Balancing Tech & Human Touch In Talent Acquisition

BW People HR Excellence Awards 2024 recently recognised Tata Capital for ‘Excellence in Talent Acquisition.’ In an exclusive interview, Avijit Bhattacharya, chief human resources officer (CHRO) of Tata Capital, shares key insights into the company’s innovative approach to attracting top talent, delivering a positive candidate experience, and leveraging technology and analytics for continuous improvement in their hiring processes.

Can you share some specific initiatives that companies can implement to attract top talent in a competitive market?

In a competitive market, companies must concentrate on their overall value proposition for employees, which encompasses both monetary and non-monetary components. While it's straightforward to outline monetary components, effectively showcasing non-monetary benefits can be challenging. Therefore, developing a robust employee value proposition (EVP) has become a critical norm for modern organisations.

How can organisations ensure a seamless and positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process?

The key to a seamless and positive candidate experience lies in balancing technological and human elements. While technology enhances efficiency and streamlines processes, it is the human touch that often leaves a lasting positive impression. This underscores that, even as technology and AI become more prevalent as assistive tools, human intervention will remain essential in creating a meaningful candidate experience.

In what ways can companies leverage technology and data analytics to enhance its talent acquisition efforts?

Technology has revolutionised hiring by transitioning paperwork to seamless online document management. It has significantly reduced turnaround times, enabled remote evaluations, and lowered logistics costs. The next major advancement will be driven by AI, which is set to improve recruiters' ability to filter candidates accurately and make better selections. Additionally, data analytics will play a crucial role in talent acquisition by offering predictive insights into both hiring and potential retention or attrition trends.

Looking ahead, what plans does your company have to further innovate and improve its talent acquisition process?

At Tata Capital, technology and analytics are integral to our HR strategy. Our talent acquisition process is fully tech-enabled, with periodic reviews powered by data analytics. We leverage data to plan budgets, optimise hiring channels, and filter talent based on predictive forecasts. While we are dedicated to continuously enhancing this data-driven approach, our foremost commitment remains to maintain the human touch that defines our interaction with every candidate, starting from the very first stage of the selection process and continues throughout the life cycle.