As we step into the second month of 2020 and businesses begin to recruit employees for the year, HR managers need to take a closer look at their recruitment process—is it transparent as well as inviting? And are the promises laid out in the job posts being delivered on in the workplace?
Here are a few ways to ensure that your 2020 recruiting strategy makes new employees feel comfortable in their environment.
Communicating Regularly
One of the biggest problems with the modern recruitment process is a lack of communication.
When candidates fill in applications or send emails to companies, they expect some kind of response, either confirming receipt, or giving a rough estimate for when they could hear back from the organisation.
But few companies or HR teams take the time to do this. Worse, many companies don’t even inform applicants that they haven’t made it through the process, leaving them in limbo.
And while many modern-day candidates have temporary jobs where they make money blogging or help to raise funds for charities, they are still desperate for a full-time position and deserve to know if their application hasn’t been successful.
Letting candidates know at what stage in the recruitment process they’re in is a good way to keep them informed and spread good will about the brand. Create a flow chart template for the recruitment stages and show candidates visually where they are.
Accordingly, candidates will understand how long they need to wait for a final response and whether they should continue in their job hunt or not.
Recruiting Channels
A handful of companies still believe that job postings should be limited to job search websites, but that is only one avenue for reaching out to candidates.
There are numerous ways to advertise your vacant positions to applicants—companies are even finding benefits in using text messaging and call centre software to keep candidates informed of their applications and any remaining requirements.
The digital world is full of possibilities so don’t limit your recruitment channels.
Social Media Recruitment
Businesses don’t have to utilise social media only when they’re selling something—they can also use it to recruit people.
Creating Facebook ads is a simple enough process and not too expensive, either. The reach one can achieve from sponsoring a post, every once in a while, is immense.
And brands don’t have to pay for posts to reach possible candidates—there are organic ways to share the message, such as asking people to tag their friends or asking partner companies to share the post on their timelines.
Because so many candidates spend time on social media, by creating recruitment posts for the digital world, you will be able to reach people where they already occupy space, instead of forcing them to come to you.
Brand Awareness
Speaking of social media, brands should have a presence in the digital sphere that isn’t solely focused on recruiting. This is an excellent way to reach passive candidates, such as law students who may be thinking of changing fields.
Create attractive content that showcases your company ethos and work culture—use a timeline maker to show the growth of your company, and share behind the scenes photos.
You could also share content about what the company is doing for CSR, or create thought pieces about the larger industry.
Use infographic makers to design attractive visuals that tell a story—this gives passive candidates a reason to remember your company when they decide to search for a job because their values align with yours.
Optimizing Job Posts
When you are creating a landing page for job applications, you need to think about what information candidates need about the company and the job.
While many HR teams want to extol the virtues of the organisation, candidates need to know what they will be getting in terms of compensation, vacation time, and benefits.
Focus on the essentials—the salary, paid time off, medical insurance, and sick leave. You can include extras later in the page—such as remote working days, pool tables, and free lunches.
In the application form itself, make sure that the requirements are clear and don’t require too many steps—you don’t want applicants getting tired of the process and giving up half way. Use a form builder to create a convenient and easy-to-access application form.
Focus on Collaboration
Talking about teamwork and the spirit of collaboration in your workplace shouldn’t only be limited to recruitment posts—it’s important to show how the team works together throughout the year.
Collaboration is important to candidates—nobody wants to feel isolated or that they are in charge of doing everything by themselves.
Let applicants know from the start that they can always speak to others about their concerns or ideas.
Personalise the Onboarding Process
Onboarding is an important step in the recruitment process. But keeping it impersonal isn’t the best way to bring a new employee into the team.
Find out more about them and tailor the onboarding manual—with their name and interests—so that they feel more welcome.
Explain the company’s strategies for growth hacking and the expected trajectory for the new employee. This will make them feel like they are part of the team.
Using the Right Tech
Automation has become an important part of business life, including for HR.
But while applicant tracking software and resume readers are widely used, they may not be the best option for your company or applicants.
Many resume readers can’t parse through an infographic resume template, which puts those candidates at a disadvantage.
Even after the initial stages in recruitment, it is important for new employees to know that they will have access to the right project tools so they can be more effective.
Make finding the right technology for the company a priority in the recruitment process.
Creating Inclusive Environments
Inclusivity is extremely important—while many companies have been increasing the number of diverse candidates they reach out to, little is being done to make them feel comfortable in their new roles.
Existing personnel should be given training on how to examine their privilege and be culturally sensitive to others.
This will take time, and it is worth incentivising people with giveaways for attending more training sessions.
You want to create an inclusive environment that will not only draw diverse candidates but retain them.
Put Employee Wellbeing First
In 2020, the wellbeing of employees should be a priority—tailor the recruitment process accordingly and you will attract better candidates.