The power of post-placement care and where recruiters can add value

With more than 15 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Jay Munro is Indeed’s Employer Insights Strategist. Jay connects data with industry trend analysis to share Indeed’s story and bring the value of the company’s programs and solutions to life.

As talent shortages become more prevalent and the labour market tightens, there’s no doubt recruitment professionals are operating in challenging times.

So how do recruiters stand out from the crowd and ensure our top candidates not only stay and remain engaged with new employer, but also become long time ambassadors?

THE POWER OF POST PLACEMENT CARE

Research by the Society for Human Resources Management shows 22 per cent of company staff turnover occurs within the first 45 days of employment, while 33 per cent of new hires start looking for a new job within the first six months. This suggests recruiting successfully (and being recognised for it) is not just about sourcing the best candidates and placing them in new roles but, rather, adopting a holistic approach that ensures candidates prosper from exceptional post-placement care.

As many as 53 per cent of Indeed jobseekers think it’s important recruiters keep in touch after they’ve been hired.

The onboarding experience is a crucial part of the recruitment process. Incomplete or inadequate onboarding processes often leave candidates questioning the decision they’ve made, which directly contributes to diminishing engagement and high staff turnover rates in the first few weeks or months of employment.

High drop-out rates among new recruits can have a negative impact including increased hiring costs, damage to recruiter reputation and interrupted career development for candidates.

HOW RECRUITERS ADD VALUE THROUGH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS

A recruiter is often the person the candidates develop the most trust with - it’s a relationship that predates their new employment, founded on the recruiter’s in-depth understanding of their clients, as well as the candidate’s aspirations, qualities and credentials. So, when first impressions really count, it’s likely many candidates will feel more comfortable approaching their recruiter with questions rather than their new employer. Likewise, recruiters should emphasise their position as a useful resource and invaluable point of contact as candidates settle into their new organisation and team.

An Indeed study, which looked at new hires who left their job within six months, found that a lack of clear guidelines around responsibilities was a top contributing factor to their departure. Of course, role responsibilities don’t always translate in the same way between companies, which means candidates are often too embarrassed to seek clarity when they transition between seemingly similar roles. In this instance, recruiters can step in and clarify role requirements on a candidate’s behalf.

A lack of effective training was also identified by our study as one of the top reasons candidates leave their role within six months.

Recruiters occupy a unique position in the employment relationship ‘triangle’ having built a solid connection with both client and candidate. With a clear understanding of their client’s needs as well as the candidate’s credentials, recruiters are often best placed to ensure all training requirements are addressed and in place before a candidate starts.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

A report by SHRM revealed that new employees who attended a structured orientation programme at one company were 69 per cent more likely to remain at the company for up to three years. Recruiters who step up to help ensure the onboarding process is both structured and positive will differentiate their services and stand the greatest chance of growing their business. This is because it’s all about perceived value among potential clients and candidates – the value of recruiters to the jobseeker placement process.

Through a positive onboarding experience, recruiters can prove they’re not just putting “bums on seats” but are dedicated to developing people’s careers as well as helping businesses grow and retain good candidates. This can lead to repeat business and recommendations for years to come, whether that is through past candidates who become hiring managers or recommendations which spread among client and candidate networks.

To be successful, recruiters should work in close consultation and partnership with clients to determine how and when to add value to the onboarding process. While there are clearly a few easily identifiable opportunities for recruiters to bolster their post- placement care, the overarching goal should be to facilitate a warm handover as candidates transition into an organisation. In practice, recruiters might reach out regularly in the first few days to ensure candidates understand their responsibilities and adequate training is in place. Over time, touch points might be steadily reduced to scheduled meetings or calls until the candidate is completely settled.

There’s no doubt, the onboarding process is of increasing focus for recruiters. To stay ahead of the game, it’s important all recruiters understand the importance of maintaining the relationship beyond placement, while working alongside employers to maximise engagement and reduce attrition.

Click here to view 'You're Only As Great As Your Candidate Experience'. a webinar hosted by Jay Munroe in March this year.