Episode Transcript
Kevin Hogan
OK, hello. And welcome to a special edition of Innovations in Education. E School News's podcast on exploring the latest and greatest in What's Happening in education technology in schools. My name is Kevin Hogan. I am the content director for you school news and I'm glad you found us today. In this episode, I looked back on a recent conversation I had with Kevin Agnello. He's the product manager of Human Capital Analytics at Frontline Education. And Keegan Bassett, he's the director of human resources at Queens Creek Unified School District in Arizona. About a topic of huge importance for any education executive looking to keep their districts workforce core in shape. You can find the full conversation up online in the webinar tab at East School news.com. It's called analytics in action. Innovative approaches to attract, engage, grow and retain top. But keep listening here for a few highlights. Overall, both Kevin and Keegan underscored the critical role of data-driven insights in navigating recruitment challenges and fostering A thriving educational workforce. They explored how modern analytics can elevate talent management strategies, and they delved into the techniques for leveraging data to attract, engage and retain top tier professionals. With focusing on unique approaches that foster employee growth and increased retention rates. The conversation highlighted the evolving landscape of education administration, particularly in the wake of recent disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. Administrators have witnessed significant shifts in how they utilize data-driven platforms to address recruitment and retention challenges. In this snippet, Kevin details some of their recruiting strategies. They used to bolster their bus driving staff.
Kevin Agnello
Keegan, you mentioned that you are seeing return on investment on some of your recruiting strategies, I believe is where you rented ROI your recruiting strategies. Two-part question, how do you know that you are getting a return on investment on some of those and how did you know to institute them, how what sort of data are you using to understand that and how are you learning and growing and making changes?
Keegan Bassett
Yes. So the first part of how do we know what we did last year was we modified our application process to require applicants to report back their referral source. We also hired an HR recruiter that we basically shield away from the other day-to-day operations that human resources can. Hire somebody so that their number one job is to just regularly engage with applicants. Get to know how they heard about us, what caused them to be interested in applying, and so within the human capital analytics platform, we're able to then pull out what percentage of our applicants are coming from different referral sources. So as an example, we'll shift away from. Teachers and we'll talk bus drivers, cause that's another big national trend in terms of Transportation Department, school districts are struggling with. Last year, we were short probably 50% of our overall allocated bus driver department and so we were looking to have to. 100% higher out we had, let's say use an easy number. We had 40 bus drivers. We were staffed to have an FFT of 80 bus drivers. And so in the fall we initiated a plan where we did YouTube commercials. We did print media advertisements about the position, we hung banners around the town we handed out. On cards at career centers and each one of those different referral sources that we utilize, we then would list as part of the application process to see, OK, where are we getting the best ROI on our action step. And turns out for any of you looking for bus drivers, at least in the Queen Creek area, hang some banners up, talk about your average hourly rate, it's full-time benefits eligible and overtime paid training. At least that's what we offer that by far generated the most applicant pool based off of referral source. And so that's. How we're able?
Kevin Hogan
Both Kevin and Keegan emphasized the value of ongoing analysis and adaptation based on recruitment data. By closely monitoring trends in job postings and applicant pools. Districts can refine their strategies and optimize resource allocation. This iterative process fosters continuous improvement in attracting and retaining top talent. Ultimately, enhancing the student learning experience. Again, here's Kevin and Keegan.
Kevin Agnello
You've talked to me about this before in combating the idea of, like a teacher shortage or just finding applicants not only about expanding your applicant pool, but once you have them, it's keeping them engaged and then moving them through your pipeline as quickly as possible so you don't lose them. I think you've mentioned before that. You've noticed that you've lost Apple. Since that that were qualified for the job that you wanted to extend an offer to, but because your. Process took so. Long they went elsewhere. I know you've done a lot of work in refining and analyzing your pipeline stages and each step that an applicant has to go through and I think you even instituted professional development for your HR staff to that end too, right? Can you talk more about that, talk about how? You've analyzed your pipeline stages, how you've refined them, the data you've used there. Just talk about that process.
