In recent years, the employment environment has experienced a massive revolution driven by the fast change in technology trends. Recruitment and onboarding as we knew them are things of the past. Digital innovation is re-engineering how they are conducted for maximum convenience and productivity.
This evolution is not a mere fad but an imperative as digital-age institutions prioritize time, convenience, and safety. However, in this blog, we will walk you through how and why you should conduct your hiring and onboarding procedures in the digital arsenal.
Transition to Digital Recruitment
Traditional hiring and onboarding practices were, historically, done manually. From paper resumes to in-person interviews, these processes were inefficient, time-consuming, expensive, and largely inadequate when it came to acquiring the best talent.
However, the digital era, characterized by almost everyone being online and the emergence of digital platforms, required complete rethinking of these processes. Employers can now reimagine their hiring and onboarding practices to become adaptive, inclusive, and global.
Any company can post vacancies on the network and promote them to people all over the world, which reduces the problem of the shortage of suitable candidates. This also significantly reduces the financial costs associated with traditional job information sections and the services of hiring agencies.
Leveraging Big Data for Hiring
Indeed, big data has revolutionized the field of recruitment. Modern companies use huge volumes of data to recruit the right candidates. HR can use big data analytics to assess the qualifications of potential employees, identify their career history, and even track their behavior on social media.
This shift to data-driven recruitment has allowed businesses to make more unbiased and objective hiring decisions as its purpose is to pick the candidate that would be the best fit for the company.
Harnessing AI for Screening Candidates
One of the most noticeable trends, artificial intelligence resides at the same time as the transformation of the candidate screening experience. Based on the use of complex algorithms, AI can review resumes almost simultaneously, selecting the most appropriate candidates for the interview.
AI systems can also evaluate potential candidates for the relevant job, considerably reducing the time spent considering unsuitable candidates. Finally, AI chatbots can also help attract applicants by enabling preliminary conversations and preliminary acquaintance with the open position, dramatically increasing the candidate’s user experience.
Implementing Video Interviews
Another new method that increases in popularity is video interviews, which could be performed live or used as a tool for initial screening. This practice saves a great deal of time, making it easier for employers to schedule interviews with multiple candidates.
Video interviews can be used in both live and asynchronous modes, meaning candidates provide pre-recorded answers to a set of questions, which is later reviewed by the hiring team. Given that communication skills and fit with organizational culture are crucial factors, applications could be identified in cases where a potential candidate is unable to schedule an interview at a given time.
Employee Onboarding Software
The employee onboarding software as outlined in the above sections of this post has improved the onboarding process in several ways. The enhanced employee onboarding tool like iTacit offers a holistic platform where everything from documentation to training booking is done under one roof.
Through software, employees get formal and organized onboarding while ensuring positive engagement. The software also automates routine workflows like data entry, permitting HR to focus on strategic implementation.
Digital Documentation
Converting physical documents to digital during automating the onboarding process has several advantages. First, documents are easier to manage and store and, on the other side, are easily available thanks to the digital storage from any device.
Hence, digitalization eliminates the need for much paperwork and reduces administrative load. In addition, digital documents have a lower carbon footprint as paper usage is diminished. Digital signature and secure uploading also add convenience and security to the process.
Online Training and E-Learning Platforms
Digital onboarding is also compatible with online training and e-learning platforms that new employees can access. Online platforms facilitate real-time tracking to enable employees to know what they need to cover throughout the training duration.
The online platforms can also be customized to cover the requirements and company training, culture, and policies. Digital onboarding often contains interactive websites and quizzes that new employees can use to get learning feedback instantly.
Importance of Regular Digital Check-Ins
Regular digital check-ins through email, messaging apps, or video calls are also essential to keep in touch with the new hire. Such check-ins will enhance new employees’ engagement and satisfaction as they receive ongoing support and feedback.
Digital platforms also allow one to schedule compliance checks while keeping the record of progress and concerns to enable HR to act on any shortcomings.
Creating a Virtual Employee Community
Building a culture and community as if employees were one and the same is vital. In remote or hybrid work settings, a digital platform may be utilized to create an online “virtual employee community” or a shared space where people can socialize and collaborate.
This helps integrate new hires effectively in the company culture while also fostering a sense of unity and inclusivity.
The Role of Cybersecurity in Digital Hiring and Onboarding
Given that hiring and onboarding processes have been increasingly converted to the online regime, cybersecurity remains of the utmost importance.
As companies deal with personal, sensitive information regarding their potential and current employees, all collected materials need to be safely stored, with encrypted databases in compliance with general data protection regulations. Ultimately, establishing the privacy and security of digital recruiting and onboarding is the key to preserving the trust between employer and employee.
Conclusion
The digital transformation of the hiring and onboarding process yields various benefits ranging from efficiency and global reach to a candidate-centered and partially bias-free procedure. The use of digital recruitment, big data, AI, video interviews, onboarding software, and online training platforms are revolutionary in the way businesses hire and onboard from different parts of the world.
Although this transformation comes with many difficulties and new challenges such as cybersecurity or unfamiliarity with new technologies, the goal of the companies should be to use digital innovations as leads to redesign the hiring and onboarding process with the human experience in mind.
The future of work is also digital, and the sooner the companies start adopting and implementing digital strategies, the better a chance they will have in attracting and retaining the talent in an increasingly competitive market.
