Retail giant Woolworths has cut its recruitment costs significantly since
introducing online recruitment earlier this year.
Nine out of 10 candidates for all positions are now using the Woolworths
website to apply.
Some of the biggest savings since the introduction of the online recruitment
system in May have been in the store manager programme.
Twenty store managers and 28 assistant store managers have been recruited to
fill vacancies in its 800 outlets nationwide.
Last year it cost an average of £8,000 to recruit a store manager compared
to £6,000 this year. The retailer anticipates that its year-on-year recruitment
cost for store managers will come down by a half by the end of 2002.
Candidates are ranked on the strength of their applications and it has cut
out the need for an initial interview.
Employees can now be hired within two-and-a-half working days rather than
four weeks.
Iain Lewis, resourcing manager at Woolworths, said, "We are saving a
lot of money by not having to use recruitment agencies.
"It has also meant that we have not missed out on talented recruits, as
before we just did not have the manpower to screen a bulk load of
applicants."
The online system cost £25,000 to install and a further £12,000 a year to
run and was paid for after placing just three candidates, said Lewis.