Keegan Bassett
Yeah, absolutely. So. For us, we view it as like a hiring life cycle, I would say, and as soon as I'll use my name as an example, as soon as Keegan Bassett expressed his interest in being a math teacher, whether it be because they started an application but in red, it shows not submitted or they even clicked on a Facebook ad, so we received it as a. Facebook lead, one of those first stages, is what is our first level of engagement and customer service that we're providing to that prospective candidate and that all starts with our HR recruiter giving a phone call, reaching out via e-mail, asking some questions about their skill set. What are they interested? How can we then drive them to the positions that we have available? And then if we don't have them. Table projecting out what possible positions we may have down the road so that they keep us in mind and so that to me is an initial pre stage that they don't even enter, but then in the pipelines the very first pipeline stage we would look at is submitted and once an applicant is submitted we're then looking at after they're submitted. How many days does it take our hiring managers to review those applicants and obviously a job has been posted. If they submitted the application, so has our hiring team set up a timeline for when they plan to conduct screening of applicants? When do they plan to conduct? Interviews a lot of times for our positions. We require our screening interview followed by the comprehensive interviews, and we expect our hiring managers to map that out on the front end as soon as they know they're going to have a vacancy in a job posted because it does two things. One, it allows our recruiter to talk through with a candidate the timeline so they have a projected timeline and they have that. Transparency of understanding. Hey, here's what we're looking at for what this will look like for processing wise and then two, it holds them accountable to make sure we're not missing out on. Somebody we don't talk about enough. All of the other day-to-day demands they. Are placed upon school leaders as a former elementary principal and high school administrator that just continues to grow. And so one of the things that I press upon our team is the more we can have things structured and set up in place and you prioritize that and you make sure that sacred calendar time, the more likely. We are going to be to have a successful hiring process and secure the qualified candidate we want. If we delay and push off interviews after an applicant has submit application two and three weeks. That person's already got two or three different job offers, probably by the time you're calling them for an interview, at least from our perspective down here in the Southeast Valley of Arizona.
Kevin Hogan
Pretty sophisticated stuff, right? Well, one final take away from me regarding this conversation is that these tools and strategies are applicable to districts of all shapes and sizes. How to list? Another question that just came in from the audience how do we get a front line cabinet? Someone that can work with us that based on our needs and I'll interpret that in in terms of uh, what is the relationship with the district and with frontline in, in terms of when you're using these these sort of technologies and platforms. I mean it is I'm assuming. Much more than just a piece of software that you were purchasing, right?
Kevin Agnello
Yeah. And all the conversations that Keegan and I have had in the past have mainly come up through my work at frontline education. Again, my most recent job as the product manager of Human Capital Analytics and Human Capital Analytics is a product that Keegan's district utilizes. So a lot of my conversations have come up working with Keegan because his district is. Is a user of the product that I. Page. So that's where a lot of our conversations have come up. But we've also had a few conversations as well, just more generally speaking like this one, I had a panel with them last week with a couple of other HR folks around the country as well. And frontline hosts, webinars of various degrees that I've had the privilege of participating in where I I talk about data like this and and and that sort of thing as well. So a lot of these specific conversations. With Keegan are just in the role as it relates to the product. I manage, so that's probably where a lot of that's coming from I think. But I'd like to think that frontline is incredibly active, getting our thought leadership messages out there trying to engage as much as we can with the front lines of education. And I'm always happy and privileged to be able to do so. And I. Enjoy every second of these calls.
Kevin Hogan
Yeah, maybe. Keegan, you could talk about your workings there.
Keegan Bassett
Yeah. Frontline obviously plays a key role because we utilized 3 different applications for them. Aside from the human capital analog. So the recruit and hire absence management in front light central and today's conversation obviously fixated on the recruiting higher piece, but within human capital analytics, we actually utilize that to analyze our absence management, our sub fill rates, our trends on Mondays and Fridays, which schools different things like that. And so it really just comes down to that was the platform that we. You chose so then that was what led to the human capital analytics. But that's not to say it's not available out there in other areas as well. It really comes down to whatever platform you have like I talked about previously. You really just need to map out what are your short and long term goals within your hiring practices or your HR. Goals in general, and then figure out what data is available within that platform. Maybe what data is missing and engage those platform owners and figure out what you can do to move forward on it. I I don't anticipate at any time data analysis. Trending backwards or going away. And so how come and say whether you're using talented frontline or any other platform, they're gonna be responsive to your requests because they understand the need that you have as a client. And so for us, we've been fortunate cause Kevin and I have connected well and had similar mindsets on what we're trying to accomplish. But that's not to say it. It has to be any other way. Then you just start with. What data do you have within your own district and analyze what your key performing indicators are going to be and start building out some of those short term steps and long term steps to map out an action plan that you're going to integrate.
Kevin Hogan
So that's just a taste of the insights shared on using analytics to optimize your district's recruitment processes, enhance employee engagement and implementing analytics to identify and nurture the best candidates. Again, for the full conversation, go up online in the webinar tab at East School news.com. And search on the webinar entitled Analytics in Action. Innovative approaches to attract, engage, grow and retain top talent. Until next time I'm Kevin Hogan, and thanks for listening.
