The Hindu Business Line : Managing communication

Collaborative software can help a company develop code across continents or streamline its internal communication for various functions, including recruitment. Here are instances of application.

When the resumes pile up. - MAHESH HARILAL

Ever wondered what happened to the "secretary" position of yesteryears? It has been replaced by collaborative solutions that may help reduce the time spent on data organisation and interoffice communications.

Collaboration is about building solutions to work in real-time environments. Such tools have resulted in reduced spending on communications in globally spread organisations. IBM's Domino and Notes is a collaborative tool built around the e-mail and provides single-point access to all tasks a person is involved in.

Once logged on, one can access all his tasks through a single screen (called dashboard). The dashboard contains links to every module that he would use.

An accounts manager's dashboard would have links to e-mail, salary database, leave database and income tax database. Besides, he can also include chat and the Internet.

An e-mail set-up comes with options such as colour coding, efficiency circles, reminder flags and chat. The calendar tool is synchronised with this and schedules are automatically in the calendar.

Well, if you remember the days of running around different departments for a leave sanction, banish those memories. This system is designed to automatically move such leave applications to the next level of sanction. What's more, you can see the stage your application is presently in.

These are some regular managerial tasks that collaboration handles.

Streamlining recruitment process

But these tools can be used to build customised operations too. Take the case of Cybernet Software. This company had problems organising data and determining the efficiency of its recruitment process.

Resumes would come through all channels such as post, e-mail, the Internet and consultants.

They had to be grouped according to job vacancies. Then two-stage interviews would be scheduled.

Often applications got stuck in different stages and were forgotten/misplaced. Further, if they were rejected, the reasons would be unknown. This resulted in a lack of transparency in the process. The company lost time and big projects due to delayed recruitments.

All that has changed today, it says. What took months of work, today takes few weeks, says Bobby M Varghese, GM- IT& Infrastructure, Cybernet Software.

The company designed an employee recruitment tool on Domino.

Applications are collected and parameters such as name, position applied for, and experience are coded manually and entered into a database, along with scanned copies of the resume attached. Each application also indicates the source of the application.

Applications are then sorted into three stages - those in process, unprocessed and rejected. An expiry level is set for each application, depending on the time it was created and is tracked by the computer.

This ensures that applications are not stored in the database for long without perusal. Periodic reminders are automatically sent to HR folks as one nears expiry dates.

Post-sorting, applications go through two levels of selection, each with an expiry date.

A weekly status report is automatically generated and sent to all users on the team about the recruitment scenario.

This report shows the number of applications at each level, rejects, number in process and total number of applications received for that week. It also indicates the positions applied for and filled so far. CEOs can see this information real-time and call upon the HR department to act efficiently.

Surprisingly, the tool did not stop at merely streamlining the recruitment process. Today the company channels its advertising spend based on the weekly recruitment report! This is how.

Every report shows the source of applications.

A weekly total looks something like this: Applications through print Ads - 20, consultants - 10, Internet - 40, employee referrals - 10. (The figures are fictitious and used as an example.). From these figures it is obvious that the Internet is more profitable than a newspaper Ad to attract talent. "Analysing such reports over a period helped us see a pattern and we re- organised our ad spend," says Varghese.

Cybernet has similar solutions for leave processing, travel arrangements, organising online tests and has over 100 employees using the same.

Spends on communication have reduced by up to 20 per cent. The company plans to develop a 360- degree performance monitoring system that will link all such applications and related databases on one platform.

That is what collaboration is about - seamless interconnectivity. "The possibilities of such systems extend to all spheres of work", says R. Dhamodaran, Vice-President, IBM Software group & Developer relations.

If you wonder over "the world is shrinking" phrase, collaboration will help you feel it.

Highlights of Collaborative tools

Ease of deployment: Applications need not be installed on every computer. They are stored in the server and sent as a link to the desktop of all client computers. On opening the link, the software is automatically installed.

Information Security: Based on your profile in the organisation, certain pages and views are deactivated. For e.g.: a subordinate cannot view all pages that his superior can.

Mobility: Domino - Notes can be used on laptops and hand-held devices.

Speed: It takes 20-40 minutes to add a new application such as payroll processing or a recruitment system.

archana@thehindu.co.in

More Stories on : Software | Human Resources | User Watch

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page