Recruiting during the Pandemic – What You Need to Know?

As the new normal starts settling in around the world, the stay-at-home orders and social distancing has been actively exercising. The goal of these practices is to flatten the curve of transmissions. Recruiters are no exception to the changes their ways of working. While some sectors of the economy such as hospitality, travel and entertainment are heavily affected, many other sectors such as the healthcare services, IT and supermarkets are still tackling to bring their companies through this tough time into brighter days, as such, hiring is still actively happening. Here are some of the methods on how you can handle your recruitment processes effectively in this new normal.

Finding Suitable Candidates 

Things may be different with the current pandemic where most companies are practising flexible working hours, working remotely and returning to the office with strict safety protocols. It is important to ask the right question when interviewing a candidate. Some examples below:

1. Situational questions about a specific scenario in the past. You can provide them with a project to                manage independently and observe how they manage their time and juggle their work tasks.

2. Throw out questions like how they ensure their productivity working remotely. You can also ask for the        methods that they practise if they face a problem or how they maintain a work-life balance.

The reason for these questions is to understand how prepared candidates are in preparing for the new normal in work and if they can stay disciplined without a constant check on their progress. Everyone has their own designated workplace and family problems; it is important that they have a tidy and proper workplace and ideally a schedule that they can work out without being distracted by children or pets. Make sure to discuss these topics during the interview to understand the candidates better. 

Changes in Job Interviews

Many would prefer a video interview with the current pandemic. Many organisations have begun conducting interviews using video conferencing. There are many kinds of video apps currently that you can use such as WhatsApp, Skype, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, WebEx and others. These video apps have many functions from sending personal invites to using your computer’s built-in camera and microphone. Video interviews are vital in overcoming the challenges of remote hiring and also help in saving the company’s time and creating coherent processes. But please do make sure that your area is clear from any distractions such as phone rings or any other distractions that could happen. You should provide ample of time when there’s a question and answer sessions in case there might be a delay. 

Onboarding

Once you have found a suitable candidate, it would be essential to create a working environment that allows coherent communication. Here are some tips for onboarding new hires:

1. Set up a buddy for your new hires and create a standardised training sessions. During the first day of the new hires, the HR department should organise a video conference call to introduce the team and an emailed welcome package with the company’s company product information should be provided. 
2. For new hires to learn effectively, HR department and the IT department should work together to provide an impeccable experience for the onboarding process. Tasks calendar and video conferencing software can aid both departments to streamline the online learning process for the new hires. Video recordings can be considered as well as most information can be pre-recorded and shared with new employees. Setting up consistent online training sessions and team integration procedures can help to prevent your frustration during the onboarding process. 
3. Effective leadership & transparent communication would also be the key to turn new hires into long-term employees. HR and the management need to highlight the expectations and goals for their employees initially. Managers should provide feedback and motivation for a job done well and helpful advice as well as guidance when needed. Organise daily or weekly meetings to discuss the progress of projects. Phone is even more essential these days no matter how much the world has changed.

The bottom Line

We may be working in the new normal these days and facing some challenges in recruiting talents. However, with new technology and effective tips above, talent acquisition teams can respond to the curveball effectively and adapting to it eventually. Be patient and take advantage of the new technology and resources, you will soon find the right talents for your business.