How Big Data is Transforming HR’s Sourcing and Recruiting Practices

by | Sep 10, 2019 | IT Recruitment

Big Data is becoming one of the biggest tech buzzwords over the past decade. Every company, whether big or small, is wondering how they can use big data to get to know their employees and create a corporate setup that suits their needs. 

Due to big data analytics, candidate sourcing and recruitment have undergone a lot of changes over the past few years. At this point, it cannot be denied that big data is no longer just a technological issue but also a strategic one for organizations. 

Leveraging the use of big data to your company’s advantage

One of the top challenges that organizations face is finding and keeping talented candidates. For so many years, organizations have collected information on their employees but haven’t been able to do much with the data. 

Each company has their own untapped data resources. Companies are already producing streams of data; however, they are unable to capture any useful insights from their own data resources. 

The data they have on hand might have been scattered among different departments in the organization, or somehow, there are just no scientific formulas that are readily available to make the data meaningful for them.

It is crucial for organizations to identify their untapped data resources accurately. This will help them have a better understanding of their own needs and capabilities. Eventually, they can adopt a talent-centric and data-driven approach to their HR practices in the near future. 

Recruiters and HR personnel are now using big data as an essential tool in making informed decisions on talent acquisition, including sourcing and recruiting. Big data is transforming HR talent acquisition practices from being a reactive function to a proactive function that complements an organization’s business strategy.

Workforce science in the age of big data

Workforce science is an emerging field that uses big data analytics in human resource management. In an interview with The New York Times, Peter Cappelli, the Center for Human Resources director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, championed this new discipline. 

He noted that “This is absolutely the way forward. Most companies have been flying completely blind.”

Big data is already becoming a game-changer in the HR management field. This is why exploring the field of workforce science is a choice that an organization needs to seriously consider. 

Workforce science involves a multidisciplinary process that a firm will have to initiate within the organization. This will help them gain some leverage in today’s competitive candidate-driven market. 

Executing top-notch recruitment strategies with the help of workforce science is an advantage that will eventually make an organization succeed in outperforming their competitors. 

With big data at the helm of the recruitment field, companies are now starting to use big data analytics strategically – by making informed decisions on candidate sourcing and recruiting. 

Here are several applications of big data analytics in candidate sourcing and recruiting:

  • Recruiters can access market-specific compensation data to compare salary ranges among competitors.

To compare how salary ranges measure up against competitors, recruiters have access to industry data that will give them an idea of how a specific company’s compensation data rank among their peers.

This will come in handy for certain situations when there is a skills shortage in a particular industry. By raising a firm’s salary to the median after comparing compensation data to industry standards, an organization can attract more qualified candidates to their vacant position. 

It will also prompt other job seekers to learn the required skill set for that profession so they can invest in training for long-term career advancement. 

  • Management can analyze current and past workforce to make informed choices regarding future hiring decisions.

With the help of big data and workforce science, companies are becoming increasingly adept in analyzing their current and past workforce to make informed hiring decisions.

Using data analytics on their own workforce data, companies can now use the results of this analysis to implement systemic changes and realignments of their recruitment strategies. 

Data analytics can also find out when a team member has a high risk of leaving the company. This will prompt the manager to pay more attention to their staff and help them intervene before outstanding employees are recruited by other companies. 

It will also ensure that every employee will be rewarded for the corresponding efforts that they have invested in the organization — thereby increasing the incentives for these workers to stay with their current employer. 

  • Data analytics can bring about actionable insights on how managers can better support their staff.

Nowadays, big data can not only help recruiters find the best candidate for a firm’s vacant positions, but it can also be used to make actionable insights about future workforce needs.

Using insights garnered from predictive data analysis, managers are given “evidence-based” data to learn the degree of an employee’s dedication to their job and whether or not they are promotable. 

These insights can be a powerful tool for recruitment and employee retention since management are now equipped with the knowledge of how each employee contributes to the organization. Thus, they can make data-driven decisions on promotions, incentive plans, and workplace policies. 

  • Using big data analytics can significantly improve a firm’s time-to-hire and cost-per-hire by evaluating their own talent acquisition processes.

Companies are now starting to realize the value of workforce science when it comes to improving the operational efficiencies of their talent acquisition strategy.

Big data analytics is now being utilized not just to find a better candidate, but also to cut costs and reduce efficiencies in applicant sourcing and recruiting. 

A company often invests in a variety of recruitment sources to attract potential job applicants. These may include posting vacancies on the company career sites, job boards, social media, and even hiring staffing agencies. 

In a span of one year, these services would most likely generate a significant number of performance-based data. If the data from these various recruitment sources will be aggregated and analyzed, the firm can find out which among these sources are the most effective and efficient. 

Based on performance data, the organization can now invest in their best recruitment sources. This ensures that a firm’s talent acquisition budget is being spent at the most strategic platforms.

  • Companies can use big data to amplify specific employee behaviors that foster great organizational culture.

Gone are the days when organizational culture is considered an elusive and intangible asset in the company. In the era of big data, workforce science can provide a set of quantitative data on organizational culture. These data can also include valuable employee feedback.

