Organizations are prioritizing onboarding for 2016 and beyond. Slightly over half (52%) are prioritizing optimization of the onboarding process, and 45% are looking for an onboarding technology solution.
A research summary of Brandon Hall Group’s 2016 Talent Acquisition Technology survey findings will soon be released to our members and I thought I would give you a sneak peek at a few of the highlights from our study. There is both good news and bad news.
The good news is that organizations are prioritizing onboarding for 2016. Slightly over half (52%) are prioritizing optimization of the onboarding process, and 45% are looking for an onboarding technology solution. In terms of overall talent acquisition priorities and talent acquisition technology priorities onboarding was the top answer choice.
Top 3 Talent Acquisition Technology Priorities for Next 12 to 24 Months
Onboarding 45%
Social tools 39%
Predictive analytics 36%
Source: Brandon Hall Group 2016 Talent Acquisition Technology Study
Onboarding deserves a lot of attention because if it is not done correctly, it can be a very costly mistake. The cost can mount up in a number of ways, including the cost to hire replacements due to new hire attrition, lost opportunities due to attrition, lost time-to-productivity, low morale among new hires, errors due to insufficient or inconsistent training, resources wasted, and more.
Conversely, the benefits of high-performance onboarding are tremendous and can include: increased productivity, shortened time-to-productivity, increased new-hire engagement, great brand ambassadors that understand the values of the organization and refer their personal contacts for employment, and a smooth assimilation into the organization’s culture.
The bad news, unfortunately, is related to organizations’ satisfaction levels with the different talent acquisition technology functionalities for sourcing, evaluating, and onboarding. The highest average satisfaction rating was given for applicant tracking, which received a 76 out of 100. Think of it as your report card, where you received a C. Applicant tracking is the basic technology functionality being used by most talent acquisition professionals, and users are not that satisfied.
The story gets worse from there – most ratings for more than 40 technology functionalities are in the D and F range. In some cases I can easily understand why functionalities are rated fairly low. For instance, many online applications are difficult to complete and candidate drop-off rates can be significant. However, in other circumstances, the reasons may vary by organization and by provider.
The crux of the matter will be exposed when Brandon Hall Group reveals how satisfaction levels with functionalities line up with what organizations perceive to be essential to their business. Which up and coming solutions are considered most essential? Where are the largest gaps between need and satisfaction levels?
Stay tuned and you may find out. 🙂
Daria Friedman, Principal Analyst, Talent Acquisition, Brandon Hall Group