Hiring tends to come in waves, so everyone just pitches in. The tools you use weren’t designed for recruiting. Spreadsheets are great for accounting, they kind of suck at hiring. And you have been amazed at how much a single open position can clog your inbox.

You don’t have much that amounts to a recruiting strategy. Every time you’re hiring the way you go about it changes and no one is entirely sure why. Resumes are shared in different ways, feedback on candidates gets misplaced and the questions that get asked at interviews are sometimes made up on the fly.

Far too many of us are hiring with borrowed tools, no recruiting strategies and the nagging feeling that we’re losing time that would be better spent on our main job. Happily, there is a better way.

This guide was created so as to give you a quick overview of the main elements of a failsafe recruiting strategy and help you bring those star candidates into your company. If you get the basics, you can jump to the topics you’re interested in:

A hiring process that works
Effective employer branding
How to make a great careers page
Find employees: social recruiting and job boards
Find employees: sourcing and headhunting
Importance of candidate experience
Taking control of the process
Managing the hiring pipeline with online recruitment software
Recruitment analytics: how to measure the recruiting process
Interview techniques to hire the right employees
Closing the deal: making a job offer and hiring employees

1. A hiring process that works

There has never been a better time for businesses of all sizes to get strategic with their hiring. The tools needed to attract the right candidates and get from application to hire are both more affordable and more effective than before. All that’s needed to get started is a recruiting strategy that works.

The cloud is all silver

The advent of cloud computing has been a massive boon for small business. It has spurred a revolution in affordable business software that is no longer tied to your desktop. This has put tools that were previously the domain of large corporations into the hands of ambitious companies, regardless of their size. Until recently though, recruiting software lagged behind.

Recruitment software used to be something that was first installed and later resented. Often known to users as “the system” it was bought by people who didn’t have to use it day-to-day. The result was that, in addition to being expensive, it was as ugly as it was hard to use. Worse still it was designed to replicate the kind of complex procedures in place at large organizations.

The new generation of hiring tools, available on the cloud, avoid this legacy. One of the nice things about being small is being nimble. The right recruitment process is streamlined enough not to waste your time, but inclusive enough to let you hire ambitiously.

Process is your friend

Process is not a sexy word but there is nothing duller than working without one. It makes sense to have a standardized series of steps that have been chosen because they maximize the likelihood of a good outcome.

It’s worth understanding what makes a good job ad, how to get an attractive careers page, where to post jobs, how to manage applicants, gather and share feedback on candidates and schedule interviews with them. Proven ideas in recruiting strategies such as sourcing (looking for talented people who aren’t actively looking for a job) and employer branding are now within reach of any smart, small business.

The role of software in recruiting isn’t about replacing human judgement or putting human resources hurdles between you and your eventual hire. It’s about removing data entry, curing the admin headache and leaving more time for people to make good choices in their recruiting strategy.

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2. Effective employer branding

Employer brands are one of those things that you don’t have to believe in for them to exist. If you think that you don’t have an employer brand you would be wrong. And it is likely to mean that there’s room to improve the one you’ve got.

Employer branding as a concept has gained currency in recent years but really it’s just another word for reputation. The main difference is that it’s easier than ever for prospective hires to get an advance idea of what it’s like to work for your company.

More than Tweeting jobs

Wherever you, your colleagues or employees appear online whether it’s your company Facebook page, a Twitter conversation, or a Linkedin profile, you’re talking to two audiences: customers and talent. While this makes some small businesses nervous, it’s actually a huge opportunity.

You don’t have to have the big bucks of corporations like Heineken or General Electric to market your employer brand (which they do very nicely). Hiring is marketing but it doesn’t have to be done on prime time television. Digital platforms offer an affordable and potentially enormous reach.

Here are three things to keep in mind to ensure a successful recruiting strategy:

Show, don’t tell: use platforms like Instagram to show your team and your workplace

Involve your team: they are your best advocates

Be nimble: you don’t have lumbering corporate brand guidelines to navigate, try new things and be responsive!

In many ways the traditional strengths of smaller businesses such as personal relationships, approachability and smaller teams are well suited to social media, which rewards authenticity and responsiveness.

From award-winning recruiter Mervyn Dinnen: “The differentiators for job seekers will usually be culture and reputation, and social platforms offer a great opportunity for businesses to bring these to life. As long as you understand why you need to hire, what your new hire will be doing and how their skills and capabilities may develop, and how their role fits in with the overall values and purpose of the business, then recruitment is about having the right conversations with the right people at the right time.

“And there is no better way to achieve that than through the effective use of social media channels.” Tweet this

Don’t neglect the offline world. Whether it’s campus recruiting fairs, events for your industry, professional meetups or local community, be there. You want to hire people and they don’t just gather online – even as the work world increasingly goes remote. A coffee, a chat or a business card can go a long way.

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3. How to make a great careers page

It may sound obvious but your careers page is your shop window. While there are plenty of ways to advertise the fact that you’re hiring, the starting point is an eye-catching, informative careers page.

Whether candidates spot that you’re hiring on a job board, or hear about it through word-of-mouth or social media, they will usually head to your careers page to find out more and to apply. So there needs to be something worth visiting when they get there.

Beyond listing jobs

The most powerful employer brands in the world, like Google or Amazon, work a bit harder than simply hanging up a “we’re hiring” sign. Candidates want to see more than job listings; they want to look inside the company.

Attract the right ones by providing a real sense of the environment they would be coming to work in and the team they would be working with. Ditch the stock photos and show pictures of your actual team and your workplace. Add videos to create a sense of personality. Include testimonials from would-be team members, the hiring manager, and even those in the C-suite.

It doesn’t have to have the production value of this Wegmans video but it should offer an authentic peek behind the curtain of their recruiting strategy.

https://youtu.be/FYVjZURCKPY

There is more to company culture than a pinball machine

After a period in which company culture got conflated with facilities or game rooms, some sense is prevailing. Most smart people want to know why yours is an interesting or important place to work. As Workable CEO Nikos Moraitakis once said: “No one ever came to work because of the ping pong tables. Even less so, stayed for them.”

If you have a mission or a set of values explain them on your careers page. People like to be inspired. Getting it right might seem straightforward but there are five common mistakes we keep encountering when analyzing recruiting strategies:

You don’t have a careers page
Your careers page is hidden
It’s not up to date
Your job ads look dull
Applications disappear into a mountain of unread email

Make it simple to find your job openings with a “we’re hiring” link on your homepage. Most of the time this lives on the footer, but if you’re doing a wave of hiring you might want to find room for it on the header at the top of the page. The best candidates are busy – and in some cases, are just poking around to see what’s out there. Make it easy for them to learn about you and your opportunities, and they will appreciate the effort.

There is no excuse for not having current listings. Why litter your shop window with broken goods or items that have already been sold? There are affordable tools, including Workable, that take the hassle out of updating your careers page.

Job descriptions and their shorter relative, the job ad, have long been seen as a chore. The downside of this is that most of them are deathly dull. The upside is that with a little time and nous you can write great ones which will stand out from the vanilla fare on offer elsewhere. For inspiration, take a look at our list of best job ads from the Workable job board.

The most common frustration among job seekers is not hearing back from employers after applying. Don’t let your applications disappear into a dark and unloved corner of a shared email address.

Gregory Ciotti at Shopify: “My favorite first approach for better job descriptions comes from Charlie Munger: ‘Avoiding stupidity is easier than seeking brilliance.’ Make a list of the language you’ve seen that sounds lazy, selfish, overused, or out-of-touch. Then avoid it. Describe the opportunity in sincere language. ‘A great opportunity’ is so often regurgitated on job descriptions it’s become meaningless.

Real opportunity is defined by what this person will contribute and why it matters. Attracting talented people starts with communicating that there is meaningful work to be done. Extraordinary people won’t take ordinary jobs.” Tweet this

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4. Find employees: social recruiting and job boards

Now that the careers page is in place, it’s time to go out and find employees. First things first: Does everyone on staff know you have just listed a new job? Share it across your company. And encourage your employees to share with their networks on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Every scrap of research keeps telling us that referrals are the number one source of great hires.

What is social recruiting? Is it for real?

Social recruiting has sometimes been hyped beyond its capacity to deliver but it does help in recruiting strategies. You need to create buzz around the jobs on your careers page. LinkedIn has scores of groups you can join, mention jobs in or initiate general discussions around a role, a company or an industry.

Smart companies make sure they have created Facebook groups or a Facebook Jobs tab, or even run a Facebook ad campaign, with the sole purpose of attracting potential candidates. Your biggest fans are a good place to look when you’re hiring. Add as many touch points as possible between you and prospective candidates.

Social media has a role but you cannot afford to ignore job boards. Depending on the nature of the role being hired, free job boards should be the first port of call.

Job boards still essential

Beware! Don’t post your jobs on Friday evening. By Monday, they’ll be last week’s news. Wait until Sunday evening or Monday morning and advertise your roles when the candidates are most active. Most job boards use freshness as a factor in ranking job search results.

From Jeff Dickey-Chasins, @jobboarddoctor: “Job boards should be a part (but not all) of any hiring program. In particular, niche sites like HigherEdJobs, CollegeRecruiter, and BrokerHunter can put you in touch with targeted groups of candidates. The result can be higher quality candidates and lower hiring costs – because you’re only reaching the people you want to reach.

In general, paid sites produce a more focused audience, because these sites spend money attracting and nurturing their candidates. Be sure to ask these sites for additional ways to reach their audience – beyond job postings.” Tweet this

Why pay for job boards when there are free ones?

When volume of candidates is the priority, LinkedIn, Indeed, and Craigslist are the top sites for posting paid job listings on account of their popularity, functionality and reach. These provide the maximum return on investment (ROI).

Are paid job boards always the way to go? No. There are many jobs where the free job boards can perform adequately. Indeed for example is the biggest job board in the world, its free version has a huge amount of candidate traffic and can provide great candidates. The decision on which job boards are best for you needs to happen on a role-by-role basis. You want the best candidates – so you want to target them where they live.

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5. Find employees: sourcing and headhunting

Advertising has its limits and referrals are great but sometimes they won’t provide you with enough leads to be confident that you’re making the right decisions when planning recruiting strategies for your business. Which leaves you looking for those “passive candidates”, the ones who aren’t actively seeking a new job.

This used to be known as headhunting although these days there’s also sourcing (think of it as headhunting prior to the kill). The key to this is to know as much about your prey as possible. The necessary steps should already be familiar from your hiring plan and job descriptions.

Picture your ideal candidate and ask these three questions to begin building a profile:

What experience would they have?
What kind of job are they doing now?
Which companies have good people doing this job?

Once you have a profile the sourcing begins. The good news is that there are more sourcing tools than ever and everyone will already have some kind of digital footprint. Github is strong on programmers, TalentBin is a good all-arounder, and then there’s LinkedIn, the biggest professional network. Browse profiles and make a long-list of prospects.

Now begins the courtship. You need to put your research to work in framing an approach. Start with prospects whom you can reach out to using your existing network. Utilize the hard-won experience of recruiters when it comes to cold-calling (usually via email) prospects outside your network.

Warming up the cold call

With a bit of research and a concise, personalized message, you’ll improve your chances of getting a response from the passive candidates you approach.

From Workable’s VP EMEA Rob Long: “When I worked as a recruiter I learned that it was worth the time to look at candidates’ public LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and other social accounts where they’re more likely to have a public following. It’s not snooping, this is where you can gauge an individual’s voice, their interests and even their wants and needs.” Tweet this

What about recruiters?

Hiring a recruiter isn’t essential but it can be a great shortcut to find the right employees. When doing so look for recruiters who have hired for businesses like your own. And who have hired for similar roles.

Contingent recruiters, who get based on the results they deliver, have become increasingly popular. The upside is that you only pay for what you get (typically one third of the hire’s annual salary). The downside is the cost and a possible conflict of interest: you want to hire great people but the recruiter just needs you to hire someone.

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6. Importance of candidate experience

Much of the emphasis in recruiting strategies is rightly placed on finding the best candidates. Considerably less thought is given to what it’s actually like applying for a job at your company. This disconnect is talked about in recruiting circles as “candidate experience” and all too often it’s not great.

There are compelling reasons for fixing this and they stretch beyond good manners. Firstly the majority of unhappy candidates won’t try again once they’ve had a bad experience. A significant minority of them tell their friends to not bother either.

Every hiring process turns up near misses. And no sensible company can afford to lose these talented people from their pool of potential future hires.

Measuring discontent

75 percent of candidates never hear back from a company after sending in an application
60 percent of candidates say they’ve gone for interviews and never heard back from the company
42 percent of disgruntled candidates will not apply for a position at the company again.
22 percent will tell others not to apply to the company and nine percent will ask others to boycott products

The commodity that’s too often missing is respect for the applicants’ time. There is a strong link between time-to-respond to an application and the final outcome. The overwhelming majority of candidates who end up accepting interviews and jobs are those who had a response from the employer within two days of applying. We call it The Two-Day Rule.

Employers who respond to incoming applications quickly, tend to be the same ones who swiftly schedule interviews, gather feedback and move through the hiring process in a timely fashion. Being disciplined and responsive from the get go is a habit that sets the tone for the entire process.

Don’t forget our Two-Day Rule

Get it right and you have begun a relationship with tomorrow’s talent. Burn bridges and your candidates’ frustration will contaminate your employer brand. With the likes of Glassdoor and Indeed, it’s never been easier to research a company’s reputation – and see them be hurt by a few negative reviews.

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7. Taking control of the process

Once upon a time, recruiting software was “the system”. It was expensive, it needed to be installed and you had to be trained to use it. Most of the time it was bought by people who were not the end users. Predictably, the user experience was miserable.

For the vast majority of small and medium-sized businesses the cost of “the system” outweighed its potential benefits. It was not designed for SMBs. So for them hiring came to mean hacking together a cheaper solution on the fly. This was often miserable too, just in a different way.

For both the legacy HR software users and the newcomers, the promise of modern recruiting software is the same: it will let you take control of the process and your recruiting strategy will flourish.

From Fistful of Talent blogger Tim Sackett: “Recruiting technology has never been so affordable, meaning organizations no longer have an excuse not to have it. Great tech is so cheap now that if you don’t have it, you’re making a personal choice to stay in the dark ages of recruiting! For SMBs this has never been more real. SMBs can now have even better recruiting technology than their enterprise peers.

“While enterprise folks get big, vanilla-style recruiting technology, SMB shops can move faster to integrate the latest and greatest tech on the market. It’s such an exciting time to be in talent acquisition.” Tweet this

At the heart of this is the applicant tracking system (ATS). At its simplest and most powerful it brings together job posting and sharing in all forms with the ability to track candidates, build a shortlist, schedule interviews and make new hires.

An effective ATS should enable you to browse rich profiles of your candidates and work effectively with your hiring team on a platform that keeps your notes, communication, schedule, comments and analytics in one place.

An ATS like Workable removes data entry from the hiring process by allowing employers to accept applications in the form of LinkedIn profiles or resumes and parsing them. Instead of jumbled data, candidates are then viewable in a database where it’s easier to make decisions.

The essence of an effective process is efficiency and repeatability. The secret to making a process stick is to get your team to buy into it. A tool that your team likes using will foster teamwork. This in turn will translate into better hiring – which should be the core focus of any recruiting strategy.

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8. Managing the hiring pipeline with online recruitment software

Everyone who has tried to grow a business knows that hiring the right people is the hardest part. Getting this right doesn’t deliver success on its own but getting it wrong pretty much guarantees failure. So it would be reasonable to expect that most companies would use a specialist tool to hire. As the working world moves increasingly online, recruiting strategies are more reliant on technology than ever before.

There is Asana or Trello for managing projects, Constant Contact or Mailchimp for email marketing, and Hubspot or Marketo for marketing automation, as well as Xero for accounting, surely hiring is seen as a specialist job? Not so much.

Beyond email and spreadsheets

Too many businesses try to run their recruitment strategies out of their inbox and when that gets overwhelmed (soon after) they turn to Excel or Google Sheets. Spreadsheets are great for many jobs, but they suck at hiring.

Jot down the basic stages of your current hiring process. Starting from the point where applications come in, it might vary a bit but it probably looks something like this:

Applied
Promising
Phone/video screen
On-site interview
Final interview
Offer

For anyone who has worked a sales job, this is recognizable as a pipeline. The hiring pipeline (e.g. this sales recruitment process) is a useful device because it offers a high-level view of where everyone is in the process. Recruiting software takes the influx of applications that come with effective job ads and sourcing and funnels them into a streamlined process.

In the case of Workable, the recruiting pipeline enables hiring teams to work together collecting all comments, feedback, notes, social media profiles or assignment results on the same page. It removes the need for endless email threads and avoids the possibility of misplacing vital feedback or conversations with candidates.

When choosing a software that works best for you, this list of 12 best applicant tracking systems can help you.

Judgement not drudgery

The point of online recruiting software is not to eliminate human judgement, it’s to get rid of the drudgery in the hiring process. Saving time on data entry, coordination and administration liberates the people doing the hiring to concentrate on the people they would like to hire. There are hard people decisions to make in recruitment strategies, for everything else there is software.

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9. Recruitment analytics: how to measure the recruiting process

One of the biggest drawbacks of recruiting without the right tools is that when all’s hired and done, there’s no record to learn from. It has been a disposable experience. To extract full value from any recruitment strategy, the steps taken need to remain visible and repeatable.

Anyone who has undertaken hiring on any scale will have come across promising candidates who, while they weren’t the right choice at this stage or for this role, are worth noting for the future. It’s too easy to lose track of them with email and spreadsheets.

Actionable insights

Every hire is an opportunity to broaden your network, build new relationships and talent spot for the future. Recruiting professionals refer to this as creating a “talent pool”. Recruiting software gives you a permanent record of every hire and a head start on filling that talent pool.

It also unlocks the chance to learn and improve from the process itself using reports and analytics. When there is a record of where candidates come from (which job boards, social media or referral routes), how long it took your eventual hire to move from applied to promising, to interview and offer, it’s possible to unlock valuable lessons.

When there is more than one open position, recruitment analytics become essential because they offer a high level view of your whole hiring effort. And with it answers to these questions:

Where are your hiring bottlenecks?
Which hiring managers need help?
Which positions need urgent attention?
Which are your best sources for hires?

Too much of recruiting analytics has been about calculating the cost per hire. Cost per hire is calculated by adding up all of your recruitment costs from ads to external recruiters, referral bonuses, plus your own hiring team’s compensation and benefits costs, and dividing it by the total number of new hires for the calendar year.

As well as being tough to meaningfully calculate, for smart companies it may be the wrong place to look. The point is not to hire more cheaply; it’s to get better results from hiring. With this in mind here are a trio of hiring metrics worth considering:

Time to start: Duration from ad to on-boarding
Effectiveness ratio: How many openings you have versus how many you’re filling.
Sourcing: Measuring not just the what but the why of your best talent pools

A lot of talk in the talent industry focuses on quality of hire. But this is a super metric that assumes you’re already got performance metrics, measurable core competencies, retention records and a host of others. Not having these is not a good reason to ignore recruiting metrics but it does mean the Quality of Hire looks more like the finish line than the start.

From Talent Culture CEO Meghan Biro: “I’ve seen recruiting organizations spend all their time in the metrics-gathering phase, and never get around to acting on the results — in industry parlance, ‘boiling the ocean.’ You’re far better off gathering a limited number of metrics that you actually analyze and then act upon.” Tweet this

Complying with the thicket of US equal opportunities employment laws can consume your time and fray your nerves. This process cries out for automation so opt for an ATS with an EEO Survey and Reporting feature.

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10. Interview techniques to hire the right employees

Interviews are the most human, the most interesting and the least automated part of the hiring process. They are also the hardest, which is why they need planning and forethought.

How to conduct an interview

The first thing to acknowledge with interviews is that they don’t begin on the day someone walks into your office. Done properly the hiring process has worked like a funnel — you got a lot of applicants, you spoke to some of them, you met a handful, now you want to work out which is the best of them to hire.

This all starts with the pre-interview questions. These are the questions you ask a candidate when they apply that will help you decide whether to take them to the next stage. Make sure they offer something where candidates can sensibly weigh their response. Do you know anyone who will say “no” to the requirement: “must be hardworking”? Neither do we.

Ever walked into an interview and known within 30 seconds that the candidate you’re meeting is never going to work out? It’s a waste of your time and theirs. One-way video interviews can give you the double benefit of a phone screen combined with a somewhat “in-person” interview that will help prevent this situation from happening – giving a company a leg up when planning recruitment strategies.

The value of assignments

Next up should be a practical test or assignment related to the job. Hiring for a customer support associate? Why not test candidates by getting them to answer some hypothetical customer queries. If you’re hiring developers there are online tools which can put developers through their paces so you can see exactly how they code.

Have a plan; don’t just ask the same interview questions every time. Always prep. Go beyond the candidate’s name and the job they’re interviewing for. Get to know them a little, check their resume, look at your team’s comments and note some questions in advance.