Data analytics can help identify an employee’s values, beliefs, and attitudes. Upon knowing these insights from employees, companies can highlight specific employee behaviors that they want to amplify and nurture among organizational members. These data can help shape the foundations of a great organizational culture. 

Consequently, it also allows organizations to identify characteristics among their job applicants and see whether they can fit into the organizational culture. It will eventually speed up the onboarding process and increase employee retention. After all, a great organizational culture is a significant factor in an employee’s tenure in the organization.

Big data as the next frontier for recruitment innovation

Since these data analytics software may tend to “take over the recruiter’s job,” some skeptics may be led to believe that big data is a threat to the HR industry. Sysgen RPO firmly believes that advancements in data technology will not diminish the role of the professional recruiter, it will just enhance it further. 

Sysgen RPO adheres to the belief that you can never replace the “personal or human touch” of the recruitment process. It adds to the necessary element of value-laden judgment and intuition that are both required to assess a potential candidate accurately.

The use of workforce science and big data analytics is merely the next step in the innovation of the recruitment process. Recruiters in the HR field are now slowly transitioning from administrative-focused jobs to consultancy-based talent advisory positions.

Big data will not dehumanize the field of talent acquisition, but instead, it will just empower more recruiters to find the right candidates who are best suited for your company’s vacancies.

 

References:

Bania, M. (2015). BIG DATA Applications in Recruitment. HR Professional, 32(2), 45–46. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.upd.edu.ph/login.aspx? direct=true&db=bsu&AN=110796859&site=ehost-live

Big Data, Trying to Build Better Workers. (2019). Nytimes.com. Retrieved 10 January 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/technology/big-data-trying-to-build-better-workers.html

Rind, M. (2018). How Big Data Can Help You Find and Hire the Most Elusive Talent. Entrepreneur. Retrieved 10 January 2019, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/ article/315930

Roa, J. (2018). Celebrating 27 Years of Recruiting Excellence. Sysgen RPO. Retrieved 13 January 2019, from https://sysgen-rpo.com/celebrating-27-years-recruiting-excellence/

Segal, L., Goldstein, A., Goldman, J., & Harfoush, R. (2014). Deploying Big Data to Recruit and Retain Talent. Ivey Business Journal, 1–4. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.upd.edu.ph/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=95698409&site=ehost-live

Tayal, R. (2014). Technology changing the face of HR. Human Capital, 69. Retrieved from 

http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.upd.edu.ph/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=109266849&site=ehost-live

Vereckey, B. (2013). The Talent Within. Bloomberg Businessweek, (4328), S1–S3. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.upd.edu.ph/login.aspx?direct=true&db =rgl&AN=88364591&site=ehost-live

Jo Rebustillo

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Jo started her recruitment career in 2007. Since then, she has worked with several RPO and BPO companies in different capacities. She has worked as a Recruiter covering requisitions in US, AU, EU and APAC handling volume, non-IT and IT. She has led several teams as a Recruitment Manager, Account Manager, Service Delivery and Business Development. She has also led teams in different industries such as Media and Advertising, IT, Outsourcing, BPO, Manufacturing, Military, Healthcare and Sciences. She has built teams based on their strengths and developed leaders with strong ethical values as well as aiming to beat the average. She strongly believes in integrity, strive for growth, persistence and kindness as hallmarks of a successful person and company.

Nikita Magpantay

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Niki is a dynamic human resource professional with a focus on talent acquisition and HR business partnership, bringing her extensive expertise gained over 6 years. She is a versatile Recruiter specializing in diverse sectors including technical, banking and finance, logistics, sales, healthcare, and volume hiring. Niki, as an experienced HR Business Partner has proven success in aligning HR initiatives with business objectives, contributing to organizational growth. She seeks to foster positive employee relations and implementing effective engagement initiatives and business strategies while ensuring adherence to labor policies. Adept at combining a friendly demeanor with a dedicated result-oriented approach helps her bring a unique blend of empathy and strategic acumen to the workplace.

Intejar “Ram” Julkiram

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

With 9 years of background in RPO, Ram is adept at managing and optimizing the recruitment process for clients, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience. His skills include a deep understanding of both the IT and non-IT industries, enabling him to provide tailored recruitment solutions for the team.

Shara Jane Bonifacio

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Shara Bonifacio boasts a rich and diverse career spanning more than 10 years within various industries in recruitment. As a highly skilled and effective communicator adept at engaging with people across multiple platforms, her passion lies in building lasting relationships. She excels not only in connecting with candidates but also in fostering strong ties with clients and stakeholders.

Throughout her career in industries such as Financial Services, Insurance Brokerage, Information Technology, Pharmaceutical, and Healthcare, Shara has showcased her results-driven mindset. Her penchant for challenges motivates her to continuously strive for excellence and growth.

Shara's leadership experience is a testament to her ability to guide and inspire teams, ensuring collective success and achieving organizational goals.

