Todd Wheatland, head of thought leadership at recruitment agency Kelly Services, told HR magazine: "Companies will tend to go for the most effective, cost efficient way of doing something. If the most efficient way of sourcing is online, it’s hugely in that organisation’s interest to drive it there. The lowest common denominator is going to be driven by technology. This throws up implications for ageism."
Wheatland claimed that employers will look at other routes to find talent if it is needed, so in theory, no one should be left behind. "If you can’t use those channels then you have to look elsewhere. Ultimately where the talent lies is going to drive how you look for it," he said.
Candidates, rather than companies, now drive the direction of technology HR is now taking, according to Wheatland.
"Consumer expectations now drive advances in HR and recruitment systems. The power has shifted to the consumer rather than the big employers," he said.
"Expectations of technology aren’t based on the best thing going on in the industry any more, it’s based on the best experience you have. If you have a great experience with your online bank and ordering a taxi online, you expect the same for companies' HR systems."
Large corporate companies often have more time and resources than SMEs to focus on how they use technology to attract staff. However, Wheatland believes that some SME employers are already doing well in this area.
"There are examples of companies in the SME space who are doing this already. They don’t think of it terms of candidate experience though, for them it’s just doing the right thing," he said.