While there are some standard questions, such as whether someone is eligible to work in your territory, these are just hygiene questions. Ask open questions that encourage discussion. Engage with their responses and follow up. If it’s boring it’s not working. No one gets much out of the going-through-the-motions interview.

Depending on the position you’re hiring for there are a number of effective interview techniques but none of them should be used exclusively:

Technical: To evaluate a candidate’s ability to do the job. To fill a software engineering position it might mean a whiteboard coding test.
Behavioral: This type assumes past behavior will be a predictor of future performance: “What were the steps you took to accomplish such and such task?”
Situational: The hypothetical (the ones politicians refuse to answer) throws it forward: “What would you do if the work of a teammate was not up to expectations?”
Case questions (brainteasers): Used to be popular with Google, this type includes problem-solving questions that tease out how someone would work and think through a particular case: “how many traffic lights are there in LA?”
Dumb questions: Meant to test someone’s ability to think on their feet. They often just test people’s patience and good humor: “What kind of animal would you like to be?”

From @interviewingio founder Aline Lerner: “How well a candidate thinks they did significantly impacts their desire to work with you. This means that in every interview cycle, some portion of interviewees are losing interest in joining your company just because they don’t think they did well, despite the fact that they actually did. To mitigate these losses, it’s important to give positive, actionable feedback to good candidates immediately.

“This way they don’t have time to go through the self-flagellation gauntlet that happens after a perceived poor performance, followed by the inevitable rationalization that they totally didn’t want to work there anyway.” Tweet this

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11. Closing the deal: making a job offer and hiring employees

There are some common and damaging misconceptions about process. You cannot be too small to need a recruiting strategy. It is not going to slow you down.

Eight steps to better hiring

Define your employer brand and craft a reputation as a good place to work.
Make sure you have a functioning, updated careers page with job descriptions that sell your open positions.
Use the right mix of channels from free and paid job boards to referrals, social and professional networks to get the word out
Respect your candidates’ time.
Be ambitious. The best hires may need sourcing and headhunting as well as advertising.
Take control of your hiring process with recruiting software, don’t rely on spreadsheets and email.
Take advantage of phone screens and assignments to arrive at a shortlist. Have an interview plan.
Use the analytics and reports provided by recruitment software to learn and improve.

If you’ve followed these steps then everyone you meet should be a genuine contender for a job. With this in mind remember that interviews work both ways. They are also a sales pitch. Unless you sell your company, your vision and the opportunities of the role, when you’re making a job offer you’re counting on paying more. The research suggests that good people are more concerned with career advancement than plain compensation.

Rigor is also on your side. Don’t be afraid of challenging interviews, they’re a signal of your ambition and direction of travel. When it comes to making a job offer you’re no longer in the dark. Resources like Glassdoor can give you an accurate estimate of market rates for most common positions. Make sure you compare yourself to similar companies and similar roles.

Make a point of references

There is always a temptation to go with gut feeling when you come to make a job offer and cut corners on references. Resist the temptation. You must assume that a smart person will already have at least a couple of good references in their pocket. Most people don’t like to speak ill of former employees or colleagues. Dig a little deeper.

If the reference is less than glowing, ask why. Nearly half of U.S. companies say they’ve experienced a bad hire in the last year, costing them an average of $25,000. Don’t join them.

Further insurance against a bad hire comes in the form of background checks. They can be appear tough to navigate, especially for business owners without a dedicated HR team, but a small investment could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages down the line. This is the primary reason that seven out of ten U.S. employers said they conducted at least a criminal check prior to making a job offer.

Once everything is in place don’t get stumped by offer and rejection letters. Use customizable job offer and rejection letter templates that include common clauses to save you and your employee from disputes related to compensation, benefits and special agreements.

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More reading:

Best recruitment strategies to attract top talent

What is recruiting software?

The post Recruiting strategies: a comprehensive guide for small business appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

DEI in the workplace: Three experts discuss

Alexandra Marinaki — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:22:46 +0000

We at Workable want to educate ourselves more on DEI at work and at the same time to share our learnings as far as we can. That’s why on October 8, 2020, we hosted a webinar titled: ‘How to build a sustainable DEI strategy’ with three DEI experts with unique expertise and considerable contribution to their fields. Workable Senior Account Manager Kelly Paterson moderated, and the panelists were:

Chikere Igbokwe – Founder and D&I Consultant at Inclucive and Allyship
Siobhan Randell – Inclusion and Diversity Lead at WhiteHat
ZeShaan Shamsi – Partner at The People Collective

Below, you’ll find some of their most valuable points around representation at work, DEI data analytics, diverse recruitment and inclusivity.

Embrace uncomfortable conversations

The Black Lives Matter movement gained solid ground in 2020 in response to widely publicized videos of George Flloyd’s death in late May. Racial discrimination became the core focus of DEI conversations. These conversations are tough, especially for businesses that don’t have diverse talent.

According to Chikere, that absence of representation, especially when it comes to race, is one of the main reasons why DEI initiatives fail or are hard to follow for many:

“How can you talk about race if you don’t have any representation?” Chikere posed. “If you don’t have people who look different from you, how do you know how to talk about it? I think that’s the issue that a lot of organizations they say are really having. A lot of the hiring managers, a lot of the recruiters, I think, the issue that I see all the time is that people tend to hire the same type of people.”

With no representation it’s difficult to get to the core of these delicate issues as most people who are part of a minority find this topic uncomfortable. But this is not an excuse, says Chikere:

“I think we really need to have an open and honest conversation about hiring black, brown, people that don’t particularly look like you.”

Your attitude is key in this phase. For ZeShaan, accepting that you’re not an expert and that you’ll probably fail at times is crucial to discuss those issues in an open way:

“Brené Brown has a wonderful turn of phrase and it can be applied here and to many things, which is, ‘I’m not here to be right, I’m here to do right.’ Just going in with that kind of humble, vulnerable mentality to say, listen, we’re trying to unpack such a complex thing. […] You don’t have to have all the answers.”

Use data to back up DEI initiatives

All panelists agreed that a data-driven approach is mandatory for a successful DEI strategy. Before implementing any practices or initiatives, look closely at data you’ve collected of your workforce and job applicants.

Then, invest your time and energy exactly where you see fit to drive evidence-based changes, as Siobhan suggests:

“If you have initiatives but you don’t know the ethnicity of your workforce and you don’t collect this data, then how do you know if any of those diversity initiatives work? How do you even know if you’ve got the right initiatives?” Siobhan asks.

“For me, [kind of] before you are reactive, and perhaps book a workshop or kind of put together something so you feel like you’re doing something, it’s really important to actually have that really thorough internal look at the company.”

Organizations should also organize data in a meaningful way to achieve representation. Using acronyms such as BAME – a mainly British acronym meaning “Black, Asian and minority ethnic” – to group different minority populations is misleading and limiting, according to Chikere:

“I think the issues that lots of organizations are having is that there’s no data. We use acronyms, the acronym BAME, as catch-all tick boxes. I think the problem is, how do you identify the individuals within your organization? I hate the word BAME, because black, Asian, minority, ethnic is the case of it’s white against everyone else.”

Instead of simply subscribing to BAME, think carefully about the categorization of data you’re looking to collect. Once you have the right data, you’ll be able to restructure your sourcing and recruitment processes to track DEI progress. You will also be able to form a business case based on evidence and connect it to organizational success.

In ZeShaan’s own words:

“Inclusivity leads to diversity, leads to innovation, leads to success. The inclusivity leads to diversity of perspective, which by proxy means you limit your blind spots, which therefore mean that you are able to innovate further, which gives you a competitive advantage.

“If you have that competitive advantage, you are going to succeed by whatever metric of success your company chooses, whether it’s revenue, whether it’s market share, whatever it might be.”

Revisit the recruitment process

So how can you use data to create a diverse recruiting process? Siobhan explains how WhiteHat’s team contextualizes data in each recruiting stage and gives equal hiring chances to entry-level talent from various backgrounds. With a dedicated sourcing team and partnership with charities, they reach out to young people who are not in education or employment.

Siobhan explains how they help young people move down the recruiting funnel successfully and how they reframe applicants’ achievements based on context:

For Chikere, educating hiring managers around DEI should be a priority. When everyone is on the same page, they can boost DEI initiatives and promote diverse recruiting. Here are Chikere’s top techniques:

Make sure job adverts are inclusive
Use diverse job boards to attract different candidates
Ensure your interview panel is diverse
Collaborate with recruitment agencies that prioritize DEI

ZeShaan agrees with Chikere’s point on the value of training hiring managers – sometimes their expectations around job fits are so narrow focused that there is no room for candidates from diverse backgrounds to stand out:

He elaborates:

“Often what I’ve found, […] it’s the expectation of what hiring managers want. ‘I need somebody with a first from Oxford in computer science’, and my first question is, ‘Why?’”

“What we actually want to challenge is capability rather than just the qualification. Actually you don’t need somebody with a first from Oxford. What you need is somebody who is able to solve this problem,” ZeShaan says.

But can companies expand their talent pools to reach diverse people, especially if they don’t have a large value proposition? ZeShaan explains his sourcing approach, which he divides into inbound and outbound:

Siobhan adds that, at WhiteHat, they evaluate candidates based on potential and not prior academic achievement, which if often a misleading performance indicator:

“We recruit on five competencies, which include things like grit, resilience, conscientiousness, intent, how much does the individual want it, interpersonal skills, and communication. By looking at those things, we feel that you can more holistically assess what an individual is going to bring to your company. That’s kind of what really shapes our processes.”

Create an inclusive environment

Hiring employees with diverse characteristics is not enough if they don’t feel included and respected at work. Chikere believes in the power of DEI training and in the importance of promoting allyship at work to ensure diverse talent feel safe.

Siobhan puts emphasis on the role of leaders and managers in promoting inclusivity. They should act as inclusion gatekeepers and get all employees together on this journey – it’s not a single HR professional’s role to safeguard DEI for the whole business.

“That responsibility for inclusion, for living it every day, sits with every single individual,” Siobhan explains.

“How are you fostering that sense of ownership from one of your frontline devs, right through to one of your operations managers, right through to kind of somebody in finance? How do they really understand what their role in inclusion is? Because they’re going to have more daily interaction with colleagues than your diversity and inclusion lead, so it can’t just sit with them.”

ZeShaan believes that diversity groups have two facets. First, the diversity groups that identify with the same characteristics gather in an inclusive safe space where they discuss openly about their experiences and concerns. Then, at the second part they include everyone else harmoniously in this discussion.

According to ZeShaan, diversity groups should not work in isolation:

“When people feel that they’ve been part of the solution, you don’t have to sell it to them. You don’t have to armor up, and it doesn’t have to be a ‘who shouts the loudest’. If that works in harmony multiple times, you’re going to have people that are just going to be across all those diversity groups.”

DEI in the workplace – the time has come…

Long story short: if you’re about to set up a quick plan to introduce DEI initiatives into your business, you probably have it wrong. It’s a long-term game that requires thorough research and training.

So talk with experts, get your leaders onboard and most importantly, educate yourselves. You won’t impact the world with a few performative actions that seem just right; change needs to happen from the inside and throughout, to have that important lasting impact on the overall company culture.

The post DEI in the workplace: Three experts discuss appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

A return to normalcy: When will work go back to business as usual?

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 19:41:03 +0000

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

When do businesses expect their operations to return to “normal” after COVID-19?
When do businesses expect their industry to return to “normal” after COVID-19?

The COVID-19 crisis is unpredictable and volatile, making the future hard to plan for. However, our respondents do have to make projections on a return to normalcy so they’re not operating fully in a vacuum in the new world of work.

Post-COVID world

So when do we return to normalcy or at least return to some semblance of stability? We asked that question as it applies to business operations and to the overall industry.

“I have been amazed at how well our team have adapted to working from home. We have all acknowledged that we miss the team interaction, but I really feel we’ve got to know each other more, we’ve had daily calls since the lockdown, which has helped our split-site company. I think it will take time to accept the new normal, but we will get there. … I hope that we take all the learnings we’ve acquired during this lockdown and bring these forward. Our air is clearer, our seas are cleaner, we recognise the importance of being connected after being so isolated for so long, we appreciate the small exercise time we’ve had outdoors. The world will be different, but so much potential to be better too.” – Survey respondent

There was no clear consensus on when there would be a return to normalcy – only that 4-6 months was the most popular answer for both own business operations and for industry. The differences between “business return” and “industry return” were quite marked in the 0-3 month category, with 21.9% of businesses saying they’d return to “normal” within three months compared with 13.5% saying their industry would return to “normal” in the same time frame.

The opposite was true for a return to normalcy within 1-2 years – with just under 10% of respondents seeing their business returning, compared with 16.9% for their industry returning.

When we dissect the “business return to normal” responses by senior-level positions versus entry/mid-level positions, senior-level workers projected a longer road to recovery than their entry/mid-level counterparts. They were also more likely to say their business had already gone back to normal or hadn’t been affected in any way.

But it’s interesting to note that nearly twice as many senior-level as entry/mid-level employees think their business has already returned to normalcy.

Overall, a very small percentage of respondents across the board think it won’t return to normalcy or take longer than two years to do so. The short interpretation of this is that most respondents do think there’s an end date to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on business and industry. It’s just a matter of when.

“In our industry, it will never return to before COVID-19. We will need to change our focus to marketing to consumers within our own country, province or within driving distance. The visitors from around the world will be minimal.” – Survey respondent

“This time shall pass. Social distancing will end. We will all be back to being regular humans again.” – Survey respondent

Conclusion

Our initial goal in the survey was to identify when businesses thought they would return to normalcy after COVID-19 – in short, when the future workplace would arrive. That part of the survey, however, resulted in the most inconclusive findings.

What we learned, instead, is that remote work is clearly the way forward, digitization of processes is the way to enable that shift, and employee engagement is – understandably – a mounting concern in the future workplace.

Also, most of our respondents either have the tech tools to operate in a remote world of work, or are at least aware of or plan to introduce more tools to support that new work environment. The basic know-how of work has not changed; recruiters and hiring teams, for instance, still know how to source, evaluate, hire, and onboard candidates – but they aren’t fully versed on how to do all that in a remote environment.

Finally, the emphasis on the solutions of more meetings, more “coffee dates”, and all-hands to maintain employee engagement in a virtual work world as opposed to new trainings for a new world echoes Einstein’s famous quote: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

The remote world of work is here to stay, and there’s a clear willingness to adapt to that new world – at least in the adoption of new technology. But in order to really succeed in this new world of work, we need to loosen up on the traditional operational practices, and start thinking about different solutions and practices so we continue to set ourselves for success. In short: the new world of work requires a new way of thinking.

Want to learn more? Navigate to:

Chapter 1 on the impact that COVID-19 had on business and processes
Chapter 2 on the magnitude of the shift to remote work
Chapter 3 on the challenges of remote working and why
Chapter 4 on the challenges of remote hiring and why
Chapter 5 on the role of technology in remote work going forward
Chapter 6 on what businesses see in the road ahead
Methodology and firmographics
A collection of open-ended responses from those we surveyed.

The post A return to normalcy: When will work go back to business as usual? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Need to build up your DEI initiative? Learn from an expert

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 18:27:27 +0000

The post Need to build up your DEI initiative? Learn from an expert appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Workable CEO Nikos Moraitakis on remote work

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 18:27:21 +0000

The post Workable CEO Nikos Moraitakis on remote work appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Remote work technology: the road ahead is digital

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:38:42 +0000

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

What are businesses planning for the remote work future?
How important is technology in remote work?

Digital transformation is a long-time buzzword that now means the digitization of information, industries, organizations, and operations. And if remote work is the biggest paradigm shift prompted by COVID-19, remote work technology is the vehicle to make that a smoother transition.

Technology – the great enabler

When we asked respondents what made them able to move to a remote workflow without disruption, more than two thirds (68%) reported it was because they already had the technology for remote workers to do so.

“… industries and businesses are going to adapt to using digital platforms to deliver their work and product. People are adjusting to social distancing and embracing the technology to meet people and make their daily earnings.” – Survey respondent

Of those planning to remote operations or distributed teams, nearly half plan to introduce or increase digital capabilities in that transition – in short, more technology for remote work.

Those in senior-level management prioritized tech adoption in the post-COVID work environment, much more so than those at entry/mid-level. Perhaps executives see tech adoption as a company-wide, internal digital transformation while entry/mid-level employees see it primarily as technology for remote work day-to-day.

“COVID-19 has shown … that weak link [in] being penny wise but pound foolish when it comes to technology adoption. During the shutdown, those who spent on technology were able to be ‘business as usual’ where workforce worked 100% remotely.” – Survey respondent

Those in entry/mid-level employee positions are more concerned about the readiness of their business than those in senior-level management. Also, several custom entries from our respondents indicate the lack of senior-level buy-in.

Some of these differences may indicate potential issues around employee engagement.

“The world of work will be focusing on new technology to make work efficient and boost collaboration in virtual ways, [and] more adaptive to remote working style. The expenses for office rental & travelling will be cut as well, [and] more creative ways in employee engagement events.” – Survey respondent

Want to learn more? Navigate to:

Chapter 1 on the impact that COVID-19 had on business and processes
Chapter 2 on the magnitude of the shift to remote work
Chapter 3 on the challenges of remote working and why
Chapter 4 on the challenges of remote hiring and why
Chapter 6 on remote employee engagement in the new world of work
Methodology and firmographics
A collection of open-ended responses from those we surveyed.

The post Remote work technology: the road ahead is digital appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Your remote new hire onboarding plan: Build those connections

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 15:14:23 +0000

That’s not to say the challenges aren’t there.

Onboarding remote employees – in many cases, without having ever met them in person – is no easy task. In Workable’s New World of Work survey, 37.4% cited remote onboarding and training as major issues when hiring in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, while 49.7% said candidate onboarding would be problematic in recruiting in the post-COVID work world.

But Eric isn’t one to be discouraged by those numbers.

“Regular meetings and discussions on Zoom, Hangouts, and Google Duo have helped us in overcoming all the challenges,” he says.

He adds that there are business benefits as well.

“There’s been a reduction in costs because no infrastructure is required in the workplace. Team members are arranging it at their distant locations themselves.”

That’ll be a welcome reassurance to the 26.4% of budget-conscious senior-level executives in the above-mentioned survey who said new hire onboarding would be one of the main overall challenges in the new world of work.

Camaraderie makes the team merry

Eric is just one of the dozens of business owners and managers who responded to our query for tips and tricks on remote onboarding. One lesson was clear from many: while a standardized process is especially important in successful remote onboarding, there’s a lot more to it than that.

Companies thrive on teamsmanship and camaraderie, so you want to build those strong connections from the first day forward if you want the new hire to be set for success.

That’s easier when it’s done face-to-face, as those connections are built via introductions, meetings, and team exercises in a shared physical space. But strengthening work culture and bonding between colleagues is tougher virtually.

“Remote onboarding has been a big challenge because with this we’re not able to introduce the new team members to the culture and environment of the organization,” Eric says.

So, how do you get started on building connections in a remote work world, particularly when onboarding? It’s not easy, but if you follow these best practices from those we heard from, you’ll be able to build those important connections between your new hire and their new colleagues.

Here are four best practices for you to stay ahead of the new trends in remote employee engagement.

1. Be even more hands-on

It’s easy enough for new hires to spontaneously chat with others when in the same physical workspace, but it’s not easy when that new hire is sitting invisibly in front of their computer. They can’t look around and chat with their desk neighbors or take a tour of the office and introduce themselves to people. That can severely impact new hire engagement from day one.

This puts the onus on you to be even more hands-on than you would in a normal onboarding process. This applies not only to HR but to colleagues and managers as well, says Neal Taparia of Solitaired.

“You have to be very hands-on to ensure successful onboarding,” says Neal, the CEO of this new NYC-based company that ties classic games to brain training. “New employees are [more] hesitant to speak up via online channels than they are in person to get an understanding of everything. They don’t want to ask too many questions over Slack, and ask for additional Zoom calls.”

He adds that you also need to check in regularly to ensure that a new hire is headed in the right direction and is on track throughout your new hire onboarding plan.

Involve the hiring manager

The value of inclusive leadership is especially crucial for new hire engagement when working remotely, Neal emphasizes.

“It’s easy for managers to forget to check in on new employees that have started remotely. [At Solitaired], we train our managers on what successful remote onboarding means. Specifically, we have a rule where managers should be checking in at least 10 times through the week to make sure everything is going in the right direction.”

Husam Machlovi is the founder of digital studio With Pulp, which operates fully remotely out of New York state. His company has served notables such as AMC Networks and World Wrestling Entertainment. He also advocates for the active participation of hiring managers in the new hire’s engagement.

“The most effective remote onboarding tool for us is simply to check in with each other,” says Husam. “I like to check in with new hires and ask them how I can support in any way, how things are going, do they have any questions? My goal is to create a space where people feel safe to ask questions.”

Grant Aldrich, CEO/founder of the Los Angeles-based online learning site Online Degree, says the manager or CEO is responsible for making sure everyone feels connected throughout the company, keeping new employee engagement high at this crucial time.

