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Says “me”.&nbsp;Yes, I said once at work but I immediately regretted it as all the work of the great creative minds in recruitment I have seen before, flashed back at me. &nbsp; &nbsp;It is natural to get all caught up in closing the positions, narrowing the turn-around-time, and so on. It is all the more difficult if the workplace culture does not value or encourage creativity. Many a times the tasks feel mundane and while closing things in haste, we miss out on opening up various new ways and means of doing the same things differently and gracefully. With this piece, my intent is to put together some of the good work that you can relate to and design your own ideas; and to remind you that you can always find time and channels to get creative with recruitment (or anything else), given the right environment and openness to experiment.&nbsp;While creating the recruitment buzz, it is not just information about the job you should intend to share. Focus on using this stage for branding, while attracting the kind of employees you’d like to work with. You do this by using the language, mode and tone that your company resonates with. If you use the ideas and concepts of different companies for your different job opportunities, just because you liked how well they did it, it won’t work for you the way it did for them.<blockquote>Take more time in getting the right fit than trying to fit them in later.</blockquote>Here, I am going to touch upon the “Creating the Buzz” element of Talent Acquisition (TA).&nbsp;Let’s see some of these creative work that’s out there, making an impactful and a well-rounded recruitment process.&nbsp;1. Target the Audience:&nbsp;Go all out to reach out to the right audience with the same taste, interests and vibe as yours, by communicating the way that resonates to your mutual values.&nbsp;When you are truly going for creativity, there is always a scope of something new, something different. Why can’t that be translated into communicating with the potential candidates? The one brand I have seen having their witty communication game always on, has to be Mc Donalds. Look at this example below:&nbsp;<img id="dtn4oa7yym81gdxgc" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9CaRd7HML7YhtxsAUqW0WE5tnwhPdLnxwRxQfYK1UxQz6ox4fpyHchGPgmtarPTz.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/9CaRd7HML7YhtxsAUqW0WE5tnwhPdLnxwRxQfYK1UxQz6ox4fpyHchGPgmtarPTz.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" style="border-color: rgba(229,231,235,var(--tw-border-opacity)); border-image-source: none; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(62,172,255,0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-brightness: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-contrast: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-grayscale: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-hue-rotate: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-invert: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-saturate: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-sepia: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-drop-shadow: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-blur: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-brightness: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-contrast: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-grayscale: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-invert: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-opacity: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-saturate: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-backdrop-sepia: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-transform: translateX(var(--tw-translate-x)) translateY(var(--tw-translate-y)) rotate(var(--tw-rotate)) skewX(var(--tw-skew-x)) skewY(var(--tw-skew-y)) scaleX(var(--tw-scale-x)) scaleY(var(--tw-scale-y)); --tw-border-opacity: 1; --tw-filter: var(--tw-blur) var(--tw-brightness) var(--tw-contrast) var(--tw-grayscale) var(--tw-hue-rotate) var(--tw-invert) var(--tw-saturate) var(--tw-sepia) var(--tw-drop-shadow); --tw-backdrop-filter: var(--tw-backdrop-blur) var(--tw-backdrop-brightness) var(--tw-backdrop-contrast) var(--tw-backdrop-grayscale) var(--tw-backdrop-hue-rotate) var(--tw-backdrop-invert) var(--tw-backdrop-opacity) var(--tw-backdrop-saturate) var(--tw-backdrop-sepia); --tw-bg-opacity: 1; width: 640px; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; object-position: center center;">This image beautifully targets the right candidates, i.e. the ones who do not have prior experience. But it is not just that. With just 5 words, this creative speaks volumes. It not only communicates, but conveys that the culture of the Organisation allows one to take time learning &amp; growing, without being fearful of making mistakes.&nbsp;2. Call to Action - Decodes or Anecdotes:&nbsp;Make your job posts interesting by making them engaging and target the right applicants by asking them to crack a riddle or a unique puzzle. Many tech companies use this for Engineers &amp; Developers involving solving codes or math equations.&nbsp;Some examples worth googling:a. Google’s Billboard Puzzle; b. Uber’s “Code on the Road” Challenge; c. Dyson’s “The Smart Rooms” Challenge.Alternatively, ask for some funny incident or comments on something regarding the job role that is unique to their profession. The kind of answers you get will &nbsp;not just be insightful to understand their thought-process, but you’ll have a fun time reading them.&nbsp;Something I created for an HR Recruiter's opening that you can use: (Tag me if this works for you!)