There have been few events in business history as disruptive as the COVID-19 global health crisis. In a matter of months, the pandemic had economies in freefall, stock markets all over the world crashing, and unemployment at unprecedented highs.
The months following the onset of the pandemic can only be defined as an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty; workplace safety concerns meant that conventional work was out of the equation. Rather, businesses were soon forced to start laying off workers as the pandemic showed no signs of abating.
Two years later, the situation is still volatile. Despite many vaccinations and safety protocols that blunted the effects of the pandemic, the business world is still far from the pre-COVID status quo. In fact, under the “new normal” it may be more helpful for businesses to reconsider certain conventions, including their talent acquisition strategies. In that context, here are some ways to supplement hiring success in the post-pandemic business world:
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Build an Appealing Culture
Workplace culture is one of the most important factors that attract high-quality candidates. Conversely, poor workplace culture (or the reputation of having a poor workplace culture) repels both candidates and workers. If businesses want to continue to onboard passionate, motivated, and talented individuals, it may be time to reassess the kind of work culture they have cultivated.
Having a culture that is open to all types of workers, free of discrimination, and encourages growth is going to play a huge role in the success of future hiring efforts in the post-pandemic world.
Offer Remote Working Opportunities
The remote work model is one of the most visible changes that the pandemic has triggered in workplaces. While managers may have concerns as to its efficacy, there is no understating its appeal to workers. During the pandemic, nearly all workers experienced firsthand the improved work-life balance that remote work offers.
Understandably, many of them are unwilling to let go of the same. Therefore, enforcing an on-premises conventional workforce model may not help hiring efforts. In certain cases, it may actually impair them.
Add More Diversity to Workforces
Remote work offers businesses additional hiring opportunities. In other words, due to the flexibility to remote work, businesses don’t have to restrict themselves to local talent pools, even with decentralized recruitment. With no need for workers to regularly visit the premises to work, firms can hire workers beyond geographical boundaries.
There is plenty of talent in other parts of the world that can bring additional value to a workplace, regardless of whether they work remotely or on-site. Moreover, the diversity in backgrounds, cultures, and outlooks can create a professional blend that is conducive to meaningful innovation and growth. The diversity may even help firms realize entirely new business opportunities that may have gone unnoticed in a homogenized workforce.
Expand Employee Benefits Meaningfully
Worker needs and behaviors have shifted drastically during the pandemic. As a result, the benefits and perks they expect from a job have also changed.
Given the recent global health crisis, medical benefits and health insurance are obviously at the top of the list for any prospective candidate, but employees also seek a meaningful benefits structure that includes coverage for mental health, paid time off to care for sick family members, and perks that offer some financial/monetary value.
A spacious office space, no matter how well-decorated, is not what employees are seeking at this point; they’re searching for meaningful benefits that can help alleviate the uncertainty and fear the pandemic has inflicted on all of us.
Work With Experienced Recruiters
Businesses have begun to acknowledge that their recruiting function is not an ad-hoc business need. With the rapidly evolving business tech ecosystem as well as massive shifts in workforce trends, conventional recruitment approaches are no longer as effective as they once were.
Whether you need to onboard tech talent or accounts professionals, contract to hire vs direct-hire workers, part-time employees, or temps, a professional staffing agency will likely yield better results than in-house recruiters. As these agencies deal with larger and more diverse volumes of talent, they are in a far better position to source, screen, and provide the kind of workers that employers need, while meeting expectations for both parties.