“This goes beyond checking in and extends to starting conversations and asking questions in your communication channels,” he adds.

Michael Alexis, the owner of New York-based Teambuilding, a virtual team cohesion service, emphasizes the importance of active participation by all parties included – both the newly hired and the ones doing the hiring and onboarding.

“Following documents and watching videos alone is boring,” says Michael. “It’s important to us that these early days and weeks for a new team member are as engaging as possible.”

Make yourself available – and ensure the new hire knows it

Dan Bailey of WikiLawn, an online lawn and garden care resource center which lists services all across the United States, notes that it does take more time to onboard someone remotely, as he simply cannot sit next to the new hire and walk them through all the steps of their job. But it’s still important that he and his colleagues are available to the new hire for anything they may need on the spot.

Not only do his teams record videos with instructions and prepare documents to be more detailed, but also set response time as a critical measurement. In fact, he applies customer support standards to ensuring his new hires get what they need quickly.

“We’ve found that new hires often have many questions that can go unanswered for an hour or more if someone isn’t assigned to being available to help them, so that is one way we’ve improved how we manage onboarding,” Dan explains.

“At least one other teammate is available during working hours by messenger, email, and phone so the new hire doesn’t have to waste time and become frustrated waiting on a reply.”

2. Make the employee feel welcome

Austin Heerwagen of Koda Digital, a medical marketing agency operating out of Carrollton, Texas, admits that disconnection was an issue when operating remotely, especially with new hires coming on board.

“Our biggest pain point initially was gaining buy-in from new employees. There is no tour around the office, parking space, elevator ride, or birthday parties – employees can feel like they are a replaceable cog in a machine.”

That makes it even more critical to make your new hire feel welcome and connected.

Caitlin Byrnes can speak firsthand to the value of this. When she was hired as VP at Peppercomm, a public relations firm in NYC, she found that her new company had a great new hire onboarding plan in place, but some things stood out above and beyond HR obligations particularly in a remote work environment.

“For instance, team members carved out time for virtual coffee with me, and gave me a positive ‘shout-out’ in my first all-hands meeting,” Caitlin says.

“These personal touchpoints made me feel more comfortable working with a team I’d never met in person. Even more importantly, it helped me understand who I could go with questions when I couldn’t just pop around the corner.”

Line up meetings with everyone

Shayne Sherman, the CEO of TechLoris, a computer service in Brookline, Massachusetts, highlights that importance in the absence of water cooler conversations and “quick drops by one’s desk”.

“We made sure to make company intros and offer the chance to say a few words at the latest company all-hands meeting. From there, the new hire’s manager would schedule a remote lunch or after-work drinks, via Zoom, to get to know each other and open the chat up to be a bit more informal.”

Greg Hayes, CEO and co-founder of venture-backed office furniture startup Branch in NYC, makes sure the new hire is properly and formally acquainted with their full team right away.

“We ensure that each new team member has a lengthy 1:1 video chat with everybody on our team, to ensure they better understand everyone personally and what their scope of work entails. We also plan a happy hour around each new member’s arrival to welcome them in.”

Tara Lilien, the Chief Talent Officer at Peppercomm, takes it one step further.

“I think giving the new hire an opportunity to lead a meeting, facilitate a staff learning event or shadow a client meeting or call are all great on-the-job moments that will allow for stronger and quicker integration into the team.”

Send them a welcome package

Austin at Koda Digital likes to make sure the new employee receives a gift basket containing company swag and attire, business cards, and gift cards for restaurants near them. He’ll even make sure to include personal gifts based on interview discovery.

“For example, one employee really liked sloths, so we sent her a desk-buddy sloth to let her know that we care about her too – not just her work. In addition, on the employee’s first day, we send out UberEats gift cards to everyone and have a ‘catered’ nice-to-meet-you lunch.”

Kick things off with a friendly, informative email before their first day, setting the tone going forward.

3. Don’t assume everyone knows your tech, because they don’t

When you’re working in a company that utilizes a lot of technologies and has fully jumped on board the digital transformation train, it’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming that everyone knows your tech stack. Don’t do that, says Neal at Solitaired.

“Some of us use Google Apps and Microsoft apps so regularly, we assume everyone knows these systems as well as we do. This is definitely not the case.”

He learned this the hard way, too. One time, he hired an employee that had never used the Google productivity suite and they were too embarrassed to admit that. That made onboarding an especially painful process.

Doesn’t matter who’s at fault for it – it’s a negative first experience for the new hire that starts things off on the wrong foot.

Get them acquainted with tech quickly

Get ahead of the problem, Neal recommends. “Take an intake survey beforehand. If someone does not know about Google apps, we ask them to read up on it beforehand, and give them a tutorial on their first and second day of work.”

Amy McWaters, the CEO of Gifts Australia, a souvenir e-commerce company in Sydney, Australia, also finds that tech adoption remains an issue in the remote new hire onboarding plan. Late logons, lost connections, and struggles with tech integrations continue to be a pain point for her company. She recommends taking care of things even before the first day of onboarding or training – effectively preventing a problem before it even occurs.

“Work under the assumption that tech issues will arise, if not on your end, then on the trainees’ end,” Amy says. “Give installation instructions at least three days out.”

Gargi Rajan, general manager of human resources at Mercer / Mettl, an HR technology company operating just outside of New Delhi, India, likes to get several birds with one stone: hackathons. The benefits are multiple: it helps onboarding in a remote manner, gets new hires quickly acquainted with their new colleagues, and puts everyone on a level playing field bonded by a common interest. Tech adoption is a huge, huge bonus.

“Since everyone understands the challenges at hand,” Gargi explains, “they all come together to accept the technological tools and processes as partners in working smoothly and seamlessly.”

But don’t be fazed if you do run into some issues with tech adoption among your existing and new employees. It may seem daunting on the surface, but with a silver lining underneath.

“Every aspect has its limitations,” Eric at Couture Candy says. “Maybe we wouldn’t have known the creativity required in businesses if tech adoption was quick and easy.”

4. Make it a two-way street

Even as an employer who knows your company inside and out, you can’t assume to know everything that the new hire needs. So, establish a two-way street – solicit feedback from your new employees and refine your new hire onboarding plan based on what they’ve shared with you.

Neal at Solitaired is quick to that point, having new employees fill out a daily survey about their onboarding during their first week on the job.

“It became a forum where they could clear up any confusion, and for us to get them back on the right track. It’s simple and effective.”

At Branch, Greg encourages new employees to be “hungry learners” and not to be afraid to ask any questions.

Listen, learn, and improve

Phil Strazzulla, the CEO at the online review site Select Software Reviews, doubles down on collecting feedback from your new colleagues, acknowledging that it is new ground for many companies.

“Ask your new hires for feedback on the [new hire onboarding plan], what worked and what didn’t. Get your HR team as well as your managers together to go over the results and make changes to address them.”

Jitesh Patil, SEO and content specialist at project management software company Toggl Plan in Tallinn, Estonia, also advocates for this measure of successful remote onboarding – and himself works remotely from Maharashtra, India.

“We request regular feedback from new joinees — end of week 1, end week 2, end of the first month, and so on.”

This series of sample questions for your new hire can help you collect valuable feedback on your remote new hire onboarding plan.

Set up an open Q&A channel

Michael at Teambuilding takes a unique approach to the two-way street in his company’s remote onboarding strategy.

“One way we’ve made the onboarding process more engaging is using employee journaling. For each new hire, we create a private channel in Slack where they can share their thoughts and ideas,” Michael explains.

“For example, it might be a note like, ‘I’m a little confused at who these people are’, and then we can chime in with info about team members or organizational structure. The journal also introduces fresh eyes to our systems to help improve. For example, ‘I noticed that XYZ is inefficient, and in previous roles I’ve done it this way that was more efficient’.”

It can also be a morale booster for those doing the actual onboarding, he adds.

“[We] are happy to receive feedback like ‘never felt so welcome in any of my jobs before’ or ‘everyone is so welcoming here’”.

Maximize the connectivity

Nuances are often lost in the remote work world. You can overcome that by getting everyone as involved as possible, ensuring the new hire feels part of the team from day one, staying on top of any potential tech hiccups, and establishing open two-way communication channels. That will set your new hires for success as early in the game as possible.

It also helps your existing employees get better acquainted with each other – including their individual styles and working habits – and fosters a more cohesive team environment, even in a world where few people have actually met but still work together on a daily basis.

And this doesn’t need to be a chore, either, says Eric at Couture Candy.

“Remote onboarding is fun if you enjoy it,” he says with a smile.

Want to read more? Check out our tutorial on reducing new hire turnover in your company.

The post Your remote new hire onboarding plan: Build those connections appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Challenges of remote work: the tech shall overcome

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 17:56:42 +0000

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

How much can companies go remote?
Why can’t some employees go remote?
Why can some employees go remote?
Which industries are good for remote work?
Which industries aren’t good for remote work?
What helps employees succeed in a remote workplace?

We’ve established remote work as the number-one disruption going forward. But what will that new remote work world look like, and how feasible is it? We asked those questions in our survey as well.

Shift to remote is doable – to a degree

Two thirds of respondents (64.3%) reported that, of their workforce not already working remote, more than a quarter can move to a virtual environment without disruption. And 15.2% said they’d be able to move their entire workforce to remote.

But that’s just one side of the same coin. The other side is that more than a third (35.7%) of respondents can only move at most one quarter of their current non-remote workforce to a virtual environment without disruption. In other words, a full three quarters or more of their workforce cannot go virtual.

So, what’s stopping them? We asked that, too.

Challenges of remote work

Predictably, the need to be physically present for work is a dominant challenge in shifting to a remote-first environment, particularly for those in healthcare (81.5%) and education (73.9%). Yet, those same sectors didn’t consider adaptability, resilience, and readiness of workers to be a major issue when transitioning to remote-first.

“There is still value in being present. We are a route-based business and some staff must still report to the physical location. We want to avoid creating a disparity between job roles.” – Survey respondent

In the “Other” category, respondents cited logistics, the value of physically being in the same space, and lack of management buy-in as leading factors in the challenges of remote working.

When asked about what does enable them to go remote, a full 69.6% of education workers said they didn’t need to be physically present at work, tops across our four major sectors, while at the same time trailing all other sectors in terms of technological readiness.

One could dive deeper into the “why” of this, but one potential takeaway is that those in education feel they can work remotely if they have the technology to do so. There are myriad reasons for not having the technology, for instance, a digital divide among students, budgetary challenges, or lack of buy-in or support from key stakeholders and users.

What we do know is that many major schools from K-12 to college/university – including in California and at Harvard – are moving to a digital-first curriculum and may even remain so for the foreseeable future. Technology has enabled that to happen.

Perhaps that technology component marks a permanent shift and a major change in a sector that traditionally has required physical presence. We may see similar trends in other sectors.

So – the paradigm shift continues to be remote, and technology helps that shift to happen – but some sectors are not as ready as others.

Want to learn more? Navigate to:

Chapter 1 on the impact that COVID-19 had on business and processes
Chapter 2 on the magnitude of the shift to remote work
Chapter 4 on the challenges of remote hiring and why
Chapter 5 on the role of technology in remote work going forward
Methodology and firmographics
A collection of open-ended responses from those we surveyed.

The post Challenges of remote work: the tech shall overcome appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

COVID-19 big shifts: The workplace will stay remote controlled

Keith MacKenzie — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:47:12 +0000

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

How many workers worked remotely before COVID-19?
How many workers are working remotely during COVID-19?
How many businesses plan to make the remote workplace permanent?
What are the biggest paradigm shifts due to COVID-19?
How do the COVID-19 paradigm shifts differ by industry?

COVID-19 isn’t just a health pandemic – it’s also a social and economic pandemic in that it has significantly impacted how people and businesses operate.

Shift to a remote workplace

The majority of respondents (68%) reported that, prior to the COVID-19 crisis, a quarter or less of their employees worked remotely. Just 11.2% of businesses reported that three quarters or more of their workers operated in a virtual environment before the crisis hit.

And now? A significant portion of respondents (nearly 60%) said at least three quarters of their staff currently operate in a remote working environment.

The stark difference between these two graphs (pre-COVID and current COVID environment) indicates that COVID is a major catalyst in moving to remote, and that this change was very sudden. It also tells us that many companies hit the ground running in that shift – in many cases, literally one day to the next.

Shift to the remote workplace is permanent

When asked about a permanent shift to a remote workplace, 41.3% of respondents said they will move at least some positions to a virtual environment, and an additional 9% said they will be fully remote after COVID. Just over one-fifth (21.9%) said they will not permanently move any positions to remote.

Remote work and distributed teams led by and far in a list of predicted paradigm shifts post-COVID, with a full 71.1% of respondents citing that shift as a new standard. This is well ahead of other options including rules around physical distancing, more tech adoption, and updated workplace design.

“Remote jobs will increase. Companies will adapt to remote working patterns; this will be the new normal even with the invention of a vaccine. As people become used to working from home, meeting physically will be only a matter of necessity.” – Survey respondent

Of those businesses considering a more permanent shift, one-third (33.3%) of respondents said that they plan to move half or more of their workforce to remote going forward. Another 40.8% said they will move 26% to 50% of their workforce to a remote workplace environment.

The difference in the pre-COVID remote work numbers and post-COVID plans – and the large number of businesses who moved some or all their workforce to remote during the crisis itself – tells us that COVID-19 not only is a significant catalyst in shifting to remote, but also heavily impacts future plans around remote work.

Of course, each business has their own unique experience in this shift. Three potential stories are:

Businesses were already planning to move some of their workforce to a remote environment for a variety of reasons (economics, logistics, engagement, etc.), and COVID-19 merely expedited those plans (for example, Twitter);
Businesses were considering remote as a possibility, but not as a priority until COVID-19 hit; or
Businesses did not think remote was feasible or even a good idea, but changed their perspective when forced to operate in that environment by COVID-19.

Numbers differ across industries

Although remote work was the most popularly predicted paradigm shift across all respondents in our survey, those in the healthcare sector say rules around physical distancing (63%) and tech/digital adoption (59.3%) will be as significant as remote work (also 59.3%) as major changes going forward.

And those in education tagged changes in the physical workplace as their second-most popular choice after remote work.

Still, remote work is the clear leader in terms of paradigm shift. This tells us that, regardless of industry, remote work is here to stay.

Want to learn more? Navigate to:

Chapter 1 on the impact that COVID-19 had on business and processes
Chapter 3 on the challenges of remote working and why
Chapter 4 on the challenges of remote hiring and why
Chapter 5 on the role of technology in remote work going forward
Methodology and firmographics
A collection of open-ended responses from those we surveyed.

Want to read it all in one place? Check out the full report here.

The post COVID-19 big shifts: The workplace will stay remote controlled appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How businesses responded to COVID-19 – and what they’re planning now

Keith MacKenzie — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:53:53 +0000

In this chapter, we address the following questions:

How did businesses respond to the COVID-19 pandemic?
What were the effects of COVID-19 on business operations?
How did COVID-19 change hiring?
And finally: how are businesses planning for a post-COVID future?

Not only was COVID-19’s impact palpable, it was also very tangible and it forced action in many aspects of business. Let’s look at what our respondents did when COVID-19 became a reality for them.

Business response to COVID-19

As is now known, a significant impact of COVID-19 on business was that it triggered a sudden transition to a fully remote working environment where all employees worked from home. Our survey confirmed this – nearly two-thirds (62.6%) of respondents cited going fully remote as one of the actions their business took.

A third (32.3%) of respondents said they moved part of their operations to a remote environment. It bears noting that nearly a third of all respondents work in IT/technology – considered to be one of the most remote-friendly sectors.

A sizable percentage of businesses introduced precautionary measures at their working location (37.9%) and/or reduced capacity at work, if remote was not an option for all workers (18%).

“It’s going to look very different without a doubt. … Personally, I think it will be good for us, we were starting to lose focus of who we were, it was becoming less important to talk to people face to face and more important to stare at phones. … Yes, we will be using technology more in our day-to-day lives due to COVID-19, but now we are focusing more on what’s actually important.”
– Survey respondent

Economic impact

The economic impact of COVID-19 is also significant in our dataset. A full 12% shut down business altogether – albeit temporarily in most cases. All but one in hospitality and 26.1% of those in education shut down. In terms of company size, 21.7% of those in the 1-9 employee-size bracket opted to shut down temporarily, a far higher rate than any of the other size categories.

More than a fifth of our respondents reported that their businesses laid off or furloughed employees. When breaking down by company size, we found those in the 50-99 and 100-499 employee-size brackets were statistically more likely to lay off workers, with percentages choosing this option being 12.3 and 10.6 percentage points more than the percentages of total respondents in those brackets. The opposite was true for those with 10-49 employees, with just 17.1% in that category choosing to lay off or furlough workers, compared with 26.1% of total respondents falling into that size bracket.

And by industry, those in hospitality (62.5%) and manufacturing (50%) were more likely to turn to layoffs and furloughs as an option, whereas those in healthcare (7.4%) and education (4.3%) were far less likely to choose that route.

Changes going forward

When asked about the changes businesses are planning going forward, the response was comprehensive, with all listed options being selected widely. The most popularly selected moves are travel reduction (59.3%) and a shift to remote (56.5%). Closely following are plans to switch to staggered/flexible work schedules (44.9%) and a redesign of the physical working environment (44.1%).

Many of those in the “Other” category stated they aren’t entirely sure yet, with one indicating they want to see how other businesses fared before taking action of their own. Others plan to increase personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitation protocols, and overall employee safety either in the field or in the workplace. One respondent in the business/consulting sector plans to require clients to be tested beforehand.

Most striking is that just 6.2% of respondents stated that nothing is being planned going forward.

Whether it’s layoffs, a shift to remote, or redesigning workplaces, this response tells us that COVID-19 impacted the majority of businesses in our survey, and drastically altered their planning.

“I think that it will change a lot in the world. Adapting as we have gave us knowledge to be more flexible and change to remote working. I think many people will adapt more wellness programs and education.” – Survey respondent

Impact on hiring

COVID-19 was also readily felt in the hiring space. Two-thirds of respondents (65.2%) said they were hiring less during the crisis or had frozen hiring altogether. Just 8.1% said they increased their hiring in response. Although our own survey results don’t reflect it in terms of healthcare hiring, it’s well documented that healthcare, supply chains, telecommunications, and the mortgage industry are sectors that aggressively ramped hiring in the early days of the crisis.

Company size also dictated responses: smaller companies (1-49 employees) and larger, enterprise-sized companies (>1,000 employees) were the most likely to report that they’ve frozen hiring completely, while a full half of companies with 500-999 employees said they were hiring less than planned.

None of the six size categories saw more than 10% of respondents hiring more than planned.

Want to learn more? Navigate to:

Chapter 2 on the magnitude of the shift to remote work
Chapter 3 on the challenges of remote working and why
Chapter 4 on the challenges of remote hiring and why
Chapter 5 on the role of technology in remote work going forward
Methodology and firmographics
A collection of open-ended responses from those we surveyed.

The post How businesses responded to COVID-19 – and what they’re planning now appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Workable evolves with even higher security accreditation

Spyros Magiatis — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 18:51:30 +0000

Our security mindset and posture is continuing to evolve to meet those high standards. It also means we wanted to expand our compliance program – including being ISO 27001:2013 certified since 2017 – by applying for independent recognition for two more security standards.

After all, our customers are important to us. As Workable’s Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Security Officer, it’s very important to me as well. We want to give you an added level of confidence that Workable is a fully secure organization.

The good news for you is that after being rigorously audited and assessed, we’re proud to say we’re officially ISO 27017:2015 and SOC 2 Type 1 accredited.

ISO 27017:2015

ISO 27017:2015 is SaaS-oriented and certifies that we have guidelines for information security controls applicable to the provision and use of cloud services.

SOC 2 type 1

SOC 2 type 1 proves that Workable has designed appropriate controls to provide reasonable assurance that our service commitments and system requirements were achieved based on the AICPA Trust Services Criteria relevant to Security, Availability, and Confidentiality. We will be moving forward with SOC 2 type 2 to further validate the strength of our security controls over time. For more information, check out our documentation on it.

This isn’t just about being able to prove that our tech is safe and secure. It’s also about proving that Workable operates safely and securely – meaning you, your business, and your information are safe and secure when working with us as well.

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Announcing our New World of Work survey report

Nikos Moraitakis — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:00:05 +0000

With this 30-question survey, we at Workable wanted to look at how businesses pivoted over the past several months, and what they’re planning for the future – be that a “new normal”, a “new way of work”, or something else altogether.

The result is Workable’s New World of Work survey report. We think you’d be very interested in this. Out of many insights, we’re highlighting three for you:

Remote work is the big paradigm shift.
Digital transformation is the way to get there.
Employee engagement (particularly in remote) and remote hiring/onboarding are huge concerns now and in the future.

