Traditional HR practices are slowly being replaced or updated in favor of modern innovations and techniques. For instance, recruitment through social media is becoming the norm, which, according to a study, is already being used by 94% of companies surveyed. But if you’re looking to improve your HR’s hiring process, using technology isn’t the only way to go.
You can look to other companies for ideas—big tech names like Apple, Google, and Netflix share a common recruitment practice that you can employ. According to Apple founder Steve Jobs, “when we hire someone, even if they are going to be in marketing, I will have them talk to the design folks and the engineers.”
At Netflix, the hiring managers and recruiters have a dynamic relationship, working together at every step of the recruitment process. While at Google, applicants would not only meet with their prospective manager but in some cases, when a senior is being recruited, he/she may also meet with the people that he/she would supervise, as well as with people from other departments who want to keep the hiring quality high.
Recruitment process in many big tech companies employs what is known as collaborative hiring.
What is collaborative hiring?
This recruitment practice refers to a team-based structure that allows the HR team to work with employees from multiple departments (including of course the prospective team of the applicant) throughout the recruitment process, getting colleagues from different groups more involved.
While traditional recruitment is considered a top-down process, with the team manager making the last call, decisions in a collaborative recruitment model should include people in different positions and teams. It should consist of the recruiter, HR manager, hiring manager, executives, and team members who would work closely with the candidate.
Responsibility is shared among the employees involved, but the recruiters are tasked with coordinating the activities in the process. They are the person-in-charge or point of contact, delegating tasks, and getting involved where necessary.
Collaborative recruitment typically involves a multi-stage interview process, where the candidate meets with two or three employees who are involved with the screening, evaluation, and selection process. Interview scorecards are then used to assess the applicant accurately.
How can it improve the recruitment process?
The collaborative model may seem complicated, but it has several positive benefits for your company when implemented right.
1. There’s less stress for the recruiter
Traditional processes place the bulk of hiring responsibilities to the recruiter or recruitment firm. It’s easy when you only have one or two openings but can get overwhelming once that number grows. With more people involved in the process and tasks are delegated, recruiters are alleviated from being solely responsible.
2. Cuts the length of the process
Many applicants have gone through a lengthy hiring process, sometimes only to end up not getting the position. This usually happens when the recruiter is the only one working; but when multiple people work in coordination to complete the recruitment tasks, you’ll hire in no time.
3. A diverse point of view may help eliminate unconscious bias
A single recruiter wouldn’t be able to give wide-ranging perspectives on the job opening, like how the applicant measures up to the expectations and the problems he/she could face at work. In addition, each person has his/her own biases that may show throughout the process.
By involving people who know the position better than the recruiter does, you get better viewpoints about the job and the applicant. Even if one has an unconscious bias towards or against the applicant, the other members can offset it with their point of views, resulting in a more balanced perspective. You’ll only choose the candidate based on his/her talent and how apt he/she is with the company culture to bring better results.
4. Improved applicant experience
Employers aren’t the only ones evaluating someone during recruitment; candidates are also assessing the company. For instance, when a recruiter goes into an interview without even preparing the questions, the applicant may already be judging the quality of the employees hired.
However, in team-based hiring where the people involved share responsibilities, there will be enough time to prepare parts of the interview, and employees also get to share interview preparation tasks. In addition, the collaborative nature could be a selling point to the candidate.
5. Improved employee retention and company culture
Collaborative recruitment gives employees a voice in recruitment, getting the most out of their skills when it comes to identifying the right talent. In effect, this makes them feel valued and vital, making them more engaged, motivated, and productive at work.
In addition, collaborative hiring reinforces a culture of unity, feedback, and transparency. This sense of community can be used to attract and retain talents, as well.
Are you ready to collaborate?
Collaborative recruitment may be favorable to your company, but like the traditional process, there are also inherent risks to it. For instance, the slightest inconsistency can be amplified because there are many employees involved, though letting HR be in charge of the process and coordinate with everyone can quickly remedy this.
Before getting into this model, you should first be prepared for it. Have a consistent approach and make sure that everyone involved knows what his/her responsibilities are. The workforce generation will soon change, ultimately changing how businesses operate, as well. Therefore, it’s essential to find ways on how to make processes more engaging to employees to help them develop along the way.
