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What makes Talent Acquisition so hard (and important)

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Talent Acquisition (TA) is a complicated but highly rewarding concept. For Human Resources professionals focused in the realm of TA, they are on a high speed roller coaster with multiple twists and turns that can often lead them on a white knuckled trip. What makes talent acquisition so hard, and yet so important, is the main focus of the task. TA is a competitive, time-sensitive task that can yield disappointment but also joyous rewards. To really ensure you acquire the best talent you need ExactHire’s ATS. This allows you to compare hundreds of candidates against various criteria to get the best candidate for your position.

Talent Acquisition Challenges

The main reason TA can be so challenging yet rewarding is the same – the people factor. In the current job market, the talent pool is very competitive due to disproportionate numbers of skilled available talent compared to the number of vacant jobs. The competition is fiercely competitive. Rival companies are recruiting the same candidates that TA professionals seek to hire. Getting the message out to job seekers about the company’s vacancies and the company’s stellar branding to entice them to apply and pursue the company takes precision to filter through competitors’ noise. TA specialists can resonate their message more clearly and combat the noise by ensuring that company branding promotes the company as being the employer of choice due to culture.

Having a culture inclusive to employees with benefits that meets and exceeds the needs of employees solidifies TA’s claims to job seekers that their company is the one for job seekers. If job vacancies in certain geographic areas are more difficult to fill, examine what could help with filling those roles. Consider expanding the candidate search to additional areas or explore options for remote or hybrid work settings to attract more candidates. Utilize social media to its fullest and promote vacant job listings on major platforms. Social media platforms reach target audiences of differing ages and backgrounds. Using different social media platforms allows TA professionals to reach job seekers with diverse demographics.

The “People Factor”

Digging deeper into the people factor. What if applicants are plentiful, but none are perceived to have the needed skill set to be fully qualified to fill the vacant roles within an organization? This is where TA must partner closely with the department leaders of the vacant roles. Focus on the required skills needed for the vacant role. Candidates that meet those required skills can be evaluated further. They then identify the reasons why Human Resources cannot completely commit to extending a job offer.

For candidates who are contenders for a role but not 100% vetted, explore what it would take to mold a candidate for the vacant role in which they applied. The “perfect” candidate is equivalent to a unicorn; sought-after, beautiful and fictitious. If there are candidates for vacancies that can be shaped into productive contributors to an organization with some assistance upon hire, consider providing that assistance. It is possible that extra training or classes could be beneficial. The financial investment initially could pay off more down the road. A new hire will then have been given the opportunity to refine weaker areas to enhance their performance. Investing in employees, particularly new hires, can lead to higher employee retention and productivity.

Screening Candidates

Upon review of candidates, TA must be tasked with screening those who are potential for the company. TA is often the first impression of a company so TA professionals must display professionalism with a personable demeanor. Phone screens and interviews, whether face-to-face or virtual, generate nervousness in the minds of job seekers. TA professionals should create a positive rapport with interviewees. they can do this through sincerity and a genuine interest in learning more about the person’s desire to work for the company. Establishing a dialogue that is reflective of the company culture of inclusivity will help TA professionals formulate a working relationship with job seekers that help set a competitive edge. The best job seekers will be receiving employment offers from multiple companies. Job seekers will migrate to the company that demonstrates a bona fide interest in employees. This will help attract stellar job seekers from competitors.

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How to make Talent Acquisition Easier

Monitoring efficiency in talent acquisition can be challenging if data is not being collected and analyzed. Using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) consolidates applicant data into a central location for analysis and communication by TA professionals and other designated employees in the hiring process. Having a central location to screen applicant data and communicate with stakeholders in the hiring process saves time and creates a comprehensive trail of actions taken when screening applicant records. Robust reporting tools deliver accessible data quickly to identify efficiency gaps in the hiring process. Using analytics helps TA professionals confidently formulate short-term and long-term goals. These can be used in immediate activities and strategic planning with leadership.

Conclusion

TA professionals work diligently to overcome competitive challenges in the hiring process. It is often a role which entails erratic schedules with long days and weekend events. Disappointment is frequent when TA professionals witness coveted potential talent decline their best pitch at landing them within their organization. While it is a game of wins and losses in a very broad generic sense, talent acquisition hosts a plethora of rewards. Without TA professionals to lead the charge of recruiting and retaining key talent, an organization would be sailing a ship without sails ultimately leading to a lack of sales.

TA professionals relentlessly pursue potential talent. They need to have the support of executive leadership as they navigate the recruitment process. Providing TA professionals with the tools they need for success is the best option for an organization. Then leadership can ensure that the company’s growth and productivity as a whole will weather threatening situations. This will allow them to survive things such as pandemics and global recessions. Talent acquisition is truly a hard but essential component in an organization’s overall health. It is crucial that appreciation is shown to those charged with acquiring talent to the company.

How will ChatGPT affect the hiring process?