Other insights from the data include:

COVID-19 forced nearly two out of every three businesses to move fully to a remote-first environment.
56.5% of businesses plan to make remote permanent for at least some of their workforce going forward. Just 6.2% of businesses plan to do nothing in general.
68% of those going remote did it without disruption because they had the technology in place. Plus, 46.1% will prioritize tech in their plans to go remote.
7 in 10 education workers said they could actually go remote if they needed to – but the technology is just not there to allow that to happen.
Candidate engagement, onboarding and evaluation are predicted to be major headaches in the new world of work. Add remote to the mix, and it becomes even more challenging.
Senior-level executives are more worried about productivity while their employees are far more concerned about engagement.

But while there’s plenty of discussion and consensus in the three highlighted areas of the report, there is no clear solution or even a rulebook to follow in this new world of work that we’re entering.

What we know is that the traditional form of work – effectively, being roommates with your colleagues, sticking to a set schedule, being “present” at your desk – is no longer tenable. It’s like trying to drive an autonomous vehicle with a stick shift.

Remote is easy at first, and so is the tech adoption to get us there. But in the long term, the pandemic is forcing us to evolve. The numbers from our survey prove that. We may not know exactly how to go about it, but it’s now on us to figure out how to do it in the best way possible.

One respondent summed it up aptly:

“It is a road that has not been walked. I honestly don’t know what is ahead; one is only just willing to explore many different strategies until they find one that works.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing crisis is unprecedented, and is already being called a seminal event in modern-day world history. There will be entire books and documentaries produced on the topic.

One day, we’ll settle into a new form of living, whatever that may be. Until then, let’s keep thinking, talking, collaborating, as we work towards a new – and very different – future.

Stay healthy,

Nikos Moraitakis
CEO, Workable

The post Announcing our New World of Work survey report appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

One-way video interview biases: potential risks for diversity

Alexandra Marinaki — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 14:17:47 +0000

One-way video interviews – also known as asynchronous – enable recruiters to eliminate biases by providing all candidates with a uniform interview structure. Candidates record themselves responding to a given set of job-relevant questions. With this set format, there is not much room for common drivers of unconscious biases such as favoring or small talk between assessors and candidates.

On the flip side, there are still unconscious traps you could stumble on. Image and sound are powerful, after all. When you see a candidate for the first time and get cues from how they behave, talk, look and dress like you might get unconsciously triggered. No matter how trained or aware you are, biases will always surface and may sidetrack your attention away from what matters.

Video interview biases: most common risks

So, imagine this scenario: you’re about to evaluate 20 video interviews for an open role in marketing. You’ve handed over four interview questions to candidates, one generic (e.g. “Describe yourself and your career goals in two minutes”) and three job-related (e.g. “What metrics would you use to measure our social media’s performance?”). Each item has unlimited preparation time and the answer is set to a maximum of two minutes.

Despite those given constraints, there is variability in interview answers you receive. Some candidates took the whole two minutes to answer the questions while others spent less than 60 seconds on their responses. The actual responses varied, as well, and of course, you can still see and hear each candidate.

In brief, here are some tricky parts that could trigger video interview biases in this case:

1. Protected characteristics are now evident

What you controlled for during the blind hiring stage will be now visible. You need to be careful with this information and how they might unconsciously impact your evaluation. The umbrella of protected characteristics is huge.

It’s not always the obvious traits that trigger us, such as someone’s skin color or dress code. It could also be that a candidate’s accent might sound funny to your ears, or you might take for granted that a 50-year-old candidate won’t be a perfect fit for a senior position at a dynamic start-up environment. All those elements could be misleading.

2. Non-verbal cues can affect your judgment

Sitting in front of a camera presenting yourself to someone you cannot see is not always that easy for interviewees. Some candidates will feel confident and some won’t. However, this is not necessarily an indicator of how they’ll perform their day-to-day tasks – unless the role entails presenting at a high level or communicating in a similar setup as part of their work (e.g. call centers, telemarketing).

Beware of these no-verbal characteristics and how they impact you. There are some common video interview red flags that might mess you up during evaluation – a noisy background or a multicolored top could sway your judgment in ways you aren’t initially aware of.

3. Evaluating video interviews is a rather new thing

Since one-way video-interviews are relatively new to the recruitment landscape, there’s still a lot to discover going forward. We’re still learning and there are likely more biases that we haven’t identified right away.

Picture this in the above-mentioned scenario: you have two final qualified candidates – one answered their job-related question in 30 seconds while the other’s answer took up the full two minutes. If you don’t pay that much attention to each response, you may prefer the one with the longer answer as they had “more to say”.

But the reality could be that the first candidate had a more accurate answer and cut down the fluff. They were more direct and to the point. For certain roles – let’s say, for editors or public speakers– that would be a good skill to have.

Tips to reduce one-way video interview biases

So, as any other recruiting solution that you use to improve diversity in your business, if you don’t use video interviews the right way, there will still be some stumbling blocks.

[bctt tweet=”No tool and feature will enable you to you to directly succeed in ensuring diversity – rather, it will be your mindset towards diversity that will do the job and your persistent attempts to establish diversity in the core of your business – in the policies you write, the job descriptions you share, the new hires and partners you choose day to day.” username=”workable”]

To build a strong approach from beginning to end, track all biases that could surface along the way – whether that’s judging a candidate for a facial piercing for “being unprofessional” to ruling out a single mother at the decision stage, taking for granted that she is not going to be as efficient at the job, with so many personal responsibilities at hand.

Here are some first steps you could follow to structure the screening process in a way that improves your diversity efforts before and during the video-interviewing stage:

Plan your early-stage screening

If you post your job ad to several job boards you broaden your sources for candidates – and in turn, the opportunity to diversify your candidate pool. You can also share the job ad through multiple social networks and find candidates where they usually hang out.

Use a blind hiring software at an early screening stage to eliminate unconscious biases from resumes and social media profiles, such as photo, age, nationality, etc. Later on, when you review a video interview, remember that content and attitude matters more than non-verbal cues and other physical traits or elements.

Conduct pre-employment assessments

Implementing pre-employment assessments is also crucial when screening applicants. They produce a mostly accurate result on job-related competencies and help spot what matters the most for a specific role.

Whether that’s an external assessment or an assignment you built yourself, it’s better to evaluate them before or coupled with video interviews to make sure that what you saw and heard during the video assessment doesn’t impact your judgment and your full attention is concentrated on those important job-related factors.

Structure questions wisely

What you really want to learn about a candidate from their one-way video is if they have the right skills for the role. To spot them, make sure to address the top must-have skills in the questions.

To achieve that, design interview questions that don’t require further explanation. For example:

Describe a time when you faced a problem in project management and how you dealt with it.
What is your biggest achievement in content marketing strategy?

It would be unfortunate to lose out on a great candidate because of an unclear or vague question that needs further explanation. You also must use the same job-related questions for every interview to make sure that you evaluate all candidates equally.

Share video-interview tips

It would be also helpful, both for candidates and you as an evaluator, to share some video interview tips with candidates so that they have clear expectations and useful resources to prepare the right way. For example, share some tech and troubleshooting tips with candidates to set up their gear.

Remember to try and ignore the background noise or distractions that could trigger unconscious biases, whether that’s the wall behind them or poor audio/video quality. Focus on answers and attitude.

Here, you can find top video interview tips for candidates that will help you unify the process even more, and prepare all interviewees equally for success.

Train recruiters and hiring managers

All hiring managers and recruiters should be well aware of the video interview diversity risks and biases they could come across with. Apart from not discriminating based on protected characteristics, they should learn how to evaluate answers properly, based on related competency and other screening assessments (e.g. resume, pre-employment assessments, etc.).

It’s important to be aware of some of the common video interview red flags mentioned above, such as poor body language, that are not necessarily valid. Once assessors become aware of those mental traps and how to detect them early, your road to diversity will be on a safe track.

You could also design a D&I training to help your employees understand their personal triggering factors that could enforce biases.

Remember – biases are everywhere

Dear George, as you understand, one-way video interviews will help you improve your company’s diversity, but you have to utilize them carefully and combine them with other features and practices. Tech and tools are not going to be the single factor in this effort; there needs to be a strong diversity strategy in place, in every step of the recruiting funnel – and one-way video interviews can only help you get closer to making your D&I vision a reality.

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The 3 dos and don’ts of remote time tracking for you to know

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:00:22 +0000

For some business owners and managers, this could trigger a trust issue that revolves around one important question: “How do I know my employees are working while they’re on the clock if I can’t physically see them?”

The concern is valid. Time wastage due to non-work-related tasks has been a perennial problem even when managers are in the same building as employees. According to a Salary.com survey, 89% of employees have admitted to wasting time at work, with the top 10% wasting three or more hours each day.

It comes as no surprise, then, that several of the top concerns of owners and managers about employees transitioning to remote work are related to how employees spend their time at work. Concerns include reduced employee productivity, reduced focus, task completion rate, and work-life conflict.

Image source: https://www.owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2019

The solution to this problem may seem obvious: time tracking software. It’s not a new technology. Both co-located and remote teams have used it for years. Yet, the debate about whether time tracking is a boon or bane has been going on since the technology was invented.

As with any other technology, the benefits and perils of remote time tracking lie in the details of its implementation. The technology isn’t inherently good or bad. Your time tracking outcomes will depend on how well you use it.

To help you get the best results from tracking with your remote team, outlined below are the dos and don’ts of remote time tracking in three key areas of productivity and performance management.

1. Initial implementation

Don’t: shock your employees with a sudden rollout

Whether or not the transition to a work-from-home arrangement is the reason that prompted you to implement time tracking, make sure not to drop the news on your team like a brick. Any change you introduce needs to follow a specific set of steps for it to be accepted. This includes remote time tracking.

As explained by project manager Michal Bielak, “Don’t just gather your team members in a room one day and say, ‘From now on, we’ll be using this IT time tracking software to see how your work’s going. Click here, now click there, perfect, thanks, the meeting’s over’ — that is, unless you want to bump into a group of gossipers every time you go to the kitchen. People want to be treated fairly: if you introduce some changes, explain the rationale behind it.”

Do: conduct a Time Tracking 101 with your team

Instead of a sudden, out-of-the-blue implementation, notify employees well ahead of time and explain the importance of time tracking to them.

Then, get them up to speed with the software well in advance and teach them everything they need to know about the time tracking system you’re about to introduce. The time you invest in doing this prep work will result in better utilization and a higher level of appreciation for time tracking among your employees.

Below are the key areas you need to cover when doing a time tracking 101 with your team:

The tool/platform/technology that you will use for remote time tracking
The activities/tasks you will track
How the time tracking data you collect will be used
Privacy protection measures you will put in place
The benefits of time tracking for your team

Image source: https://richtopia.com/effective-leadership/benefits-of-time-tracking

2. Employee management

Don’t: use time tracking to micromanage

It’s very easy for managers of newly transitioned remote teams to fall into the trap of micromanagement and to use time tracking to do it. Managers can abuse the capabilities of time tracking software to monitor every minute detail of how employees are spending their work hours.

Some may even use the additional features of time tracking technologies such as screenshots and geofencing to implement a “Big Brother-like” surveillance over their teams.

Do: use time tracking to foster accountability

To address micromanagement, you must understand where the desire to micromanage stems from. Most of the time, it’s the fear that your employees might not be doing the work they’re supposed to be doing during the hours they’re supposed to be doing it. This can lead to resentment and resistance from employees.

Instead of using time tracking to create fear among your employees that you’re watching their every move, empower them to foster a sense of accountability. Give them the leeway to track and manage their own productivity.

Of course, you will still use the data gathered using time tracking to make informed and smart decisions about performance management and employee engagement. However, the ultimate goal is to use time tracking as a tool to enable your team members to be constantly cognizant of their performance and productivity.

3. Time tracking structure

Don’t: leave procedures up to your team

One of the primary goals of time tracking is to generate reports that you can use to help your team meet both productivity and business goals. This won’t be possible if there’s no uniformity in how your team members track their time. While you want to make it as easy as possible for your employees to record their time, you also don’t want time tracking to lack structure.

For instance, one of the common pitfalls of time tracking is the lack of naming conventions, a common problem in project management. Without uniformity in naming protocols, you won’t be able to determine whether resources are allocated properly to tasks and projects. It can also affect how you charge for billable hours.

Do: provide clear and simple guidelines

Even the most sophisticated time tracker will fail if you don’t implement clear and easy-to-follow guidelines. Below are a few of the questions your remote time tracking manual should answer:

What tasks/projects should be tracked or not tracked?
How should time entries be recorded?
How should tasks/projects be categorized?

Having clear and straightforward guidelines is a key time-tracking best practice that shouldn’t be ignored. When tracking remote team time, make sure you have documented procedures in place to make it as seamless as possible.

Making remote time tracking work for your team

Time tracking is a pretty straightforward concept, but its implementation is an intricate process. Following the gold standards and avoiding the pitfalls in your time tracking system’s initial rollout, in employee performance management, and in providing a structured time tracking methodology will create a solid foundation for remote team time tracking.

If you do decide to make remote work your company’s “new normal,” you will discover iterations to these do’s and don’ts and come up with your own time tracking best practices for your team.

Dean Mathews is the founder and CEO of OnTheClock, an employee time tracking app that helps over 9,000 companies all around the world track time.

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CEO insights on the future workplace

Alexandra Marinaki — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 07:53:54 +0000

Considering how packed their agendas are, bringing CEOs to the same table to share their own concerns and thoughts is a challenge, especially now with COVID-19 events still evolving. But together with BambooHR, we overcame that burden and on June 25, 2020, we co-hosted a webinar titled: “CEOs on the future of remote work”. Flexibility, remote work and changing benefits were the main topics discussed. BambooHR’s Senior Social Media Manager, Tyler King, moderated and the speakers were:

Natalia Panowicz – CEO at Codility
Lee Biggins – CEO and Founder at CV-Library & Resume-Library
Nikos Moraitakis – CEO and Co-Founder at Workable

Learn what the top four issues are top of mind for our three CEOs below:

Future workplace – CEOs share their thoughts

1. Flexibility will be the new reality

One of the things that stood out over the past few months was workplace flexibility – whether that’s in work schedules or location. Being flexible and agile was the only way to adhere to physical distancing restrictions. Some companies moved their operations fully remotely while others did it partially, with rotational shifts and strict hygiene measures to keep employees safe and sound.

With most businesses shifting to a virtual workplace – and in some cases a more asynchronous collaboration style – structured work arrangements, such as 9-to-5 schedules and long meetings started to fade out. Employers quickly realized that they’re not the key to productivity but rather a habitual schema they probably had to revisit.

Related: We also talked with Ørsted, a multinational company in Europe, on how they planned their return-to-work strategy. The takeaways here will be invaluable to you if you’re doing the same. Learn how they did it

This flexibility trend became also evident at a poll we carried out during the webinar; nearly half of the 562 attendees stated that they’re planning to offer more flexible work options in the future.

Take Workable as an example; Nikos explained that the company switched to remote-first amidst the pandemic. Employees will be able to explore which working style suits them best, in-office or work-from-home and freely go for it:

“The office is going to be there and everybody can choose whether they want to work from the office or they prefer to work from home, or even to change their mind”.

Nikos noted that for most businesses there is going to be an exploration stage to see what works and what not to keep employees happy and productive in the long run:

Natalia continued in the same mindset saying that the best workplace is the one that serves the best work, whether that’s virtual or in-office. The good news is that now most of us, businesses and employees, have experienced both working styles because of the pandemic and we’re more likely to create the best workstyle for us.

Natalia highlighted:

“I think we are in a unique place to blend and to figure out what we want to keep from the typical office situation with our teams, and what we want to keep from the current remote setting, so that what we design for the future is the best mixture of both – to support [the] best possible work.”

2. Remote office: pros and cons

Many companies nowadays are increasingly moving their operations to remote-first; before making that decision, CEOs weigh advantages and disadvantages to ensure maximal productivity and revenue growth with minimal impact on business operations.

Natalia gives a high score to the remote-first office. She believes that it allows employees and employers to concentrate their full energy on what matters the most – operational efficiency and discipline:

Nikos supports the remote office as well, especially in terms of productivity compared to the typical office which can come with distractions:

“There is some fluff and there is some distraction, some waste of time. We all know that companies like ours, due to many physical constraints, have open offices. These are not ideal for concentrating [on] your work.”

On the flip side, with remote work, it’s not always easy to set boundaries between work and personal life:

“To be able to regiment routine and create those boundaries, you know, the meaning between family and work is not easy,” Nikos said. “And not everybody experienced it the same way. Some people were stuck in a small apartment alone. Somebody had to take care of another person in their family.”

For those who experienced remote work for the first time during the pandemic, Nikos stated that this is not the most representative remote work sample to draw from as an ideal example. The lockdown created some constraints that will not always exist – and in many cases, happened in an unprecedented situation. Once the physical restraints are limited, maybe employees will need this shared space again to thrive as teams.

Lee also shared his remote office pros and cons and got straight to the point – remote work allows business owners to save a good deal of money they would otherwise spend on facilities or transportation.

Lee unveiled his thoughts further and also talked about the bystander foe which we’ll call employee burnout:

3. Access to global talent

As Lee stated in the video above, one of the biggest assets of being remote-first is access to a “massive talent pool”. You can attract top, diverse talent from all over the world, not just your restricted area.

Natalia agreed and added:

“The talent pool became global. We all figured out that we can do our work from wherever and we can do our work well. If work can be done remotely, you can also hire remotely, so you don’t even need to meet the person to make a hiring decision.”

But this remote work arrangement can also cause a shift in compensation arrangements: “What does that mean to compensation, if we had localized compensation in the world based on talent pools and local job market conditions?” Natalia suggested as a question.

Nikos had a word on that:

“If we get to the point where we really are paid for the output of our work, you may have a completely different employment relationship sometime in the future, maybe in five or 10 years. They have to face things like comp was tied to location. And it should be tied to location, it makes sense. If you didn’t, you would destabilize the world economy.

“Suddenly,” Nikos adds, “you have a lot of people replaced, earning disproportionately from the people around them as well.”

There are numerous logistics business leaders should take into account when adopting more flexible work arrangements, such as localized compensation and employment laws. HR and people operations teams will have plenty of work to do to fine-tune all these elements and bring on best results – hopefully the output will reward the struggle.

4. Re-inventing benefits and culture

What will benefits look like in the future workplace? Following the flexibility and remote work trends, they will have to cater for new employee and workplace needs. With many companies switching to remote work, employers have already adapted some of their benefits to help employees prepare a home office. Lee and Natalia, for instance, offered allowance for equipment, Internet and phone calls.

“We offer our team equipment allowance to make their work settings most comfortable to them,” said Natalia. “We gave the teams a chance to take stuff from the office that might actually help them”.

But how can you be sure of what each employee needs when they work from home? Some of them may already have a catered home office and may prefer other perks, such as babysitting or internet supply. That’s exactly why it’s best to offer a more “vague” allowance as Nikos suggested to cover all types of needs. With a workforce all around the world this will be handy, as well.

Apparently all these changes will impact employee expectations and employment relationships in the long run. Nikos elaborates:

So the culture that companies have tried to nurture all these years, with cool offices and perks – especially in start-ups – may stop existing at some point. But, says Natalia, this is not going to happen at a glance but will be an ongoing process that the employer will have to re-evaluate and update regularly:

Future workplace – a two-way street

“Employees and companies will have to work together to figure it out,” Nikos said. “We all need to be prepared to make some mistakes or to change our mind, which you know is very hard to do recently, so check that out. We need to be a little bit patient.

“I don’t think there’s many people who have a single answer – maybe it’s not the same for all companies. So everybody will have to figure out their way.”

According to our speakers, these “future workplace trends” that have already started to gain ground are here to stay. The future workplace will be more flexible, remote-first, globalized and, in short, different from before. As long as we’re agile, open-minded and patient, employers and employees will make things work – together.

The post CEO insights on the future workplace appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

The ‘new normal’: the future of hiring, onboarding and working

Alexandra Marinaki — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 09:22:19 +0000

Remote work, asynchronous communication, increase of collaboration tools use; these are just a few of the current trends the hiring world and businesses are seeing. We at Workable wanted to get to the core of these developments and address them with people who are on the front lines and willing to share their first-hand experiences.

That’s why on June 25, 2020, we hosted a webinar titled: “Working, hiring and onboarding in the new normal”. Jess Meschino, Workable’s VP of Account Management moderated and the guest speakers were:

David Vencis – Head of Talent at Drizly
Natalia Panowicz – CEO at Codility

Here, we present their most insightful takeaways that shed light on the future of hiring – and the future of work in general. Get on board and enjoy!

1. “New normal” – emerging trends and challenges

So what will this new normal look like? First clue: remote work is not going to be just a cool perk anymore – it’s here to stay.

For some remote-first companies this was already the reality, but for those who were hesitant about it, the emergency shift to telecommuting because of COVID-19 proved that remote work is not only feasible – except for jobs where physical presence is required – but also beneficial in many ways.

As Natalia said:

“We quickly discovered that it’s possible to do our best work not from an office, that was a traditional way to go, but we’re actually able to do it from anywhere.”

