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#WorkTrends Recap: Creating the HR Function of the Future

Kevin Grossman, President of The Talent Board and the CandE Awards, and I became acquainted when Twitter was in its infancy and soon after we co-hosted a little podcast together called, #TChat. Over the years we have seen many changes, most currently in the evolution of human resources technology, which is what we talked about today.

Human resources technology has evolved and become better suited to help organizations recruit and retain the employees that are a good fit while making the employee experience as positive as possible.

As we discussed different types of human resources technology, we spoke about the concerns some organizations have that automation will edge out the human touch.

Kevin reiterated that tech’s role is to augment the human resources function, not replace it. He is especially optimistic about applications and programs that help measure the employee experience and link it to the organization’s bottom line. This takes complicated technology and people with the ability to interpret data then apply it to business decisions.

“I always come back to the human touch,” reiterated Kevin.

I agree with Kevin, and am excited that human resources professionals will have so much technological help to free them up to do what they do best.

Here are a few key points Kevin shared:

  • Human resources tech isn’t just about hiring; it’s about the entire employee journey
  • Choosing to use human resources tech doesn’t end with buying the solution; businesses have to focus on adoption and utilization strategies
  • Tech is supposed to empower, not take over
  • People who become your employees have to be constantly recruited in order to be retained

Note: Kevin and I are co-chairing the HR Tech Connect Summit November 5 – 7 at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. This gathering will be all about HR technology and the role it plays in business. It is an invitation only event and we are extending that invitation to our community. So, if you would like to attend, click here!

Did you miss the show? You can listen to the #WorkTrends podcast on our BlogTalk Radio channel here: http://bit.ly/2yRDXW1

You can also check out the highlights of the conversation from our Storify here:

Didn’t make it to this week’s #WorkTrends show? Don’t worry, you can tune in and participate in the podcast and chat with us every Wednesday from 1-2pm ET (10-11am PT).

Remember, the TalentCulture #WorkTrends conversation continues every day across several social media channels. Stay up-to-date by following our #WorkTrends Twitter stream; pop into our LinkedIn group to interact with other members. Engage with us any time on our social networks, or stay current with trending World of Work topics on our website or through our weekly email newsletter.

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#WorkTrends Preview: Creating the HR Function of the Future

I am so happy to have Kevin Grossman as our guest today on #WorkTrends to talk about a topic that is becoming increasingly prominent in the human resources world: technology.

Technology is pervading all parts of our lives today. Whether you’ve deposited money at an ATM, gotten health details from your Garmin following a 3-mile run or using your phone for social media you know technology touches everything.

When the issue is human resources, what does technology do? Kevin has the expertise to inform us.

We will talk about how technology affects the entire employee experience, from candidacy through integration and beyond.

One of the exciting aspects businesses see with HR technology is the potential to help conserve costs. This allows the HR staff to work on more strategic initiatives and interact with their people. Technology relieves some of the stress of number crunching and paperwork so that human resources can manage the complete employee experience.

This #WorkTrends chat will give an overview of how technology is influencing the role of human resources and how organizations can make the most of it. More importantly, it will help us remember that technology is there to serve, while keeping us more closely connected.

Join #WorkTrends host Meghan M. Biro and her guest Kevin Grossman, President of The Talent Board and the CandE Awards, on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, at 1 pm ET as they discuss great ideas for how companies can grow and scale without losing sight of their values and culture promises.

One thing that Kevin and I are going to touch on during this #WorkTrends is a conference we are co-chairing on November 5 – 7 at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. HRTech Connect Summit is all about HR technology and the role it plays in business. This is an invitation only event and we are extending that invitation to our community. So, if you would like to attend, click here!

Creating the HR Function of the Future

Join Meghan and Kevin on our LIVE online podcast Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 1 pm ET | 10 am PT.

Immediately following the podcast, the team invites the TalentCulture community over to the #WorkTrends Twitter stream to continue the discussion. We encourage everyone with a Twitter account to participate as we gather for a live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: Why has HR Tech gained momentum over the past few years? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q2: In what ways has technology given HR a seat at the table? #WorkTrends (Tweet this question)

Q3: What HR Tech stands out most for you and why? #WorkTrends  (Tweet this question)

Don’t want to wait until next Wednesday to join the conversation? You don’t have to. I invite you to check out the #WorkTrends Twitter feed and our TalentCulture World of Work Community LinkedIn group. Share your questions, ideas and opinions with our awesome community.

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Recruitment Marketing: Understanding and Maximizing the Candidate Journey

Technology plays a big role in the process of talent recruitment for today’s recruiters. Forward-thinking HR pros understand that success with talent acquisition today is all about understanding and maximizing the candidate journey. This requires a focus on developing marketing and recruiting strategies that are attuned to the “recruiting funnel,” as well as a focus on creating an optimal candidate experience along the way.

Recruitment as Lead Generation

One thing the smartest recruiters have in common is that they treat their workflow as a business development team would treat lead generation. Having a pipeline (and a process) fueled with enough candidates at the top, a good screening process in the middle, and which provides them with the opportunity to move the most talented applicants quickly to the bottom of the funnel, is what makes or breaks a good recruiter.

