Business as usual looks very different for the foreseeable. Two key areas impacted are hiring, and ongoing employee engagement.
Employers have had no choice but to quickly adapt to the challenges faced, not least in ensuring they have an effective, successful recruitment process in place but also in continuing to engage existing staff, supporting their ongoing professional development.
Have you digitalised your recruitment process?
We have all been embracing technology both in personal and professional lives. Most of us are now completely familiar with video calls via platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Current successful recruitment processes, traditionally requiring potentially multiple onsite interviews and assessments, have seamlessly transitioned to video interviews and online assessments. Benefits include improved accessibility for candidates to the process, with less time having to be taken out of their working day as they don’t have to travel to/from a client’s office, which has the potential to open the candidate pool further. Time is also being saved by hiring managers and HR teams.
Are you regularly reviewing candidate experience?
It goes without saying that delivering the best candidate experience is fundamental in ensuring successful hiring of top talent. Just as, no doubt, you have regularly assessed this in the office, as the digitalised process continues to evolve, it is essential that each stage is kept under regular review. From initial application, to interview and offer stage, monitor drop-out rate to seek out reasons why, and identify what you could do differently to minimise this risk.
Are your current employees engaged, and their professional development supported?
Whilst for some, the recent pandemic followed closely by the economic turmoil has naturally made them more cautious about considering a career move, for many this has given them an opportunity to reassess priorities, reflecting on how their employer has reacted to the challenges being faced and supported its employees.
As businesses move forward in this climate, there are great opportunities to show support to new and existing staff, with the additional potential to attract a more diverse range of applicants, through increasing levels of flexibility and communicating opportunities for professional development, typically reported as the main reason employees seek roles outside of an organisation.
Communication
Ensuring regular, meaningful communications are in place has always been a challenge, for companies, their employees and potential new hires. The best employers recognise and embrace this, enhancing engagement and retention across the business and for future employees.
Whether or not your recruitment plans have had to be put on hold, keeping candidates informed will help keep them engaged throughout the process.
It is just as important to focus on regular communications with current employees, whether from the top or through management layers. Understandably you may not have all the information or answers right now, but consistent, regular communications to keep employees as up to date as possible on company performance, HR issues, wellbeing and business plans goes a long way to allay concerns and anxiety, to help them focus on the job in hand. Being proactive in delivering regular briefings will resonate strongly with your team, alongside recognising and acknowledging the effort and hard work being put in.
“You've got to start with the candidate experience and then work back toward the technology, not the other way around”