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ATS system – what is it?

In brief, ATS stands for a tool enhancing recruitment processes in companies. The full version of this abbreviation is: Applicant Tracking System. It does not mean anyone’s privacy infringement though. The „tracking” part applies to recruitment stages as well as searching for data that the candidates have already willingly submitted. ATS may include a whole list of functionalities which are to make recruiters’ lives easier, to accelerate and automate the majority of activities as well as recruitment tasks management.

ATS system – what is it and how does it work?

How, in detail, does ATS work and which particular activities does it enhance? Obviously, it depends on the company’s needs and recruitment management styles. Many businesses have very complicated procedures developed which in turn are connected with multiple additional tasks (e.g. organizing transport and documents for employees sourced from abroad). The size of the company also makes a huge difference together with the amount of work that the recruitment team has. It is very often in great need of task automation.

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The most common ATS system functionalities are listed below:

• Searching for candidates for a particular post,
• Storage of data about the candidates with proper attachments in different formats,
• Adding notes and opinions to particular items,
• Filtering and sorting candidates according to any criteria,
• Fast document flow and communication enhancement between employers responsible for recruitment,
• Building workflow procedures, which narrow down employee’s responsibility to only their own procedure stages,
• Granting applicants different statuses, which makes the recruitment process faster/more efficient,
• Safe data storage, compliant with GDPR,
• Drawing reports and briefings according to recruitment department’s needs,
• Connecting the recruitment process with other procedures (e.g. obtaining employment permit, completing the documents the employer is required to have),
• Requiring adding comments to the processes that failed to reach the goal (e.g. the reason of resignation/dismissal/recruitment termination, opinion about the candidate),
• Archiving data together with feedback, which enhances further recruitment processes. (Of course in accordance with GDPR provisions. The rest of data is removed from the system).

How does ATS save money?

Many businesses think of the purchase of ATS system, but they rarely understand the full extent of profits that may be obtained through it. However, it is save to say that it means saving on many different levels. The company might be able to save due to faster employment of the right people to the right posts. As we all know, one of the biggest investments made by a company is admitting new workers. Usually they start to bring profits only after a couple of months of work. Before that, they are only a liability. ATS can minimize the possibility that such investment will be lost.

What is more, such tools enable huge time savings. The recruitment team uses the knowledge acquired in earlier processes and saved in the system (to the extent which GDPR allows), as well as the ability to filter and sort the candidates. Due to well-designed workflow procedure stages no one’s work is repeated. The documents circulate fast within safe system instead of piling up on desks in paper form.

ATS system also minimizes the number of recruitment meetings. The proper selection of the candidates prevents from later misunderstandings and results in the meeting invitations sent out to only the most appropriate candidates. This means, again, time savings for both parties as well as less wasted money which the meetings usually consume. It applies particularly to the companies that delegates recruiters to different subsidiaries or organize meetings in rented spaces (halls, offices, restaurants etc.).

ATS tools enable us also to quickly verify the sources of candidates. The reports show clearly which media generate the most appropriate applicants or those who were hired. Therefore, the company is able to direct the advertisement finances more efficiently (e.g. promote only the offers on LinkedIn instead of Facebook or choose press announcements over handing out flyers).

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ATS system – how does it look like form candidates’ perspective

It might seem that those who are looking for job would have a lot of objections against recruitment systems. It reduces them, in fact, to a number on a list and most decisions are made by “heartless machine”. However, the candidates are actually quite complacent with recruitment automation. Why is that so?

Once again the time savings arise. Faster recruitment is associated with less time waste. No unnecessary meetings are held if there is no high possibility of choosing the invited person. Faster recruitment process means more time lost.

Automatization of messages to the recipients is another plus from the candidates’ perspective. The most common complaint against companies refers to applicant ghosting. The potential employer does not call back, nor does he inform about further steps, not to even mention the reason of candidate’s refusal. ATS system does all these things automatically immediately after the given decision. It sends notifications (e-mail or text message), which gives the candidate clarity about his employment perspectives and lets him save time. The applicants feel treated respectfully. They may also leave positive comments on the web, even in case of not being employed.