Greater authenticity

This has given a fresher outlook to the way we collaborate and connect with our teammates. We don’t bring only ourselves virtually to work, but also our dogs, our children, and even our personal home decoration taste:

“Work becomes way more authentic and purposeful to a sense [that] we are able right now to bring our full selves to work”, Natalia said.

But according to David, there are two sides of this coin. Sometimes it may be hard to set boundaries between work and personal life, and together with the consequences of the pandemic, this disruption has put employee wellbeing at risk – and at the center of HR attention, too:

Technology giveth

What was the main contributor to transitioning to a digital workplace so quickly? Second clue: tech and digital solutions played a pivotal part in this shift, and will continue to do so. Virtual screening tools, such as Workable Video Interviews, and other collaboration platforms surely saved our lockdown days:

“If before the pandemic every company was becoming a tech company, right now they were forced to do so overnight, pretty much”, Natalia highlighted.

2. The future of hiring – remote screening and D&I

While one of the direct consequences of COVID-19 in hiring is the so-called ‘abundance of talent’ due to widespread layoffs and increased unemployment, there are longer-term impacts on the application and screening processes –such as the increase in need for empathy when dealing with candidates.

David explained:

“We’ve really been challenging ourselves to really meet the moment of what’s happening and remind ourselves about just how important empathy is with candidates,” he said. “Because if they’re finding themselves unfortunately in the layoff situation, [or] maybe they’ve dealt with the COVID situation personally, if they’re still working at a company there might be uncertainty… I mean we are […] really connected by this all in a human way”.

Natalia – and Codility – is on the same page: “We’re in it [the COVID-19 crisis] as humankind. We’re not in it as employers and employees that much anymore”. That’s exactly why being transparent and respectful with candidates is extremely important these days to gain their trust. Natalia elaborated:

E-hiring on the rise

As mentioned earlier, technology has been life-changing for HR and hiring teams; interviews started taking place fully online, either synchronously – with video-conferencing tools, such as Zoom – and/or asynchronously – with solutions such as Workable Video Interviews. According to David, virtual hiring makes things move faster, as you no longer need to invite someone to your headquarters to meet them:

“Knowing there’s so many great job seekers out there who are so qualified, we’re engaging with people a lot faster,” said David. “As soon as we post a position we’re starting to see people who are a great fit – we’re not waiting a few weeks to need to kind of do sourcing efforts.”

Skill-based assessments ascending

Both speakers agreed that hiring teams should rely more on skill-based assessments to find those candidates who are the best fit for both the role and the company. David elaborated more on how, at Drizly, they do their homework and prepare for each job posting beforehand and what they focus on during screening:

Skill-based assessments can also boost diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace. Natalia talked about introducing blind evaluation techniques in early screening phases to eliminate unconscious biases around gender, ethnicity or appearance:

“We have an anonymous workflow mode where we can actually uncover who the candidate is well past the assessment is done on the core [engineering] skills of that candidate”.

This is a positive change; with remote work on the rise, you’ll be able to hire people from all over the world and diversify your teams more than ever.

3. Remote onboarding – pre-onboarding and new hire engagement

Remote onboarding became a huge challenge for companies during the COVID-19 outbreak, but with the right tech tools and tactical moves they managed to cope.

According to David, to nail your remote onboarding plan you first need to succeed in pre-onboarding – syncing with hiring managers and teams and designing the process step-by-step – and based on data, too.

David walked us through Drizly’s onboarding process and gave tips to make new hires feel instantly part of your team and to show them what your goals and biggest values are.

His bonus tip: conduct a survey – or even a fun quiz – to explore what impact the onboarding had on new employees’ learning:

Natalia added how useful buddy systems are when onboarding new employees to maintain human connection and a sense of camaraderie, especially in a remote environment. This way new hires have someone to reach out to when their manager is not available for questions and support:

“It helps everybody to connect way faster and to [kind of] tactically help them find things out if they need to quicker” Natalia added.

4. Remote management – flexible and empathetic

First signs have shown that a thriving remote work culture is one that promotes flexibility and inclusion. As Natalia explained, we now know that “we can work from anywhere, we can hire people from anywhere and have access to a wider community”.

But how can managers adapt to leading their remote teams in this new flexible, wellbeing-oriented style? First off, leaders should accept this new arrangement and make the most of it. David explained:

“It can be tough for managers. It’s tough for everybody to kind of distance themselves from their work, but I think those things are really important to give people the space they need. We have a flexible unlimited time-off policy so reminding people about taking that time, I think, is also a big part of engagement as well”.

Being more human

They could also benefit from a deeper shift that would allow them to be more vulnerable in front of employees and true ambassadors of psychological safety and empathy in the workplace, said David:

“Emphasizing things like self care and psychological safety, and having managers be more vulnerable as well, I think, can really fuel culture”.

As for everyday practices managers can follow to engage employees, Natalia shared her own insights:

5. Remote benefits – flexible and personalized

Switching to a new world of work, which is also remote, means that some benefits will be temporarily – and in some cases permanently – rendered obsolete. Plus, with many companies shifting to a remote-first culture, HR professionals should build a new benefit scheme from scratch that would be more relevant to employees’ ongoing needs – such as equipment for a home office or health insurance.

David noted that it’s important to individualize benefits as much as we can, keep them flexible and explore what each employee would value the most:

“Some people might need to use that money to pay for a babysitter to free up some of their time during the week because that’s what’s going to set them up to do their best work”.

It matters to candidates

Candidates are increasingly asking whether remote work is still going to be an option – either fully or partially – when the pandemic is over. David explained:

“A lot of people are asking what’s the plan, when do we go back to the office, when does your company go back to the office, is being fully remote something that you’re you’re willing to do as a company? Will I have the option? People are asking about that because that’s just the way we’re working right now, right? Some people want to be in the office and I get that, and some people don’t, and we get that [as well].”

Natalia highlighted how crucial employee wellbeing initiatives and benefits are now and will continue to be to prevent burnout as a consequence of the pandemic:

“There’s so much pressure, there’s so much stress everywhere. boundaries between work and private life are shifting. We have to learn how to adapt to that world“.

[bctt tweet=”Emphasis on employee mental health, flexibility and individualized benefits is important; these trends shouldn’t be forgotten and companies should continue to offer them when the hard days of the pandemic are over.” username=”workable”]

The future of hiring is here and now

The COVID-19 crisis is a debilitating time for many – including businesses and workers – but has some silver lining in it, in that it’s prompted paradigm shifts that had been in discussion for a long time – namely, the acceptance of remote work as a norm and a greater emphasis on empathy and inclusion. Change is uncomfortable and as a result, preferably avoided, which means some of these shifts may not have happened – or not as quickly, at least – without COVID-19.

It’s a tough time right now, but if you focus on the good that’s coming out of it in the new world of work – such as greater flexibility, work-life balance, an increased focus on wellbeing, and the introduction of new tech – then perhaps it can be said we’re all headed to a much better place, provided we follow through on the promise.

The post The ‘new normal’: the future of hiring, onboarding and working appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Company survey: What are the best skills for remote work?

Zina Panagopoulou — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 12:57:14 +0000

Or not?

The style of “working remotely” has brought up challenges (distractions, barriers to productivity, etc.) that many employees have suddenly come face to face with for the first time over the past few months. As a result, new and existing skills have been brought into the spotlight.

The ultimate question arises: What are the best skills for remote work?

Workable employees – operating in a fully remote environment over the past few months – recently filled out an internal survey to help us gain insight:

Here are the resultant top skills for working remotely in an efficient way, and how our peers ranked them:

Personal skills
People skills
Organizational skills
Strategic skills

Personal skills for remote workers

Resourcefulness & Versatility

Have you ever hit a dead end in a project and rolled your chair towards your teammate to ask for some help? What if you didn’t have that convenience and you had to figure it out yourself? How would you do that?

That’s where resourcefulness and versatility come in. Being able to maneuver your skills and knowledge to learn new things and break down all kinds of challenges – even IT stuff – is a process that you face almost every day when working remotely. In a Workable employee’s own words:

“Resourcefulness – I think this is important in a remote work setting as you do not have someone sitting next to you who you can ask every question to. Being able to find information on your own is an important skill to work efficiently while working remotely.”

Self-efficacy

In the field of positive psychology, self-efficacy is defined as “the belief we have in our own abilities, specifically our ability to meet the challenges ahead of us and complete a task successfully”.

But why do remote workers need self-efficacy? Things are quite simple.

This particular measurable skill comes along with self-control, motivation, confidence, resilience and discipline. Since remote workers are “alone workers” most of the time – especially in an asynchronous environment – this skill set is the main ingredient to maintain internal focus towards completion and success.

“Self-efficacy and time management are by far the most important soft skills for a remote worker (which are also difficult to learn too). They both help the employee to focus on the tasks at hand and execute upon them.”

People skills for remote workers

Communication, Επικοινωνία, Comunicación, Comunicação, Kommunikation

Imagine being at the office, walking down the hallway to ask Steve for clarification about the project you are working on. You find him, share your thoughts, and now you’re ready to get back to work. Great!

Now, what if Steve was not at the end of the hallway, but at the other side of the world, just getting ready to dive into deep sleep? Of course you’ll write down all the questions and thoughts you want to share and send them over – fingers crossed you don’t forget anything – but you will probably not get your answers until a few hours later. So delivering to-the-point messages is crucial for a distributed team with an asynchronous model of communication.

Now let’s make it a little more tricky: Your virtual office will probably have multinational people, which means you won’t speak the same native language, nor share the same culture.

And here is where cross-cultural literacy comes aboard. When it comes to communicating, being understanding, patient and open to diversity are major remote work skills.

As another employee put it:

“Respect. Time sensitivity. (I am respecting my colleagues’ time, do not schedule useless meetings that can be discussed in a Slack channel). Introvert at times. No need to discuss too much in order to get things done.”

Teamwork

As a remote worker, you may physically work alone, but at the end of the day, you are still part of a team spread all over the world – well, at least sometimes – and it is quite easy to forget that you are part of a broader group of people with a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

And you are not to blame!

Sitting alone at your desk at home is the polar opposite of being in an office with busy hallways. However, you are not alone, and teamwork not only boosts productivity, but also works like an invisible chain holding the company together.

One employee highlighted teamwork as one of the best skills for remote work:
“Top skill is to be a team player, always sharing information with your team about your current/future work, blocking issues, etc, as well as proactively help and guide your colleagues.”

Organizational skills for remote workers

Adaptability & Flexibility

Adaptability and flexibility represent the ability to easily adjust and bend to changes. Whether this is a strategy turnaround, or simply the fact that your dinner table becomes your office spot for some hours per day.

A recent Upwork survey on remote work found that 32% of respondents said that increased distractions at home have impacted performance. Even though some circumstances, in fact, cannot be totally controlled – such as parenting at home – being adaptable and flexible are major assets for dealing with and breaking daily walls.

“A lot of it is about discipline and mindset. It’s easy to go through the ritual of getting up, getting dressed, having breakfast, go out the door and into your commute to work,” one Workable employee said. “Working remotely means you don’t have to do any of these things (apart from breakfast). The sudden shift from kitchen/breakfast to your office setting and getting into ‘work mode’ is sometimes jarring – so you have to somehow be able to make that shift in your mindset as you do it.”

Time management & Multitasking

The clock is ticking and each tick brings you closer to two crucial deadlines, your upcoming big meeting, the arrival of that delayed package you’re expecting, and your daughter’s volleyball practice that you will have to drive her to. Can you handle all these in a way so as to sign off at 7 p.m. as scheduled?

Time management and multitasking is all about combining and organizing tasks and being on time – if not ahead. Working from home enables you to add more family time and household chores to your daily routine, but you have to be able to manage all these, along with your workload.

Being organized with time was a popular subject in our survey:

“Time management is the number one soft skill required to work efficiently whether working remotely or in the office. Understanding that even though you’re at home, you have to manage your work day and accomplish everything that you would be expected to accomplish in the office is important”

Another employee highlighted the value of multitasking:

“I am able to juggle several conversations/tasks. An asynchronous work style often bleeds from the macro into the micro, so being able to address a peer’s questions while working on a project while also digesting a previous meeting is a common occurrence during a typical workday at home. Being able to separate and juggle concepts (and knowing when to do which), has allowed me to get more done more effectively.”

Strategic skills for remote workers

Critical thinking & Decision making

These two skills do apply to physical workplaces as well, but that does not mean that they are less needed in a remote workforce.

In fact, both critical thinking and decision making are skills that help remote workers:

Examine available options
Manage difficult situations
Take action effectively

Managers won’t be available the whole time. So being able to analyze and make the right decisions quickly are two of the best skills that any remote employee should have.

One employee said it as much, when asked to highlight an essential skill in the remote worker’s toolkit:

“Independence: because you do not have your coworkers and especially your manager close by for the ‘little things’, you have to make decisions and believe in yourself to make progress.”

Problem solving

Consider this challenging scenario: Your manager values your skills and assigns you a task which is quite new to you. After providing some guidelines of what you have to do, your manager signs off for the day.

You plan your approach to the task at hand and start working on it.

Suddenly, a problem pops up and no one is there to help get through it – at least not for the day.

You slump back in your chair, rubbing your eyes. What do you do?

The above scenario is not as rare as it may seem at first sight. As a remote worker you will have experience with that feeling of not knowing what to do and not having someone to assist you at the time needed.

Who or what can save the day?

Your problem-solving skills, says one employee:

“In a remote environment, it’s important to be able to solve problems on your own. You might not be able to walk up to someone’s desk and ask them a question, so being able to figure out things on your own is very important.”

Bedtime story

Working remotely might be a challenge for some, but it is a great opportunity to gain valuable experience and skills, you think while brushing your teeth before bedtime. At the end of the day what matters the most is evolving, both personally and professionally, whether you’re working remote or not.

And to be sure, having all of those skills will get you a full good night’s sleep and a fresh start to another day of remote work in the morning – after your coffee and breakfast, that is!

The post Company survey: What are the best skills for remote work? appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Announcing: Workable Connector for ADP Workforce Now®

Zoe Morin — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:18:01 +0000

Beginning June 23rd, we’re thrilled to announce the release of the Workable Connector for ADP Workforce Now®. The new, seamless integration can help customers of both platforms hire and onboard new employees – and faster, too. When Workable is connected to ADP Workforce Now, candidates marked as ‘hired’ in Workable are automatically — and instantly — set up in ADP.

Get all the right data, skip all of the manual admin.

This new automation will eliminate manual admin and avoid costly data errors, freeing up valuable time and resources to focus on other pertinent tasks in your work without worry. Eight fields can be automatically transferred from Workable to ADP, including: First & Last Name, Email, Phone Number, Start Date and more.

Get started, quickly

Like everything with Workable, getting started only takes a few clicks. To get started, simply:

Purchase the Workable connector for ADP Workforce Now®
Watch the data flow — auto export is turned on by default

Want to learn more about ADP Workforce Now®

ADP Workforce Now® is a cloud-based platform for HR management software, where you can easily manage all of your HR functions — payroll, HR management, workforce management, talent, and benefits — and gain insights across them all.

To purchase the Connector now, visit: http://adp.marketplace.com/workable

The post Announcing: Workable Connector for ADP Workforce Now® appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Take our Video Interview Quiz – and optimize your hiring

Content team — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:02:58 +0000

Fair enough. Sometimes it may seem like a rather impersonal, even automated tool in the recruitment playbook. But when the completion rate of our Video Interviews feature is twice as high as the industry average, perhaps the problem isn’t the tool itself – it’s the user experience.

There are also many ways in how Video Interviews may be helpful to you and your company. Instead of going into detail about what those benefits are and why, we thought we’d make things more fun and interactive for you with a Video Interview Quiz. In this quiz, you’ll learn how one-way video interviews can be one of the most important tools in your recruiting toolbox.

There are no right answers or wrong answers here – every answer is actually “correct”, but you’ll get a different piece of information or an interesting fact or statistic with each answer. And the best part? You can take this quiz again and again and pick up something new every time.

Whether it’s for your own convincing or for someone else’s buy-in to get Workable Video Interviews to optimize your recruitment process, there’s a lot here for you. Ultimately, this is purely for your own educational entertainment.

Without further ado, here’s the Video Interview Quiz!

The post Take our Video Interview Quiz – and optimize your hiring appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Early adopter program key to Video Interviews success

Valia Lekka — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 14:50:41 +0000

This was all part of running Workable’s early adopter program with some of our trusted customers, so we could polish it off and see how it worked on a bigger scale.

Learning from the front lines

Workable’s early adopter program is one of the tools we use in Workable to make sure that what we provide is as useful and intuitive as we want it to be. We try to incorporate as much feedback as possible from our users, and the early adopter program is one of the most straightforward ways to get that information.

One of the first such programs that Workable ran was for the internationalization feature, a complex and intriguing feature looking to branch the product out to other markets with different languages. Our researcher and product team went into that beta with many questions, but with careful planning and methodology they carved out a much better and more intuitive end product.

Since the goal of the early adopter program is to validate our designs and assumptions from the design phase and make sure that we always serve our customers, choosing the right people to participate and “test” our new feature is key. We have fostered great relationships with a lot of our customers and that helps with ensuring that the feedback we get is as honest and open as possible.

It was a great opportunity for me, since it looked like one of the first things I would get to do with this new product would be to actually talk to our customers about it! So we started gathering feedback and talking with the beta users and improving the product as we went on.

And along came COVID-19

Then everything changed. The virus started spreading and lockdowns were ordered throughout the world. Suddenly everyone started to work from home and use virtual tools for everything. It looked like it would be very useful to have one for interviewing as well.

There are not a lot of opportunities in someone’s life to know that they truly made an impact when it was needed. For everyone on the team it was clear that the tool we had been working on could be helpful in a time when everything was unknown and unprecedented.

Workable’s vision practically shifted overnight to that of being even more socially responsible. We knew that unemployment was going to skyrocket and that, on the other extreme end, some industries needed to hire people really fast. We realized we could help people find new jobs. Teams got together and worked tirelessly to produce Workable Bridge to help out employees that were laid off.

Scaling ourselves to help others

As for Video Interviews, our team quickly decided to offer the tool to any Workable customer who could use it, for free. It was designed for anyone to use – no need to be tech savvy. Candidates could record themselves on their phone, no fancy or expensive equipment needed.

In a time where it was nearly impossible to find an open slot in someone’s schedule, interviews could happen in an asynchronous way and then hiring managers could rate them in their own time as well. Ultimately, a top-notch user experience was key.

All teams involved went into overdrive:

The marketing team worked day and night to make sure that our messaging was clear: We are not trying to sell anything to anyone – we truly believe our product can be helpful to businesses in their time of need.
The product team maintained the rhythm, making sure that no loose ends would be left.
The legal team worked on finding a way to make sure that no bureaucracy would exist for the companies that wanted to use it, since the product was technically still in closed beta.
Account managers started connecting with their customers to inform them about Video Interviews.

The interest spiked quickly and numerous companies started using the product. Within the first three months, 264 accounts adopted video interviews, with 462 candidates being hired using the tool with an answer rate of almost 50%, compared to the industry standard of 30%.

Like many things in a COVID world, our implementation and feedback loop was accelerated, bringing Workable Video Interviews to the present where we incorporated into the product all of the lessons learned from opening our doors to the public one month early.

We only know that this made us better and strengthened the relationship we have with our customers.

Valia Lekka is a Senior Product Manager at Workable. She was part of the team that developed Workable’s Video Interviews feature.

The post Early adopter program key to Video Interviews success appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Asynchronous communication in the workplace: benefits and best practices

Alexandra Marinaki — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 09:25:13 +0000

Asynchronous work and its unique issues – for example, communication delay or tech hiccups – are not new territory for many businesses. Many employers have had distributed teams for years now and they’ve been willing to share their best practices to shed some light on remote work first-timers’ biggest problems and solutions, including tips for effective asynchronous collaboration.

What is asynchronous communication?

In the modern workplace, whether that’s remote or not, asynchronous communication means that there is a time lag in response between the sender and the recipient, be that another colleague or customer. This is the main difference between asynchronous vs. synchronous communication, with the latter involving in person meetings, live chatting or video conferencing.

Briefly, in asynchronous communication terms, if you want to ask your colleague a question about an ongoing project, you won’t address it to them right away, even when you’re at the same office, but you’ll leave them a message so that they respond on their own time.

We’ve all practiced asynchronous collaboration at work, more or less, and tech tools have played a huge part in this. Emails, messaging apps (Slack, Hipchat, etc.), shared documents in cloud-based platforms (G-Suite) where employees can collaborate and reply are common asynchronous communication examples, among many more.

Now that we’ve explained what asynchronous communication is, let’s turn our attention to “why” we’re talking about it. When done properly, the benefits of asynchronous communication are plentiful and can boost both your performance and productivity – and your teammates’, too.

The assets of asynchronous communication

Have you ever found it difficult to concentrate on your daily job duties after being interrupted by an unexpected casual chit-chat about a project your colleague is working on? It’s fine if this happens sometimes because mutual support and camaraderie is a critical part of being a team. But what if it interferes with your productivity?

