5 Ways Technology is Transforming Recruitment

It's reported that more than half of all organizations have already digitized the majority of their manual activities and traditional business processes; a pretty remarkable figure considering that facilitating and implementing technological change is still very much an unknown to many.

It certainly can't be denied that there are many technologies changing the workplace today. In terms of budgeting, for example, technologies such as cloud computing are enabling organizations to minimize their costs through the use of virtual servers, eradicating the need to maintain servers on-site. However, a particularly interesting area of operations that is perhaps experiencing the brunt of the impact is human resources... specifically, recruitment.

Here, we take a look at just 5 of the ways that technology is changing the recruitment landscape:

1. It's automating processes

Candidate sourcing is one of the biggest areas affected by advanced technology. AI and machine learning are facilitating a future where software can 'understand' both business needs and the skills required to satisfy those needs, from scanning candidate profiles to automatically collating resumes which meet the criteria for the role.

However, contrary to popular belief, automation is highly unlikely to result in job losses or render HR roles obsolete. Instead, automation stands to transform the industry and redefine the world of human resources, freeing up valuable internal assets to focus on more complex, overlooked aspects of people management. Ultimately, technology has the power to result in a more motivated, satisfied, and inspired workforce.

2. It's attracting more suitable candidates

When thinking about technology and recruitment, it's easy to focus on how technology can help businesses find the right people, but it's actually more of a two-way street than many think. Technology is also helping the right people find the right places to work at a time when recruiting for culture is becoming increasingly important.

Technology is enabling businesses to show off who they are beyond what they do and who they work with. Consider that technologies such as video sharing are utilized within marketing departments to boost brand awareness, understanding, and reputation... it's doing exactly the same in recruitment, helping to provide greater insight into workplace environments to attract great cultural fits and minimize the rate of staff turnover.

3. It's facilitating access to the talent pool

Social media has evolved drastically within the past few years, transforming from primarily leisure-based platforms into impressive AI-powered networks. LinkedIn, the leading social channel for industry professionals, boasts more than 660 million active users, and it's helping organizations to identify amazing skills beyond those that can be found within the local talent pool.

Perhaps even more interesting is that social media recruitment is proving to be a massively effective way of recruiting, with the 2015 LinkedIn trends report confirming that 'high quality' hires through the platform had increased by a whopping 73% in just 4 years. These networks essentially act as a form of social proof, validating candidates' past experience, highlighting their unique skills, and helping businesses to build, nurture, and maintain relationships with the most talented and valuable candidates in the industry.

4. It's changing who we hire

Technology isn't just changing how we hire, but also who we hire. With more and more businesses choosing to implement advanced technologies in the workplace, there is a rapidly growing need to bridge the skills gap and ensure that the right talents are on board, at the right time.

At this time of great technological disruption, many organizations are changing what they're looking for when they recruit, showing a preference for forward thinkers and facilitators of change. According to a KPMG report, the complexity of new technology is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of adoption, which means that tech has indirectly affected who businesses need to hire in order to succeed. For example, security and legal skills are more in-demand than ever to effectively manage new concerns that arise as a result of new tech implementation.

5. It's changing who we CAN hire

Technology is having a notable - and highly positive - effect on who businesses can hire. Consider that employees now have the legal right to request flexible working patterns but that many businesses are unable to fulfil these requests, especially for roles that are time sensitive and must be performed during certain hours. Customer service staff are a prime example.

Technology is successfully bridging the gap between what candidates are looking for (young workers especially want to be able to set their own hours) and what businesses require in order to succeed. Mobile devices, cloud storage, and real time communications services are enabling businesses to create strong, effective remote working policies which open new doors to recruiting from talent pools that may not have been accessible to them before, including working parents and promising students.

Making the change

Technology is both widely available and accessible to large and small organizations, yet many are failing to derive full value from their implementations. It's important to remember that technology is about more than just improving the processes of your existing workforce; it's about ensuring that you're bringing on board the absolute best for your business - while minimizing your outgoings - so that every new hire can hit the ground running.