Recruitment tools have evolved. The constraints, however, haven’t disappeared: time remains the hardest resource to stretch. In many HR teams, the promise of an “all-in-one” ATS has turned into an obstacle course: endless menus, cluttered screens, workflows to configure, integrations to secure. Result: instead of streamlining processes, technology can end up slowing things down and creating digital fatigue that adds to on-the-ground pressure.
Too Many Tools, Not Enough Clarity
The phenomenon is far from marginal. According to a Gartner survey published in 2024, only 24% of HR employees believe their department is getting maximum value from its HR technologies. In other words: the “stack” exists, but adoption and impact don’t always follow.
Implementation itself tells a similar story. In its 2025 trends, Capterra notes that 47% of HR leaders consider effective HR software implementation a challenge. The more layers you add, the more you mechanically increase the risk of friction—and therefore partial use or workarounds.
When Administration Takes Over
Meanwhile, administrative tasks continue to absorb a disproportionate share of energy. In the UK, a Totaljobs study puts the time spent on manual tasks (screening, scheduling interviews, note-taking, etc.) at 17.7 hours per hire—more than two full business days per recruitment, with an estimated cost of around £17,000 per recruiter per year in lost productivity. While these figures are specific to one market, they illustrate a widely shared reality: complexity comes at a cost in hours.
AI, But in Assistant Mode
In this context, AI is expected—but not at any price. When it acts as an assistant, it can genuinely free up bandwidth: LinkedIn reports that talent acquisition professionals already using generative AI declare an average 20% reduction in workload, equivalent to gaining a day per week.
So the question is no longer “AI or no AI,” but rather: does it clarify recruitment, or does it complicate it? Clarify, prioritize, highlight what matters, without asking teams to become integrators, system administrators, and analysts all at once.
The Return of “Simple” (Without Being Simplistic)
In the field, needs remain surprisingly consistent:
- See applications clearly
- Act quickly
- Avoid multiplying tools
- Focus on human decisions rather than technical ones
What’s changing is the expectation: there’s less tolerance for cluttered screens, piling steps, and “default configurations” that become projects. In other words, companies expect an ATS to sort through complexity—not move it around.
We’re seeing a new generation of tools emerge that bet on sober logic: less configuration, more clarity, and AI that helps you decide (prioritize, summarize, flag what matters) rather than add more layers. The ATS Nsania, an international recruitment solution born in Canada, is part of these new “usage-centered” solutions, like other market initiatives, with a simple promise: put the recruiter back at the center, and the tool at the service of teams’ real pace.
Because simplicity isn’t a slogan: it’s an operational advantage. Less friction means more consistency in follow-up, faster decisions, and often a better experience for candidates. The right tool isn’t one that can do everything—it’s one that helps you do better, every day.
