UK 
United States
There’s no denying the positive impact that recruitment software, such as an applicant tracking system, can have on your current working practices, and just how effective it is in helping you to establish your department’s credibility as a commercial function within the business.
Yet, despite this, some HR professionals are still facing resistance when trying to secure buy-in for recruitment software implementation. Introducing technology into your organisation, especially when you’ve not used it previously, can seem daunting.
If you’ve recently implemented an applicant tracking system, but have noticed your employees are not using it the way you need them to – or indeed at all – there may be an underlying reason.
We look at some of the common reasons why your team isn’t using your ATS and provide suggestions on what to do next time.
1. Your ATS has been designed for your HR team, not your hiring managers
Not everyone who will use your ATS will be specifically from your HR/recruitment team. Especially if you operate within a lean team, or have multiple sites, you are reliant on hiring managers working ‘in the thick of it’ to conduct their own hiring and interviewing activity.
If you want to stop your hiring managers from bypassing your central HR function, then you need to think about their needs and user journey. We recommend, where possible, ensuring that a representative of these users are there when the system is being demoed to ensure their needs are met.
Also, be clear to them about the benefits of using the system properly. Recruiting staff, especially when recruitment isn’t part of your remit, can be an emotional topic – it’s something that is seen as a hindrance as it takes away precious resources from the hiring manager being able to complete their business as usual activities. Therefore, ensure it is optimised so it is user-friendly, and simple to use.
2. The system was not introduced properly
This can occur in two instances. The first, when the system was implemented for the first time and secondly, if you have a new starter who needs to get to grips with it.
Here, it is important to provide adequate training on the use of the system as part of a new starter’s induction. What is most pertinent here, however, is that the training should be delivered by someone who is a good user and champion of the system, as a poor training experience can often lead to the new starter picking up bad habits.
If it is a new system you are considering, it is advisable to get a few of your team in to trial the software itself to ascertain how easy it is to pick it up. Make these users feel important, and their needs and questions addressed by the representative from the demoing company.
3. The system doesn’t work for your people
Noticed that your team is bypassing the technology you implemented in favour of a dated, traditional approach? This could be due to a number of reasons, the most prominent being, that their needs may have not been considered in the initial decision making stages.
The first step here is to show them how the software supports the goals of the department in the long term. For example, if you need to report on your hiring metrics, but the staff member is bypassing your ATS in favour for a spreadsheet to manage their activity, explain to them the long term implication.
Only through communicating to them what and why you need the system, will they be able to understand their part. But also be considerate to their needs, if it is something that is causing the extra pressure, they may be slightly offish.
Of course, we’re creatures of habit, and will revert back to what we are comfortable with, so changing their behaviours may be hard – but it’s not difficult.
Article by Cygnus Resourcing – empowering through partnership
