6 Reasons Why
You Should Consider
Automated Onboarding
Learn How to Quickly Transition
Candidates Into Jobs
A Bond Operational Excellence White Paper
6 Reasons Why You Should
Consider Automated Onboarding
Learn How to Quickly Transition Candidates Into Jobs
A
s the economic winds continue
to move in a positive direction,
we are seeing improving hiring
trends sweep across the country.
The latest numbers from the Bureau of
Labor and Statistics shows that the U.S.
has its lowest unemployment rate in 8
years, 5.8 percent. Just as promisingly,
our nation enjoyed large hiring gains in the
private sector, especially in professional
and business services, manufacturing and
leisure and hospitality.
So what does this mean for businesses moving forward? As hiring increases,
recruiting firms and staffing agencies should be looking to implement onboarding
systems that will more quickly and efficiently transition these new hires onto the job
scene.
Those in the industry who have cracked the hiring code all share a similar weapon when
it comes to bringing in new hires – automated onboarding. Whether transactional
onboarding – dealing with the forms and processes involved in onboarding an employee,
or acculturated onboarding – guiding a new hire to effectiveness more quickly,
automation of these systems is a proven time and money saver.
As with other recruiting software that is steering the hiring industry in a new and
more efficient direction, automation is changing the face of onboarding at big and
small companies alike, and here are 6 reasons why….
1. Cost Savings
The first benefit any company looks for is
obviously the effect on the corporate
bottom line. While it seems intuitive that
automation in onboarding processes would
naturally save money when cutting out
extra administrative time on behalf of both
new employees and HR staffers, the
savings reach beyond the obvious.
The elimination of needless paperwork is
proving to be a cost-saving center that
more hiring companies are recognizing.
According to the Recruiting Edge Newsletter, “The average company has 15 corporate
policies, procedures, and forms that are required for the new hire to read, review, and
sign prior to their first day of work. That does not include the US federal and state forms
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that are required, such as the Form I-9, W4, state tax withholding forms, and the
optional 8850 WOTC form. These forms and policies, along with your required corporate
forms, often total more than 40 pieces of paper, which HR copies, distributes and then
collects – or hunts down – from each new hire.”
However, automation stops that wasteful process, especially when combined
with electronic signature capabilities, eradicating needless paperwork and
associated administrative time.
2. Improved Data Collection
Oftentimes, the challenges of data
collection reach beyond those regular
corporate forms. Government agencies
and contractors, for example, must also
obtain legally mandated background
checks, drug screening and
medical/fitness exams, verifications and
licensure certifications – all under the
umbrella of overall confidentiality.
With the addition of each new piece of data
comes the possibility of mishandling. Any mistakes in the onboarding process can come
back to haunt HR departments when auditors visit. But with automated onboarding, both
collection and management of the data can be maintained virtually problem-free.
3. Customization of Onboarding Tools
While multiple companies within an industry may have similar onboarding
requirements, each business has its own unique needs when it comes to bringing in
new hires. Not only does paperwork vary from firm to firm, the details needed to bring a
new employee up-to- speed change too.
For example, recruiting firms charged with
pre-hire assessment can create
customized electronic tests that all
candidates can take regardless of their
location. By culling out prospects who
might not fit as well into the corporate
culture or skill sets, companies save
money by reducing the need for rehires,
while also experiencing a profit boost.
An article in HR Automation Trends Onboarding & More highlighted this benefit,
sharing how Luxottica Retailer (parent to Sunglass Hut, Pearle and LensCrafters) found
that stores staffed by pre-qualified new hires significantly outperformed non-assessed
employees to the tune of $18,000 per tested worker.
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4. Reduction in Errors
By integrating all the relevant systems
incorporated with onboarding, automation
can significantly reduce the chance for
errors. No longer must new employees
wade through mounds of paperwork,
potentially entering incorrect information
or missing essential details altogether.
And HR staffers needn’t worry about
having to check for errors. Automation
insures that all forms are correctly
completed.
The benefits of errorless data are far reaching. From avoiding the added hours of payroll
back tracking from incorrectly filed forms to managing WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax
Credit) programs more effectively with interactive Q &A surveys, companies can save
thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours.
5. Heightened Security
One of the hottest topics around onboarding practices is the safety of employee data. Hiring
companies must protect the integrity of data collection, transmission, storage and backup
of personal employee information.
Automated onboarding solves these
issues by providing data security through
web-based cloud storage available
through Software as a Service (SaaS).
Data taken in through automated
processes is stored in the cloud and
with such elements as encryption
and access control is secured more
effectively than information that is stored
in on-site systems.
Such web-based protections provide multiple layers of security measures, both virtual and
physical, to ensure that data is protected from breaches. Automated onboarding vendors
also work with each client’s own IT department to customize security measures.
And web-based automation provides yet another benefit. Ultimately, the securely stored
data resting in the cloud eliminates the need to hold onto countless file boxes of
information for years on end.
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6. Happier New Hires
What connection does automated
onboarding have with the emotional
well- being of new employees? More
than you might think. When automated
onboarding is part of a hiring process,
the time that HR managers would have
spent on administrative paperwork is
now eliminated, giving those managers
more personal face- to-face time to
make hires feel welcome.
In addition, the user-friendly features of automated onboarding reach across
generations when it comes to employee use. Older workers who no doubt have years of
experience filling out employment forms will appreciate the simplified process. Even
data screens can be enlarged for better viewing.
And the notion that many employees can’t negotiate online tools is a fallacy. Only 1 in 5
adults -- mainly those over 65 or without a high-school education – don’t use the internet
regularly.
With the time saved, companies can invest in more workplace training and acculturation
programs upon the new employee’s entrance into the company, boosting absorption
success.
Ultimately, the man-hours saved through automated onboarding make the software
solution a difficult tool to ignore. Staffing agencies and recruiting firms charged with the
complicated challenges of onboarding can see impactful changes in a short amount of
time when they move to automated processes.
As hiring continues to ramp up this year and beyond, automated onboarding like the
other recruiting software programs available to staffing and hiring companies, will likely
be a game-changer when it comes to success in the hiring marketplace. Learn how
staffing software and recruiting software from Bond US can help you achieve your hiring
objectives.
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Presented by:
Bond International Software, Inc.
www.bond-us.com
Copyright Bond International Software, Inc. 2014. All rights reserved.