How to Use an Applicant Tracking System for Great Onboarding

First days for new hires are no different than starting the first day of school. It can be stressful, exciting, and terrifying – all in one. Sometimes, integrating a new hire into your team can take just as long as hiring them. Especially if recruiters are not armed with the right resources, tools, and technology. But, there is a silver lining. We like to call it an applicant tracking system. You probably used to think that an applicant tracking system is only tailored to recruitment. You’ll be surprised to know that many applicant tracking systems are also designed to complement your onboarding process as well. In fact, it can help you automate and digitize the entire onboarding journey and help new hires feel welcome, before day one.

Wondering how an applicant tracking system can do that?

Wonder no more. Let’s get the ball rolling!

Automate and streamline your paperwork

If you think completing onboarding paperwork is stressful for the candidate, just think of how much more nerve-wracking it could be for the recruiter. The recruiter has to print, scan, sign, store, organize and manage the paperwork manually. Not only that, but the process of collecting personal documents and requesting bank details is no walk in the park either. Luckily, an applicant tracking system can make the whole process a whole lot easier. The ATS automatically requests specific details from new hires. Then, it collects and exports them into any other integrated systems. Not only does the applicant tracking system do the heavy lifting for you, but it also streamlines the process for you and centralizes all the paperwork and documents in one single place. This ultimately spares you the headache of rummaging through file cabinets, misplacing important documents, losing paperwork, redoing forms, or duplicating your efforts!

Get new hires onboard – before day one

Assume that you just got a job offer. If you just nailed your dream job, then it’s probably one of the happiest days in your life. Let’s say you’re starting in 3 weeks because you booked a pre-planned trip to the Bahamas with your spouse. Days start passing you by, and you haven’t heard anything from your soon-to-be employer. You check the Spam and Junk folder just in case you missed out on an important email. Nope. Nothing. The next thing you know you’re panicking and wondering if they forgot about you. Well, this is where an applicant tracking system waltzes in and saves the day. With an applicant tracking system, you can send a series of welcome emails to candidates. They can be automated and personalized as well. Before day one, new hires will be briefed on the onboarding process, what to expect, and how to complete the paperwork online. In fact, it helps new hires feel more connected to the company before they even begin. Plus, you can even send new hires your company’s rules, regulations, and policies to prep them before their first day. Why bombard them with stacks of boring papers to read the moment they walk in? Exactly. The ATS makes it easy for new hires to access all the information they need about the company, to make them feel ready and confident before day one.

Improve the new hire’s experience

So, you’re in the Bahamas wondering where your employer disappeared. Why has nobody reached out to you or at least briefed you on what you need to prepare? How did that make you feel? Lost, to say the least. But not with an applicant tracking system though. An applicant tracking system allows you to ramp up efficiency and improve the candidate experience simultaneously. How? Well, through consistency. An ATS helps you build a consistent and engaging onboarding process from day one. It allows you to better organize the process of onboarding employees so that you don’t leave them stranded midway, wondering what happened. So, you can create an onboarding process that works with your team’s schedule. Since onboarding is a team effort, everyone will know what to do and when to do it. Perhaps the new hire has a shadow buddy. This employee will know what is on his or her plate in advance. Nobody will have to leave the new hire hanging because an impromptu task popped up. The ATS essentially creates an onboarding process that is clear and organized for all parties involved. It helps new hires get up and running fast and sets them up for success before day one. This incredibly improves the new hire’s experience and boosts their engagement at an exponential rate.

Get deeper insights to spot bottlenecks

So, you onboarded a few new employees and everything is going dandy in your opinion. But…is it? There’s only one way to figure it out: by unraveling the success of your onboarding process. An advanced applicant tracking system allows you to spot trends in your hiring and onboarding process to analyze how your decisions are panning out over time. Perhaps you notice that new hires are not active enough on the system. Perhaps this is an indication that your onboarding process is either complex, boring, or not engaging enough. Also, many new hires might not be familiar with your system, so this can be a sign that you need to familiarize them with the technology before they start. Now, don’t get us started on turnover rates. If the applicant tracking system shows you that your new hire turnover rates are hitting the roof, it’s time to re-evaluate a couple of things. Why are new hires leaving your organization fast? Could it be your onboarding process? Or are you always making the wrong hires? Whichever the case, digging into advanced analytics and reports will help you monumentally tackle any hidden gaps or challenges that might have slipped your notice.

Keeping it short

Just like the first day of school, give new hires memorable first days. With an advanced applicant tracking system, you can ensure that your onboarding process is on track, efficient, fast, and unbelievably engaging. This way, new hires will feel motivated to unleash their full potential before their start date. To learn how your business can make onboarding a piece of cake for both your recruiters and candidates, get in touch with us today! EVA-REC is a futuristic ATS that helps small businesses to corporate giants build skillful workforces and hire top talent at scale. Our purpose is to help companies of all sizes find, attract, and hire the right people, every time. It offers world-class AI features and technology that are fully customizable – and creates a rich and immersive hiring experience for HR teams and candidates alike. Seeing is believing! Request a free demo and see the exceptional results you can achieve with EVA-REC today.

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