&nbsp;<figure id="figure-872ftsutpm81ggu69"><img id="872ftsutpm81ggu69" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/18IAg8ock8n3o7VPokyLbA5Dim9egmjFikJ3s8tkdGQJaDbvFVnN6EzWYBB2tMqx.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-sm md:rounded-md lg:rounded-lg" style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="1:1" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/18IAg8ock8n3o7VPokyLbA5Dim9egmjFikJ3s8tkdGQJaDbvFVnN6EzWYBB2tMqx.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 1/1; object-position: center center;"></figure>This allows an Organisation to find someone that doesn’t just fit technically, but culturally too. It also gets a candidate excited to apply, driving up their dopamine levels with a feeling of accomplishment.3. Experience days or job previewsInvite shortlisted candidates for a few hours to experience the work environment and get to meet the team. This gives you a chance to sense the cultural fitment &amp; observe them in real-world setting; and for them to get a feel of the role and the workplace. I got this opportunity once with a company in the Oil &amp; Gas Industry. Whether I got into the company or not is irrelevant, as I still remember feeling valued, accounting to a unique candidate experience.4. Creativity in ApplicationsOrganisations have embraced dynamic ways to assess candidates beyond traditional résumés and cover letters.&nbsp;There are many innovative approaches that have helped Organisations identify passionate, creative, and well-suited candidates while making the hiring process more interactive and efficient.Some examples of this are:a. Video applications:- McKinsey &amp; Company replaced cover letters with video pitches, allowing candidates to showcase their communication skills and personality.&nbsp; - Similarly, Zappos required applicants to submit a 60-second video explaining why they wanted to work there, ensuring a strong cultural fit.&nbsp; - Heineken took it a step further with its "Go Places" interactive video experience, where candidates answered rapid-fire personality questions, making the process engaging and insightful.&nbsp; - Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines introduced video auditions for cabin crew roles, enabling recruiters to evaluate candidates' hospitality and confidence before in-person interviews.&nbsp;b. Social Media Challenges &amp; Hashtag CampaignsThis is a fun way to attract the talent that is eager to showcase their creativity. Such small assignments involve immediate action and visible outcomes that doesn’t just make the candidate experience fulfilling, but improves brand visibility.&nbsp;For example, Marriott created an interactive game where applicants could manage a virtual hotel, demonstrating their decision-making and problem-solving skills. This was run under the campaign of #MyMarriottHotel Challenge.&nbsp;Other companies have asked candidates to showcase their skills using specific hashtags, like posting marketing ideas or design work on Instagram or LinkedIn. Similarly, brands like L’Oréal have encouraged candidates to submit applications through LinkedIn posts or short video pitches instead of traditional methods.5. AI in TA:Several Organisations have embraced AI for the initial rounds of screening candidate profiles. This not just saves time, but improves efficiency by giving more time and space to the recruiters to have truly effective interactions.Some Organisations have played their A-Game in the recruitment process with the use of AI in gamification. For example, Unilever uses AI-based games to test candidates’ cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability before an interview.Some companies have developed escape room-style challenges where candidates solve puzzles to unlock the next stage of the application. One of the methods is also Hackathons, hosted by several Organisations who get a fair idea about the talents of their potential hire.&nbsp;“Unstop” is one such platform that provides Hackathons and other such interactive methods of recruitment.&nbsp;To sum up, Recruitment is no longer oscillating between initial calls and offer letters, but is in fact busy building employer brand.Leaving you with a cool ad by Indigo, attracting talent using the right method and tone, while leveraging the emotional value that the job potentially brings:&nbsp;<a data-mce-href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C60QZpXB2rL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C60QZpXB2rL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Click Here</a> Today, the world is connected in a way that was never even thinkable decades ago. Changing times have changed the way people live and pursue job opportunities. Now is not the time for the Organisations to delude themselves into believing that the candidates are willing to wait for their call-back without exploring other options. Putting it bluntly, candidates do not look at it as opportunities, but as options.&nbsp;So it is not just imperative, but necessary to build-in or tweak the processes where you not just attract great talent, but build experiences together. So let’s open up the gates for the problem-solving, innovative and creative minds that can lead the Organisation towards its vision taking its people together.&nbsp; Do not Forget:Track what works&nbsp;Keep a record of the sources proactively to understand which source works for you the best. Read <a data-mce-href="https://littlemoretoyourworkland.mydurable.com/blog/4-hr-areas-critical-to-track--why---how" href="https://littlemoretoyourworkland.mydurable.com/blog/4-hr-areas-critical-to-track--why---how">“4 HR Areas Critical to track: Why &amp; How”</a> for a little more insight on this.

