Businesses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are bustling with diverse sectors ranging from healthcare to finance and technology. During the recruitment process, HR professionals find it overwhelming and time-consuming when it comes to finding the right talent. In this pursuit, many HR departments in the UAE are turning towards advanced solutions to streamline and optimize their work.
One such example is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) where speed is not the only advantage. By leveraging ATS, it can address various challenges including everything from candidate sourcing to stringent selection process.
Studies have shown that nearly 99% of all Fortune 500 businesses regularly use ATS platforms
In this blog, we will explore the benefits of ATS and how they significantly enhance talent management in the UAE.
What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is an automated software to streamline the hiring processes. It acts as a centralized platform for expediting the entire recruitment process. From job postings to employee onboarding, these on-screen assistants help in candidate data management. ATS facilitates communications between the HR managers and applicants and tracks them throughout the recruitment.
Essentially, an ATS aims to refine the complexities of recruitment by automating manual tasks to contribute to the overall success of businesses in the UAE.
Key Benefits of an ATS
Since most of the UAE’s workforce consists of emigrants, the benefits of an ATS in modern HR practices cannot be overstated. Therefore, to ensure the scaling of recruiting businesses, here’s why ATS is loved by all hiring managers:
Job Posting
The likelihood of attracting the right talent lies in understanding the company’s requirements and culture. While HR managers struggle to reach a diverse pool of candidates in the UAE, ATS enables them to create job postings. With a single click, they can distribute them across multiple platforms, including company websites and job boards, to reach a broader audience.
Resume Parsing
In the competitive job market of the UAE, managing a large volume of resumes can be daunting. The OCR-enabled resume parsing, a feature of Akrivia HCM, automatically extracts relevant information from resumes and stores it in a structured format. This categorization is based on predefined criteria of respective job descriptions and keywords, making it easier for HR professionals to review and compare candidate qualifications.
Candidate Screening
Finding the most suitable candidate for vacant positions is crucial. With advanced search algorithms, ATS can objectively evaluate a candidate’s qualifications through pre-screened assessments. By prioritizing the potential candidates, it ensures that they only move forward in the hiring process, saving time for overlooking unqualified applicants. This minimizes the risk of unintentional bias and promotes a fair and consistent screening process.
Interview Scheduling
Scheduling interviews across different time zones, particularly in the case of hiring non-native Emiratis can be challenging. ATS offers integrated interview scheduling tools such as automated invitations, managing availability, and synchronize schedules. This facilitates candidate experience by reducing scheduling conflicts and streamlining the interview process.
Analytics & Reporting
Efficient recruitment necessitates reports backed by data-driven insights from ATS. Key performance metrics such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, and applicant-to-hire ratios provide HR teams in the UAE with quantitative benchmarks. By tracking these metrics, recruiters can demonstrate ROI on recruitment investments and help them make informed decisions that align with business objectives.
How Does it Benefit HR in the UAE?
Enhanced candidate experience
A good candidate experience is what every applicant wants to receive. Whether it is a positive or negative response, ATS provides timely communication and offers a user-friendly interface that enhances a seamless candidate experience. This is particularly important in a diverse market like the UAE, where candidates have multiple job opportunities.
Compliance with labour laws
UAE labor laws require organizations to adhere to specific regulations regarding employment practices. ATS helps HR departments maintain compliance by offering features such as GDPR compliance tools and data encryption. By storing applicant data and generating audit trails, HR managers ensure that hiring processes are safe and secure.
Efficient talent management
Efficient talent management begins with selecting and screening the right talent. ATS helps HR managers find potential candidates with suitable qualifications. It also improves screening accuracy and speeds up the hiring timelines by providing contextual clarity. Implementing recruitment management systems such as Akrivia HCM, HR professionals can enhance their chances of finding the perfect candidate who aligns with the organization’s goals.
Integration with other applications
To enhance operational efficiency and data accuracy, integration with other HR systems like payroll and onboarding is needed. The syncing of employee data across the systems helps in candidate management throughout the employee lifecycle. This integration allows HR teams to streamline processes and provide a more cohesive ecosystem that drives business growth.
Cost savings
Implementing an ATS can significantly reduce cost per hire in a dynamic environment like the UAE. Automating tasks such as job posting, candidate screening, and interview scheduling reduces the need for manual efforts and optimizes cost-savings associated with advertising and agency fees.
Scalability & adaptability
As businesses in the UAE continue to evolve, ATS systems offer scalability and adaptability to accommodate changing recruitment needs. Whether expanding operations or diversifying talent acquisition strategies, ATS platforms can scale to meet organizational demands and support long-term growth objectives.
Steps to follow while selecting an ATS
Choosing the right ATS software is essential for any organization present in the UAE. Here are a few things to keep in mind while selecting ATS software:
- Asses Organizational Goals: Start with understanding your organizational objectives like hiring volumes and types of roles you often recruit for. For instance, if you are a well-established organization, you need to implement ATS software with robust features.
- Establish a Budget: Make a budget that works for your organization’s size and requirements. Not only the initial setup and implementation cost but consider factors like ongoing maintenance and upgrades that satisfy your workforce.
- Research ATS Providers: Explore various ATS providers that cater to UAE’s work culture and local regulations. Research for providers that have a proven record of addressing common challenges with solutions faced by businesses operating in the UAE.
- Request a Demo Session: Schedule demo sessions with shortlisted ATS providers to get a firsthand look. Focus on how intuitive the interface is and how well it integrates with your existing systems.
- Check for Ease of Integration: Ensure that the ATS integrates seamlessly with your existing payroll and other relevant systems. A user-friendly interface helps in reducing interruptions to day-to-day operations.
- Enquire Customer Support: Enquire about the level of support provided by the ATS vendor. This should include response times and support channels that offer comprehensive training resources to meet your organization’s needs.
Final thoughts
94% of recruiters say that ATS has improved their company’s hiring process.
As organizations in the UAE have around 6 million employees working from diverse backgrounds, investing in ATS software can prioritize efficiency and effectiveness in HR management. Implementing an ATS is not just about adopting modern technology but about positioning themselves as strategic partners in driving recruitment.
That is why Akrivia HCM’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) enhances candidate experience, ensures compliance with UAE’s local regulations, and enables data-driven decision-making. Its notable AI-driven ATS feature manages the entire journey of an applicant effortlessly, making it a preferred choice for HR management.
In conclusion, ATS helps in creating high-performing talents that achieve sustainable competitive advantages to drive business growth and innovation.
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
