The HR team at STILL CZ is increasingly moving its recruitment and onboarding activities online and using IT technologies. It has also managed to include cooperation with recruitment agencies in this process. The smart system has thus replaced individual candidate registration, tracks key data and the efficiency of the solution gives the HR department more time to devote to employees once they have been hired.
STILL is one of the most innovative comprehensive suppliers of forklifts, tractors, state-of-the-art warehouse equipment and related services. This innovativeness is also reflected in the company's HR department. Under the guidance of HR Specialists, candidate interviews have moved to an online environment. However, this has not detracted from their quality. "We are digitizing any HR documents, onboarding new employees, we have introduced online meetings, online workshops, and we use shared platforms," says one of the team, Tereza Vrábelová, describing the changes.
Both recruiters and candidates learned
As Ivana Majerová, HR Manager at STILL CZ and STILL SK, says, it was very unusual at first. "We had to improve the quality of connectivity and data transfer, we had to establish suitable online environments, and we had to issue rules for online meetings." The changes also fundamentally affected the recruitment process. "We and the candidates were learning. Even though the candidates were often far better equipped initially or had more experience with online meetings than our traditional recruiters, we successfully set everything up, fine-tuned it and the interviews were also conducted in this form. For every second round of the selection procedure, or for all rounds of selection procedures for specific professional positions, for example service technician, where it is necessary to pass both a test and a practical exam, we opted for a face-to-face meeting, while observing all the necessary hygiene measures," said Ivana Majerová.
Data availability and immediate interaction
The company uses the Nalgoo ATS smart system for recruitment. "All steps of the recruitment process are under one roof and immediately accessible, from receiving a CV to filling the position. The system has fully replaced the previously used individual candidate registration," says STILL's HR Specialist. Tereza Vrábelová, in turn, appreciates that "on the homepage we can see an overview of all the actions that have taken place since the last time Nalgoo was accessed. The communication between the HR department and the manager running the recruitment process is simple and efficient in terms of leaving notes and moving the candidate along. All the necessary data for a given candidate is easily accessible and the system allows for instant interaction with the candidate. I also appreciate the visually very advanced system that categorizes the candidates according to the different recruitment agencies we work with."
The "tweaking" of the system can be intense, but the results are well worth it
In order to "fine-tune" every detail and create effective solutions, setting up the system is preceded by intensive and prompt communication with the Nalgoo team. The HR specialist is satisfied with the cooperation. "Communication with the team has always been at a very good level - they patiently listened to all our needs, tried to find a solution or compromise. If at any time, even now, we have a problem, it is always solved within 24 hours," Tereza Vrábelová praises. Several details need to be fine-tuned in order to make the system as tailored to the client's preferences as possible. "On the basis of the demo version, we were presented with the Nalgoo system with all the functionalities and advantages of using it. They tailored the specific settings and access rights to our needs and organised online training for all those using the system. We were also given a manual for managers on how to use the system." After the initial investment of time and full implementation of the system, working with Nalgoo is easy and comfortable.
Where to find a suitable candidate?
"We assign all open positions to the recruitment agencies we have listed in Nalgoo - the selection process is automatically registered in their internal Nalgoo account," reveals Tereza Vrábelová. At the same time, they advertise the job position on the Profesia portal, their website and company intranet. They also use Facebook and LinkedIn to share job vacancies. "The communication with recruitment agencies has been the most successful aspect for us, as they often have a first round of interviews with the candidates and only then decide whether to recommend them for the selection process, i.e. upload them to Nalgoo." A good reference works the same way.
We are finding it increasingly challenging to fill the positions of qualified service technicians, especially in areas where there is minimal unemployment," admits an HR Specialist on the team.
We also encounter candidates with inflated financial expectations and candidates who stop communicating with us or do not tell us or the recruitment agency that they have been successful in finding a job elsewhere," adds Tereza Vrábelová.
Data moves forward
Using Nalgoo ATS, HR departments can evaluate several key parameters. "We are interested in how many candidates meet the requirements for a given position out of the total number of resumes received, the financial evaluation and requirements of candidates for a specific position, and the demand for work within the different regions. It varies a lot within the country, as well as the financial requirements of the candidates," explains the HR Specialist.
We are not afraid to invest in people
The company invests not only in technology, but also in employees to maintain a leading position within the industry. Where does this investment in people come in? "We provide different training opportunities to employees: in-house or provided by head office depending on their position, namely specialized training for service technicians, soft skills and sales skills training for sales representatives, management skills training for managers, language training and MS Office training within administration, and within recruitment we focus on management skills, specifically communication with candidates."
Employee needs interest us
Recruitment is not the end of the HR team's activity. The HR Specialist revealed what steps they take to ensure that employees are motivated to stay in their jobs after they are hired. "After three to six months, we evaluate the adaptation process, interview employees once a year and provide them with benefits, training and organize company events."
The first adaptation interview takes place 3 months after the employee has been hired, when he or she is already familiar with the basic functioning of the company and his or her adaptation is evaluated both by the employee and the manager. "This is an opportunity for the employee to suggest possible grounds for improvement within the onboarding process. The same interview with the employee occurs 6 months after the employee has been hired," continues Tereza Vrábelová. "At the same time, both old and new employees undergo annual employee interviews, where both business and development goals are set for the next year. Also on this occasion, the employee has the opportunity to express their opinion and their development needs. We try to satisfy all these needs or come up with other activities to motivate employees to continue working for our company."
The innovative HR team is already improving existing systems and procedures. They plan to implement the Workday tool, which specializes in human resource management and financial administration, soon.