It’s no secret recruiting is super competitive, not just right now, but constantly and especially for employers seeking to hire hourly staff! You’ve tried everything, right? Your managers are frustrated, your employees are worn out, and the list could go on, so what do you do now?
We’ve pulled together 4 things you really need to have in place that will help you jump start your recruiting if you’re feeling a bit let down.
Refresh Your Hiring Plan (and get management buy-in)
Whether you’re staffing up for the holidays or some other seasonal event, you need to have a hiring plan in place, this will make your managers happy, too! Here are some things to think about when putting together your hiring plan. If you already have a plan in place, it may be time to take a fresh look at it!
- Determine which positions have the highest staff turnover and focus on those first (even earlier than you may need to)
- Write better job postings (ads) – make sure they are up to date with bonuses, benefits, and perks
- Nail your interviews – what type of interviews are necessary for each position, who is responsible, and have predetermined questions ready
- Hiring part-time or seasonal? Get a list of employees that have left and reach out with an exciting job offer!
- Create an effective Employee Referral Program (friends like to work with friends!)
- Plan beyond hiring – you expect great service, be sure you deliver great training. What you do after you hire means the difference in whether an employee stays!
Now that you’re on your way to a solid hiring plan, make sure your leadership team understands each part of it and the role they play.
Get an Applicant Tracking System (that works for you)
There are plenty of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) out there, let’s face it. But having a system that works for your business is the important part. Here are some key things that your ATS needs to do for you.
- Have easy online job applications (see the section below for the reasons why!)
- The ability to cast a wide net to source candidates (and drive them to one place)
- Managers need to get notified of an application right away and be able to engage instantly (ideally from their mobile device)
- Integrate with background and motor vehicle screening – to make better hiring decisions
- When ready to hire, your ATS should be able to automatically send the new hire paperwork (electronically) and reduce or eliminate data entry, saving time and unnecessary headaches
- It needs to be easy for HR and hiring managers to create and manage job posts, control job ad spend, and see where the best sources for applicants are coming from
- On top of these key things, your ATS needs to give you reporting capabilities to optimize your response time, improve recruiter performance, and understand how you are stacking up to your organization’s hiring plan
- Icing on the cake is having your ATS be able to prescreen for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) eligibility.
This is not all-encompassing, but if your ATS can do these things, you are well on your way to spiffing up your recruiting process. If your ATS is lacking in these areas, you’re missing a critical link in your hiring chain, and we should talk!
Create a Simple Apply Process (I mean, super simple)
It is critical to have the best tools in place to reach candidates, wherever they are – here are some things that will help you stand out.
- Your job applications must be mobile-first that is built for the way hourly job seekers apply
- Wherever you are sourcing candidates from must drive candidates to a simple apply process from every source, so you don’t lose them to the competition
- Candidates need to be able to apply in a way that’s easiest for them – removing any friction from the very beginning, such as requiring a login or having to navigate multiple systems
- Another way is to offer a true text (SMS) application experience where candidates can interact with a chat engine to apply for your jobs and automatically schedule an interview without waiting on another human
With so many open jobs, candidates are more likely to take the path of least resistance and you need to be ready to put the simplest route in front of them!
Automated Onboarding (all the way to payroll)
Having a great Applicant Tracking System is only a piece of the hiring process. If your ATS stops at recruiting, the chain is broken again. Here are some key things your Onboarding software needs to handle.
- As the next step in making the decision to hire, your onboarding software should automatically send out the electronic new hire paperwork (and automatically assign to the right location and onboarding packet)
- New hires should be able to complete everything from any place or device in English or Spanish – making it a smooth and enjoyable experience
- Be able to track COVID-19 vaccines and testing for employees, with a dashboard to manage employee records
- Have a compliant I-9 process with integrated E-Verify and electronic signatures
- The ability to complete State and Federal Tax forms, company policies, custom forms, and WOTC forms
- Have an easy dashboard for managers to quickly finish the new hire paperwork and get back to running operations
- Integrations to background screening, paycard vendors, payroll systems, and pos systems – eliminating extra data entry steps and errors
Automating your hiring process from recruiting to onboarding can significantly increase your whole organization’s efficiency and compliance. Hiring is tough – but Efficient Hire can make it easier.
If any of these must-have’s are a concern for you, we should talk! You are not alone in feeling the frustrations of recruiting and hiring, it can get easier and we’re here to help.