Why data analytics should be a key ingredient for an effective recruiting strategy

The data analytics gives employers a relevant, insightful picture of all their candidates and helps in streamlining the hiring process and cut down on the time taken to fill a vacancy by separating the wheat from the chaff and highlighting the applicants most suited for a particular profile.

By Sanjeev Agrawal

The age-old belief that employees are because the company is, no longer holds true. The relationship has, in fact, turned around completely, and employees today have become the foundation upon which a successful company is built. In a rapidly evolving, highly dynamic business atmosphere, success is no longer determined by bigger pockets. Instead, it is increasingly dependent upon recruiting the right talent at the right position and at the right time, a fact which is aptly demonstrated by the movie Moneyball. Based on real-life events, the movie paints a beautiful picture of how adopting a scientific approach to recruitment can literally change the game. Overcoming the hurdles of insufficient funds and competing against well-financed teams, the fact that the Oakland Athletics baseball team not only won the league, but also managed to achieve a remarkable, still-standing record of 20 games winning streak, gives an insight into the massive impact that data analytics can have on recruitment.

Even though baseball and the corporate world appear like two completely different playing fields, things are not too dissimilar, especially when it comes to recruiting the right talent. As a result, more and more organisations are investing in developing more directed and impactful employee recruitment strategies. The logic behind this is simple – since employees are considered to be an organisation’s most valuable resources, it is quite critical for business owners to analyse their future assets before they become a part of the organisation. Integrating data analytics into one’s employee recruitment strategy makes it more effective and efficient, for it helps the decision to be driven by factual data consisting of deep insightful patterns instead of random intuitions and first impressions. With statistical evaluation of one’s organisation as well as a potential candidate, here are a few ways that leveraging data analytics for recruitment can have a positive impact on a business:

Cost-effectiveness:

An industry-centric case study revealed that while drawing significantly higher salaries than their relatively junior counterparts, employees with prior experience in call centres were almost on par with fresh recruits as far as the productivity was concerned. Therefore, even though the impact of experience on the output was negligible, call centres often ended up incurring unnecessary expenses by hiring more experienced individuals. This example highlights how data analytics can help businesses in identifying key performance metrics for any vacancy and recruiting individuals that are best-fit for that particular profile, thereby saving on any unnecessary capital expenses.

Time-efficient:

While analysing job applications, data analytic techniques help in thoroughly evaluating a candidate on the basis of their prior professional experiences, recommendations and social behaviour to create a comprehensive profile. This gives employers a relevant, insightful picture of all their candidates and helps in streamlining the hiring process and cut down on the time taken to fill a vacancy by separating the wheat from the chaff and highlighting the applicants most suited for a particular profile.

Better pool of employees:

Assessing past hires with respect to their performance and selectively tracking and analysing the variables involved in the process helps businesses in devising a better recruitment strategy. This process not only helps in cutting costs but also has the benefit of unlocking access to a better class of employees who deliver their best performance in any given professional environment.

Hassle-free work environment:

Using data analytics during hiring can help recruiters in easily connect the dots that were already present to create a comprehensive candidate profile. This helps in determining whether the prospective hire will be suited for the profile and the team as a whole, as well as avoiding individuals with red flags and behavioural issues.

As can be seen, a simple application of statistics and data analysis can have a far-reaching outcome and allow organisations to have a head start over their competition, right from their first recruitment. After all, sabermetrics, a non-performing team and an individual with a vision was all that it took to Billy Beane turn around a lost cause into a worthy battle.

The author is VP – Operations & Human Empowerment Group, Impetus Infotech.