Digitization is here today and it's pervasive. Whether as consumers, employees, employers, or in whatever guise we are operating, it is already heavily impacting every aspect of our lives and in every sector - from enabling better customer service, through improving and streamlining processes, to generating new revenue streams and much more.
Let's first be clear on what 'digitizing' actually means.
" To digitize information means to turn it into a form that can be read easily by a computer."
Collins Online English Dictionary, 2017
Think of Uber, Google, or even any of the supermarket chains - they have not only changed the way in which we think about service delivery, but have caused us to re-set our expectations to a higher level. Organizations now have more data on us than ever before allowing them to target their services and products right to our screens - and at a time when they see us as being most receptive to their offering.
A great benefit to going 'Digital' (or 'digitization') is being able to better measure results and especially that all elusive ROI.
One cannot ignore the great benefits to rolling out digital strategies in HR and particularly Talent Acquisition - and I don't mean just implementing an Applicant Tracking System (although that’s a great start!).
Areas to consider here, where you can accurately measure your improved ROI results, are:
- sourcing strategies
- application process
- selection process
- interview process
- on-boarding
I believe that the selection process is the most crucial part of the process and clearly closest to my heart. What is undisputable is that digitization can have a massive and positive impact here; not only for the recruiter (employer) and the hiring manager, but the candidate as well.
Digitizing your selection process offers the ability to create a shortlist, quickly, accurately without bias and with clear measurable results. All this while ensuring candidates remain positively engaged with you and your business.
Digital Profiles.
To be able to watch, listen and actually see how candidates perform is revolutionizing the way businesses such as Uber now recruit.
Don’t confuse Digital Profiles with online CV’s, which are a reflection of a candidate's interpretation of their skills and experience. What Online CVs don’t tell you is if a candidate can perform the job you want them to do and as importantly, will fit the culture of your business.
A true digital profile gives the hiring team real insights into the candidate to:
- actually watch how candidates perform in a work sample simulation,
- listen to how candidates perform in live call environments,
- see how they answer questions by using video interviewing,
- view the candidate's cognitive ability,
- even delve into their psychometrics,
and more.......
Digital Assessments
Traditionally, selection and initial shortlisting is based on the CV and that alone (read my post on ‘the end of the CV’). However with advances of analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, it’s now possible to use these tools to accurately shortlist candidates - testing, assessing and challenging people all online and all via automation.
In order to make informed decisions about candidates you need to know all aspects that may impact their performance - be that cognitive abilities, psychometrics and actual skill level (very useful for Learning & Development).
Assessments however need to be engaging - there’s nothing worse than being asked to fill out endless application forms, take boring assessments and go through endless rounds of telephone screens. It’s a sure fire way to turn off the strongest candidates and have them exit the process before you’ve set eyes on them.
This isn't just for the Uber’s of this world - every business regardless of size, can benefit from knowing much more about how a candidate can perform in a given job. Hiring the wrong person is not only expensive but it can seriously impact other areas of your business.
Digital Shortlist Benefits: Cost saving, increase diversity, remove unconscious bias, decrease attrition.
Digital Warning: Forget the Human Factor at your PERIL ! Talent Acquisition and Recruitment still (and in my opinion always will) require humans, after all, people need to gel and great teams deliver outstanding results. Any form of Talent Acquisition software or system needs to have humans overseeing it.
I like to think that digital technology actually benefits recruitment and talent acquisition teams, if selected and implemented correctly it can not only increase efficiencies but also makes a recruiter / Talent Acquisition specialists job that much more fulfilling (after all, who wants to spend 8 hours a day looking at CV's and replying with 'thanks but no thanks' emails ?
