How does WebRTC technology make HR managers’ lives easier?
WebRTC technology for audio and video conferencing enables encrypted peer-to-peer conversation directly in the web browser without the need for any third party software installations such as Flash or Java.
WebRTC has experienced a high number of use cases ranging from conferencing and collaboration for contact centers to HR and recruitment, training, education, distance learning, tele-health, market research, transactional data exchange, remote consulting services, surveillance, financial services and other.
As everyone knows, an HR manager’s job revolves around people. She/He is the person taking care of existing employees, talent promotion and other people related core functions of a business. Also, an important part of an HR manager’s job has to deal with recruiting new candidates for different positions. Therefore, they should be able to communicate with candidates for an opening position as well as for all interviewing and recruiting aspects.
How do candidates feel about interviews via video?
Software Advice has conducted a survey to find out how candidates feel about interviewing for a job via video.
The key findings are as follows:
47% of respondents with prior video interview experience prefer this format, while 67% of those who haven’t prefer phone interviews.
Most of the recent job applicants surveyed (57%) prefer a live video interview to a pre-recorded video interview (28%).
Mehrabian’s “7%-38%-55% Rule”
Furthermore, studies conducted by Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, were combined to produce the “7%-38%-55% Rule” where 7% represents words, 38% represents voice and 55% represents facial expression. Basically, the idea is that, in finding meaning and liking in a piece of communication, a receiver relies 7% on the actual words said, 38% on vocal elements and intonation, and 55% on facial elements cues. Therefore, it is very important for HR managers to actually have visual contact with their candidates during an interview.
The top benefits of video conferencing via WebRTC technology for HR managers
HR managers have finally begun to grasp the time - and money-saving potential of conducting interviews via video. With video conferencing via webRTC technology, recruiters and hiring managers can easily conduct live and pre-recorded interviews with candidates regardless of their location. This significantly reduces travel costs and eliminates daunting scheduling hassles.
As a matter of fact, new analysis of a global survey conducted by Redshift Research has revealed that HR executives who use video at work today say they will prefer video collaboration over email as their top method of business communication within three years. The majority of those respondents (56%) indicated video would be their most preferred method of business communication, surpassing email (49%) and voice conference calls (32%).
Furthermore, Aberdeen Group’s 2013 report on video talent acquisition found that 32% of organizations were investing in video interviewing in 2013, compared to 21% of organizations in 2012. The top three reasons identified by Aberdeen for this growth in adoption were:
- To reduce travel costs
- To shorten the time to hire
- To reach geographically dispersed candidates
One other important benefit of video interviews over phone interviews is that they allow HR managers to see interviewees’ appearance and body language, making it easier for them to create a psychological profile of the candidate.
Furthermore, HR managers who use video conferencing via WebRTC technology only have to share a meeting link to candidates they are about to interview. At the opposite pole, if you interview on Skype or over the phone you have to pass your phone number/Skype ID to the candidates. This means that they can contact you later on again, without a particular reason.
To the 3 top benefits mentioned by Aberdeen Group, we could also add the fact that video collaboration helps HR managers reach a larger pool of candidates since they no longer reject the perfect candidate simply because he or she is located across the country or abroad. The fact is that when HR managers are forced to limit their search for candidates to a certain location, they risk overlooking high-quality talent and skills.
Briefly put, video conferencing simply allows businesses to recruit candidates based on their skill sets, regardless of physical location, as HR can virtually meet with remote applicants anytime, anywhere.
