TM - April 2008 - (Page 28) recruitment & retention assessment & evaluation compensation & benefits performance management learning & development succession planning movable workstations and islands of common space to encourage dialogue. Associates can work as residents in one location, as mobile workers moving from space to space or as telecommuters. All are armed with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol software phones and portable printers. There is no magic bullet for recruiting and retaining the next generation workforce. The challenges are daunting and immense. Still, some companies are taking bold steps by investing in innovative practices for sourcing, recruiting and managing talent. Whether it’s managing talent flow with supply chain principles; building the workforce skills of the future; running grueling talent assessments to identify the best; building talent pools in the broadest sense; or having a really cool, inspiring work environment, these organizations are blazing new trails. Is your organization ready to do the same? Robert Gandossy is principal and global practice leader in Hewitt’s Consulting Solutions group. Tina Kao is a senior consultant and researcher in Hewitt’s Talent and Organization Consulting group. They can be reached at editor@TalentMgt.com. ERP or ATS: Which Recruiting System Is Right for You? Ian Alexander Talent managers want the best candidates and more of them, and the quality of the job application process can play a significant role in the success or failure of your recruiting efforts, said David Freeman, talent management solutions consultant for Cytiva Software Inc. “The easier you make it for prospects to respond, the higher your response rate will be,” he said. After all, the best candidates are typically the ones with the most job options — and therefore the likeliest to move on if the application system is complicated. “All the time and effort invested in sourcing and branding is wasted if your application process doesn’t make it effortless for the candidate to apply,” Freeman said. When it comes to automated application programs, companies typically have two options: enterprise resource planning (ERP) or applicant tracking system (ATS). ERP refers to larger systems that replace independent applications and eliminate the need for manual integration, providing benefits such as standardization, less maintenance and typically lower cost. ATS refers to a specialized software application designed to facilitate recruiting and application. These systems typically provide customization, individual applicant tracking and automated resume ranking. Naturally, each company is different and needs to weigh its needs against the capabilities of the recruiting solution, but Freeman said it’s important not to let cost become the determining factor in the decision about which program to use. “I’ve seen well-meaning finance and HR departments make seemingly sound decisions that didn’t pan out in practice,” Freeman said. “Unfortunately, it’s easier to measure the cost in hindsight than it is to predict.” For example, when some organizations look to save money and consolidate vendors by switching from ATS to their own ERP systems, the cost proves higher than anyone had imagined, Freeman said. “One technology services client saw their resume flow dwindle from 100 a day to 100 a month,” he said. “We’ve seen several companies switch to ERP and [then] switch back to their original applicant tracking system. The reasons have ranged from lack of flexibility to inability to match the features and functionality of the ATS. Invariably, all of the clients who switched back cited a drop in the number of resumes received after switching systems.” Because ERP recruiting modules aren’t necessarily cheaper and ATS applications aren’t necessarily a catalyst for high resume flow, Freeman said talent managers should take a clue from a major automaker and run both systems in parallel. That way, they won’t be left out in the cold if they find candidate flow slows down with the new system. And in the case of the automaker, this kind of test-driving also led to a more symbiotic partnership with the vendor. “The dual system approach not only gives you the ability to evaluate the true cost of the switch, but it can pave the way for a better relationship with your ATS provider,” Freeman said. “Over the course of the relationship, players change, and day-to-day work gets in the way of ensuring that client and vendor are getting the most out of the system’s capability. In [the case of the automaker], the ATS provider learned that the client wanted more integration, and the client learned that [the ATS provider] could provide it.” Ultimately, there’s no simple answer to the ERP vs. ATS question. As Freeman said, it comes down to organizations’ individual needs. And as talent managers continue to search for ways to maximize efficiency while minimizing overhead, asking questions to determine organizational requirements remains critical. Ian Alexander is vice president for talent management software developer Cytiva/SonicRecruit. He can be reached at editor@ TalentMgt.com. 28 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.TalentMgt.com
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