Creating a competitive advantage from your recruitment technology: Part 1 | Hays

In a bid to attract, engage and manage workforces more efficiently and effectively, many organisations are turning to technology. But building, adopting and implementing an agile HR and recruitment ‘tech stack’ can prove complex.

Blockers can be as varied as cost, user enablement and complexity, and yet successful implementation offers the possibility of a competitive advantage amidst a tough talent market.

In this first of this two-part series, Nathan Cayless, Product Technology Manager at Hays, explores the gaps between possibility and reality in implementation, the progress made in the use and adoption of recruitment technology during the pandemic and his expectations surrounding the continued integration of automation.

Closing the gap between expectation and reality

When we surveyed our LinkedIn community last year, we found that nearly half (46%) of participants felt that the market had failed to keep pace with changes in recruitment technology over the last two years.

I believe that the gap between the expectation of technology and the reality of implementation exists for three, closely interlinked, reasons: Integration, Data and Automation.

Integration: It’s not uncommon for large organisations to have unique processes for different areas of the business, which are often inconsistent with one another. You’ll likely see different technology deployed for a range of recruitment workflows – these might span Candidate Relationship Management, Application Tracking, Vendor Management and Human Resources Management.

And while the individual technologies are accomplished at achieving objectives in isolation, it is a lack of seamless integration or misalignment in key touchpoints that causes frustration, forcing users to operate across multiple systems, manually shift and share data or develop ‘workarounds’.

While technology is often the perceived source of frustration for complaints, in my experience, it is often overly complex or flawed processes that technology is attempting to support, that are at the root of the issue. HR and recruitment technology is too often used as a sticking plaster to cover poor processes.

Data: We are operating in an era of Big Data. A wealth of tech-based tools, such as Power BI and Tableu, facilitate regular reporting across all aspects of an organisation.

Many have been sold the ‘big data’ dream. However, a gap often exists between expectation and reality, and with data, this is often driven by a lack of understanding or knowledge of how to best interrogate and draw logical insight from data to add business value. Large quantities of raw data do not always correlate with better business decisions, such as increased productivity or cost efficiencies. To unlock the benefits of a data driven organisation, it is key that relevant, concise and well visualised data is available to the right stakeholders at the right time.

Automation: We have only just scratched the surface in terms of what automation can offer the world of HR and recruitment technology.

However, a gap often exists between actual and expected performance due to a lack of pre-implementation optimisation.

Many look to automate processes that are inherently complex or have multiple failure points. But for technology to truly add value, organisations must take a step back and review their entire recruitment process, ensuring these are clear, logical and as simple as possible.

This is far from a quick win, but without detailed consideration of the structure, size and nuances within existing systems and processes, there is a risk that automation will not succeed in achieving business objectives.

Pandemic inspired progress

Diving deeper into the recruitment process itself, a key area of focus in recent years has been the deployment of onboarding tools, as many workers shifted to a remote recruitment process.

Feedback gathered as part of the recent Hays UK Recruitment Technology report illustrated that onboarding tools are generally considered ‘poor performers’, with 75% of survey participants rating them as ‘average’, or lower.

While onboarding tools have certainly lagged in comparison to the rest of the recruitment ‘tech stack’, the coronavirus pandemic has instigated a much-needed mindset change.

Just a few years ago, the majority of these tools were focused upon facilitating administrative processes.

Post pandemic, there has been a notable shift towards onboarding and integration, with many recruitment tools championing the employee experience. Technology ecosystems have expanded to include videos from hiring managers, introductory calls and pre-employment training.

Those organisations who transition from contractual exchange to connection stand to benefit from an increase in speed-to-productivity and higher retention rates.

Starting (and sustaining) something new

In response to many of the challenges presented by a more complex world of work, organisations are eager to expand their HR and recruitment technology stack to help attract, source and retain top talent.

While technology offers a wealth of opportunities, it often brings with it resistance to change. Implementing and sustaining the adoption of new tools represents a critical barrier that must be overcome if recruitment technology is to deliver a competitive advantage.

Aligning the implementation of new technology to wider objectives and business goals is fundamental to success.

Often, we see projects fail due to a lack of visibility, interest or perceived benefit. Connecting the dots can help to combat all three. Throughout the process, you’ll need to continually engage with and support implementation with clear communication, active listening and in-built agility, to deliver a result that works for you, and your teams.

For those organisations witnessing a recurrent issue with sustained adoption, I would recommend a review of the end-to-end process of the change management process. Companies must understand the problem they are trying to solve, the key players across the organisation and the stakeholders that are essential to success.

Automation incoming

Fears of displacement prompted by automation have largely been replaced by the understanding that technology will automate many mundane tasks, allowing individuals to leverage uniquely ‘human’ qualities such as communication, critical thinking and problem solving.

This holds true in the world of recruitment technology. Organisations should look to deploy tools to refine, rather than replace. Chatbots, for example, can facilitate streamlined communication, tackling frequently asked questions or conducting an initial screening of candidates, allowing individuals to refocus their energy into nurturing top talent through the recruitment pipeline.

We touched on the prevalence of big data earlier, and it is here that humans will continue to play a key role in the form of Analysts and Project Managers. The raw data produced by round-the-clock reporting will need to be combined with insights, experience and feedback to inform better decision making.

Finding a balance between the ‘art’ and ‘artificial’ will prove the greatest challenge to organisations.

Looking ahead

It is evident that there is still much progress to be made in order for organisations to realise the full suite of benefits that technology can offer to the recruitment process.

However, with the support of a dedicated workforce solutions partner, businesses can improve efficiencies, reduce risk and yield the maximum value from their investment.

In part two of this series, I offer my predictions for the future of HR and recruitment technology, including commitments to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), and the ongoing battle for skills in an increasingly candidate-driven market.