2020 threw a wrench at everyone’s plans. Because of limitations brought about by the pandemic conditions, companies had to resort to other means to stay productive amidst the onslaught of COVID-19. Companies had to lean on technology so the entire workforce could still be effective. Two years later, companies are rejoicing that the technology tools they’ve relied on, particularly those that introduced automation, are doing a great job.
They’ve noticed that processes are more streamlined, human error is lesser than it was, and relying less on actual people to do specific tasks allows the workforce to shift their focus elsewhere. This is why many companies declare that automation processes will stay after the pandemic.
Now that a new year is upon us, a theme of reevaluation is in the air. Should these technology advancements stay for good, or is the start of this new standard back to the usual means of going about processes? This post is about encouraging staffing and recruitment leaders to continue celebrating the wonders of automation in their own companies, but with fair warning.
Authenticity should still be a priority. For your consideration, here are some pointers on how to prioritize authenticity as a staffing and recruitment leader;
Automation proved its worth for staffing and recruitment industries.
Last January 26, 2022, there was a live panel discussion between leaders of various staffing and recruitment companies, mediated by Marie Quinones, Senior Marketing Programs Manager of Accurate Background. This meeting aimed to elaborate on staffing and recruiting methods companies can employ for the year ahead.
In particular, agency leaders can look into automation and integrated workloads to expedite the process “from candidate to hire.” Watch the panel discussion here.
A key takeaway from the live event was how companies underwent a digital transformation in the past two years. There was a discussion on how automation could mimic many of the required skills and process tasks in the recruitment pipeline. Even doing repetitive tasks requires skills and techniques in record time.
Automation brought happiness to hires, clients, and staffing agencies, at least at the time of the discussion; we’re looking into which automation features they would keep and which processes still needed human intervention.
Some of the technological advancements the panelists shared they’ve been employing are:
- Using mobile-first features. More than just for communication, recruiters can engage with candidates quickly by presenting requirements upfront.
- Chatbots. Described in the live discussions as a “conversational recruiting assistant,” the chatbot can reach out to multiple potential applicants, give a primer on the job opening, and let them answer a series of questions. You will get your results immediately, together with a screening schedule. Chatbots also effectively welcome website visitors and accommodate their concerns, particularly when looking for work.
- Applicant tracking systems. These ATS are effective in mapping data from job applications. Applicants do not have to do multiple data entries because the ATS can record and recall previously registered building information. Applicants may only have to fill out supplementary data, for example, background checks, if necessary. These systems help improve candidate experience, turnaround times, and response rates.
The need for a more intuitive approach to recruitment was already identified before the pandemic. A report concerning automation in recruitment revealed that 71% of surveyed recruiters wanted intelligent tools to help process data for them. 79% of said recruiters also put effort into recommending tech tools to their managers because of the apparent need for them.
And true enough, these tech tools helped maintain, even boost productivity and streamline processes despite the challenges of the pandemic. For instance, the paper trail of documentation usually took a lot of time, and digital documentation sped up the system. Employers could send contracts to hires in record time to ease reviewing and signing. Using an ATS quickly collated resumes and cover letters for evaluation and archiving.
Read more: Automation in Staffing: The Essential Guide for 2022
Be mindful, however, of how automation can affect brand authenticity.
As emphasized in the live panel discussion, staffing agencies are reaping the benefits of automation. The pandemic pushed recruitment companies to employ as many tech tools as possible. These tools did not only help lead the agency’s way out of the pandemic and introduced how recruitment steps could be improved and expedited.
While automation is a cause for celebration, be careful. Automation is helping in significant aspects of the recruitment pipeline, but it does take its toll in other areas of the staffing agency. Take marketing, for example. When it comes to forwarding authentic content that can be linked to your company’s brand, there might be a few mishaps:
- The customer experience may still need human interaction. While scheduling apps and chatbots provide quick assistance to potential hires and clients, the consumer still prefers having an actual person to talk to. In a 2021 study by OnePoll, 7 out of 10 respondents said they like a live person phone call over anything else. Respondents identified qualities like a willingness to help, a pleasant personality, and a compassionate attitude as some of the traits they are looking for in their consumer interaction.
- Storytelling is a big part of forwarding your brand. Will a chatbot or ATS effectively introduce your staffing agency’s bottom line? Or will a staffing firm representative be a better storyteller of what your company stands for? Your marketing audience would instead be treated as people, not as a third-party receiving end of some app.
Prioritizing authentic marketing can come with the mindful alignment of your use of automation.
The live discussion mentioned earlier that automation did wonders for the recruitment pipeline, which is why some technology processes will be retained even after the pandemic. After all, if automation improves the work of your agency, by all means, use it.
This mindfulness you have right now of what automation can hinder in creating an authentic brand is a good starting point for balancing automation’s advantages and how you do your brand’s marketing. Take a look at these suggestions:
- Draw the line between tasks that are to be handled by human hands. While a fully-automated process sounds good on paper, interactions with prospective hires and clients must be made aware of apps. Instead of thinking about how specific steps can be replaced by automation, how about rethinking the action as a better experience all around?
- Take note: the customer experience is still a human experience. While some companies use the one-sided video interview to gather more applicants, how about streamlining the face-to-face interview process instead? This is a good way of building trust in the recruitment process because applicants know that somebody is listening and will review.
- Use social media marketing to encourage more human interaction. Jacob Teeny, assistant professor at the Kellogg School of Management, shared that live videos on social media are perceived as authentic. Having your marketing team produce these live events for prospective applicants or clients can help forward your brand and, at the same time, help indeed future clientele. Also, many recruiters are sending direct LinkedIn messages. Why not comment directly on potential hires’ posts, and leave a link for them in case you’ve piqued their interest? These are only some methods to make a more human approach in marketing your brand, but still using technology.
- Double-check on automated steps by manually doing them again. An example would be vetting candidates. While an ATS can do its background check by checking on content quickly can, recruiters can still do another check, but this time using the old-fashioned phone call. The company is able to present its authentic self by building rapport with the candidate or their references, which again alludes to the need for human experience.
Let Allied Insight help you market your staffing agency’s brand!
In a recent LinkedIn post, Jeff Pelliccio, Founder and CEO of Allied Insight, shared that staffing agencies nowadays tend to use technology as a crutch for inefficient processes and mismanaged resources. Though automation may hit KPIs, the more your agency’s authentic self is sacrificed.
Find out what works in building your brand for the specific audience of your staffing agency. Allied Insight is a premier marketing firm devoted to steering recruitment companies toward brand consistency and proper content marketing. Our tried and tested methods will weather changing corporate initiatives. They will review and arm your agency with the right online content and a defined brand that will achieve brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.
Do good by your brand. Contact Allied Insight now.
