Putting the Human Touch Back Into Human Resources - Workology

Putting the “Human Touch” Back Into Human Resources - Workology Technology vs. Humans With the moniker of “Employment Therapist”, as much as I would like to think that I am warm and fuzzy, my approach tends to be “tell it like it is”; so brace yourselves. Let me start by saying I love people. So much so, that I transitioned from a lucrative career in entertainment to become an executive recruiter and assist candidates with making the best presentation of themselves.   Imagine my surprise when I realized that some recruiting tools and company motives did not benefit candidates; of whom I believe are the golden egg in a hiring scenario.  As a business owner, I get it. Business is business and I understand how important a bottom line is. But, forgetting that it is people who help our businesses flourish is a missed opportunity on the part of an organization. Treating candidates as if they should count themselves lucky to engage or be apart of your business is just plain wrong. Working with top companies as a recruiting professional, I observed companies having this mindset without being aware of it. Learning  How to Make Your Career Site Apply Process More Accessible is crucial to your company.  No responses to application submissions, in my opinion, is just as bad as not responding to a message sent to you on a dating platform. Think about it. Someone who took the time to read and hopefully submit an application to your post deserves some sort of response wouldn’t you agree? Swiping left or right may have killed our ability to respond with human kindness. Technology vs. Humans Many employers have changed their overall company culture and invest heavily on creating an illusion of how ideal it would be for candidates to work in their organization. Likewise, it is a trend to heavily invest in systems to manage employees; with an onus on making them feel more like family as opposed to an employee number. Yet, nothing is being done from these companies to help transition their so-called “family members” if it doesn’t work out or when they have to downsize. Human touch must be reintroduced at every stage of employment as a culture standard. Utilizing technology to support the human aspect is ideal but not meant to replace it. Companies relying heavily on technology as an extension of their company culture is very disappointing. For instance, any company or staffing firm that would entertain using a robocall or text interviewing platform speaks highly of a company’s culture: cold, aloof, and one of self-importance. No bueno. This is just one example of How Robots Artificial Intelligence Will Change Our Workplace.   So how do you restore the human aspect  throughout every stage of employment? Well, let’s start with why you feel your company must showcase their best aspects. Is it not to attract the most talented candidates? Is it not just as important to showcase your company’s culture throughout an employees entire experience, especially at the end? Let’s take a cue from the pop culture TV show, Sex In The City. In one episode, Carrie received a breakup message on a Post It Note! That’s right a 35 piece of paper. Discarded “family members” that receive a standard severance package feel just as disrespected. Lackluster exit packages do nothing to help move your workforce forward, reinforce your company culture, or protect your company’s brand from negative opinionated postings. All of which hinder talented people from being interested in your company;  as candidates are savvy enough to check for negative reviews on Glassdoor and TheLayoffs.com. Negative experiences online are counterproductive to what was sought to gain in the first place and makes it harder to fill open positions. Offboarding practices are just as important as a company’s onboarding. Incorporating a low-cost solution as a goodwill gesture to employees set to move forward with their career, lowers workers comp claims, and showcases a company’s regard for its extended family members long after they have transitioned. vCandidates.com has created a 3-month subscription to assist companies with maintaining a positive company culture by assisting those transitioning, who earn a minimum of $40,000 annually, by connecting them directly with recruiting professionals. So, I will leave you with this food for thought. The most common complaint candidates have is that their former employer doesn’t care.  What does your offboarding practices say about your company’s culture and how does it extend the employee experience long after they have transitioned? More importantly… does your company care? Dont turn into a Bad Boss Parody.   Employers can purchase vCandidates.com’s 3-Month Employer Outplacement Subscription for as low as $85 to include in exit packages. Visit vCandidates.com for more information or contact Austin Curtis directly at austin.curtis@vcandidates.com to learn more about our enterprise subscriptions.