BLOGS

When the labor market is tight, people have choices. Your candidate and new employee experience is vital to your retention of talent. Do you embrace the latest technologies that allow candidates to apply on their phones or tablet? How quickly do you respond to inquiries? Are your expectations clear prior to the job offer? If you have challenges with any of these things, you could have a disjointed or dysfunctional onboarding process.

If you are not embracing the new technologies available for onboarding, you're crazy. That is like a Superhero not using their powers! Sure, comic book Superheroes can sometimes read minds, but real people can't. So you can't expect your new employees to guess or understand through osmosis what you need them to do to be successful in the role you hired them for. Obviously, some forms and paperwork need to wait until the date of hire, but any information that could impact a person's decision on whether to accept the job should be disclosed prior to their first day.

It's important for your organization to embrace this new technological age because most job seekers use their handheld devices for almost every step of the process. Everything from seeing the initial job posting, researching employer and company employee satisfaction ratings, to actually applying online for the position. And it goes even further than that. With that same device, potential employees can map out where you are, find out how to get there, and discover the closest good places to eat, shop, and exercise! Let's not forget they could just as easily arrive for their interview having used a rideshare app!

In many Superhero stories, the characters in danger are rescued and carried to safety just in time. That is essentially the idea of having an organized, technology-based, thoughtful recruitment and onboarding process for candidates and new employees. Otherwise, potential employees may find themselves lost in the waves of a bottomless ocean. If you think that last line is an exaggeration, ask someone who has applied for jobs online in the last decade. It can feel a little like this, "That is the 93^rd application I have put in and no one has called me back!"

There have been so many new onboarding products launched over the last few years. Do your research on those that intrigue you and seem to fit your company's needs. Next, schedule a demo. If you like what you see, ask about a free product trial. The costs can vary widely so before deciding, make sure the return on investment works for you.

Another option, perhaps one that's more cost-effective, is to engage with a Recruiting and Staffing firm, like FrankCrum Staffing. Recruitment is really very similar to a supply chain! Just like logistics companies have invested in conveyer systems, trucks, trains, and planes (and drones? Well maybe not yet!) to deliver packages on time and safely, Recruiting and Staffing firms have invested in the technology and the talent to manage the process for you.  From large multinational companies that outsource their entire hiring process to the local "Mom-and-Pop" store that's looking for its first new hire in 20 years, organizations of all sizes and types engage with Recruiting and Staffing firms. So pick up the phone today and call your local Superhero (Recruiting and Staffing Firm), otherwise is it up to you to save the day before your candidates plunge into the bottomless ocean (of resumes and no responses!).