Engineers use their SaaS for recruitment

Engineering company Atkins has implemented software as a service (SaaS) to improve the international reach of its recruitment process.

The overall cost per hire has been reduced by 60 per cent since the SaaS system was introduced because the creation of candidate shortlists and reviews for hiring managers is easier and the candidate is engaged with the business throughout the recruitment process.

Graham Young, group systems director at Atkins, told silicon.com: "Atkins has recruited 1,700 new staff in the past 12 months and that would not have been possible without this technology."

When Atkins initially piloted the SaaS system with its UK graduate recruitment drive it had to get the software up and running within three months to make the graduate 'milkround' - where companies tour UK universities each year to advertise their opportunities and recruit students.

The company chose a SaaS platform because it is quick to implement - with the Stepstone-based system working within the three-month milkround deadline - and there is no need to own, manage or operate the technology in-house.

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A few weeks after the initial graduate recruitment pilot - and once the company's recruiters had become familiar with the software - Atkins started targeting experienced hires from the UK over the SaaS platform.

Once the system and processes were finalised in the UK, the solution was rolled out to Atkins' businesses in China, India, the Middle East and the US.

Young said there were some minor problems when defining and agreeing on the standard processes for worldwide recruitment but the difficulties recruiting in a global market are balanced by the ability to consolidate some common hiring policies.

He added: "Obviously there are many language and cultural challenges but these can be offset by consistent working practices and robust but flexible internal communications."