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Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (AKA ChatGPT) is making headlines consistently throughout the world. ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven, human-like chat concept created by OpenAI and released to the world in November 2022. OpenAI has a strong, powerful and well-known investor – Microsoft.  In fact, the partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft is so strong, Microsoft is slated to incorporate AI called “Copilot” into Microsoft 365. Technology is constantly evolving, and the world is getting mainstream access to software that is reflective of human-like responses. AI driven software is new and exciting yet intimidating and overwhelming. ChatGPT is promoted as a resource for industries across the board, and Human Resources are starting to field questions, benefits and concerns as it is integrated in the hiring process. Want to streamline your hiring process? Use ExactHire’s Full Service Hiring service and forget about hiring struggles and just get the best available candidates for your open positions delivered to you!

 

Benefits to using ChatGPT in recruiting

Crafting a job listing or creating a standard job template can take time. ChatGPT can help by providing a foundation of content describing the role that can be customized to reflect the requirements of a vacant job listing. ChatGPT can generate content that does not include unconscious bias towards protected classes. It can keep content neutral, remove potential gender biases and eliminate jargon.

ChatGPT can provide job specific content for an organization. It can provide Human Resources professionals with sample interview questions to use in phone screens and face-to-face/virtual interviews. It can focus on the roles being filled at the moment. This is helpful as a starting point for recruiters.  These recruiters might be interviewing candidates for different types of roles that might be outside their niche. Before becoming dependent on the interview questions generated by ChatGPT, it is important to check with the company’s legal team. They can ensure that all application  and interview questions meet local, state and federal legal guidelines. HR professionals need to customize questions to reflect the culture, mission and vision of the organization as a whole.

Using ChatGPT in the workplace

Trying to come up with a way to draft an email that is not too wordy but yet “personable”? ChatGPT can be tasked with composing email content related to the mission of the message. Spelling and grammar errors are reduced. Save the content as a Communication Template to use when texting and/or emailing others.

Once new talent has been hired, it is crucial for a company to keep them engaged. ChatGPT can help new hires by answering their questions about company policies. ChatGPT can also provide assistance to new hires as they complete required paperwork and enroll in benefits. This can save HR time by automating tasks such as scheduling orientation, supervisor meetings and ordering company swag for new hires.

Microsoft’s AI, Copilot, will be integrated into Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.  Abilities of the AI integration will allow for the automatic creation of data graphs in Excel. It also has the ability for PowerPoint to create presentations with images based on user prompts. For people who miss a Teams meeting, Copilot is set to generate automatic summarization. It will document the key content points from conversations within Teams. The inclusion date of this feature has not yet been released. This is promoted to offer cost and time savings to end users. Considering the volume of companies that use Microsoft, this will impact internal and external stakeholders.

 

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Concerns about using ChatGPT in the hiring process

While AI has been trickling into mainstream software and internet use, the immersion of ChatGPT fosters some genuine concern. Such as how intuitive the tool can be and whether it can cross a line of no return in its answers. There is no guarantee that answers provided to the users’ questions will be accurate or even ethically appropriate. Individuals who are starting conversations with an employer via chat dialogues need to be aware of who is or is not on the other side of the chat. Be forthcoming to employees that AI is driving the results and direction of the chat conversation to mitigate negative perception of the “employee” communicating in the chat.

Some companies will seek the use of ChatGPT as a replacement for human capital in a way to save time and money. If ChatGPT can do the tasks of one or more individuals, it is likely there will be some cost-cutting measures by eliminating human roles. Goldman Sachs estimates that 300 million jobs could be lost or diminished due to AI. To mitigate risk of elimination, at-risk employees need to explore opportunities for ongoing education and cross-training in in-demand areas.

Questions exist over safety controls. As with any software program, engineers work diligently to establish the highest parameters of safety. Will answers be accurate and appropriate? If ChatGPT generates inappropriate answers in a chat conversation, the impact of that conversation could lead to negative publicity that could impact the recruitment and retention of employees.

Conclusion

As an Applicant Tracking System helps streamline the recruitment process and an Onboarding System securely organizes employees’ content, technology is designed to simplify tasks in a process.  With ChatGPT, a lingering question exists. How will ChatGPT affect the neurodevelopment of employees? Will individuals find ChatGPT as a time saving tool that helps individuals light the fire of innovation of new projects, or will ChatGPT foster a sense of dependency and lethargy that stymies creativity and self-awareness? Time will tell as the debate is escalating on the use of AI in the employment sector. As with any new tool, it takes time to develop and refine the skills of its use. Knowledge is power; do not underestimate the powerful partnership of technology and the human brain in the quest for efficiency and productivity.

Workforce Redeployment

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Layoffs have been a recurring theme in the news lately. Major organizations such as Disney, Meta, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs are some of the most well-known organizations that are cutting staff due to concerns of a pending global recession. Layoffs are designed to cut costs and implement a more lean style of business to yield a higher profit. However it can often communicate internal instability to consumers. They might look at other product and service providers who appear more stable to complete business transactions.

Layoffs not only reduce staff, but they also reduce employee morale. They generate a sense of uncertainty as many employees wonder if they are next on the “chopping block”. If employees are tense wondering if they are going to be laid off, they will start looking at employment elsewhere. Often this is with the company’s competitors in the same niche.  Although layoffs can be unavoidable, other options worth examining exist before making the decision to eliminate jobs. To help mitigate damage to employee morale and maintain a positive perception of company stability, companies need to explore the option of workforce redeployment instead of layoffs.

