iCIMS Hire Expectations™

There is a lot of talk about going green these days. The great part about the green movement is that many eco-friendly solutions can help increase efficiency as well. Organizations have the option of purchasing carbon credits or they can implement an approach that is much more hands on. Most organizations are taking a greener approach internally, and it is having a resounding effect on how we interact within the workplace. These changes can even be evident before you conduct your first interview. The onboarding process is the first place, and one of the best places, an organization can implement a green approach.

As a recent job seeker, I noticed that many advances in technology are allowing people and organizations to use less paper. No longer do we submit resumes via snail mail, but instead conduct the entire search via job boards and corporate career portals. This has been the norm for close to a decade now, and helps greatly reduce waste created from printing and mailing resumes. The ease of creating an online portfolio also contributes here. Not only is this approach completely paperless, but it also makes one’s career more accessible and easily shared.

More recently, organizations are beginning to use online portals for onboarding documentation as well. This significantly reduces the amount of paper normally used once an offer has been accepted. A new employee can now fill out all of their paperwork via online forms, and save their progress should something else come up. This also allows for access at an employee’s own convenience, instead of having to take time out of orientation or training sessions.

As much as going green for the sake of the environment might not appeal to everyone, the ways in which you can go green can even help make a job search and onboarding process occur more smoothly. The benefits of thinking green extend into the everyday culture of an organization, too. Document sharing becomes easier through the use of technology, and once you are part of a green organization, taking part in green initiatives can be really great networking and social experiences.

Although your experience will vary by organization, green initiatives will greatly increase your satisfaction with an organization from the very moment you begin communicating with them.

During our celebrations on this very Earth Day, it’s important to explore what major changes and reforms have been made and what lies ahead for the Human Resources Industry. In recent years, companies are making a more conscious effort to help contribute to society. By doing this, they are finding that they are better able to attract top talent, improve business processes and foster a positive brand perception.

When choosing a company to work for, applicants seem to value eco-friendly initiatives much more than even ten years ago. In fact, according to the Corporate Environmental Behavior and the Impact on Brand Values survey, 81% of US participants would rather work for a company that has a good reputation for environmental responsibility. What does this mean for HR? Companies that implement a green strategy can improve candidate engagement and thus, talent quality, with less recruitment tools.

Human resources processes demand a great deal from the environment. HR professionals are finding heavy paper usage throughout the entire HR function. By going green, organizations can eliminate their reliance on these paper copies and completely automate the entire talent lifecycle from applicant tracking to succession planning. For example, some systems can take any candidate or employee form and convert it into a fully searchable, reportable, web-based portal. Applicants can apply to an online career portal and employees can fill out their new hire paperwork on a web-based onboarding portal, thus eliminating the usage of thousands of sheets of paper. Additionally, a web-based talent management solution operates on a single web-based system cutting the maintenance and trouble shooting costs associated with using multiple disparate systems,

Additionally, more emphasis is now being put on a company’s tangible contributions to the global environment beyond just a check made out to a foundation. By actualizing a “green approach”, companies can often see an improvement in brand perception as it shows a “we care” image to prospective investors and clients. According to BCG, consumers are willing to spend more on a product that is healthier, safer or more beneficial for the environment, regardless of the current economy state.

What do you think lies ahead for human resources? I believe that companies will become even more environmentally aware and proactively implement these HR green initiatives.

One thing we can be thankful for on this Earth day is the change that has begun in human resources: the adoption of paperless, web-based systems! Let’s continue to reduce our paper usage and help to make the world a cleaner and safer place! Happy Earth Day!

Last week’s State of the Union address included a myriad of partisan and bi-partisan talking points - with cheers from one side and stoic faces from the other. But through and through, nothing was as pertinent to both sides of the general public, and coincidently the HR community, as the budgetary blueprint for 2011, or more specifically, the $100 billion designed to create more jobs. Specifically cited in the big budget was the focus on and education of green energy and thus, creation of green jobs.

With green job prep programs popping up across the country, the clean-industry is expected to experience exponential growth in 2010 and beyond. With that being said, those green companies already in existence are preparing for an onslaught of hiring.  Just yesterday, New Haven, Connecticut’s, "green" agency, or the "Office of Sustainability" sought to hire a fearless leader, but after an overwhelming 200 candidates responded to the post, the city had to stop taking applications and remove the job post from its’ website.
"Any resumes that came in, we wouldn’t be able to get to," said Administrative Officer Robert Smuts to NBC Connecticut.

