Talent Board, a nonprofit organization, is changing how big companies think about human resources – specifically, in the hiring “funnel.”

Traditionally, firms have paid a lot of attention to on-boarding, payroll and the full “employee life cycle,” but not a lot to those who applied or even interviewed but ultimately didn’t get the job. That can be a mistake, because in this day and age, the word of mouth that proceeds from these relationships can go a long way.

Talent Board is performing groundbreaking research in figuring out how a company’s hiring policies affect its reputation over the long term.

“Most candidates who applied didn’t get the job,” Talent Board Kevin Grossman told HR Daily Wire on Feb. 16. “There’s an aggregate impact on their experience over time.”

Grossman said Talent Board research has found that 85 percent of applicants are not ultimately chosen – and that what these people think of a firm matters. To more fully understand the big picture, Talent Board reaches out to stakeholders, including HR departments. With surveys and other tools, the company tries to put together the big picture: how do hiring methods affect long-term success?

“We ask them questions about what they’re doing in recruitment,” Grossman said.

Some of the results are found in studies available at the organization’s web site that executives can use as a road map to better understand how hiring works well.

“This isn’t about making every single candidate happy,” Grossman said. “We’re trying to shine a light on companies who are trying to do something (to address hiring communications).”

For instance, he said, greater numbers of companies are working on making sure hiring processes are fair, and looking more closely at how they get back to applicants.

The benefits, he said, can be significant. Over time, companies will benefit from better word of mouth and a better reputation in a community.

“Referrals are important,” Grossman said.