Internal Mobility

Workforce redeployment, AKA “internal mobility”, is a strategic function conducted by Human Resources and leadership to shift existing employees into different roles within the same organization. This is not a new concept. Companies have been utilizing workforce redeployment for years. Particularly in the case of health issues where an employee might not be able to physically or mentally perform the duties of their current role. They are then moved into a different role within the same organization which is more feasible for success. Workforce redeployment is commonly used at times of internal reorganization to help employees maintain employment within the company. Redeployed employees do not necessarily keep the same pay, schedule and working arrangements. Those factors are based on the needs of the new role in which the employee was redeployed.

Currently, workforce redeployment is gaining more traction as a strategic function to offset unexpected situations that impact business functions. The economy will continue to ebb and flow with periods of expansion and contraction so that is a known variable. Unknown variables such as a global pandemic are difficult to anticipate. Over three years later, companies are still reeling from the effects of COVID-19’s impact on working arrangements and job adaptability. Throw in the ongoing challenge of finding qualified talent, and these three items form the perfect storm for business failure if proactive processes to retain talent are not integrated within the company’s strategic plan.

Maximizing Efficiencies

Human Resources and leadership must conduct regular reviews of an organization’s structure. To help maximize efficiencies within an organization, a company needs to evaluate current roles. Then forecast where growth and reductions are anticipated to occur. In departments where growth and value are lagging, examine the likelihood of their future impact and their timeframe of dissipating value. Before the expiration date of those departments and/or roles within that have lagging value, invest in the talented employees. Offer the ability to reskill, as needed, and move into a different role. During times of prosperity, cross train employees. Provide training on skills that are internally forecasted with a high need.

Proactively identifying where cuts are needed, but allowing time to partner with those affected employees, shows the organization’s commitment to their employees. Redeploying employees can boost employee morale and demonstrate a view of solidarity and strength to internal and external stakeholders. Employees who believe that their organization is committed to their tenure and growth are more likely to stay within the organization reducing the loss of knowledge and talent.

For those employees who are redeployed into a different role within an organization, management must take into account that there will be varying degrees of emotion. Employees will run through a gamut of nervousness, excitement, and fear. Establish regular check-ins and monitor the transition into the new role. The redeployed employee is already familiar with the company’s culture and mission, vision and values so time to productivity should be quicker. Allow the employee to openly share their needs, goals and expectations for success.

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Workforce Redeployment Challenges

Not all employees will be supportive of workforce redeployment initiatives so there will be some attrition. For those employees who willingly leave the company, keep the door open and offer a warm welcome for a potential future return. Boomerang workers are employees who leave an organization and come back later to work for the same company. Harvard Business Review reports that 20% of employees who left an organization during the pandemic have returned to a previous employer. Losing talent is hard. It is even more painful for the organization if the talent built a positive rapport with colleagues. Provide a positive departing experience for talent who is voluntarily leaving. There is a solid chance they could want to return, and they might be the talent your organization is seeking.

Due to the nature and complexity of the scope of business, not all organizations can launch a mainstream workforce redeployment plan. However, often feasible opportunities exist to shift employees into roles that are conducive to company growth. Creative efforts must be made when examining the potential jobs and employees for redeployment. Create an internal network so employees can have a better understanding of other departments’ functions. Conduct skills assessments to identify skills transferable into different roles. Use an Applicant Tracking System’s (ATS’s) internal application to collect the interest of employees interested in other company opportunities. Maintain performance and employee records in a robust onboarding platform.

Conclusion

To offset financial loss and maintain a competitive edge, include workforce redeployment initiatives in the company’s strategic plan. Companies must forge through merciless storms of talent wars, evolving technology, pandemics, inflation and supply chain issues among many other barriers that disrupt operations and threaten a company’s existence. The loss of talent and the negative publicity that results from layoffs can be a one-two punch that can impede profits and even existence. Taking initiatives, such as workforce redeployment, can mitigate those losses and help keep doors open longer. Having an agile workforce is in an investment that pays in the long run.

What Should An Offboarding Process Look Like?

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Onboarding and Offboarding can be tedious and confusing, Use ExactHire’s OnboardCentric to simplify and streamline these processes

Human resources professionals continue to maintain focus on the best practices for attracting, onboarding, and retaining top talent. But your company should also have processes in place for successful offboarding as well. Offboarding best practices, especially when implemented into your offboarding process, can help HR learn valuable insights. Learn more about what strategies and procedures you should be including in your offboarding processes, along with the advantages of having a dedicated set of steps and guidelines in place when it’s time to part ways with employees.

What Is Offboarding?

Often overlooked, the offboarding of an employee refers to the process involved when transitioning a former employee out of the company. Whether the employee is resigning, retiring, or management has decided termination is the best way forward, how an employee exits your company should have a dedicated process. Those processes may differ depending on the nature of the departure. But the existence of a strategized offboarding process is essential.

Why Is Offboarding Important?

Despite your best efforts, employee turnover is just an inevitable occurrence. Ultimately, your company will want to lay in procedures to shepherd those employee transitions gracefully, positively, and smoothly. It’s the offboarding process that will offer protections to avoid common mistakes for the employee and your company.

