The workforce shortage continues to concern many companies in the UK. Therefore, it’s crucial to establish a simple and efficient recruitment and selection process to avoid additional costs, time loss, and inefficiencies. In this article, we look at the importance of fast recruitment, the impact of a slow process on a company, and how Coople streamlines recruitment processes to be faster and more efficient.
What does a recruitment and selection process consist of?
Typically, there are 4 stages of recruitment. These include, as a first step, the evaluation and determination of the desired profile. Once the skills and experiences needed have been defined, the job advertisement is published in a second step. Subsequently, the review of applications, telephone interviews or initial applicant assessments, conducting interviews, obtaining references, and finally, the hiring of candidates follow.
A well-structured recruitment and selection process enables a company to identify, evaluate, and hire the best candidates without losing valuable time. As the stages of the recruitment process extend, so do the costs. Hence, it’s vital to streamline the hiring process to be as efficient as possible, without compromising the quality and quantity of applicants. But how can this be achieved?
The time it takes to fill a position and the difference between time-to-hire and time-to-fill
Within talent acquisition, two terms that are frequently mentioned are time-to-hire and time-to-fill. These two terms refer to recruitment metrics. While they can vary from company to company and industry to industry, they can still offer valuable insights into the efficiency of existing hiring processes, potentially leading to optimisations.
The term time-to-hire describes the time frame (number of days) between the posting date of a job and the actual filling of the position. Therefore, time-to-hire reflects the efficiency of the hiring process from the candidates’ perspective.
On the other hand, time-to-fill measures the time between the job request to the HR department and the actual placement of the vacant position. Consequently, it provides an overview of how long the entire recruitment process takes from the company’s point of view.
Both time-to-hire and time-to-fill can vary significantly based on the industry. Moreover, the different skills and requirements for positions, as well as the levels (Junior/Senior), need to be considered.
The negative impact of a slow recruitment and selection process
A slow progression through the stages of recruitment can have several negative effects on the company.
Firstly, costs rise significantly when the hiring process is prolonged, as additional expenses for HR services and time losses quickly become a substantial financial burden. Consequently, companies waste resources that could have been better allocated to other areas of higher urgency. Existing teams experience reduced productivity and must take on additional tasks from their colleagues.
Long waiting times for feedback can cause uncertainty, as applicants do not know whether their interest has been noticed or what their chances are.
Many candidates often explore opportunities with not just one, but multiple companies simultaneously. Qualified candidates may lose interest in a position and opt for other job offers while the company is still in the evaluation stage of the recruitment process. This leads to the potential loss of valuable talent, potentially resulting in unfilled positions.
Additionally, the company’s reputation may suffer if applicants share negative experiences from the application process online.
All of these scenarios should be avoided.
How Coople makes recruitment and selection processes faster and more efficient
Coople provides flexible staff for temporary positions through their digital platform. Often, there is an immediate need for staff due to factors such as an employee falling ill, unforeseen or seasonal demand spikes, or core teams being overloaded. Flexible staffing solutions are needed and speed is essential.
On average, companies receive initial applications for open temporary positions posted on the Coople platform within a matter of hours, allowing them to hire suitable workers within a few days. As a result, the time-to-hire is remarkably efficient.
Quick and immediate hiring decisions have a strong impact on the commitment and motivation of the workers. Responding quickly to applications and hiring suitable candidates creates a positive dynamic that is reflected in job satisfaction and employee engagement.
To remind companies to hire quickly, Coople actively highlights on the platform how many applicants are currently waiting for a response.
Thanks to digital capabilities, companies can post job openings within minutes and immediately access a pool of over 350,000 registered workers. All candidates are already validated for their stated qualifications and work permits.
Unlike traditional staffing agencies, Coople offers an incredibly fast service around the clock, along with maximum transparency regarding the education and experience of workers. Companies independently publish their vacancies on the Coople platform or through the Coople for Business app, specifying the hourly wage they are willing to pay for the job. Subsequently, the Coople platform matches the staff needs with the most suitable candidates in real time. Flexible workers view jobs in their area and apply for shifts they’re interested in. The client reviews the applicants and makes selections.
Unlike other staffing providers, the client doesn’t receive an unknown employee at a predetermined price from the provider. Instead, they determine the terms and select the most suitable candidates themselves. If workers prove themselves, they can also be informed of future job opportunities directly through favourite worker pools or be transitioned to permanent positions through the “Try and Hire” principle.
Maximize Your Time-to-Fill
A fast and successful recruitment and selection process is crucial for any company to attract qualified candidates, especially when immediate needs arise. The longer the recruitment process takes, the more likely qualified applicants are to lose interest or opt for other job offers. Find out more about Coople, create a free account today, and save yourself the cost and trouble of recruiting.