TeamSense, Text-Based Tech for Hourly Employees, Hatches “Text to Apply” Recruitment Product

Hunter Douglas First to Pilot for Their Text-Based Recruitment Program

TeamSense, the text-based HR technology created by manufacturing insiders from GM and Whirlpool built to connect hourly workers and their employers, has launched a new product for the hourly worker recruitment process called “Text-to-Apply”.  Designed specifically for hourly workers, TeamSense does not require an applicant to have a computer or email address, nor do they need to download an application on their phone. Used by companies in industries ranging from automotive and aerospace to healthcare and home-building, TeamSense launched as a COVID symptom tracking tool and added attendance and engagement features for hourly employees before being acquired by innovative industrial conglomerate Fortive.

Text-to-Apply was developed when a forward-thinking HR manager at one of TeamSense’s customers suggested that TeamSense’s unique texting capability could be used for recruiting. Amanda Patoka is an HR Manager for Flexo Solutions, a division of Hunter Douglas, and saw an opportunity to enable applicants to quickly and easily engage with the company via text. “We’re always prioritizing the employee experience and looking for innovative ways to engage with our team,” Ms. Patoka pointed out. “Why wouldn’t we start that with our very first interaction with a potential team member?”

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Ms. Patoka’s collaboration with TeamSense led to Text-to-Apply, where organizations can establish branded text keywords for recruiting. For Hunter Douglas, texting “HD Jobs” to 592-30 automatically responds with a link directing the applicant to the company’s applicant tracking system. The keyword costs manufacturers just $95 a month and requires no integrations with existing infrastructure.

Text-to-Apply simplifies and expands the access point for applicants to enter into the hiring process. A simple text keyword can be used to attract applicants in any environment, from a sign outside a company’s headquarters, in neighborhoods, to business cards that can be handed out at public events or used in advertising.

“Text-to-Apply sits on top of an existing applicant tracking system,” said Sheila Stafford, CEO of TeamSense. “We are not the payroll or benefits provider, but we are the connective tissue for an existing HR tech stack. Given the labor shortage, I’ve seen manufacturers spending $3000–$8000 in bonuses to hire one hourly worker. When you need large teams of 100’s and 1000’s of workers, that is not sustainable, but $95 a month is.”

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“It is estimated that four million manufacturing jobs need to be filled from 2020 to 2030,” said cofounder Alison Teegarden. “Hourly workers often don’t have emails, and may not have home computers, but they do have cell phones.”

“We started using TeamSense to track COVID symptoms for several thousand employees,” said Mary Beth Archer, VP of HR and Employee Support Services at Hunter Douglas. “It wasn’t long before we realized this tool would be very helpful for other processes – from engagement surveys to our hiring process. We are an organization focused on innovation for the sake of our customers and our teams, and TeamSense has provided a platform to re-think how we connect with and engage and even recruit our employees.”

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