SThree’s technology improvement is built around their business’ central systems to deliver benefits to their business every day. Charlie Cox, Global Sales Transformation Director explains there impact on their CRM.
The recruitment industry is in a race to make the most of technology transformation. From applicant tracking systems (ATS) to virtual assessment tools, tech is creating new ways for recruiters to attract, assess and hire talent. At SThree, we’re committed to leading this charge and are doing so through an industry-leading Technology Improvement Programme (TIP).
The recruitment sector hasn’t always been quick to embrace digital transformation. But ATS and customer relationship management (CRM) software in particular are growing much more sophisticated. These technologies help to automate and organise the recruitment process from end to end. Combine them, and they become powerful value drivers.
We unveiled our TIP in 2022. This has seen us make a strategic investment to increase productivity and enhance the customer experience. The mission is to create a world-class operational platform through data, technology and infrastructure. That means we must invest in our CRM and increase our use of emerging technologies such as AI.
A Robust Spectrum of Technologies
Our CEO, Timo Lehne, talks about “embedding a robust spectrum of advanced technologies deep within SThree’s framework”. This is an opportunity to redefine the dynamics of recruitment. “Incorporating AI and innovative tech will not only sharpen the precision and pace of aligning talent with opportunities,” he says, “but also provide our people with the essential tools to excel in today’s dynamic job market.”
We announced the latest stage of our TIP in March – a groundbreaking collaboration with Microsoft to integrate many of its cutting-edge platforms and technologies into our own systems. By leveraging Microsoft’s platforms – Dynamics 365, Azure AI, Azure Analytics, Azure SQL, Azure Compute, Azure Containers, Azure Security, Microsoft 365, and the Microsoft Power Platform – we’re entering a new era of efficiency and excellence.
In simple terms, integrating the Microsoft technologies with our own proprietary tech stack will make our operations smarter. It will make many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that clients never see more efficient, such as finding and training our consultants and handling billing.
But the initiative is ultimately about empowering our people. It’s designed to streamline recruiters’ daily tasks, enable more personal interactions and empower them to build the sector-specific knowledge our business thrives upon.
The CRM at the centre
Enhancing our CRM is a central plank of the TIP. It’s this crucial tool that manages the entire recruitment process while building much closer and more engaged relationships with both recruiters and candidates.
Our new CRM will make it easier to track clients’ and candidates’ details, including every previous interaction, and to access real-time reporting of data relating to each group. A single, centralised source of insight, it helps recruiters to take proactive, data-driven decisions as they manage processes and maintain productive relationships.
It also makes it more straightforward for recruiters to move candidates through the recruitment process, tracking their status and progress at each stage. And it’s futureproof, with the possibility to integrate other technology-enabled advances – screening filters or video interviewing, for example.
AI, which is so good at tasks such as data analysis, pattern recognition and predictive analytics, is another valuable element. It can uncover insights into candidate qualifications that go beyond traditional metrics, which opens up a broader and more diverse talent pool. It also enables a more nuanced matching process between job seekers and vacancies. AI can even forecast candidate success in individual roles and in meeting organisational needs.
Technology transformation comes with risks
But such bold technology transformation is not without risk. We are aware that we must implement AI in particular with an awareness of its limitations and dangers.
Ifeoma Ajunwa, a Professor of Law at Emory University who has published several papers on AI in recruitment, is particularly concerned about built-in bias. “It’s a false binary to say that automated decision-making removes human bias,” she told SThree. “Because you still have a human manager deciding on the variables that will be used for parsing the CVs.”
That makes it vital to consider the ethical dimension of any AI implementation and take proactive measures to reduce biases. No algorithm can fully replace the judgement and emotional intelligence of human beings, so recruiters with deep sector expertise will be even more critical in the digital age.
As data becomes so central to recruitment businesses, it is vital to protect that data – especially when so much of it is personal. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures is essential to safeguard sensitive information from unauthorised access. This includes regular software updates, employee training on recognising phishing attempts, and investing in advanced security technologies such as encryption and multi-factor authentication.
Digital transformation never ends
These caveats aside, SThree’s investment in technology reflects our belief in the genuinely transformative potential of new tools and platforms. Early efficiency gains are already freeing up employees’ time to focus on human interactions and relationships, and have allowed us to, for example, onboard more than 2,000 new contractors.
But the potential is exciting. Our new relationship with Microsoft underlines our commitment to these changes. It will accelerate digital integration by incorporating digital tools and automated practices into daily operations. It will improve talent management through the use of data-driven talent algorithms, customised career platforms and flexible workforce tools. It will enhance data analysis and visualisation to support informed decision-making and strategic planning and it will promote the responsible and ethical use of technology.
Digital transformation in the recruitment sector isn’t going to be a finite exercise. Businesses must commit to ongoing, continual change by taking advantage of every new opportunity as technologies continue to advance. Not all businesses in the sector are as committed to this as SThree, which is why we are leading the field in technology transformation.
The TIP is the centre of SThree’s strategic goals. From today, our early gains from investment in technology – including in our CRM system – mean we can proceed with confidence.