Recent research has shown that we live in a more collaborative era; we schedule our working day around meetings, Slack conversations and emails with our colleagues and sometimes these events could take up 80% of a full working day. This can be detrimental to our performance; technically we spend more time hopping from one meeting to another or replying to messages than focusing solely and mindfully on our tasks.

But with asynchronous work we can tackle this issue and spend more time resolving tasks with extra attention and care. The key benefits are many:

More productivity

In workplaces where asynchronous collaboration is reinforced and enabled with technology, productivity is higher. People can follow their agenda and complete daily tasks more easily when they are able respond to their colleagues’ requests based on bandwidth or set up time slots throughout the week to prepare feedback for specific projects. Plus, by focusing their attention on one task at a time they have a more detailed look and bring in better results.

Less stress

Switching from one project to another throughout the day and being unable to stick to your own agenda can also be stressful. You probably can recall a time when you struggled in meeting an important deadline and a colleague asked you for a favor. It can be difficult to prioritize what is more urgent in such circumstances or reject your teammate’s call for help.

With asynchronous communication you allow yourself – or your employees – to put all energy into what you do each time and have better control over your workload, so there is no reason to overstress.

Higher quality

When you go through a request at your own pace you can concentrate on details and process things in greater depth. When exchanging information in the form of a conversation instead, you don’t really have the time to inspect all problem aspects. By documenting details on a work matter to receive feedback from your colleagues step by step, you get and give a better review and more constructive input. This type of documentation helps the whole team equally and results in greater output.

Better talent

When you have embraced an asynchronous collaboration culture it’s easier to attract a wider talent pool around the globe for jobs that do not require colleagues to physically be in the same location. Employees are able to collaborate effectively from different time zones, buildings, or offices in an asynchronous way so place and time zone no longer limit your access to great talent.

Asynchronous collaboration best practices

Asynchronous communication sounds like the real deal, but how can you introduce it to your business and team operations effectively? Here are some good practices to start with:

1. Sync with an asynchronous mindset

If your employees are not used to such a working style, train them to do so. Empower them to own their agenda and workload and emphasize that no one will judge them if they take their time to respond to a request. Define what type of enquiries should be perceived as urgent by teammates on a general or per-project basis. This way employees will have clearer expectations and will be able to prioritize tasks more efficiently.

2. Set clear deadlines

If your employees or teammates operate in different time zones, make collaboration equally easy for everyone. Avoid scheduling meetings over time or reaching out to colleagues for feedback before the end of their working day. Encourage your employees to share transparently how they like to work and when they prefer to operate collaboratively throughout the day.

3. Introduce the right tools

Whether that’s your project management tool or your ATS search for platforms whose functionality better enable asynchronous communication and collaboration, with effective documentation, filing and options like comment sharing and tagging. For example, with Workable, once you’ve screened candidates and move on to the selection phase, you can share comments and tag your teammates inside the platform so that they get back to you when it’s convenient to them.

4. Organize your notes and feedback

To make asynchronous collaboration successful, you have to find ways to provide effective notes and feedback to avoid back and forths in communication and time delays on important deadlines. Plus, going through a task in-depth in order to give clarifications or feedback will probably give you a new perspective and enable you to resolve or address it more quickly than expected.

5. Create/update troubleshooting guidelines

Not all of your employees will be able to fix operational tech issues that come up the same way. Make sure to build some guides with steps and solutions to some common technical problems (e.g. internet connectivity, security, etc.) and help employees concentrate on their day-to-day work.

Remember, not all meetings could be emails…

It seems that the benefits outweigh the losses for both organizations and individuals, but keep in mind that asynchronous communication is not the cure to all problems. Sometimes, you still have to meet in person or virtually with your team to address and solve complex issues. When you figure out that you spend lots of time trying to fix a problem over email or texts, sometimes it’s better to schedule a call or a meeting with your team and tackle it right on the spot.

Also, some processes such as brainstorming gain extra value from get-togethers. One idea builds on another and collectively leads to better results. Plus, meeting with your teammates on a regular basis helps you understand each other’s working habits, lifestyle and interests and enables you to build stronger relationships with them. That’s not easily replicated through asynchronous messaging.

When it comes to sharing some laughs and creating happy memories with your teammates, nothing beats the live version of it all.

So if you’re in the hunt for new applications and tips to manage remote teams successfully or to collaborate effectively with your teammates globally, asynchronous communication is probably your thing. There’s going to be a trial-and-error phase, and that’s OK. You won’t figure out everything immediately.

For starters, ask your employees and teammates for feedback and remind them that they do not have to send it straight away but respond based on their own bandwidth. Now that your employees are given the opportunity to think through their responses, the answers you do get – whether later in the day or tomorrow or next week – may surprise you with their insightfulness and creativity.

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Return to a new world of work: Get ready with these 5 insights

Keith MacKenzie — Thu, 21 May 2020 12:52:58 +0000

If you’re wondering the same, you’re not alone. We’re wondering the same too. This is an unprecedented situation, and consequently, there are no tried-and-true playbooks. This means learning as we go, and learning from others, too, in this new world of work.

But there is content being written about this return to some sense of “business as usual”. We’re pulling all of this together into five major insights, plus a bonus list at the end of companies who have shared playbooks and blueprints for their own action plan.

Physical office revolution
Introduction of new equipment and supplies
Change in office etiquette
Change in work hours and commutes
An increase in remote work
Additional resources – what other companies are doing

1. Physical office revolution

If the discussions are any indication, office space in the new world of work will be remarkably different. There will likely be a departure from the open-office environments that surged in popularity in recent decades.

But the return to the cubicle environment isn’t necessarily accurate, despite what Wired may make it sound like. The reality is, this is more of an evolution of office structure than a regression to the horrific fabric-laden wall separations so commonly derided in pop culture – particularly in the movie Office Space.

No, your employees needn’t be left behind in the dark. There are many brains behind the design of the “new” workplace, with COVID-19 being a catalyst for the evolution of a more functional office space, as is intricately detailed in this piece from Business Insider, complete with sketches and diagrams of how your new office might look.

“The fundamentals of real-estate economics — we don’t suddenly have the cash to buy three times more space,” Melissa Hanley, the CEO of the design firm Blitz, told BI. “So if we’re going to engage in social distancing, we have to think about it in a different way.”

Many design solutions are being proposed, including the “Six Feet Office” concept from commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, showing how routing and physical distancing rules can be implemented to ensure compliance with the six-feet separation recommendation:

The good news is that you probably don’t have to plan for the new world of work on your own. There are numerous workplace management platforms out there that can do the grunt work for you based on algorithms and data, including:

Maptician Flex – This tool analyzes an office’s physical layout including hallways, meeting rooms, etc. to devise the best desk arrangement. It also includes options for staggering employee schedules and has a built-in contact-tracing system to help identify those most at risk when a colleague falls ill.

Wisp by Gensler – This tool analyzes the existing layout of a workplace to identify an optimal plan for assigning seating, and includes personalized human expertise as needed.

Salesforce’s Work.com – This tool includes a contact-tracing system, shift-management algorithm, and a dashboard of localized COVID-19 data and government guidance. This product is created with open-architecture coding, allowing developers to design/build as needed and share via a marketplace for other users to utilize.

2. Introduction of new equipment and supplies

Office layout is just the first step in what’s being discussed in return-to-work best practices. Employers and thought leaders are also talking about the introduction of new technologies, supplies, and capabilities throughout offices to ensure minimal transmission of viruses and bacteria.

For example, low- or no-touch fixtures may be introduced throughout (buttons, door handles, faucets, etc.). Temperature checks and hand-washing stations will be available on arrival for employees and office visitors. Some offices will implement required wearing of masks and other face coverings. Those with the munchies may suffer – snacks and other all-in food options will potentially be limited or phased out altogether, and canteens may be closed or tightly managed.

Plexiglass sneeze guards and movable or permanent barriers are being considered by employers, as well as movable partitions in what is being described as the potential end of the open office as we know it. Employers are talking about hand sanitizers at every desk. There may be an increase in the use of copper as a design element in office spaces, as it’s less hospitable to germs. And there’ll be increased, intensive sanitizing and cleaning during off-work hours.

A breath of fresh air

Good news for those who are weary of the dead-air offices, numbing drone of air returns, and flickering fluorescent lights – we may be looking at brighter, breezier offices ahead. HEPA filters will be more often used and there’ll be more ventilation in offices with open windows and more free air-flow. Ideally, we’ll bid a final farewell to the sick-building syndrome for good. Offices will be designed to take in more sunlight and there’ll be more outdoor office space where it can be accommodated.

3. Change in office etiquette

Physical layouts and added equipment can only do so much. There are human habits that also need to be managed and controlled. Common cultural greetings such as the touching of noses in the UAE and Qatar, the cheek-to-cheek kiss commonly seen in many countries worldwide, the friendly hug between familiar companions, and, of course, the ubiquitous handshake are all being strongly discouraged.

But we’re social animals – we need to greet each other somehow. Don’t despair – the “Wuhan shake” (touching feet instead of shaking hands) has been played up in social media as a safe alternative. There’s also the clasping of one’s own hands as a greeting – as seen in Beijing – rather than shaking hands. There are many other touch-free options to greet one another, including the head nod, the wave, the obvious “hello”, and if you’re an Office fan, the Jim and Pam air-five:

Face-to-face meetings can also be reduced where possible. There are many instances in which these meetings can’t be avoided, and are even preferred to video or other telecommunications, particularly to get through some of the difficult stuff like conflict resolution, complex project strategizing, and so on.

In cases where face-to-face meetings are inevitable, there are etiquettes that can be expected to be followed. The obvious precautions – no touching, no handshakes, etc. – apply, but there are other rules that will be implemented to mitigate transmission in the new world of work. For instance:

Reducing or eliminating the sharing of paperwork
Using hand sanitizer both on entry and exit from the meeting room
Banning of food sharing – and especially no need for catered lunches
Ensuring physical separation in the meeting room – sit at least one full chair away from each other

4. Change in work hours and commutes

If the 9-to-5 was already on its way out, the pandemic may actually be the final nail in the coffin for those industries that don’t absolutely need to adhere to such a schedule and only stick to it out of habit. The greater emphasis on flexible work hours and work-life integration may be already in vogue for many, but there’s another thing that will likely become norm as business returns to some kind of “normal”: hot desking and staggered work days to reduce the density of workers in the office at any given time.

Spreading out the work hours also means lesser concentration on the commute during rush hour, which will benefit many who do need to go to the office. We won’t see nearly as much packing onto trains and buses – or even highways – as workers travel to and from work every day, with the benefit being twofold: a reduction in the average commute time which reached a new record high of 27 minutes each way in the United States in 2018.

An IBM study finds that 20% of respondents who regularly used buses, subways or trains now said they no longer would after the crisis passes, and 28% would use it less. More than half surveyed would reduce or even eliminate ridesharing (Uber, Lyft, etc.) as an option. A staggering 75% said they were less likely to attend an in-person conference or trade show in 2020.

[bctt tweet=”Are you ready – really ready – for the new world of work? These 5 insights will help your business prepare and land on your feet – and reassure your employees that you’ve got their back.” username=”workable”]

With the health consequences of a heavy commute being tangible, including obesity, breakdowns in family dynamics and relationships, burnout, disengagement and increased sick days – and augmented by congestion being a perfect recipe for COVID-19 to spread, the benefits of a reduced commute would be hugely welcome for both employee and employer.

5. An increase in remote work

Remote work is the obvious go-to solution – and the most widely discussed one – to reducing the risk of COVID-19 contamination in the new world of work. GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics found numerous socio-economic benefits to offering remote work as an option or even shifting an entire company to a remote-first operation.

Even though the remote work trend has been gradually introduced across industries and economies for years – even decades or centuries – it’s still a new thing for many companies. But the COVID-19 crisis has been a catalyst to push that even further – with the pandemic being described as the “remote work tipping point” by TopTal in a detailed infographic of the history of remote work dating back to 1560.

The IBM study mentioned above notes that it’s not just a “nice to have” among employees – it’s a growing “must have” or an “expected to have”. A full 40% now expect their employer to offer remote work options when returning to normal operations,and 75% would like to do it occasionally.

Plus, 54% would like their job to be remote-first. The perks are clear – no commute, more time with family, greater control over schedule, decreased stress, and so on. Paramount is the emphasis on work-life integration – the ability to determine one’s own schedule to excel in both work and personal life.

It’s not just about reducing the transmission of COVID-19 – it’s about increased tangible benefit to the employer as well. Remote workers put in an additional two full weeks of work than their in-office counterparts, the costs saved in providing traditional office space is lower, and employee retention is higher. Suffice it to say, remote work is here to stay.

The work, it is a-changin’

Whether you’re an employee or employer, a hiring manager or recruiter or HR manager, your work world will be impacted massively. There’s no point in crawling under a rock and hoping everything goes back to normal once the COVID-19 crisis passes – because it most likely won’t return to the way things were. We’re entering a whole new world of work.

This isn’t necessarily a terrifying revelation – rather, consider it a concentration of the next five years of progress happening within the span of a few months. There’s a famous quote by Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin: “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

Right now are the weeks where decades are happening, so to speak. What you can do as an employer or HR manager is to try and prepare as much as you can – because one thing that isn’t changing is that we’re going to continue business in some form or another. In the end, what matters is the health and safety of your employees – be it mental, physical, financial or otherwise – and taking many or all of the above learnings into account will go a long way for them and for you, as well.

Additional resources

Theories and predictions are fantastic, but you want to see what companies are actually doing and planning in terms of return-to-work strategies. That’s great, because there’s plenty out there, and they’re sharing their plans with the public. Learn from them as we enter a new world of work:

Bergmayer

This self-declared design collaborative focused on improving everyday lives through design – shared a comprehensive return-to-work plan that included:

details on compliance with local and federal government
sanitization protocolsa staggered schedule – i.e. Mon/Wed/Fri for some employees, Tues/Thurs for others
detailed visuals on how the office layout will look

They’re clear that some of these are temporary guidelines around re-entry to the office, but some of it will become a new standard.

KPMG

Irish financial services company KPMG shared a PDF of their return-to-office plan, with step-by-step details on:

gradual and phased return for employees
key mitigation measures (access controls, physical distancing, PPEs, office cleaning/hygiene)
travel considerations and preemptive measures for conferences, events and meetings
preparations for technology incorporation

KPMG also included guidelines on communications and compliance in what they ultimately called the “New Reality”.

Kroger

Supermarket chain Kroger, being an essential service, has this blueprint for their new world of work efforts, including details on:

the process to follow if an employee tests positive for COVID-19 and measures to contain the spread of the virus throughout its own workforce
utilization of data to make informed decisions
best practices regarding employee and customer physical and mental well-being in their supermarkets and manufacturing plants (communications, sanitation, safety, traffic control, contactless solutions, PPEs, etc.)
providing physical, mental, financial, and holistic support to managers, team members, and other colleagues throughout.

“We want to share what we’ve learned and best practices with other businesses, so they can take steps now to develop protocols and procedures to reopen safely and continue to flatten the curve,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said in a video message.

Salesforce

Cloud-based CRM software mogul Salesforce shared six steps to be considered on returning to the office space, starting with:

a guideline matrix on reopening (government guidance, medical advice, local leadership) specific to each office location
preparation of new health and safety measures (testing, temperature screening, face covering requirements, physical distancing, deep cleaning, etc.)
setting expectations and clear communications, office redesign, and supply chain strengthening

Forrester

Tech market research company Forrester shared two sets of pandemic management protocols for businesses to follow in returning to the office. The first set includes:

guidelines on staggering your employee schedules
tightly managing business travel
maintaining social distancing
boosting remote-work capabilities

The second set focuses more on the physical office itself:

rigorous cleaning schedules
rethinking office space to allow for greater distancing and less physical contact
limitations on gatherings (meetings), temperature checks
travel history monitoring for both colleagues and visitors.

Snap (Snapchat)

CEO Even Spiegel of Snap – the brains behind Snapchat – described his company’s return-to-work plan to CNBC’s Squawk Alley in a recent interview. He detailed changes to the floor plan, temperature checks, surveying for health conditions, micro-kitchens, and even the possibility of removing ice dispensers.

American Enterprise Institute

DC-based think tank American Enterprise Institute shared a detailed roadmap on returning to work, based on four phases of progress with many of the elements already discussed above – and with clear trigger points that need to happen to move to the next phase.

Alphabet (Google)

Internet behemoth Alphabet – best known as the parent company of Google – will reopen its offices starting June 1, and is looking to get 10%-15% capacity across its global offices. Those employees who require access to special equipment and those higher up the ladder will be prioritized for return, and those who can work from home will continue to do so until further notice.

“There will be no one-size-fits-all approach, and the specific guidance will vary from location to location,” according to a Google-issued memo.

Others

Similar practices were being looked at by numerous other companies including the tire company Pirelli, UK recruitment company PageGroup, and business services group Rentokil.

Social distancing, return-to-work schedules, PPEs, on-site testing, limitations on business travel, lesser density in office workforces, ramping up IT spending to accommodate remote work, and increased office ventilation and air quality were some of the hot topics being shared by some of the world’s top companies, including Boeing, IBM, and Discover Financial Services.

“Things will return to normal in our personal lives, like going to restaurants, but things in business will change forever,” cloud content and file-sharing service Box Inc. CEO Aaron Levie told MarketWatch.

Many other large US companies, including IBM, Hewlett Packard, JPMorgan, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs are enacting similar staggered return-to-work plans over the next few months. Like others, they’re also reevaluating crucial needs in the new world of work, which includes the hiring for new jobs such as “thermal scanner” and elevator attendants.

Note: Workable’s Marketing Content Intern Zinovia Panagopoulou’s research contributed significantly to this article.

The post Return to a new world of work: Get ready with these 5 insights appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

One-way Video Interview FAQs for hiring teams

Alexandra Marinaki — Wed, 20 May 2020 09:56:21 +0000

List of Questions

I’m concerned about hurting my candidate experience by taking a more automated approach. I don’t want to lose the human touch or turn off candidates. How have your customers tackled this concern?
Is there a possibility to send the video interview more than once? For instance, if a candidate misses the deadline or doesn’t have a great internet connection, will they be able to re-do it?
I’m not a tech expert. I’m still learning the ropes. Is this more for tech-savvy teams?
Is there a possibility not to give the candidate time to think?
Can multiple members of the hiring team leave evaluations with different scores?

One-way Video Interview FAQs – the answers

1. I’m concerned about hurting my candidate experience by taking a more automated approach. I don’t want to lose the human touch or turn off candidates. How have your customers tackled this concern?

If you’re using video interviews for the first time, it’s normal to wonder how they will impact your candidate experience. Will the candidates respond positively to this type of interview? Will you be able to keep this as personable as possible? The answer to both questions is yes; Workable’s Product Team has been through many trial-and-error phases to remove all kinds of frictions candidates may come across with:

“We’ve taken a lot of steps in order to make it more natural, more easy, not so awkward … for the candidate”, Michalis explained.

With Workable Video Interviews, candidates can test network connectivity and audio/video quality before they start recording. Candidates are also able to practice their answers before sending off the final videos. Be sure to give them more than one take so that they can present the answers they’re most proud of. As Michalis said:

“By taking all these sorts of precautions, we are trying to eventually offer the candidate a great experience and minimize the number of candidates who are going to have problems.”

But how do you personalize this process for each candidate? Michalis suggested explaining the video interview process to candidates step-by-step ahead of time so that they know what to expect and can prepare for success. You can also customize the email video interview invitation with interactive content to make it more engaging. For instance, you can upload a video presenting your hiring team and experiment with a more “laid-back approach to relax the candidates”, in Michalis’ own words.

Zoe also added her perspective on how to make video interviewing more personal:

However, if you sense that some candidates are still hesitant to conduct one-way interviews, perhaps there’s reasoning behind their concern. Address those concerns with curiosity: For example, they may be worried about using older tech which will produce a poor result or they may not have a quiet place to record their answers. As Michalis noted:

“If they [candidates] feel they really cannot do that, offer them an alternative and just use a different way of interviewing for that particular step of the process.”

In other words – video interviews don’t need to be dealmakers or dealbreakers for either you or the candidate. It’s there to optimize the process – not a test of the candidate’s capabilities in itself.

2. Is there a possibility to send the video interview more than once? For instance, if a candidate misses the deadline or doesn’t have a great internet connection, will they be able to re-do it?

Michalis briefly explained how you could respond to cases where candidates could not complete the interview before the deadline:

With Workable Video Interviews candidates can also split the work if they wish to or if a problem pops up. They can record individual interview parts on different days and different devices, at their convenience.

As for technical limitations (e.g. video quality, network issues, etc.), Michalis stated that they took all of them into consideration when building the product. Before candidates record their answers, potential frictions are tested and interviewees receive a headsup about technical problems they could meet down the road and possible solutions (see also question 1).

Whatever the reason, you will have the option of extending the deadline for submitting the video interview, or sending it again if the first one doesn’t come through as expected. Again, this highlights the importance of clear communication with the candidate to set the expectations either way.

