Six Actionable Steps to Decrease Time-to-Hire

In a highly competitive labour market, you may be looking for ways to get candidates through the hiring process (and to the field), faster. It starts with decreasing the time it takes to make a successful hire. Read on for six steps you can take right now to help decrease the time-to-hire.

1. Step back and look at your hiring process, from start to finish.

It’s easy to think about hiring as one long, continuous process. Segment each step out and evaluate what actions you are completing each step of the way. Find out how many resources are being demanded from your staff. Once you get a clear picture of each segment (like sourcing candidates, collecting applications, interviewing, conducting background checks, processing paperwork, moving to onboard) you can determine how to streamline or improve. 

For example, if you see a disproportionate number of applicants dropping off while you are collecting new employee forms, it could be suggested they are dropping off because of the way you are collecting that information. This gives you an opportunity to reassess that segment of your hiring process. Then, see if you can improve your drop-off rate.

See how one service contractor has improved end-to-end hiring processes.

2. Cut out the unnecessary.

In a less competitive market, you might have been able to get away with piling a lot of questions and criteria into your applications. Even though labour participation rates are slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, you can’t afford to ask unnecessary questions during your interview process, because this can have a negative impact on time-to-hire.

It’s common (especially now) to see interested applicants become disinterested when they are asked to complete a long list of Q&As during the interview. When looking at your current business needs, is it important to know where an applicant worked six years ago, or their supervisor’s name? 

Try to get as much critical information as possible in as few questions as possible to keep your application and interview process concise. Do they have reliable transportation? Does the worker have experience in working a scrubber dryer? Are they comfortable working night shifts or into the early mornings? Do they have the current certifications required (or are they able to get them through your onboarding and training process)?

3. Make applying easier on your applicants with easy, fast application tools.

To improve your time-to-hire, streamline the necessary points of your application process even further with fast-application tools. Some common examples of these tools include quick apply or text to apply solutions.

Quick apply tools enable you to gain prospects by only asking basic information in your online application form. This helps reduce the time-consuming nature of applications that are deterrents for job applicants. As your prospect completes the form quickly, a lead is created for your HR team to follow-up on (and gather any other additional information you might need).

Similarly, text to apply tools help you capture applicant information through the ease of text messaging. This also encourages in-the-moment applications. For example, if a prospect sees a sign posted on a door encouraging applications, they can apply from their phone then and there, without having to recall information from a desktop later.

4. Increase your candidate pool through digital marketing.

It’s important to make your website easy to understand, clear to read and searchable on the internet. Some answers to this can be making website improvements to your careers page, leveraging a job board to post openings, and using SEO and local ads to generate applicant interest. Other tactics could include meeting your candidates where they are ­– scrolling on their phone and in social media.

“LinkedIn is an obvious choice with its job board capabilities,” Jeff Davis, Group Vice President, Solution Sales. “But don’t forget true social spaces, places where people go to decompress, kill time, and entertain themselves. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. These spaces could be just as beneficial for you to target potential candidates and build your brand awareness around them.”

Don’t have the time or know-how to handle your recruitment marketing yourselves? Learn more about our partner service, WorkWave Marketing.

5. Improve job descriptions and instructions to reduce hidden turnover.

We’ve all experienced hidden employee turnover – when a new-hire leaves before finishing a certain number of days on the job (or, sometimes, without even making it through onboarding). In a recent discussion with our customers, we’ve learnt that some in your industries have lost over $60,000 in training costs for individuals who never actually ended up onsite. It’s frustrating, costly and can leave you scrambling to cover sudden gaps in scheduling.

One reason that we’ve seen for this disconnect is that new-hires don’t have a clear understanding of the actual job responsibilities they’re expected to perform. For that reason, we recommend being as clear with job descriptions as possible. Include that information as job instructions in the job profile. That way, there isn’t a lack of clarity about your expectations.

6. Implement a pre-hire solution with a built-in Applicant Tracking System

Prehire and applicant tracking solutions are proven to improve your time-to-hire by streamlining your hiring process. These software solutions can be a huge benefit, especially in high-turnover industries like yours. 

Our new applicant tracking software – Hire by WorkWave – is specifically designed to help cleaning and security professionals reduce time-to-hire, while screening for fit, managing job postings and ensuring compliance onboarding. 

Are you looking to improve your hiring processes? Let’s take 15 minutes to talk about it together.