Evangeline “Gigi” Tilaon

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Gigi, an inspiring leader, possesses nearly 5 years of expertise in the art of Talent Acquisition and boasts a distinguished 15-year legacy of visionary leadership. She is renowned for her unwavering dependability and boundless supportiveness, qualities that radiate through every endeavor she undertakes. Gigi's leadership style is characterized by remarkable transparency and hands-on engagement, underlined by a profound trust in her team's exceptional talents. She confronts challenges with fearless determination, inspiring her team to achieve greatness. As a passionate outdoor enthusiast and a nurturing fur parent, Gigi advocates for a work-life equilibrium with extraordinary grace and enthusiasm.

Randy Owen Roman

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Randy brings extensive experience in the recruitment industry, spanning over 5 years. During his tenure, he has successfully managed a diverse portfolio of clients across multiple sectors, including IT, Financial, Retail, Light Industrial, BPO, Market Intelligence, and Healthcare. Randy is passionate about the outdoors and finds joy in activities like hiking and exploring nature. Equally, he appreciates the arts, indulging in music, movies, and series. As a leader, Randy exemplifies fairness and empowerment, consistently guiding and inspiring his team to surpass expectations.

Avielle Bernardino

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Avielle, with 7 years of Healthcare Recruitment, is not just a leader. She is a mentor and an architect of streamlined offshore program planning. She has an innate ability to optimize processes, ensuring they align seamlessly with our clients' and program-defined standards. She empowers her peers, nurturing exceptional performance and maintaining a high level of service quality. This dedication to efficiency has set a new benchmark within our organization. She actively participates in strategic planning initiatives, driving a culture of continuous improvement. This proactive approach ensures we stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Kris Florblanco

CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER

Kris, with over six years in IT Recruitment and three years of team leadership, is known for dependability and supportiveness. Transparent and hands-on, she places trust in her team. An outdoor enthusiast, Kris faces challenges head-on to keep her team up and running.

Grace Marasigan

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER

Grace, an empowering leader with six years in Talent Acquisition, is passionate about innovation and improvement. Balancing work quality and agility across various industries, her compassionate approach extends to her personal life as a committed vegan.

Ly Poticar

MANAGING DIRECTOR - OFFSHORE STAFFING

Ly brings 2 decades of expertise in the Recruitment and Staffing industry, covering various business verticals in both local and global recruitment. He has successfully led growth projects for SMBs and offshore expansion initiatives for Shared Services and other global enterprises. He seeks to continuously evolve his recruitment practices and client partnership agenda to provide innovative solutions and be a step ahead of the market trends. Ly has recruitment experience in the talent market for the following majors, as well as emerging industries: Tech – hardware/software/mobile/consulting/Web3, Online Gaming & Media, Digital Marketing, Finance – corporate/banking and fintech, Construction & Engineering, Energy, BPO, Manufacturing & Logistics.

Lara Belo

MANAGING DIRECTOR - ONSHORE RPO

Lara brings a decade of invaluable experience in the field of IT recruitment, catering to diverse and niche IT roles. With adeptness in team management, she has led successful recruitment teams. She guides her team in effectively sourcing, tailoring recruitment strategies, and connecting top-tier IT professionals with optimal career opportunities nationwide.

Her extensive background in business development and client relations has not only led to the acquisition of new accounts that have expanded over time but also positioned her as a trusted partner for numerous clients.

Ezalyn Caberto

MANAGING DIRECTOR - OFFSHORE RPO

Eza is an accomplished RPO leader. She has a proven experience in building and leading high-performance recruitment teams.

Eza is also experienced and active in offshore RPO's management, recruiting, and consulting aspects. She has implemented several successful offshore recruiting accounts that have grown over time.

Eza is also a successful mentor who has produced budding leaders in her field. As a mentor, she has a strong focus on supporting emerging millennial team players.

Candy Poblete

HR MANAGER

Candy has been an HR Practitioner for 10 years. Her extensive experience in managing end-to-end HR facets came from various industries. She’s a champion in handling employee relations and labor relations. As a strategic thinker, she is adept at aligning HR policies and practices with the company’s goals and objectives, safeguarding the organization from legal complications, and providing employees with a secure and fair environment.

Anna Katrina Roa

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING

Katrina, a De La Salle University graduate with a BSC in Accounting, plays a vital role in maintaining the company's financial health. She generates reports, manages budgets, and oversees the accounting department.

With over two (2) decades of experience in the recruitment industry, she is well-versed in its financial dynamics. Her expertise allows her to adeptly address the unique financial needs of recruitment businesses, making her an invaluable asset to the organization.

Jimmy P. Roa

CEO AND CHIEF RECRUITMENT OFFICER

Jimmy is a business executive in the field of BPO, RPO, IT Staffing, Technical Recruiting, Virtual Recruiting, Remote Staffing, and CAD Outsourcing. Having been involved in these industries for the past 30 years, Jimmy knows what works and what doesn’t. Aside from being the CEO of Sysgen RPO, he is also CEO of Sysgen – an IT Staffing firm which he founded in 1991.

Keen to working with clients who are willing to practice the “One-team Concept”, Jimmy has been mainly responsible in growing the Sysgen Group to what it is now.

He believes that clients are partners and that a true alliance is essential in achieving overall goals of cost savings and process improvement.