Oct 15, 2014 | Blog

What Happens to HR When Video Interviewing Goes Mainstream?

Acquire the Right Talent

Over the past few years many have prematurely stated that video interviewing was already mainstream technology within talent acquisition. But with the widespread assumption that Skyping with someone constituted “video interviewing,” we were unwilling to agree. Our own research backed us up. Until now. Now we have supporting data for that mainstream scenario that we are ready to share.

 

Over 18 months and three waves of research conducted by an independent third-party research firm indicates that nearly 80% of companies with more than 5,000 employees have conducted video interviews. Note the distinction of company size. We know that it’s the large company moving faster to adopt purpose-built video interviewing, and we know it’s the large company leaving Skype behind more readily.  Some additional findings in this robust research are clear evidence that video interviewing is a widely adopted trend, with weighty implications for HR.

 

Video Interviewing Becomes S.O.P.

This research surveyed TA or Recruitment professionals with purchase influence over talent acquisition products and services in companies with 1,000 or more employees. When asked whether video interviewing is ad hoc or Standard Operating Procedure within their organization, 51% of respondents stated that video interviewing is part of a standard hiring workflow – either for all hiring, or for a specific category of hiring. To me, this takes video interviewing from a sporadic event, i.e., “We’re giving it a try” to an emerging HR best practice, i.e, “We believe in video interviewing enough to integrate it into our hiring process.”

 

The Confusion with Skype is Over -- Almost

Much of the study to date on video interviewing hasn’t distinguished between consumer chat tools like Skype and video interviewing solutions specifically designed for hiring. However, findings from this recent research reveal a better understanding than before:

  • 55% of respondents from large employers indicated they are aware of the technology category purpose-built for video interviewing, and
  • One of the top two reasons for purchase intent given by large employers is that “Purpose-built video interviewing offers additional value over general tools like Skype.”

To my mind, this high level of understanding is solid evidence that video interviewing is no longer a trend supported mainly by early adopters.

 

What It All Means for HR Haves and Have-Nots

The type of impact video interviewing will have on employers as a mainstream practice falls into two categories.  For employers that have a purpose-built video interviewing solution in place, the flexibility to change and improve their hiring process is virtually unlimited. Certainly there’s time and cost savings as interviewing logistics become less of an issue. However, video interviewing opens the door to so many opportunities that HR professionals can re-strategize their entire hiring process.  Unfortunately, the HR have-nots will be at a growing hiring disadvantage as competitors with more mature video interviewing technology can outperform their hiring pace and offer a better candidate experience.

 

As the use of video interviewing technology expands into candidate sourcing, new hire onboarding and other phases of the hiring process, I predict HR will be working in a brand new landscape in talent acquisition.  

 

For the full research findings, download Montage’s white paper, Video Interviewing Goes Mainstream: Large Employers Accelerate Hiring.

 

Michele Ellner is the Director of Marketing for Montage, the most mature video interviewing solution available, purpose-built to transform the hiring experience one smile at a time. She’s focused her career on the talent acquisition technology, staffing, HR services and outsourcing space for over 20 years. Reach Michele at michele.ellner@montagetalent.com and @EllnerEllner.