Using ATS Software for Employee Referrals

Employee referrals are a valuable source for candidates. Candidates referred by existing employees are often hired faster and retained longer than candidates reached through external recruitment efforts. Using ATS software to assist with employee referrals is a common-sense strategy that can streamline recruitment and minimize errors in the referral program.

Share Job Postings Automatically

Sharing job postings automatically according to a schedule allows employees to anticipate referral opportunities. When position openings are shared only once, employees may miss the post and the chance to share it within their networks. When deciding upon a posting schedule, researching to discover the times that employees are most active on the software can lead to greater effectiveness.

Make Jobs Shareable Through Employee Portals

Linking the ATS to HR software that employees regularly access can make it easier for employees to share job opportunities through their social media accounts and through email. When assessing shareability, look for links on job posts that allow employees to automatically share job openings with just a few clicks. The quicker and easier jobs are to share, the more likely your employees will be to participate.

Set Up Referral Tracking

Employee referral tracking can be cumbersome if it’s done manually. For best results, referral tracking should be linked right through the portal that’s initially used to share the position opening. Candidates may not know how to give their connections credit for referring, if there is a field that’s automatically filled in on their application with information about the referring employee, referral tracking may be much smoother.

Make Referral Counts and Incentives Public

Providing an incentive for employee referrals can boost the success of a referral program. If employees know that they will be receiving a bonus or even a small reward for each referral that leads to employment, it can be highly motivating.

To increase motivation further and perhaps add a hint of competition, you may wish to make employee referrals public. When employees see that their peers are referring acquaintances, it may inspire them to get their own friends on board with the company. It may also be a reward in itself for employees to see their name framed in positive light after referring a new employee.

Use ATS Data for Candidate Filtering

When an ATS is used for an employee referral program, it makes more filtering tools available. The ATS can be used as usual to filter candidates based on keywords and qualifications, but it may also be possible to use the software to see how many employees a candidate is connected to via social networks and other contact information. In a close situation between several candidates, this may be instrumental in making a hiring decision.

An ATS can be used to set up and maintain a highly effective employee referral program as part of a proactive hiring plan. Using an ATS for employee referral programs can save management and HR time while ensuring that referral records are kept accurately and employees are recognized and rewarded accordingly for their efforts.