Recruitainment: A New Way to Hire?
Recruitment and entertainment. Probably not two concepts you’d immediately pair off together. But their portmanteau child shows real promise.
‘Recruitainment’ is an approach that aims to gamify recruitment, injecting fun and efficiency into the process. And given two thirds (65%) of employers report losing a preferred candidate to an overly lengthy hiring process, it’s one that’s sorely needed.
We grabbed some time with Oliver Boag, a.k.a. Oly, Talent Acquisition and Diversity Manager at EZRA, to get his thoughts.
The great drop out
“Throughout my career in talent acquisition, I’ve seen too many talented candidates drop out mid-process,” Oly laments.
Not that he’s surprised.
“Multiple interview rounds, take-home assignments, drawn-out decision-making… the process can become a full-time job in itself,” he says.
The reality is, the current hiring process is often too long, too formulaic, lacking useful feedback, and, quite frankly, a bit boring.
New generations, new demands
As the demographic makeup of the workforce shifts it’s becoming less and less relevant, too. Gen Z already outnumber baby boomers in the U.S. workforce and these are people who grew up joined at the hip with interactive apps and games. That gives them fundamentally different expectations.
“Gen Z expects real-time engagement, instant feedback, and an application experience that respects their time,” Oly tells us.
The good news is these are the very issues ‘recruitainment’ helps address.
Why gamification works
Points and badges, leaderboards, puzzles, simulations; we just can’t get enough of that sweet sweet gamification. The immediate feedback taps into our brain circuitry, releasing dopamine and creating a sense of fun. And when things are fun, it can breed "better engagement and retention [through] a hiring process that feels dynamic and rewarding,” Oly tells us.
From a game simulating a hotel manager’s job through to a challenge to crack an encrypted image, gamification can take many forms in recruitment, and some of the world’s biggest companies have been keen to reap the benefits.
Greater authenticity
‘What’s you biggest weakness?’ an interviewer asks. ‘Oh, probably that I'm a perfectionist,’ the candidate replies, craftily smuggling in a potential strength in weakness’s clothing.
What do we really learn from this kind of interaction?
Gamification allows for an in-the-moment authenticity that Oly believes creates a “…more engaging, hands-on experience…,” and better lifts the lid on real the person behind the candidate.
Improved inclusivity
“Beyond engagement, a streamlined, gamified hiring process also drives inclusion,” says Oly.
That’s because it creates a better balance between what people have done and what they’re capable of.
Not only that, but “By eliminating unnecessary barriers—like lengthy assignments or unclear expectations—we create a fairer, more accessible hiring process where a wider range of candidates can succeed,” he adds.
Picking your battles
Of course, gamifying recruitment processes willy-nilly is no good. Context is king. Gamification makes sense only when and where it can bring genuine benefit.
A puzzle task in place of yet another interview to uncover problem-solving abilities relevant to the role. Replacing the application process with a game to minimize bias. The possibilities are endless. And if ideas are proving hard to come by, other industry examples might get those mental cogs whirring.
Are you not recruitained?
Recruitainment may not be a solution to cure all recruitment ills, but used strategically, Oly believes it can create, “A hiring process that is engaging, transparent, and built with inclusivity in mind…”
And that’s something we can all get on board with.