As technology advances, businesses are increasingly turning towards automation to eliminate manual and labor-intensive processes. Over 75 percent of HR teams expect to increase their investment in workflow automation technologies by 2024.
They are confident that it will help reduce the amount of time spent on manual paperwork, which currently takes up to 5 to 12 hours per week.
Digital transformation has paved the way for an efficient workflow that can help automate both simple and complex tasks and free up resources – specifically in Human Resources (HR) teams. With a focus on talent acquisition, recruitment, and onboarding, HR teams are finding ways to maximize their output by leveraging automation.
Let’s explore how HR teams can leverage workflow automation to optimize their hiring process.
Workflow automation for HR teams
Every department in an organization leverages automation, but one area that’s seeing especially great success is Human Resources (HR). With technology integrated into many aspects of recruiting and employee relations, organizations no longer need to dedicate time or money to manual hiring processes.
Workflow automation allows recruiters to create job postings easily, post them on job search sites, screen resumes from qualified candidates quickly, schedule interviews efficiently, and send feedback notifications to different stakeholders, among other activities.
Five scenarios – when and where can workflow automation come in handy?
- Tracking applicant information: HR departments can easily track applicants throughout the hiring process using automated workflows. They can keep tabs on each candidate easier and ensure no applications are overlooked or lost.
- Scheduling interviews: Interview scheduling is traditionally time-consuming as emails are sent back and forth between recruiters. Applicants are monitored continuously until an availability slot is identified and finalized. With automation, recruiters and applicants can view the available interview slots and book accordingly, making the process easier and faster.
- Creating job advertisements: Advanced recruitment platforms provide templates and guidelines for creating effective job postings that attract the best talent out there. Filling out information about job roles followed by posting ads on relevant external websites could be done with a few clicks, ensuring accuracy across channels and drastically reducing human error/manual effort.
- Applicant tracking system (ATS): ATS has become a major recruitment component in large organizations receiving thousands of monthly applications.
ATS allows companies to track the progress of each applicant through the entire process, from resume submission to final steps like pre-employment tests or background checks remaining completed without fail – helping companies stick to timelines while maintaining the highest level of accuracy throughout the journey.
- Onboarding new employees: Often, new employees may feel overwhelmed during onboarding, including completing paperwork, email setup, access control management, etc. Leveraging workflow automation here again helps reduce manual efforts allowing organizations onboard new starters faster, thus resulting in better productivity from day one!
- Off-boarding: Finally, workflow automation can also be useful when off-boarding employees from a company. It can help with everything from collecting the required paperwork to returning company property and ensuring a smooth transition.
Benefits of leveraging automation for HR teams
There are many advantages of leveraging workflow automation for HR teams. It helps streamline operations, ensures all necessary steps are taken during each process, eliminates errors, and saves time spent on manual tasks.
- Improved Efficiency: Workflow automation can optimize hiring processes by removing manual tasks, saving time and effort for HR teams. As a result, companies can expedite their hiring process and increase their chances of hiring the best candidates before they get recruited by competitors.
- Enhanced Candidate Experience: Automating workflows has the potential to offer candidates a smoother and more tailored experience, keeping them informed promptly and minimizing the need for manual check-ins. As a result, this can foster a favorable perception of the organization and increase the level of engagement among the pool of candidates.
- Better Data Management: The ability of automated workflows to gather and organize candidate data, including resumes, interview feedback, and assessments, in a centralized location can assist HR teams in making more informed hiring decisions and ensuring compliance with data privacy laws.
- Increased Collaboration: Creating workflows online or on other words digitizing the workflows, can promote better collaboration among HR team members and hiring managers, fostering more effective communication and feedback sharing. As a result, everyone involved can be better aligned and on the same page throughout the hiring process.
- Cost Savings: Workflow automation can reduce hiring costs by diminishing the time and effort expended on manual tasks. These savings can encompass various expenses, such as recruitment fees, advertising costs, and HR staff time.
Conclusion
Workflow automation is an invaluable tool for HR teams and holds a special place today’s digital transformation framework. By leveraging this technology, HR teams can streamline their operations and ensure that all processes within the organization run smoothly and efficiently.
With so many benefits, it’s no wonder that more organizations are turning towards workflow automation for optimal hiring experiences.
HR Future Staff Writer