A well-seen practice is to inform the candidates about the negative outcome of the recruitment procedure. In such case it is more difficult to introduce automatization, as it is the recruiter who has to leave feedback. No matter if he/she has any ready-made message drafts or must draw an individual, personalized note – it takes a lot of time. How can ATS help? Force the employee to act quickly. Some procedure are designed in such a way that it is not possible to end them without feedback. Unfinished tasks remain on the “to-do” list and delays are always alerted. It surely motivates to a quicker reaction and sending feedback on a regular basis.

ATS system – what is it and for whom?

Which companies benefit most from tools like ATS? Undoubtedly the biggest and most developed with complicated processes and busy HR departments. Also those whose department structure hinders effective recruitment. Very eager for additional IT solutions are the enterprises dispersed into multiple subsidiaries, where each recruitment is performed separately.

There are many companies, however, which have developed their own, specific recruitment procedures. It probably stems from unprecedented needs, out-of-the-box employment manner and multiplicity of additional processes. In such cases a fully customizable ATS system applies. KORSOL offers these types of tools exactly – tailored to clients’ needs, ordered individually. Many entrepreneurs have modified their own processes in order to mitigate repetitive difficulties. Later on, while looking for IT solutions, they do not want to be forced to abandon their methods. This does not occur in case of KORSOL products. We avoid selling ready-made products and treat every client individually. As a result, the implementation does not cause any organizational difficulties, because the employees are not forced to change their working methods. New tools only accelerate procedures through automation and digitalization of processed documents.

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Additional features

The recruitment process gets usually connected to multiple additional procedures. There might be some HR responsibilities due to onboarding and formal proceedings of employment. There might be some documents to hand out to authorities, both to be done by the employer and the employee. The recruitment might also involve the transport of employees from abroad or from some further parts of the country. It is very often necessary to conduct additional trainings, which again involves many time-consuming tasks.

The responsibilities – and at the same development aspects of the system – may multiply depending on the complexity of the recruitment process. KORSOL’s advantage is in undoubtedly in such cases the ability to develop the system/module and connect it with some other functions. The modules remain integrated and the document flow is not interrupted. Finally, the ATS starts to perform as a traceability tool, because the company actually controls all the aspects of recruitment. From CV inflow to onboarding. Each activity within the process leaves a trace in the system. Through that, the company gains a clear, additional factsheet, what labour and financial input is needed to conduct recruitment from the beginning to the very end.

Comprehensive KORSOL features do not leave employee issues unattended after the end of recruitment. They support HR departments in further supervision of employee document validity. The system sends notifications or (depending on preferences) displays clearly that the validity of visa or contract is coming to an end. Due to that HR departments no longer drown in multiple documents, important dates and paper notes. Nor do they have to fight with spreadsheets usually used to control employees lists.

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ATS system - what is it? GDPR compliance

There is no doubt that recruitment processes usually require many additional information about the candidates, which might be considered sensitive. Thus, they must be stored with utmost care to prevent any possible leaks. After finishing the recruitment process, everything that is not required by the law should be removed. Overloaded by many tasks, the recruitment workers might find it difficult to remember about the safety of each small peace of data. ATS system guards everything though and makes sure that only entitled employees have access to particular information. It also reminds them to remove permanently all details about the candidates in order to respect GDPR (RODO).

ATS system - what is it? Summary

Finding new employees is a very important but time-consuming process, which should never be taken for granted. A lot of companies remain hiring all the time, while never investing in better tools for recruitment teams. As if they counted that they somehow would no longer need new employees. It is worth considering a new system to control the whole recruitment field, because it can also enhance many other, side processes. Such an investment might become the beginning of full digitalization and the first step to document flow enhancement. If only the IT tools are properly tailored to the company’s needs and its specific working methods, they usually lead to work improvement and further savings. This is, of course, where KORSOL thrives – delivering custom tools which maximalise the effectiveness and profitability of such investments.

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Want to know more about our solutions? Read our catalog with numerous modules for different departments and procedures.

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