When implementing any change in the talent acquisition recruitment process, your hiring manager is likely to have an impact on the success or failure of new software systems and potential new hires based on their experience. Whether you are just embarking on a digital system for the first time or changing over from another solution, getting your hiring manager involved early can make all the difference.

“The new system is great and allows me to work through my process seamlessly”
Hiring Manager, AnglicareSA

Usability is Key

Some Human Resources solutions are better positioned for wider usability with practical user interface (UI) design, intuitive features and on-platform learning that make it easy to grasp. No one has time to spend learning systems they may only use sporadically for recruiting new employees.

“So easy to use and shortlist”
Hiring Manager, AnglicareSA

With so many people involved in the hiring process, having a hiring manager actively engaged in the recruitment platform early on can lead to greater long-term adoption and reduce the hiring managers work in the recruitment process. Streamlining the talent acquisition process with hiring manager collaboration can alleviate any potential miscommunication outside the platform and contribute to an improved candidate experience.

Refining Your Strategy

AnglicareSA was successful in their change management of technology providers due to their ability to drive system adoption by key stakeholders. They had spent time developing their talent strategy prior to engaging LiveHire, but refined it once they realised the potential of what could be achieved for an improved hiring manager experience. Since implementing LiveHire, usage from hiring managers has rapidly increased. The communication from hiring managers within the platform has more than tripled this quarter alone.

Mitigating Risk

“A really intuitive platform that I have enjoyed using. Very user friendly and I really like the look and feel of it. Love it overall.”
Hiring Manager, AnglicareSA

With so much to do, hiring managers may not realise how important it is to protect the privacy of candidate data. Seemingly innocent tasks such as emailing candidate details can lead to a data breaches that could become a costly risk management issue for the company and cause reputational damage. Organisations need to treat candidate details as you would any other compliance concern – having a strict workflow of communication procedures in a secure location where data security can be easily monitored.

Unified Communication

“The functionality of LiveHire was far easier to learn than I expected”
Hiring Manager, AnglicareSA

Using technology to keep all communications in one place creates a central source of data that hiring managers, Human Resources teams and TA specialists can all access. Keeping all information within the recruitment software makes collaboration easy, without compromising on possible data breach issues or the quality of the messaging and in turn improving the hiring manager experience. With access to candidate communication history, Human Resources teams can re-engage with past candidates and pick up where they left off for new job opportunities. These records of interactions enable hiring teams to establish a genuine connection with candidates and should be a crucial part of the employer branding strategy. When an open position comes up, final hiring decisions are simplified. A recruiter can easily assess the best candidates and make the final offer based on these resources.

Empowering Hiring Managers

“Love the look and feel. It is so user friendly and makes it easier to recruit, especially for someone who doesn’t recruit often”
Hiring Manager, AnglicareSA

Don’t underestimate the power of the reporting manager/new hire relationship. There are many things that circulate on LinkedIn but there is one that has gained traction as great advice in the last few years – pick a boss, not a job. Hiring the ideal person for a role is streamlined when the hiring manger is responsible for contributing to a great candidate experience. Ensuring a job offer is accepted is critical to the recruitment process, and allowing your hiring managers to communicate with their potential employee up until the final hiring decision is made is key to make that great hire.

Responsible Hiring

Appealing to your hiring manager to be more active in the recruitment process can have a two-fold effect; establish relationships with potential employees and assess them for company fit. Building relationships can take time. By actively encouraging hiring managers to participate in the selection and shortlisting process, they will be better prepared for candidate interviews. Spending time in the platform can give genuine insight into the suitability of present and future candidates. Entrust and inspire your hiring managers to be part of the employer branding strategy and invite them to tailor the candidate experience to the future job.

Human Resource Efficiency

Taking a collaborative approach to your hiring system across your team not only improves your potential employees’ experience, but also streamlines the recruitment process. Giving your hiring managers access to interact with those in open positions in their department will positively impact the interview, job offer, and final hiring decision, making your recruiters’ job more enjoyable and efficient. Your hiring manager will feel responsible and elated at being involved from the job description development all the way to the job offer.

Easy as 1,2,3

You want to make it as easy as ABC for your hiring managers to jump on board so here are a few tips on engaging them: 

• A is for A-Team. Hiring managers want to find the best candidates possible and they play a critical role in the hiring process. Research has shown that when Talent Acquisition collaborates effectively with hiring managers, companies are three times more likely to reduce their time to hire and twice as likely to improve their quality of hire.
• B is for Best Practice. Remind them that the recruitment procedures within your digital solution are designed for best practice – anything less is leaving the company open to risk.
• C is for Communication Strategy. Motivate them to enhance your employer brand by being a “manager of choice” within your company. Everyone wants to feel like they are contributing to the wider strategy.

Change management is difficult and driving adoption of new technology can be daunting. It’s important to choose technology solutions that are easy to use and deliver a consumer-grade experience. Moreover, developing the right communication strategy that highlights the benefits of your new solution will help ease the transition and drive company-wide buy-in. 

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