Revolution or Evolution? What to expect from Applicant Tracking Software in the next five years.
Is your workforce future-proofed?
It’s tough to focus on the future whilst dealing with the demands of day-to-day recruitment. Considering what comes next, what your workforce needs to look like, and how your business’s needs will change in the next 5 years takes time, space, and data. And of course, there is your own HR team to think about. What support will they require to navigate future changes and continue to find top talent for your business?
When forward planning we consider people, skills, and business growth potential, but we often overlook the tools we’ll need to support our talent acquisition strategy. Keeping hiring tech up to date really can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to securing the best people for your growing organisation.
Applicant Tracking software has changed dramatically in the past decade – what started out as simple database solutions, are now intelligent, multifunctional recruitment platforms. And we’ve not even scratched the surface on their full potential yet.
What innovations can we expect from Applicant Tracking Software companies in the UK market?
As recruitment software providers, we spend a lot of our time scrutinising recruitment trends and evolving technologies. So, we’ve got a good handle on what features and tools recruiters will find indispensable in the coming years. With changing candidate expectations, skills-based hiring and emerging diversity mandates, it’s crucial the recruitment tech you use not only helps you keep up with hiring trends but empowers you to lead the way.
As Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “there is nothing permanent except change” so, let’s have a closer look at the shifts that will redefine how we attract, assess and onboard talent in the coming years.
Jump to:
How is AI transforming the way ATS platforms assess candidate fit?
Hyper personalisation of the candidate experience
What are the emerging features in applicant tracking software that support diversity hiring?
End to end integration across the HR Ecosystem
User experience, flexibility and trust
How is AI transforming the way ATS platforms assess candidate fit?
Let’s get straight to the “biggest” change in tech right now – AI. Despite initial (and rightly so) trepidation, the use of AI tools is becoming increasingly more commonplace in recruitment. Recent research suggests adoption of AI tools by recruiters is growing rapidly, with the Institute for Student Recruitment seeing a 21% rise in employers using AI for selection and assessment in 2024 compared to just 9% in 20221.
AI features are already being used to boost traditional rules-based ATS screening, but this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of its usefulness. Over the next five years expect to see some dynamic changes:
Even more powerful predictive analytics. These will help HR teams forecast hiring success, mitigate attrition risks, predict time to fill and even offer acceptance probability.
Advanced candidate matching will become even more nuanced – going beyond simple keyword matching to focus on skills. These tools will soon be used to match applicants using cultural fit indicators and perhaps even assess a candidate’s potential for development.
Ever-more intelligent AI chatbots will handle initial candidate screening, answer complex questions and guide candidates through the application process day or night. Offering a more convenient candidate experience and minimising submission drop offs and delays.
Automated interview scheduling and logistics. New tools will go beyond simple scheduling, dealing instead with complex calendar coordination, as well as automatically sending confirmation emails, interview information, directions and timely reminders.
Content generation – From job descriptions to interview questions, optimised adverts to candidate communications, AI tools will generate content for the entire suite of recruitment communications. Ensuring consistency in tone of voice and of course, spelling and grammar checks.
Reach ATS is already providing many of the features mentioned above. From smart candidate summaries to job description generation and inclusive language checking features. Our self-serve interview scheduling is already a firm favourite with clients too.
We’ve been investing in AI tools for a while now, making sure we’re using the most secure systems. We’ve moved beyond simple rules-based software to truly intelligent automation, always with our initial premise in mind: free recruiters from administrative overload to focus on high-value tasks.
Hyper personalisation of the candidate experience
A clunky, labour-intensive application process can put even the most dedicated of talent off. Over the last few years there’s been a keen focus on improving the candidate journey, and we believe that’s only going to become more critical as we move into a more skills-based hiring system.
Candidates will expect:
- Tailored content
- Personalised communication at every stage
- Self-service options
- Status updates
- Gamification elements.
Rich AI data insights will empower recruiters to ‘hyper personalise’ the candidate experience. Based on analysis of candidate behaviour, preferences and interactions, recruiters will be able to refine workflows and communications on an individual level, reducing drop off rates and giving candidates an even richer experience.
Reach ATS already offers a range of tools to personalise the candidate journey. From scheduled personalised updates at key trigger points during the recruitment process to self-service interview slots, allowing candidates to pick times that are convenient to them.
As our AI features increase, we’ll be creating a truly individual journey for each candidate based on previous interactions, their experience and skills. Making every applicant feel truly valued and fully informed.
Recruitment is rapidly shifting towards a skills-first approach, and this trend will only accelerate over the next five years. Traditional ATS screening, based on key word matching, job titles or qualifications, will gradually make way for tools that focus on applicant’s skills.
Simple applicant tracking software will increasingly need to integrate with emerging skills and competency assessment software for seamless applicant screening. Advanced AI tools will draw insights from diverse data sources, such as projects, assessments, CVs and applications to build a more holistic view of each applicant.
These same features will also be used to support internal mobility, mapping skills across existing teams, identifying potential gaps and matching role vacancies to internal talent – helping HR teams make the most of already-stretched budgets.
Reach ATS is already ahead of the curve with this. Our advanced AI features identify and highlight skills matches on our smart candidate summary cards, making it even simpler for hiring teams to shortlist. Our smart ATS lists candidates from highest to lowest percentage match-to-role so recruiters can instantly visualise the most suitable applicants to progress.
