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7 reasons to have an Applicant Tracking System – and how it makes hiring easier
Written by Danielle Fargnoli-Read on 15 April 2025
Let’s be honest – hiring can get messy. Between flooded inboxes, scattered CVs and application forms, and endless back-and-forth of interview scheduling, it’s no wonder good candidates sometimes slip through the cracks.
If that sounds a little too familiar, it might be time to implement a simple fix: an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
Having worked with many fantastic hiring managers and teams, we at WorkNest can attest to how much smoother the recruitment process runs when there’s an ATS in place.
So, whether you’re hiring just a few roles or scaling up fast, here’s why we highly recommend making the switch.
1. It keeps everything (and everyone) in one place
With an ATS, there’s no more digging through emails or trying to remember where you last saved candidates’ CVs and applications. Everything is kept in one neat, searchable system – applications, screening notes, feedback and even emails. You and your team can log in and see the full picture anytime, from anywhere.
Prior to the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act, the UK had no comprehensive legislation that dealt with workplace health and safety. Instead, there was lots of disconnected and unsystematic pieces of sector-specific legislation, with separate laws for factories, offices, shops, mines, construction and railways. These regulations were prescriptive and did not cover technological developments or provide legal protection for the public.
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2. It speeds things up (without cutting corners)
The longer a role stays open, the more it costs you – in time and in missed opportunities. An ATS helps speed things up by supporting you to review resumes, flagging top candidates, scoring candidates and making it easy to move people through the process quickly and efficiently.
3. It facilitates better collaboration (and reduces chaos)
Hiring is a team sport. With an ATS, your hiring team involved in recruitment can leave notes, score candidates, and stay aligned without the need for endless meetings or email threads. Everyone knows who’s doing what, and when. This can be super helpful, especially when you’re juggling multiple roles as well as your day-to-day role responsibilities.
4. It promotes a better candidate experience
The candidate experience matters more than ever. An ATS makes it easy to keep people in the loop, send updates automatically, and schedule interviews without a million emails. Candidates stay informed and engaged, and your organisation looks organised and professional.
5. It provides insights that actually help
Guesswork isn’t great when it comes to hiring. An ATS gives you real data – like how long it takes to fill a role, where your best applicants are coming from, and where candidates are dropping off. This helps you make smarter decisions and improve the process over time.
Additionally, EDI data can be captured separately and kept confidential from the hiring process, enabling you to run reports that inform your EDI strategies without introducing bias.
6. It helps keep you compliant
Between data privacy rules and equal opportunity regulations, compliance is no joke. The good news is an ATS can help with that too – it’s got the built-in features to keep everything above board. Candidates view your privacy notice so they are aware who will access their application, unlike CVs sent into inboxes.
What’s more, many systems support anonymised recruitment. That means no more manually redacting names or schools – the ATS can do it for you, helping reduce bias and streamline the process.
7. It grows with you
Even if you’re not on a mass recruitment drive right now, an ATS is still a smart move. It sets you up with a solid foundation so that when the time does come to scale, you’re not scrambling – you’re ready.
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Hiring feel harder than it should?
It’s probably not you – it’s your process. We’ve seen firsthand how much time (and stress) an ATS can save. It’s not about replacing people or over-automating – it’s about working smarter, staying organised, and giving candidates (and your team) a great experience.
Not sure where to start? That’s what we’re here for. Let’s chat through our current ATS provider and recruitment support to find the right fit for your team. Call us on 0345 226 8393 or request your free consultation using the button below.