You can’t get creative with Recruitment - Says Who?

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“If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with mine.” - Jim BarksdaleOver the years, HR has proven its ability to go beyond the operational side of managing people with its strategic approach backed by data trends and its direct impact on the business. This has made the role of HR data analytics an inevitable part not only for the HR world but also for business decision making. Measuring how you’ve performed in several areas of HR is imperative, but not enough. Knowing why you are measuring it and determining what you’re going to do with it is paramount.&nbsp;<blockquote>“Information is not knowledge” - Albert Einstein</blockquote>Companies across the globe have invested in platforms that integrate with the HRIS to provide people analytics at various stages of the employee life-cycle. But there are still many small &amp; medium-size companies that either do not want to invest or do not have the necessary resources to.&nbsp;Taking things in retrospect, whatever stage you are in, the given below metrics &nbsp;can be used to track and therefore, manage the processes more efficiently. It will be a good practice to create a consistent methodology of data collection, in order to achieve the right outcome and efforts can be adjusted in the right direction. &nbsp;&nbsp;1. Talent Acquisitiona. Time to Fill: This metric shows the efficiency of the recruitment process by assessing the no. of days taken to close each position. Typically 30-40 days is considered ideal for closing the position and lesser the time, better it is considered. But in my opinion, speed shouldn't be measured only to identify the effeciency of hiring. It may take a little longer due to some inherent challenges of the position, but could end up in better output and performance with the right person. Rather, it is more of an indicator for better workforce planning.&nbsp;Date of offer acceptance - Date of opening the position = ____ Daysb. Time to Hire: This metric measures the interaction duration of the candidate with the company. Obviously, the lesser the no. of days, the better it is for a good candidate experience. But let's not forget candidate experience is not just with the ones that crack the interviews. Candidates appreciate promptness and clarity in the process. Even if you miss out on that, they would still really appreciate a closure. Rather than avoiding being the bad cop who doesn't want to bring the bad news, focus on clarity and always close the loop. None of the employer branding measures can control the damage of a poor experience in the hiring process. &nbsp;&nbsp;Date of offer acceptance - Date of application by the candidate= ____ Daysc. Source of Hire: This metric can be used to measure how many hires out of the total hired are from a specific source. Maintain a dashboard for measuring this % monthly, so that immediate action can be taken on the source that’s either not working, or if it’s working well, you can leverage it. It can also help in identifying if there’s a need to look for other sources if the current one/s do not work for a specific position.&nbsp;For all positions in a month (recommended period):No. of employees hired by a source / No. of employees hired * 100 = ____%(Produce these percentages for each source &amp; track the dashboard regularly)d. Cost per Hire:&nbsp;This is a simple metric to help us track the cost spent on the total number of hires during different time periods. This can help us measure the strength of the internal hiring process vs. the external sources. These recruitment costs can be “job portal subscriptions”, “recruitment agency fees”, “employee referrals”, “advertisement cost”, etc.&nbsp;For a specific time frame:Total Recruitment Cost from different sources / No. of Hires &nbsp;- Rs. ____/-2. Workforce Diversitya. Gender Pay: If we are calculating this in % terms, it’s pretty easy to understand &nbsp;that the resulting % is the proportion of salary of Gender A as compared to Gender B. When not multiplied by 100, the resultant Rs. __ is the average salary paid to the employees in Gender A as compared to each employee in Gender B. This metric can be used to measure the pay-gap between any other areas apart from gender as well.Average salary of Gender A &nbsp;/ Average salary of Gender B = ___ % &nbsp;(if * 100) &nbsp;or Rs. ___ &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;b. Diversity