3. I’m not a tech expert. I’m still learning the ropes. Is this more for tech-savvy teams?

Video interviews are not just for tech experts. Less tech-savvy hiring teams can also use this feature easily and set up video interviews seamlessly with just a few clicks. Michalis explains:

“We’re also about to launch a new functionality which will basically give them [hiring teams] the ability to have a pre-made, automatically prepared, interview question set based on the algorithms from machine learning and artificial intelligence on what are the the best questions you can have in an interview for a specific role, with specific skills, etc.”

The evaluation part is as handy, too; Hiring teams watch interview recordings on a simple-to-use video player and can leave comments and notes based on candidates’ performance, or even with thumbs up/down emojis. User experience was a priority going in for the Product Team – with particular emphasis on those new to video interviewing.

If you want to get a better, step-by-step understanding of how the Video Interviews tool works both for candidates and users, watch our webinar “One-way video interviews: The new normal”.

Zoe added that those simple tool functions have already allowed many customers from different sectors to succeed with Video Interviews.

Learn how healthy food restaurant chain Salad and Go screened candidates for two new restaurants in two weeks using Workable Video Interviews:

4. Is there a possibility not to give the candidate time to think?

Sometimes you want to assess how quickly a candidate can address a specific question or situation. To test that, you can give candidates a set amount of time to prepare for their answers. The hiring team can either select “unlimited time to think”, which means they can take as much time they need to practice their answer, or set a “time to think” frame which can be as short as one minute. Michalis clarified the reasoning behind these options:

5. Can multiple members of the hiring team leave evaluations with different scores?

Yes, multiple hiring team members can assess and score candidates independently when using Video Interviews. Each member can watch video answers at their own convenience and leave comments or notes as they see fit. Michalis explained:

“Each hiring team member can watch the video answer and can add their own comments, notes, and evaluations for the candidate. A new scorecard will be automatically created and completed for each member.”

Plus, all notes and scores for each candidate will be put together in a structured way inside the tool, making it easy for the whole hiring team to track them and make better hiring decisions.

The post One-way Video Interview FAQs for hiring teams appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

How we approached (video) interviews

Andrew Chraniotis — Mon, 18 May 2020 14:58:57 +0000

One of the best commercial digital products I’ve always admired is Google Maps. (Spoiler: it’s not because I am a Google fanboy.) What I like most about that app is the simple fact that whenever I use it, I am always under some kind of pressure; either I am driving in unknown places during vacation or I am abroad exploring and touring different countries. Whenever I use it, I can’t afford any mistakes. I just want reliability and precision.

Since I am fortunate enough to witness how these kind of products are made, how the teams are working on them and even work with some people that built them, I could not help myself – I wanted to find a similar problem to solve: To design an interface for human beings under stress, with a goal to reduce that stress.

Stress mode: on

On a bright morning at a recent Workable summit, we were told that a new team would be formed with one goal in mind: build a new product to allow candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers to perform asynchronous video interviews. The business case was solid; on the recruiter’s side, it saves time so they don’t have to schedule phone screens and carry them out with candidates.

On the candidate’s side, it provides a reliable platform to record answers and share them with the company they’re applying to. We wanted to examine a scenario: How would the candidates record their answers? To answer this, we held a design sprint. We talked with several real-life candidates – even those who had performed a video interview in the past.

You can see plenty of feedback about the whole video interview concept in public, such as in this subreddit post. Even the negative stuff is immensely helpful for us, because we want to solve those problems and challenges with our new feature.

The number-one problem we would have to solve, as far as the candidate was concerned, was pretty clear. It’s the stress. I know, it sounds rather generic and vague, but picture this: You are a candidate and you have to record and submit a set of five questions via a browser. It’s a terrifying scenario for many candidates. Questions abound:

This is my first time doing this. How does this platform even work?
What if my internet fails me halfway through this process?
How can I possibly look and act normal when I’m talking into a computer?

Reviewing these concerns can take up a lot of time – and it did.

Design comes into play

Since that list of concerns is quite comprehensive, it was obvious that we had the problem outlined. Here’s our opportunity to jump into Sketch and solve that problem. Right? Wrong.

In fact, it was too early to do that. Instead, we gathered more feedback from candidates who had done video interviews in the past and grouped their responses into specific concerns. That feedback gave birth to a set of principles that would guide us when we built the application.

Here’s the set of principles we outlined – a quick and dirty three-point list:

1. Make feedback always visible

This was the first and toughest one. We needed to allocate valuable real estate on the screen to provide platform feedback to the candidate. This feedback isn’t just about error messages; it’s about guiding the user throughout the whole process. It’s more about providing a north star.

Of course, it plays well with error messages too. Assuming the person will get the concept that a message is always there showing what’s going on at any given time, this will be the spot the candidate will look to for feedback if anything comes up (such as a technical issue).

2. Be picky about the options

The interview process – and especially the video part of it – is a high-stress time for a candidate. So, what you choose to expose to the candidate is extremely important. Remember the Google Maps example at the beginning of this story? Google Maps has been doing an excellent job structuring map and navigation information in such a way that you’ll have your route in the spotlight at any step of your experience.

The image below is a great example on how we achieved this for Video Interviews. This is the scenario when the candidate has the maximum number of CTAs displayed in the interface.

3. Separate screen into logical groups (and group relevant actions)

Video interviews in general, is a fairly new concept. That means there’s is no known path to follow and no real precedence to build on. Moreover, it’s not the most widely known or understood interface – yet. Video interviews can be a steep learning curve for many.

So, what I wanted to do was separate the interface into logical groups, and then group those together. By doing this, we would make a more intuitive interface.

In the end, we added three major controls: Navigation, Questions, and Interview. Each one of these three groups represented a specific pool where similar and common actions could be pulled together.

Outcome

Stress is quite intangible – it’s difficult to measure. Business metrics, retention, or adoption is much easier. Because of its intangibility, the stress factor of video interviews was difficult to solve. We can’t outright eliminate it, but we can remove some of the elements that might contribute to it by providing an interface that’s easy to grasp and understand for candidates.

Moreover, we wanted to make the person behind the screen feel that they are in control of the interface. For instance, the recording will start only when they’re ready. The interview begins only when they’re ready. Their answers are sent only when they’re ready to be sent. This puts the whole experience within control of the user, without the need for a “smart” experience that would make decisions and choices for you.

This project has been a great success so far. The numbers prove it too: our data shows that the completion rate of our Video Interviews is much higher than the industry standard. Industry-wide, we found that one-third of candidates actually complete their video interview, whereas candidates using our Video Interview platform completed it two-thirds of the time.

In closing – we set out to craft an interface that was simple to use, to free candidates of the burden of learning the interface and allow them to simply present their best selves during the video interview. Talking into a machine is obviously a bit awkward – we didn’t want candidates to feel that awkwardness. So we set out to make it as comfortable of an experience as possible. While we’re continuing to assess feedback, we’re excited to see how the positive response grows as more and more companies adopt our Video Interviews interface.

Andrew Chraniotis was a Senior Product Designer at Workable. He was part of the team that developed Workable’s Video Interviews feature.

The post How we approached (video) interviews appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Video Interviews: Designing for and with end users in mind

Korina Loumidi — Fri, 15 May 2020 13:26:35 +0000

We start all projects at Workable with research and analysis following the fundamental steps of Design Thinking. First, this helps us gather insights and data to make informed design decisions, since intuition and best practises can only get us that far.

Second, this guides us through iterations and improvements that can eliminate problems and frustration for the end user. Finally, this can actually decrease the risk of failure and improve profitability for the company, with reduced costs of customer support and happy customers who will spread a good word about our product to the world.

The Video Interviews feature first kicked off about a year ago, with our team gathering for a Design Sprint. The purpose of this week-long structured workshop is to map out and understand the problem, ideate, and agree on a target. We actually ran two separate design sprints:

First, we did one focusing on the candidate’s experience (receiving a request to complete a video interview, recording answers and submitting the assignment).
Once an MVP for the candidate experience was ready for implementation we did another, focusing on the recruiter and hiring manager’s experience (setting up a video interview for a job, sending a request to candidates and then viewing and evaluating the candidate submissions).

Defining personas and finding people to talk to

Leading up to the Design Sprint, we identified people who could share valuable insights with us on the topic at hand, which was oneway video interviews for recruiting purposes.

For the candidate persona we reached out to recently hired Workable employees who had experience with video interviews for their current role, or a previous one.

For the recruiter persona we reached out to select customers who had expressed interest in this feature to their account managers, as well as our amazing in-house recruiting team (who always contribute to our research and usability testing).

Understanding and empathizing with the end user

Hearing first hand from video interview applicants was an eye-opener, especially about how stressful this experience can be for them. Anything from a hardware issue to a distraction in their surroundings could cost them a good submission and jeopardize their progress in the interview process, which is critical for active job seekers.

At the same time we learned that candidates think highly of companies that use this type of “high tech and modern” method in their hiring process. These and other candidate insights guided us in designing a helpful and pleasant experience for them.

Recruiters talked to us about how bias can be a challenge for their hiring team while evaluating candidates. This is a challenge that video interviews could potentially augment if the evaluator focuses on the visual appearance of the person or the environment the video submission is recorded in.

At the same time they were very excited to get their hands on this tool that can help them screen candidates better and faster from an early pipeline stage.

Validating and testing our ideas

Equipped with a deep understanding about who we are designing for, what they need and want, the team got straight to work and designed the key parts of the candidate and recruiter experience respectively. We created working prototypes and invited a handful of Workable employees to test them out. This helped us validate the direction we had chosen and helped us identify some issues at an early stage, before spending effort on development.

Finding volunteers to test the candidate experience was easy, since we targeted any person who could potentially be asked to submit a video interview for a job application. to test the hiring manager experience, we targeted any manager who would potentially screen a candidate for their team with a video interview, even if they had never done this before.

Testing the product in the real world

As the development of the feature was reaching completion we engaged our own recruiting team and six key customers in an Early Adopter Program. We gathered their input as they used video interviews to screen and evaluate candidates over the course of a few weeks. Even though we had incorporated user input at multiple points since the beginning of the project and were confident in what we had built, there was still more for us to learn from its performance in real world circumstances.

We did not get much feedback from candidates besides some minor technical issues that were quickly fixed. This could mean that we indeed did a great job and delivered something that works perfectly, or perhaps that candidates were not willing to share their feedback during their application process with a company (and I don’t blame them).

Recruiters, however, shared great feedback with us, most of which has already been added to our roadmap. One of their key concerns was about creating a “good” video interview, in which they ask candidates enough questions to get the information they are looking for, but also does not require too much time to complete, which could lead to them dropping out and not completing the video interview.

Keep listening, keep learning, keep improving

Upon the completion of the Early Adopter Program video interviews became available to all Workable customers. You might have thought that our work was done, but it wasn’t! The world and people evolve and change and so should our product. We will keep monitoring the traffic and usage analytics of the feature to track performance and identify issues. We will also keep listening to all incoming feedback from our customers through different channels, such as customer support and the account management team, in order to react to it.

Salad & Go, for example, shared some great feedback on how they’ve been able to use video interviews to conduct remote hiring:

We will keep asking questions in order to understand what our users need and improve our product for them. This is essential to the quality and success of Video Interviews – and this is important to us as well.

Anything from a casual conversation where you ask a friend for their opinion on something, all the way to a formally structured research or test activity can help you learn something you did not know before. And this is the essence of user-centered design, so start talking to your users today!

Korina Loumidi is Workable’s Principal UX Researcher. She was part of the team that developed Workable’s Video Interviews feature.

The post Video Interviews: Designing for and with end users in mind appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Video interview red flags: Why they’re not all valid

Christina Pavlou — Tue, 12 May 2020 13:56:16 +0000

Put simply, do you know what your office employees’ apartments look like? Even more, do you care? Then why should the setting that candidates pick for their video interview matter? Surely, a candidate who has a clean background and speaks fluently in front of a camera will make a great first impression. But it’s a huge leap to reject candidates outright because, for example, the lighting was not good or if they were clearly working from the kitchen table.

Let’s see what the most common candidate video interview red flags are and why you should take them with a pinch of salt:

1. Less than perfect environment / background

There are lots of online guides that help both candidates and interviewers get ready for a video interview. They usually advise to have a background free of clutter, pick a well-lit room and mute notifications. Does this mean that a candidate who doesn’t adhere to all these tips is inexcusable? Hardly.

Elements like poor lighting, background noises or interruptions from pets and roommates can indeed be distracting. But let’s face it: we can’t replicate the office environment. We’re asking too much from candidates when we expect them to have the perfect setting for their video interview.

Think about these scenarios:

Corinne is living with three roommates and the only quiet place in the apartment where she can have the video interview without any distractions is her small bedroom with just her bed and no desk.
Benjamin has some issues with his internet connection these days so he chose to have his video interview at a quiet but outdoors cafe instead.
Damian is currently employed and has a video interview with another company, but the only mutually convenient time was during his lunch break, so he takes the call in the parking lot inside his car.
Anastasia was invited to a video interview but has only a desktop PC without a webcam, therefore she connects through her smartphone that she has to hold as stable as possible during the entire call.

Or, have a look at this real video interview that went viral a while ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ktsl6_Rpg&feature=youtu.be

There are many reasons why candidates might not have this perfect, distraction-free environment for your video interview, so don’t be so quick to judge them – or, especially, reject them.

But…

If it’s essential for candidates to have good video skills (e.g. let’s say you’re hiring for a video editor role or a customer education position), you want them to proactively think about details, such as the quality of lighting and sound. Those candidates will likely stand out. Make sure, though, that you take into account the actual work conditions: if they’re going to be working from your office, then an unexpected interruption from a pet during the video interview should not be a dealbreaker, because it’s not something they could have easily prevented – or something likely to happen at your office.

2. Poor body language

Do you know this trick where you put a post-it next to your webcam to remind yourself to look through the camera when you’re on a video call? Not everyone does. And even if they use this trick, it doesn’t mean that it’s always effective. Job interviews are stressful anyway, more so when you have to speak to a computer as opposed to a human. It’s normal that candidates forget to maintain “eye contact” during a video interview.

Besides lack of eye contact, other signs of “poor” body language, often stated as red flags during job interviews, could be:

fidgeting
not smiling
having a bad posture
playing with their hair
biting their nails

Although those behaviors indicate nervousness, don’t be quick to raise a red flag. Video interviews put candidates in the spotlight, and particularly their face, meaning that it’s easier for you to focus on a tic they might have or a nervous movement they make.

We could argue that candidates could practice and fix those non-verbal cues that don’t read well on camera. For example, in one-way video interviews, they do have the chance to pre-record themselves and check how they look and sound – but this doesn’t necessarily make the process easier for them.

People usually don’t like how they look on camera or how their voice sounds, especially when they’re not familiar with this process. That could make them come across as uncomfortable or anxious. To help candidates ease their nerves, you could:

Share some tips beforehand to help them prepare for the video interview
Have a member of the hiring team record themselves welcoming candidates to the hiring process in order to set the tone
Send a video example to show them how to best present themselves

If the role has nothing to do with speaking in front of a camera (whether recording yourself or live), then you shouldn’t be harsh on people who might struggle with that. And don’t assume that they lack self-confidence; for example, note how the tone of their voice changes when they speak about something they know very well. This is a better indicator of whether they feel confident about their skills and knowledge.

But…

If the video interview is a simulation of the job (i.e. if the role involves speaking to clients through video or giving online presentations), then candidates’ performance can give you a hint of how well they’ll do at the actual job. Also, poor body language could be a red flag if we’re talking about over-the-top behaviors, such as excessive nervousness that doesn’t let the discussion flow or an extremely relaxed attitude (e.g. lying on the couch during the job interview while wearing pajamas).

3. Technical difficulties

One common reason why candidates struggle with – or are cautious about – video interviews is that they’re not familiar with the tech requirements. Examples include internet connection hiccups, video interview software they haven’t used before, or hardware (e.g. camera and microphone) setup.

While candidates don’t need to be IT experts to attend a video interview, there are certain tech issues they might not be aware of in advance. For example, their internet connection could be OK for regular web surfing, but video calls usually require more capacity. Therefore, they might realize that the connection is less stable only during the interview itself.

Unless the video interview is a testament to candidates’ technical skills, consider sending some simple guidelines ahead of your call to prevent such issues when possible. Mention how candidates can:

Join the call (e.g. whether they need to download specific software)
Check the quality of their camera, microphone and speakers
Practice recording themselves before submitting their final answers (in case of one-way video interviews)
Troubleshoot common technical issues

However, keep in mind that no matter how well prepared you are, things don’t always go as planned. Don’t jump to the conclusion that a candidate is unprofessional or less interested in the role if they show up a few minutes late; tech hiccups could happen at any time. Perhaps they had checked before the call and everything was working, but as they tried to join the meeting, they noticed that their camera or microphone disconnected, so they needed to restart their computer which cost valuable minutes. (“Have you tried turning it off and on again?”)

It’s best to help them overcome those technical difficulties – or even reschedule if there’s no other solution – rather than judge them over things they can’t necessarily control.

But…

When hiring for tech roles, poor troubleshooting skills might be a red flag. Again, though, don’t focus on the problem itself, focus on how candidates handle those technical issues as they arise. For example, candidates who panic because they can’t connect to your video interview software or because they fail to make their microphone work might not be the best fits for an IT role where they’ll have to support others and regularly solve tech issues.

4. Inauthentic answers

The purpose of video interviews, just like any type of job interview and assessment, is to gauge candidates’ skills and decide whether they would be a good fit for your company. So, when candidates give canned answers, when they sound “robotic” without letting their skills shine, or when they fail to answer a question by giving vague or one-word answers, you can’t truly understand their potential.

This doesn’t mean you should instantly disqualify them, though. First, try to identify and address the reasons behind their interview performance.

Canned answers are usually the result of common, overly-used interview questions – such as “What are your biggest strengths?” or “Why are you a good fit for this role?”. Your candidates likely have heard those questions many times over and learned to answer in a specific way. Instead, differentiate your questions to prompt candidates to share their unique experiences. For example, you can ask them to describe specific examples where they showed empathy at work or to walk you through one of their past projects. You could also give them a fictional scenario and see how they’d approach it.
Lack of experience talking to a camera makes candidates sound robotic and less engaged. It’s not necessarily an indicator of their communication skills. Help them get more comfortable by setting the right tone yourself. When we speak to other people, we tend to mirror their behaviors, so the more you smile and the more confident and relaxed you look, the easier it’ll be for candidates to show their true self. If you’re conducting one-way video interviews, you can send an email to candidates prior to their recording to introduce yourself so they’re feeling they’re addressing you even if there’s no live interaction.
Technical difficulties might cause candidates to give poor answers or even to miss a question. When they give a vague or very short answer, there are chances that they might haven’t heard the question properly. Consider asking a follow-up question if you’re not satisfied with their answer. For one-way video interviews, make sure that you give candidates clear guidelines on how to submit their answers and that your video interviewing software is intuitive and easy-to use. It’s helpful if candidates can record multiple takes and pick the one that best captures what they want to express. Also, if you have a time limit, make sure that candidates are aware of that in advance and that the timer is in a prominent position.

But…

When candidates clearly don’t put an effort in showcasing their skills, even if you’re asking the right questions and helping them feel comfortable with the process, this could indeed be a video interview red flag. Inevitably, those who do their research, come prepared and can explain whether and how they’d add value to your team will stand out, unlike candidates who stick to socially desirable answers or seem they want to get it over with.

5. No-shows

“They didn’t show up at the interview, so they probably aren’t interested in the role.”

“It’s unprofessional to not notify the interviewer when you can’t make it to the interview.”

These are valid concerns when candidates miss a (video) interview. Particularly for one-way video interviews, where candidates can record their answers at their own convenience, it’s odd to miss the deadline.

But, have you thought that maybe it’s you, not them? Besides serious, last-minute emergencies or lack of professionalism, interview no-shows indicate that candidates changed their mind and don’t wish to invest time in your hiring process. If you dig deeper, you might find that you’re “pushing” them to that decision.

For video interviews, specifically, no-shows could mean that:

Candidates might feel that the process is cold and impersonal. Picture this: they applied for a role at your company and are looking forward to hearing back from you. Instead, they get a generic message to log into a platform and record their answers. Try to add a human touch to your outreach to candidates during every step of the process. Introduce yourself, share a quick custom video from a member of the hiring team or offer some useful tips to candidates so that they don’t feel their only interaction with your company is through a screen.
Candidates may not understand why you interview them online. Unless you’re hiring for a remote position, video interviewing might seem an odd choice to local candidates or even an indicator that you don’t want to invest time in them. To avoid that perception, be open about the structure of your hiring process. You can send shortlisted applicants an overview of the next steps or describe the process on your careers page. When candidates know what to expect, they’re more likely to be engaged.
Candidates might struggle with setup or technical requirements. Imagine not being able to download the video software, struggling to find how to record or re-play your answers or having questions pop up at your screen without you knowing that the time is on. This is not the kind of experience you want to offer to candidates – and it could explain why some of them don’t complete the interview. Make sure that the process is user-friendly; try it out yourself, test it with your colleagues, gather and use feedback to improve it before inviting candidates. Also, share step-by-step guidelines and be available for questions candidates may have.

