Recruitment processes that are too long jeopardize the future viability of companies
Swiss companies risk future viability by recruiting for too long. This was the finding of a recent study by the personnel service provider Rober Half.
"The recruitment processes of Swiss companies take too long, which means they lose out on the best applicants. This is because top candidates opt for other jobs if the application process drags on too long. As a result, fewer suitable employees are hired, jeopardizing companies' competitiveness in the long run." This is according to Sven Hennige, Senior Managing Director at Robert Half.
Candidates want clarity quickly
Companies with long and complicated application processes have bad cards in the fierce competition for specialists and executives. Candidates want fast and simple recruitment processes and quickly sort out potential employers who are too slow. This is shown by the labor market study of the personnel service provider Robert Half. The best candidates are scared away with these cardinal mistakes: late feedback on the current status in the recruitment process, poor communication and decisions that are delayed too long (see table below). More than half (58 %) of the respondents even lose interest in the job altogether as soon as the application process takes too long.
| Robert Half surveyed 500 workers: What is the most frustrating step in the application process for you? |
|
| Late feedback on where I am in the hiring process | 46 % |
| Delayed decision making | 38 % |
| Poor communication about the necessary steps of the hiring process | 36 % |
| Multiple interviews with the same employer | 33 % |
| Changes in job requirements | 26 % |
| Lack of transparency with regard to compensation and fringe benefits | 26 % |
| Disappointing contract terms | 22 % |
| Keeping track of multiple interviews/job offers. | 19 % |
| Difficulties in scheduling interviews | 16 % |
Source: Robert Half, Labor Market Study 2017, Respondents: 500 employees in Switzerland; multiple answers possible
Long recruitment processes reduce productivity
If candidates decide against the vacant position due to frustration in the application process, this in turn leads to severe stress among the remaining employees. This is followed by higher sickness rates, increasing incapacity to work rates and a loss of turnover. Nevertheless, the labor market study by Robert Half, for which HR managers from 100 companies were surveyed, shows that the time span between advertising a vacant position and hiring the new employee is not decreasing, but rather increasing. For 54 % of the companies, this process has lengthened between 2013 and 2016. 80 % of businesses spend up to three months looking for people to join their teams. For positions with leadership responsibilities, it takes even longer. "In contrast, companies that have optimized their recruiting processes successfully fill positions within six weeks," says Hennige.
"Swiss companies need to rethink their recruiting strategies and processes and make them more efficient. Very often, the application process is too complicated, too many people are involved, decisions and budget approvals take too long," says Hennige. "Lean processes ensure faster recruiting and are also more cost-effective. In the battle for the best talent, companies should make sure to meet applicants' desire for speed and simplicity."
