It’s no secret that customers are a vital part of company success. An equally fundamental and essential part of a booming business is the employees. Companies can differentiate themselves with potential job candidates through their interactions with applicants. Given the fluctuating job market, where health and tech sectors are rapidly growing, small companies are hiring and large companies are laying off, it is more important than ever to gain and retain the strongest employees.

1. The Case for Electronic Signatures
for Human Resources & Staffing
WHITE PAPER docusign.com
It’s no secret that customers are a vital part of
company success. An equally fundamental and “Using DocuSign has solved the headache of getting
employee documents completed and signed. Now
essential part of a booming business is the
the entire process is fast and easy for us and the
employees. Companies can differentiate themselves signer. And the time-savings is huge as DocuSign
with potential job candidates through their automatic signing reminders eliminate the need for
interactions with applicants. Given the fluctuating us to continually follow-up.”
job market, where health and tech sectors are rapidly Carrie Robuck, Human Resources
growing, small companies are hiring and large Orscheln
companies are laying off, it is more important than
ever to gain and retain the strongest employees.
The time consumed by paperwork and signing isn’t solely in the
While there are countless ways to make a strong, positive hands of the potential employee. There are layers upon layers
impression on your candidates, a surprising—and cost-saving— of approvals required internally in order to finalize your new hire.
way to build the relationship is by using electronic signatures in A process that could take weeks in a larger company or days in
all your documented interactions with them. a smaller could be shrunk to a day or just a few hours with an
electronic signature solution.
Bring ‘Em on Board
Despite elevated unemployment rates, it’s not always easy for The Green Effect
a company to find and hire good talent. According to Forrester An underappreciated facet of electronic signatures being used
research, while unemployment rates are at an average of 10%, as staffing solutions falls under the “green” umbrella. Electronic
within the tech sectors and related fields its closer to 4%. Baby signatures virtually eliminate the need for paper for signing
boomers are retiring and there is a disconnect between open jobs legally-binding agreements. And according to Time magazine,
and viable candidates, so holding on to the strongest talent you recent studies show that generations born after the normalization
can is more important than ever—in fact, it’s being christened a of recycling don’t want to work for companies known for
“talent shortage.” In May 2011, the index for recruiting difficulty polluting practices. Recent studies by staffing firm Adecco USA
rose in both service and manufacturing sectors compared with show that 33% of workers are more inclined to work for a green
a year earlier, based on the LINE employment index. Thus, company, and more than 50% of workers wish their company
perception is becoming even more important when it comes were more environmentally friendly. So when it comes to the
to employers looking to staff up, in order for them to compete dividing line between your company and any other, electronic
with the industry giants who can offer benefits and salaries that signatures could be the deciding factor.
younger companies cannot. Electronic signatures can enhance
your company’s reputation as an innovative company that cares Gain and Retain
about making the lives of employees better.
Electronic signatures speed up the recruiting process while also
reducing administrative time spent on other HR documenta-
Timing Is Everything tion—that way HR can spend time retaining the employees
Time is money—and electronic signatures are the fastest and you’ve gained, offering a competitive advantage over other
easiest way to sign documents, such as offer letters. No paper, companies. After all, in a 2011 survey done by Lumesse, a
no faxing or scanning and emailing. Electronic signatures show projected one out of every three employees are expecting to
the applicant the speed and efficiency they can come to expect leave their jobs due to dissatisfaction. A key way to improve
within your company. That speed and efficiency when applied to satisfaction is to give employees resources that help them save
on-boarding also diminishes the window of time in which your time in things like annual open enrollment.
talent can be found by and lost to another company.
Continued

2. W HI T E PA P E R docusign.com
What to Consider
When considering an electronic signature provider to reduce on- • 33% of workers are more inclined to work for a
boarding cycles, it’s important to consider a few crucial aspects: green company
Ease of Use – When in discussions with a potential employee, the
• 52% of workers wish their company was more
easier and more painless you can make the process, the happier
and more accommodating they will be. Find an electronic environmentally friendly
signature solution that is efficient and simple, that doesn’t • Unemployment rates are at an average of 10%
require expensive programs or delayed downloads. Remember,
the easier it is, the faster it is to complete. • Unemployment rates in tech-related sectors
Visibility – It is important to track each step as the document are 4%
goes through the levels of the on-boarding process. Instead
of spending time personally going from approval to approval, Source: Adecco USA
find an electronic signature service that does it for you, one that
enables you to have multiple people sign the same document
In It to Win It
in the correct order, as well as sending reminders to speed up It’s a dog-eat-dog job market out there, and only the strongest
the process. companies survive. To equip your company with the best
candidates and the best tools for survival, you must begin
Legally Binding – With the personal information used during the to differentiate yourself from the competition. Prove to your
on-boarding process, you want a secure solution for both you candidates that you are efficient, establish yourself as green-
and your new team member. A complete audit trail and tamper- friendly, and prove that there is a finite and simple process and
proof virtual seal of the signed documents, as well as through a solution within your company. When Human Resources spends
secure and encrypted web page. their valuable time guarding your most pivotal resource instead of
Mobile – With the increasingly mobile way people are managing getting lost in the maze of approvals, signatures and paperwork,
their lives and the relatively short window during which skilled your company wins.
professionals are on the job market, the speed and accessibility
of a company can be the difference between them signing with Employees’ Green Preferences
you or signing with something else. Look for a solutions provider
with a versatile and secure mobile option that lets you send, sign
and track contracts and documents.
15% More Inclined to Work
Branding – You want to provide a positive and consistent for a Green Company
experience for employees—especially as they are looking to join 33%
the company. Look for a solution that allows you to incorporate
Wish Their Company
your branding so the signers will feel the experience is consistent Was More Green
with your company’s identity: one that’s efficient and fast.
52%
Indifferent
Source: Adecco USA
About DocuSign, Inc.
DocuSign transforms the way people like you work, live and connect by helping you finish business faster than ever before. DocuSign makes it easy for
businesses of all sizes to send, sign, track and store documents in the cloud. With virtually no paper waste, you can cut costs, “go green” and improve
the customer experience because it’s accessible anytime, anywhere, on any device. Your world works better with DocuSign. To try DocuSign, go to
docusign.com or call one of our Corporate Account Executives at 1-877-720-2040.
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