Here are just a few offboarding process benefits to consider:

  • Prevents legal issues
  • Mitigates company risks
  • Streamlines employee exit logistics and timelines
  • Allows for the collection of insightful feedback
  • Ensures employees transition on the best terms possible

Offboarding Best Practices to Include in Your Strategy

As you sit down to create or improve your offboarding process, start with key steps. For example, develop a process for documenting the employee departure. This might include a signature on a formal resignation letter or employee termination description. Other first-step actions include scheduling an official exit interview, communicating with the remaining team members, and communicating with necessary clients. Consider creating a flow chart that includes these primary steps along with timelines and various applicable tasks determined by the nature of the departure.

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What Offboarding Should Be

When carving out the steps for your offboarding process, be mindful to only include those necessary that:

  • Improve the separation experience.
  • Collect valuable insights that benefit HR.
  • Ease any potential friction for other staff, clients, or colleagues.
  • Protect your company assets.
  • Grow or improve the company.

What Offboarding Should Never Be

As you evaluate your offboarding strategy, stick with only those steps that improve or streamline the process. An offboarding process should never be:

  • A method of criticism to the separating employee
  • A last-ditch effort to keep the employee from leaving
  • An inauthentically nice formality without purpose
  • A disrespectful or passive-aggressive confrontation
  • A high-stress conversation

Offboarding Template and Checklist

For the most effective offboarding process and mutually beneficial experiences, consider following these checklist items and template suggestions.

Fairness and Respect: Every step and offboarding process enforcement should be conducted with transparency, fairness, and respect.

Loss Prevention: Every step should also be viewed through a lens of productivity, choosing the best methods for separating the employee in a way that does not impact company or departmental productivity.

Reason for Separation: The reasons for the employee separation should be agreed upon, signed off on, and well-documented.

Communication Chain: Include a series of professional communications to fellow team members, other company staff, applicable third-party vendors, and clients about the departure.

Property and Asset Management: Make swift arrangements regarding the reclaiming of company property and access removal from any company software platforms.

Transfer of Responsibilities: Prepare and allow for a transfer of knowledge and responsibilities, from training someone else to take on the role to briefing management regarding the status of projects or accounts.

Exit Interview: Create a process whereby a neutral party can facilitate an exit interview and encourage honest responses and feedback. Sample exit interview questions might include:

  • What’s your favorite aspect of working here?
  • Who do you admire here, in your department or otherwise?
  • How would you describe your experiences with your direct supervisor?
  • How would you describe your experiences with your co-workers?
  • Did this job or role live up to your expectations?
  • What could we have done better regarding your expectations?
  • Please provide suggestions for areas of improvement.
  • What is your impression of the company’s overall culture?
  • What are we not doing that you believe we should be doing as a company?

Offboarding Made Easy with ExactHire

While your company and HR teams are always looking to improve hiring and retention strategies, don’t forget to develop an effective offboarding process. Take advantage of all the valuable insights you can gather from departing employees and implement improvements. Make adjustments and changes to streamline how you manage these engagements and protect company assets. And when you need additional guidance to change your approach to hiring, including best practices for offboarding processes, let ExactHire be your guide!

3 Changes to HR in 2023

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The role of a Human Resources Manager looks a lot different today than it did just a few years ago. The responsibilities have shifted, as have the workplace landscapes. And the future of HR is going to depend on your company’s ability to adapt and grow in these new directions. HR in 2023 calls for a new playbook. And to ensure your HR teams remain flexible with emerging trends and diligent in connecting employees to career paths with brands they love, these are the insights you need to know. These are the three ways HR is changing the most.

1. Internal HR Changes

Some of the most notable changes in human resources will take place internally. Consider examining your current HR processes, internal structure, and policies. You might spot possible areas of improvement based on these emerging HR trends and changes.

Internal Organizational Ecosystems Will Change

Organizational design structure and change management will be a priority for HR in 2023. In fact, 53% of HR managers and 45% of their staff say they’re already experiencing fatigue from all the change. Chances are, your HR teams are fatigued, as well. New digital adoptions, changing workplace dynamics, and economic stress affect employees and leaders at every level. To provide relief, many HR teams are now focusing on changing up the ecosystem and prioritizing change management to minimize employee fatigue and disruption. Too much change or uncertainty, left unchecked, will lead to high turnover and reduced productivity.

HR Budgets Will Increase

Another change that will remain evident throughout the future of HR is the budget. Most HR executives say they anticipate increases in their organizational budgets. And many say those boosts in spending will be a sizable 4% to 6%. Those increased HR budgets will mostly be dedicated to efforts related to expanding the workforce, too. Recruiting and onboarding represent the biggest budget increase, while employee compensation drives investment increases as well.

Based on current HR management surveys, the top three priorities within recruiting and retention that call for bigger budgets include:

  • Finding and recruiting applicants from broader talent pools
  • Retaining the best employees
  • Maintaining and improving company culture, morale, and engagement

2. Employee Wellness Is a Priority

Another key shift you’re going to see in the future of HR involves prioritizing employee health, wellness, and experiences. A company’s employee retention strategies are more important now than ever before. And while more traditional methods of HR involve enforcing guidelines and managing strict procedures, today’s HR professionals are looking for better ways to engage and support employees.