If this case is any indicator, green companies have a lot of preparing to do.  But how does an eco-friendly company recruit candidates in a green manner? Companies of all industries and sizes know that HR isn’t the most environmentally-friendly sector of an organization. From the paper-intensive onboarding process to filing cabinets full of compliance documents – many green companies are struggling to align their core organizational missions with their human resource initiatives. W-4 forms, employee surveys, performance appraisals, exit interviews…the list goes on and on.  Aside from wasting hours on manual data entry and filing old resumes – these paper processes are using an exuberant amount of unnecessary paper.  Let’s take just one aspect of the talent lifecycle – onboarding. A new hire-packet alone includes endless amounts of heath insurance forms, compliance docs, 401k packages, company handbooks and more.  Aside from the time it takes to print and collect these documents – they are taking their toll on our eco-system's natural resources – mainly, trees. Wondering how your organization is treating the rainforest?  Take a look at the Rainforest Maker’s Business Paper Calculator. Feeling guilty yet?

So how can green companies (or really any business) keep their carbon footprint (see greenhouse gas emission refresher course here) to a minimum while hiring and retaining top talent?
 
Eliminate all those paper processes through automation! Talent management systems can spearhead businesses’ green HR initiatives by eliminating time-consuming, paper-intensive recruiting tasks and replacing them with efficient, eco-friendly HR solutions. And don’t let your organization’s commitment to the environment go without reward, get something back!  As part of their corporate responsibility program, iCIMS offers an iCARE discount to firms that clearly commit to reducing reliance on non-renewable energy. Organizations that demonstrate a commitment to solar, wind, and ethanol energy sources are eligible for iCARE contract discounts when they partner with iCIMS for their HR technology needs.

There is no question that green is definitely in fashion these days, from the White House organic garden to the Cash-for-Clunkers program aimed at getting gas guzzlers off the road.  And as businesses are awakening to the fact that going green is not only the responsible thing to do but can also be good for their bottom line, they are often looking to their own HR teams to get their in-house green initiatives off the ground, or as a recent Entrepreneur Magazine article put it, to reduce their environmental impact “one employee at a time”.

But for the HR professional looking to make their workplace greener, where is a good place to start?  What is meant by Green HR, green recruiting, or “the greening of HR”?  These questions are the topic of much discussion on blog postings, web forums and journal articles of late, and there appear to be two perspectives on the topic emerging.  For some, green HR practices involve directly addressing their organization’s carbon footprint by reducing paper use, cutting back on unnecessary travel and generally looking for ways to streamline processes for more efficient use of resources.  For others, a more holistic application of the concept of sustainability to their organization and workforce is the key to practicing what is coming to be known as “Green HR.”

As a leading provider of Applicant Tracking and Talent Management software, we at iCIMS see a definite awareness of the need to reduce the volume of paper involved in recruiting and on-boarding processes among our clients as they implement our solution.  In addition, many are happy to take advantage of our Platform’s CRM capabilities, as the .3 grams of carbon produced to send an email message is far less than what would be required to send hard copy notifications to prospective talent.  But by selecting iCIMS as their solution of choice, our clients cannot be accused of “Greenwashing,” as by partnering with iCIMS they are working with an organization that has made a firm commitment to the environment and going green.

For those who choose to take a more holistic approach to the greening of their organization and HR processes, topics to consider include how to attract top candidates who value a commitment to the environment, how to retain knowledge gained by their more experienced workers, and keeping in contact with and recalling employees lost due to the economic downturn.  To address these needs, clear green messaging and branding on corporate career sites and in job descriptions is recommended, or even the use of “alumni” career sites to stay in touch with and recall former employees.  I know that one of the things that attracted me to iCIMS was their commitment to the environment, so don’t underestimate the power of greening your recruiting message.

While the word green has in recent years come to symbolize a commitment to conservation and the environment, it has had many other connotations in the past, including young and inexperienced. And I have found that in many ways, the discussion around Green HR is still a young one with room for many more voices and opinions.  So, let us know what Green HR means to you!