But…

You can’t know for sure why a candidate didn’t attend a job interview – whether in-person or remote – unless they tell you. And while it’s difficult to get this information from candidates themselves, you can see if there are any patterns. For example, if most no-shows are during the video interview stage for a specific role, you might want to check whether this position attracts less tech-savvy candidates, so you need to present the process in more detail. If numbers tell you that, in general, candidates drop out from the video interview stage, reach out to your most recent hires to understand what challenges they faced when they were in that stage. No-shows are not something you can easily control, but you can try to offer a great candidate experience to prevent as many as possible.

Video interviews help you find out which candidates will make better hires. Don’t rely on quick shortcuts, though. Making assumptions about candidates may speed up the process, but puts the quality of your hiring at risk. To avoid biases when interviewing candidates online, think about what you’re looking for in potential hires beforehand. Then keep an eye out for those qualifiers in candidates’ answers, as opposed to focusing on apparent video interview red flags.

The post Video interview red flags: Why they’re not all valid appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

High-volume hiring: How you can make it work

Alexandra Marinaki — Mon, 11 May 2020 13:04:55 +0000

On a typical morning in the ‘recruiting world’, you pour yourself a cup of coffee, turn on your PC and log into your ATS or email. You quickly go over new applications for open roles and move on to your next tasks. But what if you ran into 200 fresh applications for five job positions which must be filled soon – within a month or less? Would you able to retain your daily routine in such a high-volume hiring mode?

High-volume hiring – also known as mass recruitment – refers to filling positions on a larger scale than normal, in a shorter time frame. A business usually needs to hire employees en masse due to rapid growth, new opportunities, and expansion to new markets or regions. Seasonality is also a factor, e.g. in hospitality where demand for new workforce can fluctuate wildly depending on time of year.

For recruiters and hiring teams, managing high-volume hiring can be hard, especially if you’re new to it. To overcome some of the common high-volume recruiting challenges, such as finding top talent promptly with the minimum possible cost, you need to calibrate a well-coordinated hiring process from job posting to onboarding new hires. This is not always a piece of cake, especially when hiring many employees at once for different departments and roles.

In this guide you’ll find bulk hiring techniques and tips for each phase of the recruiting funnel. Pick those that complete your current recruiting practices best to reach your goals without compromising quality and candidate experience.

Plan carefully and make technology your friend

Firstly, whether you are creating a high-volume hiring strategy for future use (see seasonality example mentioned above) or you’re facing urgent hiring needs due to unexpected forces (as happened in healthcare sector during the COVID-19 pandemic) there’s one thing you certainly need to have: A good plan. If you’ve recruited in bulk with your team in the past, get together and comb through all your hiring methods and procedures that succeeded.

A kind reminder; automation and tech will prove to be life-saving – perhaps more now than ever. Use your ATS and other tools to automate time-consuming tasks such as scheduling or communicating with candidates and teammates (e.g. follow-up communication email) to free up time for other more valuable tasks.

With these two handy tips in mind, let’s now move to the core guidelines.

1. Define skills and evaluation process

With urgent hiring needs and lots of applications to choose from for multiple roles, it’s important to understand the value each new employee can bring to your business. That’s why you should thoroughly discuss with hiring managers and team what background and must-have skills the ideal candidates should have before moving to the job posting.

Name the top three role responsibilities and what abilities are necessary to nail them. Ask yourselves; What will the new employee’s KPIs be? What values and strengths are essential to thrive in each job position? After you spot these factors, recall them during the next steps to make sure you attract candidates that fulfill all the essential criteria.

Next, create a plan of how you’ll evaluate applications and candidates, and divide roles among colleagues. Who will conduct the interviews and who will provide feedback for assignments? This will save you lots of time you would otherwise spend communicating back and forth with your colleagues or important details getting lost in translation. With so many activities loading at the same time, it’s easy to lose track of who decides what.

Remember, the more detailed your plan, the more benefits you’ll reap along the way. Try to picture the obstacles you are likely to hit going forward and potential solutions for each, to avoid nasty ‘surprises’.

2. Optimize candidate-facing content

When advertising high-volume hiring jobs, develop your content strategically to attract as many skilled candidates as you can within a set time frame. You can start by optimizing your content: Firstly, make sure to mention job responsibilities and requirements in job ads as thoroughly as you can. Avoid leaving space for loose interpretation; with high-volume hiring jobs, time is precious – you don’t want to waste time trying to explain or re-explain aspects of the job to hopeful candidates.

Plus, describe the company values and culture in the brief so that potential candidates not only have a clear idea of the role, but also of the company, before they apply. Dare to be creative; share interviews of employees describing daily work-life and habits. Finally, include perks and benefits and photos of your latest get-together or event to show what your company is really made of.

If you hire often at scale, optimize your careers page and job descriptions based on Search Engine Optimization rules and design pages that convert. This way, you increase the probability of candidates landing in front of your job openings while searching the web or even individual job boards. You could also make these pages easy to navigate by dividing the distinct roles into categories.

3. Mark your sourcing strategy

Now that you’ve created the ideal candidate profile and you’ve described it in the job ad, and with a polished careers page ready to shine, it’s officially sourcing time. Let’s face it; it’s not easy to find hundreds of suitable applicants through just one platform. You need to scout through different channels and make it easy for candidates to apply in simple steps, with easy-apply and mobile-friendly solutions.

Post on job boards and social media

First off, post job ads on multiple job boards to expand your outreach. Find also niche job boards based on industry to attract targeted candidates (e.g. TeachingJobs for teaching positions in the US). A bonus: diversifying the job boards you’re posting to also leads to a more diverse range of candidates.

Don’t stick to the same ol’s; search candidates through social media like Facebook, Instagram, and more. You can also run high-level social media campaigns targeting suitable candidates based on detailed requirements you’ve set and share this job opportunity with them.

Boost employee referrals

Good people tend to know good people; all you need is to convince your employees to introduce and refer skilled professionals for your roles. This is even more helpful with high-volume hiring when you need to reach out to more candidates in less time. Your employees know your brand and culture and have a stronger idea of who would be a good fit for a role, with the required skills and work ethics that would fit in nicely. Systemize the referring process as much as you can and offer participation incentives to make it more attractive to employees.

Keep your talent pool updated

If high-volume hiring is common for your business, keep your talent pool filled to the brim with potentially good candidates anytime you spot them and you’ll thank yourself later. They could even be candidates you’ve rejected in the past as they did not meet all the criteria at that time – but perhaps they’re a great fit now. You can also use AI-powered solutions to source passive candidates and add them in your talent pool for future (or current) reference.

4. Screen en masse (and efficiently)

To save time when screening tons of applications, use a resume parsing solution to find the relevant applications for you and disqualify the unsuitable ones based on criteria you have set. In this way, you’ll more quickly filter in those applicants who tick all the boxes.

But if you follow the ideal candidate profile method mentioned above, you might trip over your unconscious biases and miss out on great candidates from diverse backgrounds. To avoid this trap, stay open-minded; don’t put overly strict requirements for the application selection phase, but instead focus on finding the silver lining. Sometimes learning capability is a stronger asset compared to experience.

Following up, structure your next screening steps so that they are equal for everyone; ask the same questions and hand out an assignment and/or a pre-employment assessment tool (e.g. a GAT) that will reveal the candidates’ real abilities. Data will always show you a clearer image if you treat them wisely, especially when things are moving fast and you need to hire people as quickly as you can.

Utilize video interviews

When you have many applicants to review in a minimum time frame it’s difficult to organize interviews at your company’s premises or when you’re hiring remotely. That’s precisely when you can make the most of one-way video interviews. Ask candidates to self-record themselves answering the interview questions you’ll submit to them. You can then evaluate them at your own convenience and sync with your colleagues – who likewise are working in their own schedules – to share feedback online later.

Be mindful of the questions you ask; if you’re using an assessment tool and an assignment avoid asking the same questions twice. You’ll not only save time but also learn as much as you can for the candidates before you qualify them for the last round, the interview with the hiring manager/executive.

Secure candidate experience

One of the biggest challenges in high-volume recruiting is maintaining a good candidate experience. When you have to screen people quickly, after rejecting a candidate during the assessment phase you might forget to follow up with them and move on to other more urgent tasks. This can potentially hurt your brand reputation as these candidates may share their opinion, both online in sites like Glassdoor and offline with friends and peers.

It’s important to remember that even rejected candidates are potential strong assets in your talent pool in the future. Don’t get lost in the noise; follow your hiring process steps and candidate experience strategy diligently and reap the benefits in the long run.

5. Automate documentation and onboarding processes

New hire experience is equally valuable to candidate experience. When hiring and onboarding people in bulk, many nuisances will appear; you’ll have many documents to file, lots of questions to answer and many people to train – and each of them should be treated uniquely. Tech automation can help massively with this.

For example, an HRIS system such as BambooHR will help you obtain and organize all hiring documents. Onboarding software such as Click Boarding can help you keep the planning of onboarding activities and trainings in one place and prepare new candidates for success (both tools are integrated to Workable’s own recruiting solution).

Train wisely

When training new hires en masse, don’t forget to make the sessions as personable as possible. Each of them will have their own learning style and pace; apart from organizing skill training sessions, build guides that explain key aspects of the tasks and include Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help them figure out the basics. You could also create buddy or mentoring systems to boost their confidence while they learn how to perform their tasks successfully.

6. Analyze recruiting metrics and repeat

Now that the hard part is over and you’ve finally onboarded new employees, it’s time to reflect and report. Analyze key high-volume recruiting metrics such as source of hire, time to hire, and conversion rate to understand what worked well and what should be improved in the future.

What source did you get the most candidates from? How successful were your pre-screening methods based on candidate drop-out? Understanding these metrics thoroughly will not only benefit your mass recruiting efforts but your hiring as a whole.

Happy hiring!

Yes, happy indeed; as already explained there’s no need to overly stress about high-volume hiring – just make sure you have a rock-solid plan to tackle all challenges. Again, sit down with your teammates, discuss openly and plan your strategy step-by-step. And most importantly, don’t forget to reflect back on your wins and drawbacks when hiring is over – it will definitely contribute to your future high-volume hiring success.

The post High-volume hiring: How you can make it work appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

Alexander Dennis saves over $300K in agency fees in the first year of using Workable

Johanna Cohen — Fri, 08 May 2020 17:32:10 +0000

The challenge	The solution
Recruitment was hugely time consuming Lacked infrastructure to manage recruitment effectively internally and relied on agencies Spent several hundred thousand dollars a year on agency fees As business grew, HR was under pressure to reduce overhead and improve service levels	Build a business case to purchase and implement Workable Decrease agency reliance because of global job board distribution Reduce time to hire with hiring manager engagement across all recruitment stages Save more than $300K in agency fees in first year

Alexander Dennis designs, engineers, builds and supports a range of market-leading buses. They operate in the UK, North America, Continental Europe and Asia Pacific. Globally, there are over 25,000 people every minute of every day riding their buses. To break that down even further, more than half of the buses that you see on the roads in the UK are made by Alexander Dennis, with over 3.5 million passengers a day in London alone making a journey on one of their buses.

The company’s revenue tripled in the past decade but the HR Team had not grown at the same speed, requiring Alexander Dennis to rely heavily on agencies and manual spreadsheets. Tasked with reducing spend, David Raphael, Head of Talent Acquisition, made the business case to purchase Workable, saving Alexander Dennis $300,000 on agency spend in their first year with Workable.

“With Workable we’ve significantly reduced our agency spend and at the same time, modernized, standardized and future-proofed our recruitment process.”

The HR Team of 12 needed an easy to use system and one that was quick to implement for 120 hiring managers and counting spread across the world. With Workable, Alexander Dennis took charge of recruitment without having to expand their HR Team by collaborating across hiring teams, thus exceeding the Finance Team’s mission to reduce spend.

“I couldn’t guarantee that I was going to get the results. I knew I would, but I couldn’t guarantee. You know, Workable’s a good product. It’s a great one.”

David, new to Alexander Dennis when he made the business case to purchase Workable, was untested in major business initiatives at the company, but with Workable, the HR Team automated admin and became a true business partner.

The post Alexander Dennis saves over $300K in agency fees in the first year of using Workable appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

From 1,018 applications to 2 new hires: Tuff Growth’s hiring process

Keith MacKenzie — Wed, 06 May 2020 14:45:11 +0000

Note from Workable: This is a guest post from Tuff Growth. We thought it was a wonderfully detailed breakdown of their hiring process that deserves to be read by many. Enjoy the read.

When it comes to hiring, we apply a similar lens. For example, you can also think about candidates being at the top of the funnel, middle of the funnel, and bottom of the funnel.

In February, we opened up two roles on the Tuff team:

SEO Strategist
Growth Marketer

Our first step was laying out our hiring strategy. We decided to work with a Talent & People Ops consultant, Mary, from Intention Consulting. We wanted to work with an expert who could help us build a strong and tested process to find the best people for Tuff.

For the SEO Strategist role, we needed a channel specialist who could help our clients increase their organic reach. We work with a diverse set of clients and corresponding business models so we needed someone who has broad SEO experience (rather than specializing in local SEO) and who is comfortable adapting quickly.

For the Growth Marketer role, we were looking for more of a marketing generalist. At Tuff, a Growth Marketer partners closely with our clients to understand the core of their business, their goals outside of marketing, and then get really specific on how we can help drive growth. We needed someone comfortable working closely with clients but in a more generalist role there is flexibility in how they achieve the goals depending on their background.

Here’s what we learned

Specialist vs. Generalist

There is a difference between hiring for a Specialist (SEO Strategist) vs. a Generalist (Growth Marketer). The SEO Strategist role took 47 days to fill from job posted to offer letter signed. We had a more tailored skill set we were looking for. The Growth Marketer role took 29 days to fill from job posted to offer letter signed. We had clear outcomes we wanted this person to achieve and competencies we were evaluating for but there was room for more diversity in their background (i.e. content, paid search, paid social, etc.).

Process

Before these hires, we had 3 full time team members. Now, we are at 5. We learned a few lessons about the process, specifically how much to involve team members who also had a lot on their plate in terms of client work. It was important for us to create a Scorecard (more below) at the start of the process to have clear and explicit alignment on the outcomes we needed these team members to be responsible for.

Sources

We spent $553.34 on LinkedIn. In the end, the two hires came from alternate sources. We break it down more below. We would still spend the money on LinkedIn as it accounted for 80% of the applications and 50% of the interviews. Just not eventual hires.

Employer Branding

In Tuff’s client work, we are very transparent and open. It’s a value Mary came to recognize in our work and it opened up doors when it came to employer branding and helping qualify candidates. With her help, we ramped up these efforts on LinkedIn when we opened up the two roles, posting about our company retreat that happened while we were interviewing and tagging the Tuff team in hiring posts so people could check out their profiles before applying. The person we hired for the Growth Marketer role was a connection of Tuff on LinkedIn.

SEO Strategist hire

We posted the role for SEO Strategist using Workable, on February 6.

Tuff’s new SEO Strategist, Derek, signed his offer letter on March 24. This hire took us 48 days from posting to offer letter signed.

We break down the interview process in more detail below (i.e. what is a topgrade interview?) but here’s a breakdown of our funnel metrics:

Here are a few of our conversion rates we found interesting:

Applications to phone screen: 5.45%
Phone Screen to Topgrade Interview: 18.75%
Applications to Hire: 0.17%

Growth Marketer hire

We posted the Growth Marketer role on February 19.

Tuff’s newest Growth Marketer, John, signed his offer letter March 18. This hire took us 29 days from posting to offer letter signed.

Here’s a breakdown of our funnel metrics:

And, here are a few of our conversion rates we found interesting:

Applications to phone screen: 3.01%
Phone Screen to Topgrade Interview: 30.76%
Applications to Hire: 0.23%

Let’s compare some of these metrics for the two roles:

	SEO Strategist	Growth Marketer
Days from job posted to offer letter signed (Time to hire)	48	29
Applications to phone screen	5.45%	3.01%
Phone screen to topgrade interview	18.75%	30.76%
Applications to hire	0.17%	0.23%

As you can see, the biggest difference is in the ‘Phone Screen to Topgrade Interview’ conversion rate.

People interviewing for the SEO Strategist role had a lower chance of moving on from the Phone Screen to the next step of the interview process. We did considerably more phone screens for SEO Strategist (32 phone screens) than for the Growth Marketer role (13 phone screens).

In hindsight, this makes sense based on our experience hiring for a Specialist. There are so many areas of expertise when it comes to SEO. We had a fairly specific skill set we were looking for so as we learned more about the candidate’s background and the type of work they were looking to do, disqualifying a candidate or moving them forward felt clear.

Tuff’s interview process:

Step 1: Create a Scorecard

The Scorecard is the foundation of the interview process we held. It is what we used to evaluate candidates at every step of the funnel. By spending an extra 15-20 minutes upfront at the beginning of the interview process, the Scorecard helps lead to a speedier process, better alignment on the team which leads to better hires, and helps mitigate bias by keeping us evaluating on the objective outcomes and skills we needed these hires to achieve and come in with.

The Scorecards we used for both roles had the same four parts:

Mission – Why does this role exist?
Outcomes – What will this person be responsible for?
Hierarchy of needs – What is need to have vs. nice to have?
Competencies – What characteristics are most important?

Step 2: Post the job!

While this might seem like the first step, it is so important to have clear alignment from the team that it comes after creating the Scorecard. We used Workable as our Applicant Tracking System for a few reasons. As a small (but mighty!) team, Workable was at a good price point for Tuff and offers a 14-day trial that we used to make sure Workable was the right system for us. Workable also posts your job for free on a number of other job boards like remote.co, where our SEO Strategist hire initially spotted the role.

Step 3: Create Interview Plan

Once we had the Scorecards filled in and the job posted, we moved ahead to clarify the interview process and each team member’s role in evaluating candidates.

Step 4: Phone Screens

Goal: Understand motivations and ability to contribute to Tuff client’s + culture. Mary held the resume and phone screens to help save the Tuff team time by qualifying candidates at the early stage.

Here are the questions we asked for the SEO Strategist phone screens:

What are your career goals? What would your ideal role look like in the next 2-3 years?
What are you really good at when it comes to SEO?
What are 1-2 areas you think you could improve?
Tell me about the most structured and then least structured workplace you’ve been a part of. How did you feel about them?
Think of someone you have worked really well with in the past. What characteristics, values, or skills did you learn from them and try to replicate?

Step 5: Topgrade Interviews

Goal: Uncover the patterns of somebody’s career history to match with the scorecard.

For candidates who made it through the Phone Screen, we had them speak with me (Founder of Tuff), next. I asked the following five questions for each job on the candidates resume, beginning with the earliest and working your way forward to the present day. Follow-up questions and curiosity are key to keeping this interview conversational.

What were you hired to do?
What 2-3 accomplishments are you most proud of?
What were some low points during that job?
Who were the people you worked with? Specifically:
- Your manager: what was it like working with them? What would they tell me were your biggest strengths and areas for improvement?
- Your team: what did it look like? What worked well? What was challenging?
Why did you leave?

Step 6: Focus Interviews

Goal: Assess the competencies we’ve agreed are important for success in the role.

As you may have noticed on our funnel metric breakdowns above, we skipped the Focus Interview at times to prioritize speed. These interviews were assigned to Chris and Nate, the other two existing team members at Tuff. These interviews were focused on competencies and attributes the team had identified were important for the roles and culture we’re building at Tuff.

Step 7: Project

Goal: Get a more in-depth understanding of the candidate’s skills.

Here’s the project we shared with our Growth Marketer candidates:

We didn’t want the project to be too time consuming so set the expectation to spend no more than 3 hours on the project. P.S. Snacks is also not a client of Tuff. We wanted to make sure we weren’t asking someone to do work that a Tuff team member would be paid for. So, this is an example of work they’d be doing if they joined the team but it isn’t work Tuff would gain monetary value from.

Step 8: Hire

We did it! Through this process, we were able to find and get to know two great candidates who have now joined the Tuff team.

Sources

Tuff’s new team members came from two sources:

The person we hired for the Growth Marketer role was a LinkedIn connection of mine on LinkedIn. He reached out to me after spotting the role and we entered him into the interview process, uploading his resume into our Applicant Tracking System.
The person we hired for the SEO Strategist role applied through remote.co.

For more context on what sources were stronger for us, here are two charts below. The first shows Applications by source – you can see LinkedIn brought in the majority of our applications.

This chart shows Interviews by source. These are the people who after we screened their resume, we decided to talk to. Again, LinkedIn is at the top of the list.

Conclusion

We learned so much as a team and with Intention Consulting while hiring for these roles. As a growth marketing agency, the team has a natural inclination for numbers and conversion rates that made our collaboration stronger and more successful. Workable’s own hiring solution helped hugely as well.

The post From 1,018 applications to 2 new hires: Tuff Growth’s hiring process appeared first on Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better.

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