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Employee Experiences Matter

The employee experience matters, and today’s HR managers recognize changes are needed to improve the workplace culture. In fact, roughly 47% of HR managers say significant changes have to happen to transform the employee perspective. Employees will only remain loyal and productive to their employers if they feel there is a compelling career path before them. And if at any point they feel devalued or disposable in any way, they’ll seek employment elsewhere. HR leaders are exploring these three areas the most to introduce improvements to the employee experience:

  • Expanding health, mental health, and wellness initiatives
  • Developing healthier food and affordable menu selections
  • Creating more educational programs to support and incentivize learning, certifications, and skills improvement

Flexible and Hybrid Work Environments Are the Norm

Your HR teams are already keenly aware of the need for hybrid work flexibility wherever possible. Of course, some roles are only effective with in-person or on-the-job reporting. But those departments and staff who can be just as productive or more productive working from home will need employers to accommodate those hybrid dynamics. And when your employees are working from home, the accountability and productivity metrics will need to change, too. Your HR leaders can expect to abandon any micromanagement efforts of yesterday and adopt new ways for off-site staff to remain accountable and productive.

3. Changes in Attracting, Hiring, and Onboarding New Talent

The third massive change in human resources to consider involves a slew of new perspectives and methods relating to hiring. Today’s recruiting landscape is vastly different from years past. And if your company needs top talent to facilitate growth and scaling, you’ll have a new playbook to adopt outlining improved methods for attracting, hiring, and onboarding new employees.

Skills Carry More Value Than Degrees

Your company might need to revisit job descriptions and role prerequisites. Recent studies suggest skillsets carry more value to employers today than traditional degrees or certified education. In fact, skills-based hiring has been up more than 60% in the last year. Make sure your hiring managers are placing enough value on candidate experiences without automatically disqualifying candidates who maybe lack a four-year degree. Focusing on skills will also help you to remove salary or career barriers for some two-thirds of the working population that doesn’t have a bachelor’s degree. Other advantages include more diverse workforces, broader talent pools, and increased time to hire.

ESG Reporting Will Attract Applicants

There are increased pressures from regulatory compliance and stakeholders alike for improved environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. More than 90% of S&P 500 businesses publish sustainability reports. Dedicating efforts to develop and maintain a healthy ESG reporting system is contributing to executive-level compensation, improving how existing employees perceive their employers, and attracting new hires.

Key Takeaways for HR in 2023

Consider these HR changes happening now and start re-evaluating your current position relating to internal HR operations, employee wellness, and recruiting talent. And if you need guidance in this new realm of HR, connect with ExactHire! We can help you navigate the emerging trends and affect change within your departments so you can grow with the future of HR in 2023 and beyond.

How an ATS can overhaul your hiring efforts

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To ensure you are doing your do diligence in getting the best possible candidates, you should consider using ExactHire’s ATS to cross reference hundreds of candidates against various criteria, so you can guarantee getting the most qualified candidates every time!

Making work life more efficient is one of the many goals for individuals in the recruiting world. It takes substantial amounts of time and money to find, evaluate and hire talent which fit into an organization’s culture. Using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can overhaul an organization’s hiring efforts, saving much needed time and money for the company.

 

According to a 2022 survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 39% of survey respondents said that the top two challenges in Human Resources today are recruiting/hiring and collecting/analyzing HR data analytics and insights. While these challenges can be tackled through manual recruiting efforts, manual recruitment yields more headaches and inefficiencies instead of simplicity. Using a robust ATS helps an organization consolidate job postings and applicant content in one central hub. That hub is accessible to permitted employees to view applicant information and interact with candidates expediting the hiring process.

 How Does an ATS Help?

HR needs accessible data for reporting to management, departments, government entities and for their own internal purposes. A powerful ATS should allow quick access to reports such as Time to Fill and Time to Hire in addition to having the ability to build ad hoc reports. Analytics can also assist recruiters to get more bang for their buck with their recruitment budget. This is done by identifying where the most applicant traffic originates. This way they can focus their funding on the most productive sites.

After using recruitment analytics to find the most effective sources for candidates, an effective ATS should have an extensive library of job boards available for selection with the ability to automatically push job listings to key job boards. Time is of the essence, and recruiters cannot spend endless amounts of time posting to job boards A, B, and C, without tangible results. The competition for talent is fierce. If it takes too much time to post, screen and contact an applicant, that applicant will be hired by the organization’s competitor.

ATS Features

Candidates who apply for one job vacancy might not be the right fit for that particular role. They could possibly be a good fit for a different opening though. The convenience of copying an applicant to a different job listing saves the applicant time by not having to apply again and benefits the company by having that candidate’s info ready for review. For those job seekers who might walk in with a resume or stop by a company’s booth at a job fair, HR needs to have the ability to manually add that applicant to the ATS for consistency. Having an ATS that allows users the ability to tag particular skills on applicant records for positions helps recruiters. It allows them to examine talent that has shown interest in the company. Then they match those skills to the skills needed in vacant roles.

Locked file cabinets and desk drawers are not a secure way to house applicant files. Passing information manually between employees is a security risk. Using an applicant tracking system enhances safety and compliance. An applicant tracking system hosts candidates’ data in a secure, cloud-based central location. An ATS offers an organized, uniform place to screen, note and communicate with an applicant. Eliminate confusion regarding who has spoken to whom with the ability to see which employee has communicated with an applicant and what content was discussed. Keeping data in a central location with time stamped comments and communication provides quick access if there is a legal request for that data.  While email is still a consistent means of contact with candidates, use an ATS with the ability to text applicants who opt in for texting for speedier communication.

