Dive Brief:

• DHL Supply Chain said it hopes to continue to address its skills gap issues through a new hiring initiative, including a new social recruiting site, the company announced. The results have yielded about 445 job applications per day and reduced the time spent on administrative hiring tasks by nearly 32,000 hours this year, DHL said.
• The new hiring and retention program increases process automation for hourly workers, sets up a network of regional recruiting centers, and provides more scheduling flexibility for hourly workers. DHL said the program speeds up time-to-hire and meets applicants' desire for a fast and easy hiring process.
• "Our customers rely on us to provide talent that consistently meets their needs; and to accomplish that, we apply the same level of operational excellence to talent acquisition and retention as we do in developing supply chain solutions for our customers," Tim Sprosty, senior vice president of human resources at DHL Supply Chain, said in a statement.  

Dive Insight:

Economists are predicting a slowdown in the economy going into 2019, but employers aren't likely to see any relief in hiring any time soon; unemployment remains at record low rates and consistent job growth, although moderate, means positions still need to be filled.

Closing a persistent talent gap will require employers to find innovative ways to attract candidates and engage and retain staff. Automating parts of the recruiting process is a strong example of how employers can use consumer-oriented technology to their advantage. More applicants expect to have a candidate experience that would be equivalent to their experience as a customer at the same company, and few have patience to deal with lackluster UX.

Mobile technologies, in particular, have seen wider adoption. Google's algorithms favor websites (including job sites) that are mobile-optimized and job seekers prefer applications that allow them to remain on one site for completion. Texting during the recruitment phase has grown, particularly for hourly positions. This preference extends into the employee experience, too; Walmart recently adopted a mobile app that allows employees to switch work schedules with coworkers and have access to their schedule on the go, giving workers more flexibility and control over their hours and lives. 

Generally, strong communication with employees and candidates alike is a boon for employers looking to get a leg up in the talent market. In a Harris poll survey from last year, 58% of respondents reported clear communication would enhance the candidate experience, but not receiving information and callbacks from interviews were cited as irritants for 41% of candidates.