All of the technology in the world cannot make up for the human connection. Human Resources was put in place to represent and support the people of the company – whether they are in the candidate process, or full-fledged employees. HR Tech continues to evolve, but it should not act as a replacement for human interaction, only a supplement.
The biggest development in the wake of evolving HR Technologies is a sense of community. In regards to hiring, there has been emergence of social software features within HR Tech such as the sharing of candidates and commenting on a colleague’s interview notes. Pick a technology that allows you to amplify personal interactions not limit them. A good tool is only great if it can reinforce the human interaction and help to build a sustainable community with people inside the office and out.
As an HR professional or recruiter, you cannot let technology diminish your interaction with candidates or employees to the “just another cog in the wheel” mentality. These people ARE people are should be treated as such.
Use a tool that lets you get to know you candidates and include your employees. This is better for your company because you can guarantee you’re hiring or working with people who want to be there. By emphasizing community as part of your hiring brand, you can build a talent pool of passive candidates for when more jobs open up. I believe in collaboration at every level. Pay attention to companies that foster this kind of collaboration. They are usually the companies that are consistently building new & amazing features. It’s a team mentality.
It is immediately important for HR Practitioners to know that candidates are expecting more. Talent Branding, employer branding, candidate experience – they are all buzzwords for a reason. It’s because they are real. I’m a young professional and my experience with HR has always been positive, and in general I’ve been lucky enough to have a majority of positive candidate experiences. However, I know the stereotypes. HR is an evil department lurking in the back of a business to destroy people’s professional happiness. Companies don’t respond to candidates because they just don’t care, right? Wrong. Not anymore, at least. Social Media allows HR to be up front and center. They can build a positive brand for themselves by not only empowering themselves to get involved in the conversation, but by engaging candidates and fellow employees. HR is in a unique position because they understand what is at the heart of the company- the people.
This trend of candidate acknowledgement is beyond important. Talent is the lifeblood of your company, and if you don’t pay attention or appeal to them- you can forget about attracting the candidates you need.
Smart technology vendors understand the importance of relationships and allowing for collaboration. You want HR Technology that allows for transparency, ease, and efficiency. That’s the first step, you have to find something that allows you to achieve your goals but also live up to the expectations of the candidates.
Hiring is social. HR is social. Humans are social.
“Lexie is the Community Manager at SmartRecruiters. After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Communications from the University of Kansas she decided she never wanted to stop talking to people. She believes in creating great workplaces, developing talent, sharing knowledge and using social media for good.”
Janine Truitt