Staffing. Technology. When you think of the word staffing, you might not immediately think about the word technology. When you think staffing you think of words like, “people”, “recruiting”, “jobs”, “placements”, and more. In today’s staffing world though, technology is a focal point for staffing success, and it can launch staffing agencies ahead of the competition. Technology is no longer just a tool to help you do your job, it needs to be a focal point to drive your business forward.

Most staffing agencies are using technology to enhance their staffing operations. As you think about your staffing software though, are you really taking advantage of all the tools available at your fingertips? Most people are not! Staffing solutions are robust and have many features, which can make it hard to stay on top of every feature and enhancement. The good news is all staffing agencies can take charge of their technology and maximize their product knowledge. One of the best things staffing agencies can do for their employees and their business is to ensure everyone is maximizing the tools in your tech stack. You made an investment in software, so it’s important that it is being used to its fullest potential.

Staffing software can help set you apart from the competition to work quicker, more efficiently, and place candidates faster. In this article, we will look at ways for you to stay on top of the latest enhancements in your staffing software. We will also investigate the importance of continuous learning and its impact on growth to stay ahead of the tech race. Lastly, we will discuss how to embrace new technology and best practices for implementing it into your everyday processes.

Stay on Top of the Latest Enhancements and Features

The first step towards maximizing the tools in your staffing software is to stay on top of the latest enhancements and features. Sometimes you might not even be aware of new features available to you. Below are a few ways to stay up to date with the latest technology in your staffing software.

Newsletters

Does your staffing software provider have a regular newsletter? More than likely, this is where you would learn about new product offerings. If you are not aware of a newsletter, check with your staffing software provider to see if you can get on the distribution list if they have one.

Email Announcements

There may also be dedicated email announcements when new product features come out. Be sure you are on the email list with your software provider and make sure these emails aren’t going to your spam folder. If you aren’t receiving any email communication from your software provider, their emails may be going to your spam.

Release Notes

Most staffing software providers have Release Notes when a new product or enhancement is released. Stay on top of these Release Notes and read through them so you are aware of new features available to you. The Release Notes may be uploaded in the software or even on the company’s website. If you are not sure where you can look up Release Notes, reach out to your staffing software provider.

Continuously Learn

To thrive as a staffing software user, the learning never stops. Whether its learning best practices or training on a new function, learning should be continuous. Here are some ways to continuously learn your staffing software.

Attend Webinars, Workshops, and User Meetings

Most staffing software providers provide ongoing education to their users. Be sure you are attending webinars and workshops your staffing software provides. These are resources free to you and most are held virtually, so they are easy to attend. Even if you are not sure you will gain something from the webinar topic, always try to have at least one person attend. You never know when you will pick up a best practice and learn something new.

If you have a dedicated person attending webinars and workshops, you can have them host a monthly internal session among employees where they discuss takeaways.

Staffing software providers typically have User Meetings as well, whether hosted in-person or virtually. Be sure you are attending these meetings. This is when new major product announcements are shared and workshops take place. You made the technology investment in the software, make the investment to attend the User Meetings to ensure you are getting the most of it. If the User Meeting is virtual, it’s free to attend, so why not attend!

Schedule Training

Don’t forget that training is always available to you as well. Does your team need refresher training? Do you want to make sure you are taking advantage of the tools you have at your fingertips? Reach out to your staffing software provider to book a training session. The training session can be virtual, or in-person training sessions may even be available. Training sessions can be tailored specifically for your team. Most solutions are now designed to give program administrators the tools to design your own workflows based on your unique needs. Training sessions can be a great opportunity to ensure you are taking advantage of the best workflow for your staffing business.

When onboarding with new software, you always have training initially. Everything is new though at that point. Sometimes it is helpful to have another training session after you begin using the software to review best practices. You are now familiar with the software so you will see things differently and have different questions.

Embrace New Features and Technology

It is easy to get set in your ways and processes. As new features and solutions come out though, take advantage of them. New technology is designed to improve staffing efficiency. Take the time to learn new enhancements and train the team on using them.

When you stay complacent in the same practices you have been doing for years, you are left behind by the competition. For example, would you want to use a 10 year-old phone from Apple®? You wouldn’t because you want to use the latest features that enhance your everyday life. The same goes for staffing software. Take advantage of the latest technology available in your software to enhance your processes. Remaining stagnant won’t help you grow!

Automation and AI is an example of new staffing technology. Some staffing agencies have embraced automation and AI, while others have been hesitant to implement it. These new staffing tools though help staffing companies place candidates faster and smarter. Employees can work more efficiently at basic tasks and, in return, spend more quality time on relationship building and strategy. Embracing new technology such as this can be scary, but don’t be afraid to take the leap. Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone, shake things up, and watch how you grow!

Assign an Internal Product Expert

One way to hone in on growing with your staffing software is by assigning an Internal Product Expert. This person is the subject matter expert on your staffing software solution. They stay on top of learning new features and sharing best practices with the team. If anyone has a question about the software, they can go to this person first to see if they can help answer their question. They can also host training sessions for new hires on using the software and open it up to anyone who wants to attend. Training new hires is especially important so everyone continues using the software the same way.

Having a dedicated software subject matter expert can significantly improve the team’s use of your software. This person is focused on learning about new enhancements and understanding best practices for your team.

Have an Internal Software User Manual

If your staffing agency doesn’t already have one, you should create an Internal Software User Manual. You probably have a user manual for the software; however, all staffing agencies operate differently. You have specific status codes, ways of documenting activities, and more. Specific processes for using the software should be outlined in a company User Manual. This will ensure everyone is following best practices and procedures and uses the software to its fullest.

As new features come out, you will also want to continuously update the User Manual. You probably won’t update it for every new feature, but any new product enhancement you want the team to regularly use should be outlined.

Involve Employees in New Processes

Lastly, as you reassess and evaluate your processes, involve your employees. Get their advice and opinions. What are they looking for? How do they work? What would they like to see? Your employees are everyday users of the software, so they can share helpful insights. Employees will also be excited to be part of the process and be more likely to adhere to new processes if they play a part in it.

Involving employees will also help get them excited about everything that is to come. When they see the enthusiasm from their leaders, they are more encouraged to incorporate new tools into their day to day processes.

Thrive with Staffing Technology

Technology is not going anywhere. It will continue to improve and enhance, and so will your staffing software. Your staffing software is filled with tools at your disposal. Knowing the tools you have to work with and embracing new technology is the key to future staffing success. Staffing has significantly evolved over the years and now more than ever it is important to embrace the latest technology. Stay ahead of the competition and grow your staffing agency by maximizing all of the tools available to you.

Questions about maximizing the use of your staffing software? Contact Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software to learn more!

Written by Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels

Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels is a Sr. Digital Marketing and Brands Manager at Automated Business Designs, developers of Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software. Jennifer regularly publishes articles about key topics surrounding the staffing industry with both local and national staffing associations.

View Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels Full Bio