Recruitive looks at why the human touch remains an important factor in the age of digital recruitment.

It has all become so easy for us in this digital age. Everyday interactions have become streamlined as AI Bots get smarter and every aspect of who we are, what we do and what we want is broken down into a stream of 1s and 0s.

Our behaviour is so predictable that when we go online to shop, everything we had been considering purchasing is already onscreen waiting for us to transfer to the virtual shopping cart.

These machines know who we are, where we live, what we eat, read, watch, who we talk to and what about. They know our personalities; thanks to the fun little questions we answer presented on our social media sites.

When we go out every move we make is tracked by CCTV and facial recognition software. This is to keep you safe on the streets, but what keeps us safe has imprisoned us.

As Benjamin Franklin said: “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety”.

In recruitment, streamlining through digitalisation means you can apply for a job you see advertised, upload your CV and get chosen for interview before speaking to anyone who represents the company you are applying to join.

Interviews need not be conducted in person anymore: you can be invited to upload a video of yourself answering set questions so that the recruiter can see your personality and judge your suitability without meeting you in person. You might not get to meet anyone until you turn up at reception on your first morning. Here’s a thought: what if you operate remotely and work from home? You might never meet them at all!

This streamlining might be a great idea for saving time and money, and it is probably a boon for those that suffer from crippling interview nerves, but the human element is missing and this, surely, is too important to ignore?

In a recently published white paper published by Global talent acquisition and management firm, Alexander Mann Solutions, entitled What are the opportunities from digitalisation, STEM and D&I? There is a very interesting section about recruitment streamlining with the use of digitalisation.

They found that while candidates want and expect a streamlined recruitment process using digitalisation, they still want to be in contact with a human representative of the prospective employer.

Of the people questioned “78% in the 16-34 age bracket prefer face-to-face or telephone interaction with a member of staff. Only 3% didn’t consider talking to someone as being important.”

This shows how important human interaction is for candidates during the recruitment process, but why should it be important to you the recruiter?

Here’s Five Good Reasons Why You Should Consider It:

1. It Sets You Apart From The Competition.

If your competitors are trying to make their recruitment drive as streamlined as possible, trying to cut down the time it takes to bring new people on board, the chances are the same candidates for your position are applying for theirs. If you take the time and trouble to personally get in touch with the candidate, even if it just to keep them updated on how far along the process is, they will be more likely to think of you kindly when it comes to making their final decision.

2. You Get To Meet The Real Them.

If you hold traditional one-to-one interviews you get to control the environment the interview takes place in, whereas if they are uploading their own video interview answering pre-set questions, they control the environment and you don’t get to see the real them. By meeting them personally you can judge their individual character and personality and better judge if they will be a good fit for your existing team.

3. The Human Touch Promotes Brand Loyalty and Reduces Staff Turnover.

If you treat them with respect and welcome them warmly before they even get the job, a relationship will already have taken root. If they feel wanted and valued as a human being, then they will enjoy their work more and be more likely to stay in the long term.

4. Opening a Line Of Communication Makes You Seem More Approachable.

By simply picking up a telephone and saying “Hi, thanks for your application, this is what’s happening…” you are instantly making them feel at ease. Again, this will make them feel a bond with you and make you more likely to be their first choice if they have their pick of career directions. If they are unsuitable this time they might not be next time you need to fill a vacancy so a phone call explaining why they have been unsuccessful and that you will keep them in mind for the future may prevent them from slipping the net when you need them.

5. It Improves Your Brand Image.

How many times have we repeated the mantra Brand Image is Everything? If you treat your applicants like they are important they will respond by telling others how great you are to deal with. This will be influential in the decisions of their friends and peers within your industry when they are looking for their next position. Way too many organisations don’t even bother to send a rejection letter; this really rubs people the wrong way and, thanks to social media, it doesn’t take long for your company’s name to be sullied.

The Generation Z Candidate

The Generation Z candidate enjoys your streamlined application process, they would expect nothing less from the company they are applying to in this digital age, but they still appreciate human interaction. It shows you care about them and want them to become part of your team.

It’s easier for small organisations, you might be thinking, they can use a recruitment agency. Even if they do it themselves, they might only have on recruitment push per year. Larger organisations with high turnover of staff might be constantly recruiting large numbers, how are they supposed to keep up with everyone and stay in touch?

That job is made simple by Recruitive’s industry leading cloud-based Applicant Tracking Software. Our highly advanced applicant tracking system will allow you to communicate with all relevant parties and follow the progress of every candidate throughout the recruitment process from initial interest to bringing them aboard. This means you will have the ability to tell at a glance where every candidate stands in the recruitment process and what comes next; then you will be able to email them or send them a letter using a pre-set template or, of course, you can pick up the phone and tell them in person.

If you’re interested in updating your recruitment processes, contact us today.