Recruiting and Retaining Talent During COVID-19: Trends That Are Changing the Hiring Landscape
Guest Post: Kelly Barcelos
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses had to adapt to the changing environment or temporarily shut shop. The pandemic has revealed that much of the work that many employers believed could only be accomplished in a physical office could actually be done remotely.The immediate shift to accommodate workers in the remote setting has been impressive, thanks to technology. Companies are now discovering that technology can also eliminate the hiring barrier to landing top talent. So, if you are here, trying to find out how you can recruit and retain employees during the COVID-19 crisis, you are at the right place. With recruiting trends and retaining tactics, there’s a lot for you on this page. Read on.
Recruiting Trends You Need to Follow to Hire Top Talent During COVID-19
Virtual recruiting is the new standard.
81% of talent professionals agree that virtual recruiting will continue post-pandemic, and 70% of them say that virtual recruiting will become the new standard in recruiting. The lockdown realities of COVID-19 have pushed many companies to create an automated virtual recruiting process. This change has brought about savings in terms of cost and time. With the success of virtual recruitment and onboarding programs,more and more companies will be prepared to embrace virtual hiring and recruitment automation from now on. An online recruitment software system will be an essential integration that can help HR professionals keep up with the changing environment and optimize their recruitment process. The all-in-one recruitment tool helps in attracting, engaging, nurturing, and converting candidates into applicants.
Better access to candidate pool for greater diversity and inclusion.
77% of talent professionals say that diversity will be important to the future of recruiting. Source: Hiring efforts will include delivering a diverse pipeline of candidates, and hiring managers will be held responsible for moving those candidates through the recruitment funnel. The hiring process has to be restructured to reduce bias and build a diverse interview panel.
Greater emphasis on increasing internal mobility.
Internal mobility has increased by almost 20% since the onset of COVID-19.Recruiting will have a robust internal mobility program that involves partnering with L&D departments and broader HR. This will help companies to tie employee’s current skills to relevant L&D resources to fill the skills gap.
Focus will be on adaptability by adding new skills that align with the business.
According to LinkedIn’s survey, adaptability will be the no. 1 skill for recruiters to embrace in 2021. Most companies have boxes that they put their employees in. But those boxes may have to dissipate from 2021 onwards. While recruiting for roles, locations and teams will continue, but as needs change, recruiters may have to go beyond hiring to build an agile team. Recruiters will hire people who are more flexible, more adaptable with the ability to really change according to the needs of the business.
How to Retain Talent During Pandemic?
Embrace Flexibility to Ensure Work-Life Balance
Many employees struggle with work-life balance, which often leads to anxiety, stress, low productivity, and poor overall health. By creating a flexible work environment, it will be easier for employees to maintain a good work-life balance, boost employee morale, complete their work in a timely fashion, improve productivity without impacting their personal responsibilities.
Increase Wages or Offer Bonuses
COVID-19 has been harsh, and it has forced many companies to cut the wages of their employees. But if you are struggling to attract and retain the right candidates, consider offering a signing bonus or raising their wages. By offering a pay hike or bonus, you show your employees that the company puts them first, and this can help build a positive workplace culture.
Offer Non-Traditional Perks, Benefits, and Incentives
You can position your business as a desirable business, and boost your employee loyalty by offering benefits, perks and incentives that are non-traditional yet low-cost. Some of the suggestions are:
Catered outdoor picnics or team lunches
A budget for professional development budget which can cover books, classes, etc.
Paid volunteer time
Employee assistance programs(EAPs) to help employees deal with professional and personal problems of all kinds, which might adversely impact their work productivity, mental health, and overall well-being.
Wellness programs
Employee appreciation activities
Gift cards of concerts, local restaurants, concerts, sporting events, outdoor adventures, etc.
Paid time off
Free coffee and/or tea
Tuition assistance
Organized group activities, such as kayak, painting class, hike, or outdoor yoga
Provide Competitive Benefits
When you offer competitive benefits to your employees, it gives your business an edge and also provides an incentive to retain your current employees. Most sought-after voluntary benefits are:
Group health insurance
Financial wellness resources
Retirement services
Create a Purpose-Driven Work Culture
When a business has a clear motive that every stakeholder supports, it becomes easier for employees to be self-motivated and nurture teamwork. When they know their work is directly aligned to the company’s goals, they are likely to feel a sense of belonging and more engaged.
Modify the Management Style
Micro-managing is passé; the emphasis is now on productivity and quality of output. This means that your management strategy has to be built around employee empowerment and trust. This will result in a better workplace culture and better chances of retaining talent. While recruiting and retaining employees can be incredibly challenging now, companies are into a reset mode, trying to incorporate and invest in the right strategies. The aftermath of COVID-19 sure looks optimistic.
Editor’s Note: The statistics reported in today’s article come from The Future of Recruiting,LinkedIn, and “2021 Recruiting Trends Shaped by the Pandemic,”SHRM.com.