Ratio: This metric represents the percentage of a specific group of employees in an Organization out of all the existing employees. This helps an Organization understand and work on their diversity &amp; inclusion initiatives. Such diverse groups may include no. of women employees, employees from LGBTQ community, persons with disabilities, employees &nbsp;from different nationalities, etc. Once it’s clear which area you are trying to focus on at an Organisation level, you can use these metrics to track &amp; manage it. From increasing hiring for a specific group to increasing learning opportunities for them, to providing &nbsp;opportunities at leadership positions, there can be multiple efforts that can be taken and tracked over a period of time. &nbsp;For example, taking concious efforts towards hiring ___ % of women employees in the upcoming year and achieving this goal is a good indicator of the hiring efforts taken with focus on DEI.&nbsp;Number of Employees in a Specific Group / Total Number of Employees) * 100 = ____ %3. Employee Engagementa. Employee Turnover Rate/Attrition Rate: Often used interchangeably, employee turnover and attrition have an underlying difference, which is - “replacement” (or “churn”). “Turnover” is the number of positions “replaced” by the Organization over a period of time. Usually, an exit is followed by replacement of the position thereby maintaining the organisation structure, but there may be cases where an Organization decides to “not replace” a position. This may be due to:&nbsp;a.) &nbsp; &nbsp; Downsizingb.) &nbsp; &nbsp; Termination of a position (quite possibly in Mergers &amp; Acquisitions)c.) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Merging of 2 positions due to redundancy, etc.This kind of exit is termed as “Attrition”.&nbsp;However, the occurrence of attrition is comparatively lower than turnover. Which is why, even though they denote different kind of departures, Organizations have adapted usage of these terms interchangeably. No. of departures during the period / Average headcount of employees during that period * 100 = ____%Average no. of employees during the period is (Closing headcount + Opening headcount) / 2 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;This is a negative position indicator, and therefore, the lesser the rate, the better it is.&nbsp;b. Retention Rate: Once you know your turnover rate over a period of time, simply calculate the retention rate by: (100 - ___% of E’ee turnover). For example, if the turnover rate is 10%, the retention rate is 90%. There is no blanket benchmark that is regarded as a good or a bad rate of retention or turnover. Organizations can compare their rates with the industry average in order to understand how healthy is their position as compared to the market.c. Employee Net Promoter Score (ENPS): Conducting pulse surveys to guage employee sentiments on a regular basis is the new normal in Organizations. Having said that, try to include at least this one measure of engagement that signifies an employee's engagement level. i.e., ENPS. It is a simple and effective way of knowing your advocates.Question: How likely are you to recommend your friends/acquaintances to join this Organization? (Scale of 1 to 10)Respondents from 1 to 6 are: &nbsp;"Detractors"; 7 to 8 are "Passives" &amp; 9 to 10 are "Promoters"&nbsp;% of Promoters - % of Detractors = ___ score (Technically it's a %, but is often denoted with the number as score)In this computation, the respondents with “Passives” are ignored. Deducting detractors from Promoters will help in providing a true picture of “Net” result, without giving 2 different metrics. For example, instead of saying 67% are my promoters &amp; 13% are my detractors, you’re simply saying in the form of a net result, that 54 is my Net promoters score (67-13) &nbsp;&nbsp;4. Workforce Planninga. Cost per Employee: Cost per employee is pretty simple and straightforward. It is the average cost spent on each employee including salaries, benefits and other costs like training, scholarships, etc. This would be an informative metric at the end of the year to look back and gauge the real-time impact of all the expenses made on the employees throughout the year and how it yields you monetarily (profits/new clients, etc.) and non-monetarily (retention, employer branding, etc.). The same metric can be broken down into specific costs for drawing specific inferences, like training cost per employee