by Kyle Armstrong, HR Coordinator
The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the recruitment process for HR professionals significantly. There remains a great deal of uncertainty regarding the impact of COVID-19 on recruitment for the long-term. However, there are many tools that are invaluable to adopt in the area of recruitment.
Many organizations have renewed themselves several times over since March of 2020, when the pandemic hit North America. Forbes conducted a study into the specific ways in which organizations made drastic changes, which included: restructuring and laying-off parts of the workforce; actively recruiting into specific roles to meet customers’ needs; supply chains being disrupted and reimagined; redesigning roles based on digitization as well as automation and expanding or switching product-lines in response to demand.
Business needs may never return to a pre-pandemic state. This creates a perfect opportunity to regroup on a company’s strategy and ask the question “where do we want to be 12 months out; post-covid?”. A lot can be uncovered in this seemingly simple question, and the answer is of particular significance for HR professionals. Knowing the planned direction for an organization’s strategy and the type of critical skills necessary for hiring allows HR professional to navigate recruitment. From this, recruiters can begin to map-out a plan as to how this specific type of talent can be reached.
Forbes also suggests not waiting until you’re ready to hire to reach out to candidates, adding that now is the time to engage and nurture talent needed for the future. This suggestion is well justified, in the sense that, since there is so much uncertainty in the job market right now because of COVID-19, passive candidates are more willing than usual to engage with recruiters to discuss potential opportunities. Even if the opportunity is in the future. Afterall, a picture-perfect top-talent candidate will want to understand their employment options and formulate multiple plans to consider. Technology can seem daunting at times but given the fact that we find ourselves in a ‘remote world’, we must trust it. Recruitment marketing technology allows HR professionals to keep talent pools alive for when you’re ready to hire.
Human Resource Executive feels strongly that the following five specific trends should be adopted as part of a post-pandemic recruitment strategy.
- Clear Delivery of Remote Working Policy: Interviewed candidates will want to know what organizations’ work from home policies are, and recruiters/HR professionals should be prepared to speak to the policies as they become more defined.
- Diversify Recruitment: Successful candidates can come from many different backgrounds. Focusing solely on candidates with a specific background is becoming outdated.
- Increase Internal Mobility: Talent can be recruited within an organization. Hiring internally versus externally can be effective for many reasons.
- Focus on Retention/Employee Satisfaction: Creating an organizational culture that is positive and fulfilling has never been more important.
- Utilize Learning & Development: The ideal candidate for a position does not necessarily have to possess relevant experience, we all have the capacity to learn.
PowerUp Leadership has recognized that the war for talent has made recruitment more critical than ever for our clients… To learn more about our approach to recruitment, click here. If you are ready to speak with Susan Power directly, please click here to schedule a complimentary consultation.