Automate recruiting and onboarding

An automated applicant-tracking system is helping Liz Claiborne drain significant cost out of employee recruiting and onboarding. The chain implemented the system, from ICIMS, as part of its plan to manage expenses.

“We use the ICIMS Talent Platform’s Applicant Tracking function, which automates and streamlines the recruiting process,” said Helene Richter, director of talent operations for Liz Claiborne, New York City. “People choose an applicant-tracking tool to streamline process. But you have EEO and compliance issues that you need to streamline as well.” The applicant-tracking function did both.

“Being able to post jobs on the Internet has allowed us to avoid agency fees,” said Richter. (Agency fees run 20% to 30% of the total cost of new employees.)

The system also has helped Liz Claiborne reduce the amount of paper it uses on forms and hiring packets, and almost eliminated mailing costs.

“In paper alone, we are saving thousands of dollars a year. And where we used to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on mailing costs to send new employees their hiring packets, we are able to save all of that by having those forms online,” Richter said.

The system also has increased employee efficiency. New hires fill out all paperwork online prior to the employment start date, eliminating those two or three days on the job filling out new-hire forms. Now, new associates hit the ground running.

“Multiply those newly productive days by the number of employees you have, and that translates into a huge dollar savings,” Richter said.

Liz Claiborne uses the ICIMS Applicant Tracking System for all of its divisions, including Kate Spade, Juicy, Lucky Brands and its namesake company, but manages it from one central database, resulting in an improved candidate experience, better communication between applicants, managers and vendors, reduced time-to-fill and decreased cost-per-hire.