It's well known that recruitment in the NHS is a complex and diverse journey that culminates in the clearances stage. The clearances stage: the critical phase where candidates have accepted a job offer but have yet to commence their duties. It's often a period fraught with uncertainty and unfortunately, it's also the stage where many NHS Trusts see new hires drop out before they start.
Through our partnerships with NHS Scotland and other Trusts in England, we understand the gravity of this issue and recognise the need for effective solutions. In this blog, we delve into the role of pre-employment checks and by doing them right (and with efficiency!) how they can be a game-changer in reducing the dropout rate of new hires before their first day.
- The critical role of pre-employment checks
- Types of pre-employment checks
- Avoiding delays in pre-employment screening
- Utilising technology to automate and speed up the processes
- How an ATS like Jobtrain can help
- Tailored ATS solutions for the NHS
- NHS-specific ATS and service - what to look for
- Conclusion
In a 2023 blog from NHS Employers, they noted how a streamlined recruitment process can significantly reduce the time from job offer to start date. Reducing the time from job offer to start date is crucial as candidates often drop out if they can secure a quicker start date elsewhere.
Pre-employment checks are the backbone of any robust hiring process, especially in a sector as crucial as healthcare. The checks can range from criminal record verifications to qualification validations and even in-depth reference checks. Conducting these checks are an essential component to ensure the suitability of candidates. Simply by streamlining some of the pre-employment checks stage, it can significantly reduce the waiting time for candidates and therefore minimise the chances of them seeking opportunities elsewhere.
We understand the importance of a smooth recruitment process and fast onboarding - that's why we've developed our applicant tracking system to help NHS organisations achieve just that.
Identity checks: validate identification to prove their new hires' identities. This is usually done through documents like a passport, driving licence or birth certificate.
As noted in guidance from NHS Employers, "one effective way to avoid unnecessary delays is to give overarching responsibility for pre-employment screening to one department". For instance, DBS application forms are often returned due to missing information. Providing a guide for applicants can help avoid this pitfall.
Internal changes can be made to streamline and speed up clearance processes, but utilising technology to automate can bring about real results for both NHS organisations as well as their new hires.
Our applicant tracking system's Onboarding and compliance hub, which also manages pre-employment checks, is often described as an "onboarding powerhouse". It's designed with features that enable swift and effective onboarding of new hires at the clearance stage, a critical factor in reducing candidate drop-off. Getting candidates over the line and making their first day is the number one priority. But making sure the journey to their first day is informative and stress free ensures they feel integrated into the organisation and less likely to reconsider their decision early on in their employment.
What's typically included in a Onboarding platform can vary, but we'll detail below what typically should available and use our own ATS, Jobtrain, as an example.
Automation is at the heart of our ATS. It takes over many of the repetitive tasks involved in pre-employment checks, making the process faster and more efficient. This can significantly reduce the time between the job offer and the first day, thereby reducing the dropout rate.
With the help of our Onboarding platform, it allows for seamless communication between a recruitment team and their candidates. Regular updates can be sent regarding the status of their pre-employment checks and from their own dashboard they can also see how progress is coming along too, helping to keep candidates engaged and less likely to explore other opportunities.
Included as standard, our ATS is equipped with reporting tools that provide valuable insights into the onboarding and compliance process. By analysing the data and identifying bottlenecks they can help confirm the stages where candidates are most likely to drop out, enabling proactive measures.
At Jobtrain, we're proud to offer a tailored applicant tracking system that is specifically designed for the NHS. Both our ATS and service is backed up by our extensive expertise working with a range of NHS providers and is aligned with the unique needs and challenges of NHS recruitment.
Losing NHS hires at the clearances stage is a challenge that many trusts face - and it's both costly and time-consuming. However, with the right strategies, utilising technology and setting clear expectations this issue can be effectively addressed.
If you're grappling with high dropout rates at the clearances stage, don't hesitate to get in touch for a no obligation chat about how Jobtrain can help you in retaining your NHS new hires.