These days, HR professionals and business executives have a lot to think about when it comes to effective recruitment and retention techniques. With a diverse workforce spanning generations, a rapidly globalizing world of business, no end to the various available applicant tracking systems, and a newfound need to automate recruitment and retention efforts efficiently, the hiring process has come a long way. While some may wish it was still possible to walk in off the street with a resume in hand and leave with a job, modern recruitment methods tend to produce better results by finding the right person for each available job.
The Multigenerational Workforce
Two of the largest workforces in U.S. history, baby boomers and millennials, are often depicted as at odds with one another. However, generational differences in the workplace can actually be extremely beneficial if you take time to figure out how to get baby boomers and millennials to work together. If you approach these generational differences correctly, you can actually leverage their seemingly insurmountable differences to yield positive results.
In order to effectively run a business that employs workers of all ages, managers should be aware of some of the unique traits of a multigenerational workforce. Such workforces have different values and expectations. Younger generations value practical skills, innovation, and work-life balance whereas older generations tend to value people skills and commitment to the company. None of these traits are negative, and with the proper communication, they can work in conjunction for fantastic outcomes.
Both younger and older workers can add a lot to any workplace, whether it be through their hard work or through the improvement of the corporate culture overall. When seeking out candidates for a job, employers should strive above all else to make their workplace appealing to any applicant, no matter their age. By opening up the doors to applicants of all ages, you’re not only improving your chances of finding the right person for the job but enhancing your business’s ability to handle various situations by employing people with diverse skill sets.
Going International for Your Business
Whether you’re hiring candidates from a recruitment company in Birmingham, England or Birmingham, Alabama, you’ll expect them to check off all of the boxes for the position you’re hiring for. While you can expect any potential hire to exhibit professionalism and competence, hiring individuals from foreign countries has some benefits that might not be readily apparent. Aside from giving your company culture a good dose of much-needed diversity, foreign hires can do a lot for attracting and retaining employees.
Hiring international employees sends a signal to the business world that you have a want to understand and operate your business in different cultures. This is one characteristic of successful international businesses, and doing so opens up doors around the world for both your business and potential employees. By acting globally, your business will show potential employees that you have your eye on the future, are inclusive of other cultures, and are willing to adapt to a changing market.
Additionally, international workers can often fill roles where there is a lack of highly skilled domestic workers. With their expertise comes an inherent knowledge of different markets and the ability to add fresh perspective and new ideas to the business. This all creates a rich workplace culture in which employees are excited to participate and feel invigorated by the presence of a culturally diverse team.
Managing Your Applicants
There is certainly no lack of potential employees looking for gainful employment, and businesses often find themselves struggling to manage and retain each applicant. Keeping applicants engaged and cultivating high retention rates is actually very similar to how you do those same things with your customers. Employers should encourage communication, offer up incentives, and make the onboarding process streamlined and efficient so that potential employees can feel confident in knowing what they are supposed to be doing and when they are supposed to be doing it.
Picking the right applicant tracking software (ATS) can be a bit of a chore, as there is no lack of available options to business owners. However, you can make the choice easier by looking for some essential features that should be included in any ATS worth its salt. A good ATS should be optimized for mobile, have a streamlined application process, feature tools that allow hiring managers to collaborate and communicate effectively, and offer analytics and dashboards that will allow recruiters to analyze trends among candidates. A business’ ATS should be easy to use both for applicants and hiring managers in order to quickly gather a pool of potential hires.
Finding the perfect job candidate takes time, and while your ATS will help to narrow down the pool, you’ll still have to sort through many qualified candidates. To choose the right one, ask questions to get an idea of how they will function within and add to the current corporate culture at your business. It’s important to try to make the interview comfortable in order to see the candidate act like they normally would in any situation and not just in a high-stakes job interview.
Automation Is Your Friend
Potential employees appreciate automation as it generally helps to increase efficiency and reduce their overall workload. One of the easiest ways to automate your business is through your company email, which makes newly hired employees’ lives much easier, increasing retention rates. Automated emails can help to manage inside sales, optimize internal processes and workflows, and solicit feedback from employees, all of which streamlines your business and makes it a more attractive place to work.
Email automation can also make your recruitment stronger in a variety of ways. Automated emails can deliver aptitude tests to potential candidates in order to assess their capability in regards to a wide range of subjects, making the selection process easier. Email automation also allows you to assess a candidate’s technical and marketing abilities to see how they might interact with a potential customer or solve any particular issue with company software.
Email automation workflows also do wonders for inbound marketing, making a sales employee’s job that much easier. Automated workflows are operational 24 hours a day, and they are constantly nurturing leads to inbound customers. These systems also reduce errors, save time and costs, and generally increase brand awareness for your business, which can attract the best and brightest potential employees.
Business is always shifting on a global level, and it is important for recruiters to stay up to date on the newest trends and technologies that will help them find and retain the best and brightest for the job. International and multigenerational workplaces are becoming the new norm, and it is important to understand how you might gain an edge on your competitors in the hiring process. Managing your applicants requires that you find the perfect ATS for your needs, and email automation can help in the hiring process and letting the world at large know more about your business. Keeping your eye on the future of business is the key to success, and staying ahead of the curve will always benefit you.
Great post. Thanks for sharing this.