How an applicant tracking system can help your HR team save time

An applicant tracking system (ATS), is web-based software specifically designed to automate and digitise the recruitment process that can save HR teams a lot of time. Here are some of the ways your company can benefit from adopting an ATS:

Manage all processes in one place

An ATS can be used to collate, filter, select and share information during every stage of the hiring journey, from developing the job specifications to managing interviews and giving feedback to applicants.

A very large amount of information can be collected, stored and shared during the entire recruitment process.

Quickly post ads on many platforms

A good ATS will post your positions to a variety of job boards, saving you time and money on advertising. By keeping track of which sources deliver the most applications, you will know which platforms produced the best results. Templates for vacancy notices can also be saved on the platform, allowing for quicker and easier placement.

Comply with regulations and best practices

With the help of an ATS, recruiters can save time standardising job ads and filtering applicants to ensure that they meet certain industry and legal requirements. Simplify.hr which has been built specifically with the South African market in mind, has a built-in BEE reporting feature to help companies review and manage their employment equity status.

Recruiters are able to comply with legislation and best practices in terms of the protection of personal information by controlling who has access to candidates’ personal information, getting the required permissions from candidates and tracking who has accessed that information.

Feedback to applicants

By automating responses with customised templates, you can quickly respond to a large number of applicants, saving you time and leaving them feeling valued, even if their application was not successful.

You can also send follow-up questions or standard FAQs about the company or position to all or groups of applicants, saving time on individual correspondence.

Setting up interviews and saving records

Scheduling interviews between members of the hiring team and candidates is made easier when you can share available times, questions and notes with interviewers to help everyone prepare properly to ensure you make the most of the interview time.

Quick and easy onboarding

A good hire is one where the candidate quickly takes on the role as a new team member at the company. With an ATS you can make sure important documents are completed and stored ahead of their first day. They can also start the induction process with useful information about, for example, company benefits and policies and a welcome video message from the CEO.

Build a winning talent pipeline and strategy

With an ATS you can keep details of applicants who may be suitable for future positions to keep in touch as part of your strategy to be top of mind for top talent.