What are the emerging features in applicant tracking software that support diversity hiring?
As working regulations continue to change to promote inclusivity, software that reduces bias and promotes diversity will become a fundamental part of every HR team’s toolkit.
AI is being used as a counterpoint to human unconscious bias and can detect often overlooked biases to deliver a completely inclusive application, screening and shortlisting experience.
Future UK applicant tracking software inclusivity tools will include:
- Bias detection/removal
- Checking adverts and job descriptions for inclusive language
- Automated blind screening with anonymised resumes
- Prompts to review for unconscious bias
- Diversity analytics – tracking diversity through the talent pipeline, identifying potential issues, bottlenecks and improving outcomes.
- Inclusive sourcing – tools to reach diverse talent pools more effectively.
Reach ATS already has many features to support more inclusive hiring. From anonymising application content, for example, job titles, university names, and any protected characteristics, to offering AI-powered redacted CVs for completely blind shortlisting. Our tools are designed to reduce bias throughout the shortlisting process.
As a company we’ve always had a commitment to building features that support our client’s DEI goals. We know that government policies and working regulations are constantly in flux and our smart software is always up to date to help support the latest policies from GDPR to secure data transfer. You can rely on us.
End to end integration across the HR Ecosystem
Human Resources is a complex ecosystem designed to recruit, reward, sustain and grow an organisation’s workforce. Yet many organisations still rely on fragmented software systems that don’t speak to each other, creating inefficiency and missed opportunities.
Over the next five years, as skills-based hiring evolves, this will become unsustainable. To build a truly resilient, sustainable workforce, employers will need to look beyond just external talent attraction and begin mapping, mobilising and tracking the skills on offer within their existing workforce. In order to do this, they will need a fully integrated HR software ecosystem.
From pre-employment checks to skills assessments, internal training programmes to reward schemes there’s a wealth of interconnected data to be harnessed – and new online applicant tracking software will be at the heart of this.
The advanced reporting tools already at work in an ATS can and will be used to map talent across a workforce. ATS systems will go deeper, with broader integration with HRIS systems, skills and competency testing, payroll, learning management systems and even gig-workforce platforms to enable a more fluid and resilient workforce.
Reach ATS has always prioritised integration. Having a system that plays nicely with others has been our promise from day one. Our platform supports secure, automated data transfer to HRIS and payroll systems, removing manual errors and administrative delays.
Our website and pre-employment check integrations offer a truly seamless experience, and candidates are already able to log into our portals from their social accounts without ever knowing they aren’t on your company website.
Our reporting tools use open APIs and data feeds to visualise the metrics that matter most to you, in the format you prefer. Offering a unified view of the talent lifecycle and keeping data flowing seamlessly across your different HR tech. For us, it’s all about being an invisible force for good behind your hiring.
User experience, flexibility and trust
No matter how powerful a system is, it’s only effective if people actually enjoy using it. Over the next five years recruitment software will become increasingly visual, intuitive and easy to navigate with interfaces that feel modern and effortless. A good system should not require extensive training to use – complex systems only lead to user frustration and add to long-term costs.
Configurability will also become even more crucial. The more configurable a system is, the better. No two organisations hire in the same way; no two hiring teams have the same workflows or priorities. The most successful ATS platforms will be those that can flex and adapt to different hiring styles, supporting everything from complicated approval chains to fast-paced, high-volume hiring.
Data security and compliance will be key as global data regulations evolve. ATS systems will need to have ever more robust security features, be transparent about their data handling (and use of AI) and offer a range of compliance tools that support, rather than overwhelm HR teams.
At Reach ATS these priorities are already built into our system. Our intuitive, user-friendly software is built to each client’s individual hiring styles, with plenty of customisation options throughout.
Our strong security protocols and compliance readiness mean our clients never have to worry about their data. Full audit trails allow for complete clarity and transparency of process.
For us data security is less about new trends, we know we can handle any new policies. For us it’s about foundational excellence. We build systems that users trust, because they’re secure, flexible and genuinely easy to use.
Will you choose revolution or evolution?
Bob Dylan said it best, “the times they are a changin’”. We all know that nothing stands still when it comes to hiring or technology. We’ve seen huge advancements in software over the last decade, and there’s no sign of things slowing down.
Workplaces are changing, workforces are changing – we just need to be ready to absorb and capitalise on those changes. And having the right tech, that grows with us, supports that.
So, whether it’s a quiet evolution, or a bold revolution you choose, one thing is clear: the ATS of the future will be smarter, more connected and built entirely around the people that use it. Our advice would be to choose systems that are built to fit your needs, that can be upgraded, that help innovate and improve the way you work. Systems that flex to fit the way you work, and that introduce timely and tested new features – rather than just jumping onto the latest bandwagon.
Reach ATS is not just prepared for this future – it’s helping to shape it. We are confident that Reach ATS is already providing many of the tools and features that will be used by all ATS providers over the next five years. Some are already live, and we are continually developing and refining others to ensure they meet our high standards. But you can trust that we will always keep your data secure and build systems for you that will stand the test of time.
So, if you’re not already using Reach ATS and feel like it might be time for a revolution – then why not Reach out and book a demo today.