In today’s competitive talent landscape, organisations are constantly striving to attract, engage, and retain top talent. A critical factor in achieving this goal is reducing the time to hire. A lengthy hiring process can lead to lost opportunities, increased costs, and a negative impact on brand reputation. Fortunately, creating a robust talent pipeline is an effective strategy to significantly reduce the time to hire. Oleeo works with organisations like The Department of Work and Pensions which achieved an internal fill rate of 70%.
Establishing a Tactical Framework of Job Groups
A strategic approach to talent pipelining begins with establishing a comprehensive framework of job groups. This involves identifying and classifying roles based on shared skills, competencies, and experience requirements. By grouping similar roles, organisations can streamline sourcing, recruitment, and onboarding processes.
Aligning the Organisation
Effective talent pipelining requires alignment across the organisation. This alignment ensures that all stakeholders, including hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals, are working towards a common goal. Clear communication, collaboration, and shared accountability are essential for success.
Maximising the Reserve List of Candidates
Maintaining a reserve list of qualified candidates is crucial for filling open positions quickly and efficiently. This reserve list should be populated with candidates who have expressed interest in working for the organisation and have demonstrated the necessary skills and experience. Regularly reviewing and updating the reserve list ensures that a pool of potential candidates is readily available when needed.
The Significance of Talent Pipelining
A well-developed talent pipeline is a strategic asset that enables organisations to proactively identify, attract, and engage qualified candidates, ensuring a steady supply of top talent to meet future hiring needs. This approach not only reduces the time to hire but also enhances the quality of hires, leading to improved employee engagement, productivity, and overall organisational success.
Time to hire is particularly acute in more senior roles and is exacerbated by complex pre-employment checks. When some checks can take over three months, the reserve list is critical to reducing the time to hire. By using internal talent pipelines Central Government departments Oleeo works with have achieved an internal fill rate of between 30 to 70%. DWP has achieved a fill rate of 70%.
The Role of Applicant Tracking Systems in Talent Pipelining
Organisations are constantly seeking innovative strategies to optimise their recruitment processes and build a strong talent pipeline. Technology, particularly applicant tracking systems (ATS), has emerged as a powerful tool to streamline the hiring process and effectively manage talent pools.
How Applicant Tracking Systems Facilitate Talent Pipelining
Public Sector Applicant tracking Systems play a pivotal role in building and managing effective talent pipelines. These systems provide a centralised platform for sourcing, screening, and managing candidate data, streamlining the entire hiring process.
1. Enhanced Sourcing and Candidate Discovery:
ATS software offers advanced sourcing capabilities, enabling recruiters to tap into a vast pool of potential candidates through various online channels and job boards. Additionally, ATS software can leverage skills, experience searches and candidate profiles to identify and attract qualified individuals who match specific job requirements.
2. Streamlined Application and Reviewing Process:
ATS software automates and streamlines the application process, providing a user-friendly interface for candidates to submit their CVs and relevant information. This automation reduces manual tasks, allowing recruiters to focus on evaluating candidate profiles and identifying promising matches.
3. Automated Candidate Screening and Evaluation:
ATS software utilises various screening tools, skills assessments, and behavioural questionnaires, to evaluate candidates based on predefined criteria. This automation helps recruiters quickly identify candidates who meet the essential requirements for open positions, prioritising the most suitable candidates for further review.
In July 2020 the UK government announced plans to double the number of Work Coaches employed by the DWP – recruiting an additional 4,500 work coaches in seven weeks.
Application and hiring processes needed to run centrally, whilst serving the needs of 600 job centres. They needed to scale up with thousands of applications and adhere to strict civil service recruitment principles.
Oleeo’s configurable platform met their needs. There were too many applications to host live interviews, so everything was automated using pre-recorded interview exercises.
This resulted in a 40,000 hour reduction in the time required to assess candidates and 156,000 hours saved from management time which would have been spent on other management activities.
4. Nurturing and Engaging Candidate Relationships:
ATS software enables recruiters to nurture and engage with candidates throughout the hiring process, sending personalised communications, scheduling interviews, and providing feedback. This ongoing engagement helps maintain a positive candidate experience and encourages future applications.
The Metropolitan Police Service (The Met) were facing an issue where they weren’t attracting enough female applicants for their police officer job vacancies.
By using Oleeo’s Intelligent Engagement feature, The Met targeted adverts and communications on their career site aimed specifically at the female population. As a result, The Met were able to place the right message, at the right time, in the right place to encourage females to apply to become a police officer.
This resulted in a 40% increase in the number of women participating in a critical recruitment stage.
5. Building a Talent Database and Reserve List:
ATS software serves as a centralised repository for candidate data, creating a valuable talent database. This database allows recruiters to easily access and search for candidates who have expressed interest in the organisation, even if they are not currently applying for a specific position. This reserve list ensures a ready talent pool of qualified individuals to consider for future openings.
6. Data-Driven Insights for Strategic Decision-Making:
ATS software provides valuable data and analytics, enabling recruiters to track hiring trends, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions regarding sourcing, screening, and candidate selection. These insights can guide strategic talent pipeline initiatives and optimise the overall recruitment process.
Key Benefits of Strategic Talent Pipelining
Implementing a strategic talent pipeline framework offers numerous benefits:
- Reduced time to hire: By proactively identifying and nurturing qualified candidates, organisations can significantly reduce the time it takes to fill open positions.
- Improved candidate quality: A well-managed talent pipeline ensures that organisations have access to a pool of highly qualified candidates who are well-aligned with the organisation’s culture and values.
- Reduced hiring costs: By streamlining the hiring process and reducing the need for external recruiting agencies, organisations save time and resources.
- Enhanced employer branding: A consistent and efficient hiring process contributes to a positive employer brand, attracting top talent and strengthening the organisation’s reputation.
Talent Pipelining for Success
Creating a strategic talent pipeline is an investment in the future of an organisation. By proactively identifying, nurturing, and engaging with qualified candidates, organisations can streamline the hiring process, reduce time to hire, and ultimately achieve their talent acquisition goals. In today’s competitive talent landscape, strategic talent pipelining is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for success.
If you would like to learn how your organisation could benefit from strategic talent pipelining, please get in touch, we would love to hear from you!
