My workplace has recently moved from traditional paper applications to online-only.
The powers that be work in an all-office environment where most people either manage or push paper in an administrative capacity and are looking for cost savings and efficiency. The business as a whole, which they hire for, is a nationwide network with multiple locations (for context, think 100+ retail stores).
We are a subsidiary, manufacturing goods for distribution throughout the network.
The workforce we hire is blue collar, largely over 30 with some applicants over 50, many without access to a home computer. These guys (and ladies) drive forklifts, load trucks, run machines, and pack boxes.
My first impression from a management perspective was “Cool, it’s about time we join the 21st Century, and it bugs me that we pay an admin to key data into the system that the applicant could submit directly.”
However, other employees have pointed out that not everyone has computer access or even the skills to complete an application online. Even with an on-site application portal, people spend an hour asking questions about how to get through the basic application (same form as on paper, same questions, etc., just online). Now I’m not sure where I stand.
SO… Is it reasonable to ask people in a working-class town looking for working-class jobs to have basic computer skills not required for their actual jobs? Or is it more reasonable for us to process apps on paper and do the data entry?
That makes sense to me, but they aren’t having it. The decision was made to go to 100% electronic, which shuts out a lot of people who don’t need computers for their jobs.
I’m sure that there is some study somewhere that says that minority groups have less access to the internet. And it sounds like having internet access is not a bona fide requirement for the type of work these potential employees will be doing.
The company is setting itself up for an Equal Opportunity mess.
This site indicates 75% of 50-65 year-olds have home internet access. As do 81% of 30-49 year-olds.
Not sure what state you are in, but at this rate, yes, I do generally think it’s reasonable to have online only applications (public libraries still have PCs available for use, right?). Not optimal, perhaps, but reasonable. I would recommend they be mobile-capable, too, though.
Eh. An assumption of basic computer literacy for all jobs is getting more and more common. If your applicants don’t have a computer at home, maybe they have a smart phone or tablet. Or they can use the library.
I’d make sure your application portal works on mobile devices.
To clarify, I’m not the decision maker. I’m just wondering what the consensus is.
The decision was made at corporate by HR and upper management, and passed down to our business because we’re part of them. I only know of the new policy because I talk frequently with the person who has to steer them through the process and who used to collect the paper apps for them.
Firstly, do you have a citation for this? Not just anecdotes, but actual data on how common that is? I’d like to know.
I guess secondly, sometimes you need new skills in life. Some jobs do not require you to be able to read (albeit far fewer these days), but you still have to fill out an application. You can get help filling it out, but many places won’t waive the application altogether. These adults, if they have a computer in the house, can get help navigating to the website. Yes, it might be difficult for them. The company might miss out on a good employee, too. But at some point, certain skills are just required. If we are not there yet, we are fast approaching the point when the very basic internet skills needed to fill out an online job application is one of those skills. Maybe not to do the job, but to get the job. Likewise some places demand you have direct deposit (at least in my state). Maybe you’ve never had a bank account, don’t want one, and don’t know how to open one. But if you want the job, you have to get one.
Even small public libraries have free internet available to the patrons. It’s gotten to the point where even homeless people have email!
The lack of computer skills mentioned by the OP is actually a sign of how wide-spread computer use is. Back when cars were rare and exceedingly expensive, every person who owned one either knew how to work on it, or else employed a personal, full-time mechanic. Now, when many people have car trouble, their response is to call a mechanic/towing service–because they have neither the knowledge nor the tools to even begin to fix the problem.
Computers have followed the same trajectory. Many people’s computer skills are limited to being able to use a computer when everything is going fine.
This is probably a way to weed out people who don’t know how to use a computer, because even if the job they’re applying for doesn’t require that knowledge now, things could change quickly.
My father, who does not use a computer or even know how to use a keyboard, retired from the city fire department in the mid 1990s. I recently saw some FFs in my apartment building, presumably inspecting the building, and one was carrying a laptop.
I am guessing that your employer figures they will get enough qualified applicants to fill their positions, with online applications. They don’t need to see every candidate possible, only enough to find the employees they need. If they can reduce costs and still find enough new hires with online applications, then that’s good enough.
Hmmm, sounds to me like all of you would be 100% behind all voter registration being on line. How about all government services such as food stamps, social security, SSI. Close all the physical offices and make it all online.
Doesn’t sound too good to me. I’m 67 and I do OK with computers, but many people I know don’t. I do know a lot of grandparents raising the grandkids that have computers but don’t themselves use them.
All they need is a smartphone. If they don’t have one or know anyone who does then a lot more ships than this one are setting sailing without them. I know a guy who literally (the real literally) lives in van down by the river. If he can use someone’s smartphone to file his taxes than anyone can do it.
This. As long as they get enough applicants they have no obligation to be “fair” in how they take applications.
Despite having been a software guru for quite a few years I agree with your POV.
Although I don’t agree that people in the thread are saying what you say they are. Or at least not to the same degree.
The critical split here is private biz vs. government agency. A government agency, e.g., the voter registration bureau, needs to be usable by 100% of the citizenry. Including the blind, deaf, paralysed, mentally deficient, elderly, Non-English speaking, etc.,
A private business seeking employees has no such obligation. They don’t even have that obligation to their customers.
Pre-ADA lots of businesses simply didn’t bother. ADA has forced some of that gotta-accomodate-everyone thinking upon them.
But ADA sure doesn’t extend special accommodation rights to non - computer owner/users. Nor should it.
So if they just hung up a flyer on the bulletin board at the Irish-American Fraternity hall and got enough applicants, that’s all they are required to do?
Does your employer have no equal opportunity/affirmative action/diversity hiring programs? If so, why do they have them when there are probably lots of white males dreaming of becoming airline pilots?
Whether or not you think it is fair or necessary, large employers in the United States do have many obligations to be “fair” when it comes to hiring and have to exercise extreme caution.
This is pretty much what I getting at. Businesses can’t discriminate against protected classes, true. But if someone is unwilling or unable to use a computer, that’s not a protected class. If the businesses cut out a protected class or underrepresented them or whatnot, that’d be an issue. But if they hire the exact same percentage they would otherwise hire (and met requirements), only 100% of those hired are pulled from online applications, that’s fine.