compared with Revenue per employee in the same year, (or after 2 years considering the learning curve).b. Employee Growth Rate: This is a change of rate of headcount of employees over a specific period of time. It is calculated by:(Headcount in Year 2 – Headcount in Year 1) / Headcount in Year 1 * 100 &nbsp;Higher the %, higher the change in the headcount over the period. This can be done at departmental level in large Organisations to keep a regular tab on the overall retention and hiring performance. A negative figure (especially Department-wise) would mean a reduction in the headcount over this period, (maybe) without the necessary turnover (replacement) in time. This can be alarming.&nbsp;c. Salary Penetration: All job bands/positions would be linked to a specific salary range. When it comes to understanding the efficiency of compensation structures provided to employees while hiring or during promotions, this metric can be used as a base. This helps you identify the “penetration” of an employee’s salary within a specific salary range. This can also be used for identifying the penetration of salaries of our employees as against the market range for the said band or position if your focus is to give a competitive advantage in salaries. It should be noted that this metric will not give a very accurate result if the salary range used is too high.Rs. (Salary - Range minimum / Range maximum - Range minimum) = Rs. __________/-&nbsp;The resulting figure is the salary penetration as compared to the company benchmark or the industry benchmark.The corporate world is, and will continue evolving and adapting sophisticated models of data management and analysis. But this article gives a headstrart in defining the purpose,&nbsp; reinforcing fundamentals and guiding HR professionals to drive meaningful business growth.<blockquote>It is necessary to collect the data keeping the end in mind, so that standardised and consistent data collected can help in building a strong foundation for analysing various trends and patterns. Connecting data points of different time-periods or areas by piecing these metrics together, can be instrumental in helping us draw a wholesome picture of the future action-plans &amp; designing new initiatives.</blockquote>

4 HR areas critical to track: Why & How

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The bottom line of why an employee is willing to go above &amp; beyond to attain excellence in their work is "Purpose". As long as there is an inner drive and an understanding that their work leads to something impactful, an Organization need not look for disparate tactics to boost productivity and reduce exits. A clear purpose of the role alone however cannot combat exits until they are aligned with the employee's career aspirations and expectations. To achieve this alignment, a lot of onus is on talent acquisition and talent management. Strategize hiring people for fulfilling mutual goals, not positions in the Org chart. However, the journey doesn’t end here.&nbsp;Once on board, it's essential to foster open communication and illustrate each employee's long-term trajectory within the organization. The most common and silly thing to do is to not make clear communication about the role’s expectations through a job description and then later upon joining. JDs can be more artistic, creative, and witty in design to attract talent (which is a crucial part of employer branding these days) but should also describe what is expected out of the role as well as the values the Organization believes in, in order to attract the right talent.&nbsp; JDs will never be an exhaustive list though. It has to be weaved in together with the goal setting/career planning through conversations and mentorship upon joining.&nbsp;Here, HR leaders play a pivotal role in spearheading this approach across the organization. By facilitating collaboration among department heads and championing a unified strategy all across, HR can ensure consistency and alignment throughout the hiring process that stretches up to onboarding. <blockquote><h3>An organization that prioritizes purpose-driven hiring and strengthening the restraints before the employee starts their ride gets more closer to building robust, high performing teams.</h3></blockquote>

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You can’t get creative with Recruitment - Says Who?

4 HR areas critical to track: Why & How

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