Despite the wide use of tech tools, many HR leaders still favour ‘the human touch’ when recruiting
Employers are increasingly using HR technology to help attract and hire the best talent. Despite the widespread adoption of these tools, many HR leaders indicate they still want a human touch for critical moments during the recruitment process, according to a report by Randstad Sourceright.
Based on a survey of more than 800 human capital leaders, Randstad Sourceright's Talent Trends research found that when it comes to tasks such as searching for talent, half (51%) of employers believe initial screening should be mostly or completely automated.
Similarly, the same percentage feel that automation is useful for tracking HR data/metrics and for the creation and management of HR analytics.
However, talent leaders still value human interaction because they say a personal touch at certain points in the recruitment process keeps candidates engaged.
HR leaders say these are the top three benefits of a personal touch:
- Shortlisting candidates by video interviews (28%)
- Scheduling interviews with candidates (27%)
- Managing talent communities and engagement (26%)
“There has never been a better time for employers to explore the possibilities that technological innovation can bring to their recruitment processes,” said Anthea Collier, managing director, APAC at Randstad Sourceright.
“It is now so much easier to source and screen talent, but at the same time there's an added level of complexity. This requires companies to consider the overall hiring experience, and more specifically to determine the best mix of tech and touch to improve recruiting outcomes.”
No matter where employers come down on the tech versus human touch divide, 65% believe that the candidate experience will be positively enhanced by the continued advancement of HR technologies, and that these new tools will free up recruiters to focus on more knowledge-intensive work.
The study, which surveyed leaders in 17 countries, also found that Singapore is adopting talent technology at a rapid rate, with a notable rise in Randstad Sourceright's HR tech readiness and adoption compared to 2017, ranking fifth in the global rankings.
“Our global snapshot reveals that employers around the world are navigating which steps of the recruitment process favour the human touch and which can be automated to allow workers to focus on more strategic and value-added services,” Collier said.
“Technology alone won't give you an edge. How you use it to accelerate hiring outcomes and support the productivity of people will.”