And just like lead generation for business purposes, recruiters must understand that potential employees are going through their own journey as they become aware of, learn more about, and potentially become interested in opportunities with your company. HR pros who can create great, customized experiences for candidates as they experience that journey are well-positioned for success.

The Candidate Journey Begins: The Recruiting Funnel

Let’s talk about the recruiting funnel. The top of the funnel is all about corporate culture. At this stage of the journey, potential job applicants are looking to see what kind of company you are, what kind of corporate culture exists within the organization, and what others think about your company. At this stage of the funnel, they’ll be deciding very quickly whether you’re worth looking into further.

And, as a recent CareerBuilder study suggests, they’ll be looking to assess themselves, and the market to see what the next best fit is.

Here are some important things to focus on specific to this stage:

Fine-tune your website messaging. When it comes to leveraging the power of your website, which is often the very first stop for a prospective candidate, think about the story you tell about your company and how compelling you make the case for a prospective candidate to want to join your team.

The power of a blog. Your corporate blog can augment the story that you tell on your website, and can allow a candidate to see the kind of work your team and your company does, as well as the kind of things you do for and with your community. The blog is as much of a place to tell your story and share your culture as your website is, so keep that in mind as a part of the candidate journey you are creating.

The role of social media. Today’s job seekers are well aware of the power of the Internet. Naturally, they look at your website and your corporate blog and the messaging there, including the story you tell about your company, but they don’t stop there. They check out your presence in the social media space, they search for reviews from previous employees, and they know how to monitor and listen to see what current employees are saying. They also ask their connections in the social media space what they know about your company and what kind of culture and opportunities exist.

Details, Details, Details

Once a potential candidate perceives a potential fit between themselves and your company, they’ll be looking for details. In this stage of the candidate journey, they are likely to be digging a bit deeper. They may have already looked at a review of your company, but now they are examining a variety of review sources to get a sense of what the day-to-day experience is like (micromanagement vs. flexible workflow, etc).

As they move deeper into the recruiting funnel, candidates will be looking to understand exactly what they would do if hired by your company. Clarity on job description, salary, etc., are part of this stage in the journey. You’ll want to make sure to do things like:

Ask current star employees to provide reviews on Glassdoor and other sites. Ask them to be honest, and to share what motivates them to work at your company. This goes a long way toward telling the story of your organization’s culture.

The power of video. The utilization of video as a recruiting strategy is becoming more prevalent. Consider tapping some key members of your team and creating video vignettes to feature on your website about what it’s like to work for your company and the opportunities they’ve experienced as a result. You can also use these videos on your corporate YouTube channel, and even share them regularly in social media channels. A little bit of rich media content can have a big impact.

Provide specific examples of work that matches to the job description. In the utility stage, job applicants are looking to see if what you’ve said about your company matches the actual work they’ll do.

Social media channels. As candidates get deeper into the candidate journey, they begin to think about the opportunities a particular position might provide, as well as other team members they might be working with. Social media can play a big role here, as candidates turn to LinkedIn to dig deeper into profiles of potential co-workers and the kind of work experiences showcased on their profiles, and/or check them out in other social media channels. Savvy recruiters know this, and work internally to help fine-tune social media profiles and ensure that the team collectively has their best foot forward with regard to their online presence.

The Decision

Once they’ve applied and interviewed, a candidate is in the consideration phase, which is the final phase of their journey. This means they’re considering all of the information they’ve gathered, as well as what you’ve provided so far. The most critical aspect of this stage is to make sure that every question (even the ones they don’t ask out loud) is answered.

At this stage, your most important tool is simply to stay in touch. Be present in their world, follow up with information that’s actually useful to them, and provide resources to help make their decision an easy one.

Here are a few ways to close the deal:

Learn two to three things about their values, and connect over those. It can be as simple as remembering a mention during an interview about a topic that was of interest to a candidate, and emailing a quick note including a relevant article. If it’s a candidate considering relocation, send along information about goings-on in a community that might be appealing to them.

Ask for clarity about your candidate’s bottom line. Is there a salary number they feel they need to hit? Does being able to occasionally work remotely matter to them? It can be tempting to avoid these conversations, and finding out the answers doesn’t obligate you to reach them, but opening up the conversation can help move things along.

Welcome negotiation. Even if the salary for a job is set, there are always other things that can be negotiated. Negotiating the ability to work remotely one day a week, or adding flexible work hours to the equation, might be things the candidate really values and which can help close the deal.

Today’s HR professionals are embracing the nuances of the candidate journey, and developing strategies that touch candidates in different ways at different points in that journey, based on where they are in the recruiting funnel. As you’re developing your strategies, keep that funnel in mind, think about your messaging and your internal processes, and how you are not only filling your recruiting funnel, but how you are nurturing those candidates and moving them along. The goal is always attracting, hiring, and retaining the best and the brightest—understanding that candidate journey is how you’ll make that happen.

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