 Application Efficiency

Job seekers are examining the companies to which they apply. Is company A a better fit than company B? Consider the application process and how that is perceived by job seekers. If an organization is using paper applications, job seekers can legitimately question how technologically savvy the company is. QR codes generate opportunities for job seekers to apply with ease and convenience.  A company’s job site must be mobile friendly. Job seekers use phones to apply. However, if a company has an electronic application, if it is too long the job seeker will stop applying and apply elsewhere. Having insights, such as Applicant Drop Off reporting, help recruiters identify challenges with the application process.

When selecting and implementing an ATS, knowing there is a responsive and personable support team is reassuring. Even for the most technologically savvy employees, questions will arise when using an ATS so having an accessible support team with the knowledge to answer the asked, and often unasked, questions is imperative. Service and support must be a priority item when selecting and implementing an ATS.

 Conclusion

Automation saves time and money. Job seekers will not accept a long hiring process. If an organization does not effectively communicate and cycle the candidate efficiently through a short-phased process, talent will go somewhere else. Vacant jobs cost a company exorbitant amounts of money due to productivity loss. An organization cannot afford to have lost productivity. Or even overstretch existing employees as a temporary remedy to offset the open positions. If management is concerned that an ATS is too expensive for an organization, calculate and compare the loss of productivity. Then calculate valuable talent to the investment and cost savings of the implementation and use of an ATS. The cost-savings will be visible and reiterate the benefits that exist from using an ATS. Using an ATS will change the trajectory of recruitment to lead an organization along a path of success.

Social Media and Employer Brand Awareness

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“Don’t use social media to impress people. Use it to impact people.”

This quote by Dave Willis, an author, accentuates the power of social media in today’s society. Companies are vying for customers to buy their products and services along with competing fervently for key talent. To establish a competitive edge in recruitment and sales, companies seek to reach a global audience through their use of social platforms. With the use of social media, individuals are connected to each other through networks, connections, followers, and friends no matter their physical location. How can a company use social media to attract key talent?

How can an organization’s message sift through the noise to resonate with its target audience? Careful and genuine communication forges the way. An employer must communicate its culture and commitment to prospective employees and customers through authentic demonstration of its employer brand. The employer brand is an indicative view of what an organization’s workplace culture is. What it believes in and support. The motivation driving employees’ willingness to work and their productivity.

Social Media Reach

Social media is a consistent tool for communication and promotion. No matter the platform, whether it be LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc. an organization must use these tools to reach their desired audience. According to an end-of-2022 study conducted by Hootsuite, a leading marketing company, there are 4.74 billion social media users…4.74 billion people across the globe with differing socioeconomic characteristics and demographics who are searching for some type of product or place to work that makes their lives better. With an audience this large, the options for staffing and selling are endless. Provided your organization can craft a message that is effectively delivered to the portion of the 4.74 billion audience that is your target audience.

Before delving into communicating employer branding via social media, here are some statistics to reiterate the potential audience volume. YouTube is still the landmark platform for viewing video content. Hootsuite reported that YouTube’s social media audience of 2.51 billion people spend approximately 23.4 hours a month watching videos. TikTok is catching up quickly with users spending approximately 22.9 hours per month on the site. The average social media user spends nearly 2.5 hours daily scrolling through content. That is a lot of time searching and scrolling.

How to Utilize Social Media

Businesses need to examine their current marketing campaigns and see how social media is currently woven into existing campaigns. If an organization’s social media use is inconsistent or non-existent, it is time to revamp promotion initiatives. After identifying the staff member(s) who will be responsible for social media promotions and analyzing available funding, identify social platforms that are the most applicable for organizational activities. Use the business version of social media platforms. Business versions often have enhanced analytics for the company’s marketing team to analyze traffic and creative initiatives. Look at the organization’s marketing budget, specifically for social media outlets. Set spending limits as designated marketers learn what type of ads are most effective. Also to which audiences company reach outs are yielding the best ROI.

Make sure that the “About Us” area in each social media platform has contact information, company website and related links for convenience to the viewer.  Include links to social media channels in any visible opportunity such as company website headers and footers, email signature lines, newsletters, intranet, applicant tracking system and even onboarding software (you want your new employees to follow, right?). Wherever possible, have a blatantly visible “Follow us on…” with all the organization’s social media outlets listed for quick subscription. According to LinkedIn, 49% of professionals follow companies on social media solely for awareness of open jobs so make sure social media is robust and offers different opportunities for viewers to engage and connect.

What Should I Post?

Design a message that authentically communicates the organization’s culture. Seek employees’ testimonials, and communicate them in video format. Get the popcorn…ok, maybe not, but individuals are increasingly captivated by quick movies on social media. Driven by TikTok, short-term reels are taking over social media because of its engaging, attention-getting info in quick snippets. Incorporate short videos for the viewer to listen to the genuine reasons why working at the company is exhilarating. Display what the culture is like each day, not just when there are celebrations for milestones achieved.

