The Office of National Statistics (ONS) last week revealed that unemployment levels dropped to an 11 year low, now standing at just 5%. With an ongoing skills shortage in key areas, the pressure remains on HR to perfect hiring processes. At the beginning of the year we identified six ways employers sabotage their own talent acqusition efforts. As recruitment remains problematic for many businesses, today we present six more:-
You insist on a comprehensive job application : A prolonged job application process leads to the loss of qualified applicants, it’s that simple. Last year, Appcast revealed that the conversion rates for candidates, ie, those who go on to submit a job application after viewing your vacancy, drops by 365% if the process takes more than 15 minutes. Completion rates also fall by nearly 50% if an applicant is faced by 50 or more questions. Your recruitment analytics will provide insight into the rate at which candidates are abandoning your job posts. To prevent this in-house sabotage, invest in HR technology which offers candidates the facility to apply via their LinkedIn profile or submit a straightforward registration of interest.
You skip background checks : Over 40% of UK employers don’t carry out background checks on their new hires, according to the Background Screening Trends and Best Practices 2016 released in February. Apart from the increased risk of disruption to your existing workforce following a bad hire, your business also faces exposure to fraud and theft. Confirming an employee’s right to work in the UK is one of the most neglected aspects of routine background checks. UK Visas and Immigration Enforcement recently revealed that fines totalling £21 million were issued to UK employers in the second half of 2015 for employing illegal workers. Don’t miss another background check. Recruitment software which automates parts of this process will ensure future compliance.
You discount older workers : Last week’s ONS figures also revealed that over 10 million people aged 50 or over are currently employed in the UK – representing around 31% of the workforce. By overlooking older workers HR may be dismissing a significant talent source. PwC suggests that the UK could increase its GDP by 5.8% (around £105 billion) if businesses hired people over the age of 55 at the same rate as Sweden. At present the UK stands at 18th on PwC’s Golden Age Index. Adjusting screening filters in your applicant tracking software will help to reduce age bias in your hiring process.
You’re not mobile : Monster’s latest annual report into UK job search habits found that 42% of its traffic comes via a mobile device, up by a third since 2014, although a third of candidates complete their application using a desktop. Stop sabotaging your talent acquisition. Invest in recruitment software which offers full functionality for candidates and hiring managers across all mobile devices.
You don’t offer flexible working : We recently emphasised the importance of flexible working, as jobs with skills in short supply frequently attract the highest number of remote and flexible workers. According to Monster, ‘part-time’ is one of the most popular search term in the UK, reiterating the need for employers to offer flexible working to attract more applications to your job posts. Don’t sabotage your talent acquisition. Implement a flexible working policy to attract talent.
You disregard technology : Not only does technology leads to more effective talent acquisition strategies and successful hiring but access to technology is vital to improving the happiness of your employees. People who see their employer as ‘ahead of the curve’ with technology are twice as motivated and creative, but only 15% of workers believe their employer fits into that category. The easiest way to start and enjoy the benefits of technology is in the hiring process.
Don’t sabotage your talent acquisition. Invest in recruitment software used by some of the world’s leading organisations to hire better people faster. Contact Advorto today to start your 30 day free trial.
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