Data Is The New “Oil” Fueling Transformation In TA

Unleash the power of your ATS and deliver personalization at every touchpoint

 
Within a relatively short period of time, the HR community has undergone a transformation — one that witnessed the candidate experience move from "transactional" to something akin to a personalized consumer buying experience. Yet the HR community’s use of machine learning and automation still hovers somewhere just north of only 10%.
 

This leaves considerable room for improvement — particularly since disruptive technologies offer much in the way of helping recruiters do their jobs more effectively to attract top talent. If knowledge is power, then its subset – data – is the “oil” that makes digital disruption possible. HR professionals have spent years collecting all sorts of data – from demographics to click behaviors, data on employee conversations and performance. However, they have largely failed to embrace that data and leverage it to personalize experiences and improve quality of hire and engagement.  
 

An Application Tracking System (ATS) frees recruiters from dealing with mounds of paper resumes via snail mail. The shift was, in its day, revolutionary. From the candidate’s perspective, however, ATS technology did little to improve their experience. It simply swapped a tedious paper and pen process for something equally cumbersome.
 
On the flipside, recruiters and talent leaders had less paperwork — but no real insights into who was applying for a job. What’s more, they had no connection to anyone who abandoned the application process, and no way of knowing at what point. If a candidate failed to complete an application — or another candidate was selected — the relationship hit a hard “stop.”
 
Conversely, consumer marketers quickly learned that customers’ abandoned “shopping carts” didn’t necessarily mean a missed opportunity. Nor did it have to be the end of the relationship. In reality, many of these customers simply needed to be persuaded over time — and through multiple touchpoints — in order to make an informed purchase. So, they began offering product recommendations, robust content and even discounts to make the purchase more attractive.
 
The same can be said for the candidate experience. After all, they’re consumers, too.
 
Now, let’s apply the same thinking to candidates who abandon their “job cart” due to a frustrating or convoluted application process. Meanwhile, many candidates who complete the online application process never hear back. That’s especially significant since 46 percent of candidates with a poor experience say they would sever their relationship with the brand. In short, the reach of a bad candidate journey can trigger negative impact on hiring goals, brand relationships and allegiances all of which impact the bottom line.
 

What does this mean for the future of the ATS? Well, although it’s not particularly candidate-centric, it doesn’t need to be abandoned altogether. Instead, an ATS should be considered just one tool in the talent acquisition arsenal.
 
The key is in using all available data — an ATS included — is to gain a bird's-eye view of system performance overall. Any systems, technologies and processes that hold data in incompatible silos fail to help recruiters gain the insights they need to attract and keep top talent. In reality, all data should be available in real-time to every stakeholder. And it should appear on a single dashboard that alerts them to trends; lets them discover opportunities; and effectively market to candidates on a personal level. The goal is to create a candidate experience that is straightforward, relevant, informative, and engaging every step of the way. This is where machine learning and automation come into play.
 

Machine Learning and AI are becoming increasingly significant tools because they simplify and automate the candidate experience. With only a few key pieces of candidate information — such as an email address — it is now possible to know where candidates “live” online, where they work and if (and when) they started the job application process.
 
That data can then be leveraged to create meaningful content that speaks to their interests and aspirations. Then, it can become more relevant with each subsequent interaction. Career website and job description pages can move away from “one size fits all” and become a robust, informative experience that uses videos, blogs, and events to showcase an organization’s unique Employee Value Proposition. In the same vein, it can help candidates picture themselves being part of the team.
 
Further assisting the process, drip campaigns can be automatically launched, delivering relevant content at regular intervals, over time. And a mobile-friendly application process can transform a cumbersome application process into an experience that mimics the online checkout process.
 
Bringing data to the core of the talent acquisition process helps HR professionals fully understand every step of the candidate journey and effectively speak to a digitally native audience. HR stakeholders are able to think about the entire talent acquisition process in the context of today’s a digitally sophisticated candidates — and build an informed, data-enabled omnichannel strategy that attracts them.  
 

Unquestionably, the ever-evolving, rapidly accelerating digital disruption puts pressure on business performance. And it has created an urgency to link digital transformation to business performance. A combination of innovative technology, real-time data and artificial intelligence have fundamentally changed how products and services are delivered and consumed. True transformation is about putting digital at the core of everything an organization does — and the HR function is no exception.
 
From a talent acquisition perspective, CHROs need to encourage their TA teams to look beyond the ATS as the primary recruitment strategy tool. Then, they need to take things a step further, using real-time data and machine learning to transform every online, social or offline interaction as a means to nurture the candidate relationship and convert them into employees. Today, the CHRO needs to be a driver and the advocate of change management. It’s key to achieving a true digital transformation.
 

Despite the ever-changing scope of technology and HR practices, this is only the beginning for HR. Leveraging data in order to make informed, predictive and prescriptive decisions will help HR leaders navigate the digital transformation road successfully. Still need convincing? IDC, a world leader in market intelligence and analytics, predicts that by 2025, the amount of global data will grow to encompass ten times what exists right now.
 
I see enormous potential in that prediction — and with it, great opportunities for the HR community as a whole.

Additional Resources
3 Ways Talent Leaders Can Help CEOs Drive Digital Transformation
The CHRO as Architect: Creating Amazing Employee Experiences