Highlight departments and employees, both remote and onsite, in a spotlight series. Have new employees share why they chose the organization; for established employees, have them share why they stayed with the company for the multitude of years. Promote the organization’s benefits and commitment to work-life balance. Post a Q/A session with senior leadership to discuss trends and positive changes in the organization. Showcase specific internal and community partnership initiatives.  Use hashtags to correlate to positive events, but create a unique hashtag that is a consistent way to reach a diverse audience and attract awareness of organizational culture. Ask clients/customers to share their perspectives about the business. Include quotes and comments supporting activism and inclusion initiatives. Communicating what is real is the key.

How to Revamp Your Social Media

For those companies who have social media pages in existence but very limited content posted, it is time to revive those platforms and bring them back to life. Companies who are utilizing social media to communicate employer brand content need to have a content calendar. This helps manage posts and effectiveness. It is a fine line between under-communicating and oversharing so ideally, one post a day can be effective. Be ready to address complaints. The more visible and active an organization’s social channels are, the more likely customers will complain on those pages.

Offer to assist unhappy customers via private messages to keep negative discord to a minimum. When posting jobs on social media, consider the demographics of each platform’s users. Older employees with a longer work history will be more likely to search for jobs on LinkedIn as compared to Snapchat.  Facebook is the favorite social platform of the 35 – 44 old demographic while Instagram is the top choice for Millenials and Gen Z users.

Companies need to examine their social media campaigns. It is not just a tool to attract new talent, but it is also a means to keep current talent engaged. Encourage existing employees to follow and contribute. Entice followers to be active participants in discussion threads to posted questions. The more activity, the more publicity. Post and promote job listings within social channels to reach existing followers, and encourage followers to share posts to expand the target audience.

Conclusion

No matter the platform, authenticity generates trust and commitment between followers and a company. As with any relationship, communication between an organization and its followers takes time, effort and nurturing. The impact is made when a company demonstrates the motivation for its existence and how camaraderie drives its culture of inclusivity and productivity. The need to impress disintegrates because the company’s bona fide enthusiasm for its culture communicated through social media resonates distinctly to viewers and overcomes any distractions and noise from its competitors.

 

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March Madness – A Company’s Own Big Dance

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The month of March carries a lot of weight in a calendar year. Depending on a company’s quarterly cycle, March is typically the end of the first quarter where revenue analysis is in the spotlight. Time change and the official start to Spring attempt to bring more light, literally and figuratively speaking, after the dreariness of the Winter months. March also brings an unofficial “holiday” season – college basketball’s March Madness!

 

Even if basketball is not your jam, it is hard not to get into the hype of March Madness. Hard working teams arrive with an all-or-nothing goal of winning the national championship. Small colleges compete against large, renowned basketball programs in games that yield unexpected victories. Teamwork can solidify victory in close games, as how teamwork drives business operations. Leadership is tasked to make the best decision for others when they are under pressure with limited resources and information during challenging situations which mirrors real-life business functionality. Basketball, especially in competition crunch time, reiterates that there is no “i” in “team”. Hmmmm…that also sounds like life as a Human Resources professional…

 

Top 3 ways that an HR Professional has skills like a basketball player

 

  1. Assists – HR spearheads the growth and development of employees. They help others be the best they can be.
  2. Rebounds – Not every initiative within an organization is going to succeed. HR helps departments regroup and rebuild when challenges occur.
  3. Leadership –  HR is the go-to for employee centered questions and guidance. HR professionals seek to find talent to help teammates grow professionally and even personally.

 

How to incorporate March Madness into the work culture

 

HR stars, time for the tip off to set up a slam dunk March Madness experience within your organization. Use your coaching and leadership experience to motivate your team and impact your company’s culture. Company culture makes a big impact on employee retention and the recruitment of new employees. Organizations need to embrace the madness. Instead of prohibiting the viewing of tournament games, encourage employees to discuss and view the games when appropriate for the industry. Healthcare professionals can’t watch games while with patients, but why not have the television on in the breakroom?  It is not conducive for manufacturing employees to watch games while ensuring products are safely flowing down the lines, but team leads and/or management can communicate updates along the way.

If viewing games is prohibited by an organization, odds are some employees will find a way to watch them on non-company devices so keep that in consideration when setting the tone for what is accepted prior to the start of the tournament. Instead of prohibiting March Madness, embrace it by setting a time for the group to watch part or all of a particular game together. Every organization is different so what works in one place will not work exactly the same in another. Keep in mind that the competition for talent is fierce. People want to work where it is fun so find ways to diffuse March Madness basketball into the environment. While there might be a dip in productivity over a couple weeks, think of the long term benefits of improved employee morale leading to higher retention and productivity for the long term.

 

Make March Madness fun! Remember, there are two March Madness events – men’s and women’s basketball – so focus on both events. Official disclosure by the referee:  ExactHire does not provide legal counsel so please check with your company’s legal team when crafting a March Madness competition. Grab your highlighter! Have a bracket competition that is free for any remote and onsite employee to enter. For smaller companies, consider including your employees’ families in the competition. Think of the humor if a seven year old turns out to be the best predictor of victories on the bracket!

