HR innovation: how to innovate the recruiting processes

HR innovation: how to innovate the recruiting processes

What does it mean to innovate in HR today? And HR practitioners, what steps should they take to truly innovate? Find out more in this article.

In a world of work that is constantly evolving and where new trends almost compete-just think of Great Resignation and most recently quiet quitting – HR must always keep their antennae up. And carry on traditional recruiting methods, yes, but also look at what’s going on to decide whether to innovate or … renew.

In fact, innovation in HR is almost a “must have.” But how far to go? What does it really mean to innovate? And what mindset should an HR manager have to keep up with the times? Let’s try to find out.

SUMMARY

Managing selection processes: from traditional methods to recruiting software

Recruiting has changed a lot in recent years, but in reality it has been doing so since the 2000s and especially since having a fairly fast Internet connection became a possibility for a very large segment of the population.

Traditional means of searching for personnel, such as newspaper ads or newspapers created specifically for jobs, have been slowly supplanted by online ads and the possibility for people to find, even through search engines, one or more job offers.

Technology has become increasingly necessary and vital, both for HR and for the candidates themselves, and social recruiting and personal branding have emerged, thanks to the social media that have fostered its rise.

Not to mention the role of LinkedIn, which, over the past 2 1/2 years, abetted by the pandemic and spread of smart working, has seen more and more people not only sign up on social and complete their profiles, but also use it as a place for discussion, to make their work, values, and ideas known.

In light of all this, there is an attempt to combine the focus on the candidate/applicant that must always be high-regardless of the rhythms “imposed” by digital-with providing an optimal candidate experience. Someone who sees a job ad that they think is right for them must be able to apply and send their CV in a few minutes without too many steps, without risking losing interest, and without believing that they are unable to use technology.

But it doesn’t end there: he must be put in a position to know the company he is applying for well, and this is certainly due to his proactivity, but also to the fact that on social and so-called owned media – blog and website to name two – there must be information curated by the company itself.

Among the methods, or rather, among the innovative tools, there can obviously be no lack of ATS software, which is still underappreciated by both HR managers and candidates. And this is because sometimes, unfortunately, the former think that technology can replace them and the latter that a software can invalidate selection and cannot enhance their CV.

And on the contrary, ATS software is of great help to recruiters, but also to other typical activities of HR managers. First, because they help simplify complex processes and manage recruiting in a collaborative and participatory way.

In fact, thanks to an ATS, such as Inrecruiting, it is possible to collect data and process it according to the type of open position, to understand if there is an effective matching with the candidate and how to enhance certain experiences or skills of the candidate. You can also better manage in-person interviews or video interviews, keep track of everything that has transpired, give feedback to candidates, and so on.

Renew or innovate?

So should one renew or innovate? We could answer: both. No HR innovation can be truly effective if it is not assisted by a renewal of the HR manager.

In fact, recruiters can embrace innovation in their world if they are predisposed to change. So they must not only think about increasing turnover and productivity, but they must be aware that hiring the right people helps to create a strong corporate culture while simultaneously attracting new talent.

Moreover, people who are comfortable in the company and feel comfortable are themselves harbingers of innovation.

Therefore, to find suitable candidates, it is important to use innovative and out-of-the-box techniques, to differentiate oneself from others, certainly, but also to maintain a strategic vision.
Some innovative techniques can be process optimization, as we said, but also focusing on inclusive job ads. Today there is more and more talk about inclusive language, and a company that goes in that direction certainly shows itself to be a step ahead.

Being innovative also means getting on the candidates’ side and understanding what web and social spaces they frequent and trying to “inhabit” them.

Programmatic recruiting can also lend a big hand to recruitment by enabling the automation of ad posting and making sure that a particular ad is viewed by the most appropriate group of candidates and at a specific time.

Who drives organizational change?

The HR manager, then, has an increasingly relevant role to play in organizational change. Indeed, digital and the innovations introduced by technology, as well as the various trends in the world of work, affect the organization itself in no small measure. Just think of how important corporate culture is today, something that until a few decades ago little or no consideration was given to.

HR therefore has the role of leading this organizational change. Although more than “lead” we should say orient or ferry people and the company itself from the “old” to the new. Who, if not an HR manager, can help people learn about new realities, new dynamics, understand how much Agile methodology can help, and still reflect on the leadership styles to put in place? And that’s just to give a few examples.

HR managers can do this on their own, or by relying on consulting firms or change managers who can foster change.

The role of an HR today goes far beyond that of a recruiter; in fact, he or she must be able not only to find talent, but to manage people and contribute to the corporate culture. That is why some HRs today prefer to call themselves HR & people managers.

But beyond the labels, it is important to become aware that the HR manager must be attentive to all the changes inside but especially outside the companies. He must understand trends, be able to interpret them, go beyond “fads,” and above all be able to make connections while maintaining a critical yet proactive spirit. And yes, he must also take care of his personal branding.

The winning mindset of the HR manager

This means having a different mindset.
An HR who wants to be innovative and at the same time lead the company toward change should have these characteristics:

  • explorer mindset: being driven by curiosity and trying to understand how mechanisms and consequently organizational processes work;
  • growth mindset: i.e. having the courage to dare, to face different situations and take challenges as an opportunity to grow and grow;
  • learning agility: i.e., the ability to learn from everything that happens, trying to behave in an flexible way and make the best of everything;
  • collaborative approach: having a collaborative approach helps so much those working in HR who, contrary to popular belief, need continuous confrontation, discovering new things and being predisposed to experiment thanks to others;
  • digital knowledge: it is important for HR today to have a fairly in-depth digital knowledge and to know how to employ it.

Toward increasingly smart personnel management

All of this leads to increasingly smart personnel management that allows those who manage people to do so easily, instantly and from wherever they are. This requires choosing platforms that can be controlled from any device and reached at any time, including to “correct” any missteps, integrate information or update on current research.

Integrating artificial intelligence

Not forgetting the important role that Artificial Intelligence plays for HR today, which not only helps facilitate organizational change, but also allows the recruitment and Talent Acquisition process to be enhanced and better managed.

The use of appropriate AI technologies makes it possible to automate and accelerate processes, provides the ability to process and analyze masses of data, and in doing so certainly facilitates HR transformation.

An HR manager who is relieved of some repetitive tasks is a person who can devote himself to other aspects such as organizational culture and put in place that mindset we were talking about earlier. Artificial Intelligence is definitely to be integrated for those who want to innovate in the HR world.

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