COVID-19 affected how the majority of companies around the world do business. It also had an impact on staffing practices. Many specialists lost their jobs or settled for pay cuts. Others reinvented themselves by mastering professions that allowed working remotely.
As the pandemic is starting to subside, many companies are getting back into business. They need to bring back specialists, hire a new workforce, negotiate with their existing staff, and much more.
Practices adopted during the pandemic are likely to remain with us for a while, at least partially. That’s why it’s imperative to keep the valuable experience of working in such conditions in mind.
1. Resuming the Hiring Process
In April 2020, 60% of employers reduced or closed job openings. The number of specialists without a job increased rapidly due to massive business closures. These experts found a way to survive during the pandemic by learning new skills and accepting remote job offers.
As the pandemic is subsiding and businesses are getting back into the game, it’s time to post job openings again. However, you need to keep in mind that employees now have different demands.
The earnings lost during the pandemic need to be recovered. Meanwhile, employees are careful about the stability of a company they plan to work for. If it doesn’t provide a safety net for COVID-related pay cuts, some job searchers may not be ready to apply.
2. Going Virtual
Numerous companies adapted to the pandemic by moving their business online. Today, millions of people are working from home without disrupting the companies’ operation. Even before the pandemic, an impressive number of workers preferred to work from home at least once a week. After the pandemic half of those who worked from home want to continue during so.
According to Allshore, virtual staffing agency, more and more applicants ask about the possibility of working remotely. That’s why when you plan to hire a specialist, you need to be ready to offer them an opportunity to work from home at least a few days a week.
3. Following CDC Guidelines
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked out a series of guidelines for behavior in the workplace during the pandemic. Since COVID-19 is likely to stay around until massive vaccination leads to herd immunity among the world’s population, these guidelines are the key to maintaining a safe workplace.
The pandemic showed how vulnerable people are to the outside world. That’s why employees are highly concerned about safety. Stressing a solid approach to workplace safety can improve your staffing efforts tremendously.
4. Staffing Remotely
Working with a staffing company can make it easier to hire the right specialists for your company. During the pandemic, the popularity of virtual staffing businesses was on the rise. It’s not likely to change even after the virus subsides.
Working with a remote staffing agency saves time and money while offering you the same results as collaborating with such an agency in-person. You can also review applications, negotiate salaries, and much more without leaving the comfort of home or office.
5. Using Virtual Interviewing Technologies
Conducting virtual interviews is likely to become the new normal of post-COVID staffing. To get the information you need, all you have to do is leverage the latest virtual interviewing technologies.
With the right software, the quality of online interviews is just as good as for in-person meetings. Meanwhile, you save time on the commute, thus gaining an opportunity to screen more candidates. The entire staffing process can be moved online, including signing documents.
6. Considering a Large Pool of Candidates
If the remote operation is a possibility for your business, you can have access to a huge pool of candidates from all over the world. You are no longer limited to the staff in your area. This gives you an excellent chance to save money while getting to a new level of operation.
With virtual staffing opportunities available, you can add offshore hires to your team, thus saving money on in-house salaries and benefits.
The Takeaway
Post-COVID staffing practices will revolve around minimizing in-person contact and promoting virtual operation. Remote staffing is likely to be the focus of the post-COVID hiring approach.
To make sure you get access to the best candidates, you may want to consider offshore hires. The remote operation makes such an adjustment possible during the pandemic and beyond.