If possible, have tiered prizes such as small gift cards, larger gift cards and company swag. Check your state laws on gambling as monetary prizes are prohibited in some states. If your organization wants to acknowledge the winner(s), consider some company swag as a prize or even a nifty certificate that the winner can proudly post in their work area. Make it an annual tradition by having a trophy that the March Madness bracket winner keeps for the year. Post a large bracket on the wall and list employees whose alma maters are competing. Make a virtual leaderboard that can be viewed by remote and onsite employees to see who is in the lead.

 

Bracket time should not create undue stress on employees who do not have interest in the competition. If employees do not want to participate, find other ways to include them. March Madness is for team building and camaraderie.  Have free, basic activities like a word search, word scramble or bingo focused on the March Madness theme that employees can complete for a chance to win a prize. A gentle reminder that not all employees are college graduates so encourage employees to wear clothing that represents their favorite team, whether or not the team is in the tournament.

 

If the budget allows, cater lunch where all employees can socialize whether they watch the televised game or not. Catering is not the only way to share a meal together. Organize a pitch-in where teammates bring their favorite food and eat while tournament games are played. Some organizations are still hesitant about pitch-ins due to COVID which is understandable so invite employees to meet together in the breakroom or at a nearby restaurant for lunch together while taking a break to watch the game.

 

March is here, and the madness has arrived. Inbound and keep control. Work together as a team without fouls or turnovers. When employees, HR and leadership play together, assists will lead to scoring productivity with a win at the buzzer!

4 Ways to Recognize and Address Employee Burnout

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Employee burnout is a real phenomenon. And it’s the result of several different workplace environment contributors. As an employer today, you’re likely concerned about other similar dilemmas, including “quiet quitting” and turnover. There are steps you can be taking, however, as a business owner or HR manager, to reduce the risks of employee burnout. And these insights will also help you to identify burnout before it sets in altogether.

Understanding What Employee Burnout Really Is

Before jumping into identifying signs of employee burnout, it’s imperative that company leaders and human resources staff understand what it actually is and how it manifests. What are the signs and symptoms? Some work-related projects can lead to increased stress and exhaustion. But they don’t necessarily constitute employee burnout. These types of short-term bursts of work or projects can lead to burnout conditions. And roughly 75% of all employees have experienced burnout in these capacities.

However, in general, employee burnout describes an underlying or overarching series of contributing factors that leave employees feeling undervalued, overworked, overstressed, incapable of improvement, fatigued, or even depressed. Each individual’s experience is going to be unique, as is the worker’s threshold for making a change. But as an employer, you can spot warning signs early to then take action and recalibrate the employee experience.

Here are four ways to recognize and address employee burnout within your organization.

1. Employee Exhaustion

Start by evaluating your teams’ and their exhaustion levels. Are your front-line workers getting tired? Think back to the news reports of ER nurses and doctors during the pandemic. They were visibly and notably exhausted. If you suspect any members of your staff might be feeling the same level of tiredness with their roles, it’s a sign they’re headed for burnout.

If you suspect there is exhaustion among your ranks, you can take steps necessary to alleviate some of the stress and monotony associated with the various roles. Maybe consider augmenting the workforce or re-assigning duties wherever applicable. You can also explore changing up the workflow in a way that brings new perspectives and relief. Additionally, and especially if you suspect your teams routinely experience fatigue, introduce wellness initiatives or work-life balance policies that support time off, adequate break periods, and healthy lifestyles.

2. Disengagement & Isolation

Another indication that one or more of your employees is headed for certain burnout is a prolonged disengagement or isolation from others. If you spot an employee who used to be engaged and enthusiastic now becoming more silent or reclusive on the job, there’s likely a reason. And if left unaddressed, this isolation will lead to certain employee burnout.

To combat these instances, employers can look to team-building exercises and other engagement initiatives that encourage collaboration and support. These can be on and off-site activities. It’s also imperative that today’s organizations create and enforce a transparent communication policy that welcomes employees to HR to discuss concerns.

3. Absenteeism & Poor Productivity

Analyze the employee roster regularly to spot instances of repeated absenteeism. If you have staff members not reporting to work all of a sudden or more frequently, it could be because of employee burnout. This also leads to reduced productivity on the job. So, be mindful of those who might suddenly not be as interested in quality work performance; it could be they’re preparing to leave.

Coach your HR teams to connect with employees who might be suddenly absent more often or performing poorly when they used to be top producers. Routine and quarterly assessments and reviews can be helpful in starting conversations. And employers can also be diligent with anonymous surveys and polls to help collect sentiments and feedback.

4. Higher Sensitivity to Leadership & Feedback

The fourth sign you might have employee burnout on your hands is a behavioral shift in accepting direction and feedback. When employees are overburdened for lengths of time, they’ll be less likely to receive tasks and criticism. In fact, asking for more could exacerbate the issue even further. There could be short fuses or even instances of hostility if unaddressed.

If your organization establishes routine communication with its employees, you’ll create a flow of dialogue that helps you avoid employee burnout scenarios. Be transparent about your efforts to support your teams. Reach out and enforce guidelines of respect, health, and positivity in a way to cultivate a more responsive company culture.

Keep these insights about employee burnout in mind as you look for ways to improve your company culture and team productivity. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Today’s workplace dynamics are vastly different and require a different roadmap for success. Exact Hire can be your guide to leverage all the best practices for employee management, hiring, and onboarding in today’s landscape.