How Has The Coronavirus Influenced Recruitment?
Sep 09, 2021
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COVID-19 has had a massive effect all over the world. In the second half of 2020 alone, we saw a reduction in online job postings by 50 percent in countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand compared to the beginning of that year. So companies had put a pause on recruitment because of the uncertainty, but that was not the only problem.
We also have witnessed a lot of layoffs from businesses. According to reports from Talentlyft, sectors that suffered the most from the COVID-19 include hospitality, tourism, hotels, bars, restaurants, entertainment, and manufacturing. Although some sectors suffered, some other sectors have gained from the pandemic.
Industries that have seen an increase in recruitment include delivery companies, grocery stores, online learning companies, and remote communication services. So, there is still recruitment going on, and with the vaccine in full force, we expert recruitment to pick up again. In this article, we look at ways recruitment has changed since the COVID-19 hit the world.
Recruiting Process
Here’s everything you need to know about the recruiting process.
Livestream Interviews
COVID-19 has ensured that recruiting process has changed, while in the past, it was traditional to first go through a telephone interview, and if you pass that stage, be called up for a face-to-face interview. Now things have slightly changed as live streaming has replaced the typical face-to-face interview. Apps like Zoom, Facetime, Skype, and so on have soured in use over the past year.
Recruiters have adapted to the change process. Some recruiters send in questions and have the candidates record themselves, answer the questions, and return. This process happens so recruiters can compare candidates' answers side-by-side.
Preparation for Interviews
Another noticeable change in the interview process is preparation. In the past, an interviewer had to send in the time and the location of the interview. Maybe even some things for the candidate to bring along.
Now, the interviewer has to make sure the right software is on the candidate's system. Email in a Skype/Zoom link to the candidate and test the speed of their internet. Some interviewers even send in blogs or tips on how to prepare for interviews from home.
Onboarding Process
Onboarding a new employee remotely differs from the normal face-to-face onboarding process. First, there is no physical contact with any of the team. The person is their home, there is no office to resume to, and the entire process can be challenging if the HR doesn't handle it well.
Companies have moved to attach a mentor to the new employee who can answer their questions. Some companies also assign a cultural employee, so the recruit understands the culture. Other HR departments go as far as giving a virtual tour of the office if the company will resume onsite in the future.
There is also guiding the employee through the technical part, like using the company interactive software, setting up for the first day, etc. These changes are things COVID-19 has brought with it. We would say that some organizations were already moving towards this approach, and COVID-19 speed up the process while for others, they had to adapt or lose falling behind.
Use of Technology
COVID-19 has hastened using HRM software and other tools, like the instant email finder, to look for candidates' emails. HRM software has made sure that companies can save all their information on one integrated system. This is extremely helpful when headhunting for highly talented professionals. All in all, the rise of tools that have made looking for suitable candidates easier has saturated the market.
Recruiters and HR managers that want to get ahead of their peers in today's world will need to step up their tech knowledge.
WorkForce
We have discussed earlier how COVID-19 has favored some industries and hasn't favored others, but there is also another matter concerning working remotely. Location is not a barrier anymore, meaning companies can hire from anywhere in the world. In a survey by Gallup, 59% percent of employees prefer to continue working from home post-COVID-19, while a study by Gartner shows up to 74% of employers expect employees to work from home.
From the data, it is clear both employees and employers see the benefits of working from home. (Something most companies thought was not ideal pre-COVID-19). Benefits like spending more time with family and saving on transportation costs have delighted a lot of staff.
While the companies can save up rent on office space. These benefits have seen experts suggest that remote working will continue after the pandemic, opening the way to employ without being restricted by location.
Learning New Skills
The ability to be flexible and adapt has now become important in the post-pandemic period. The pandemic has caused some irreversible changes to working life and conditions. This change means people are learning new skills.
They are upgrading on an existing skill or learning an entirely different set of skills. A report by LinkedIn showed that by the first week of April 2020, people had watched over 1.7 million hours of video content compared to 560,000 hours watched in the first week of January 2020. This massive increase was a sign that e-learning became popular with professionals.
There has also been a surge in enrolment for courses involving COVID-19 with Coursera. Their 2020 annual report pointed to 59 million new admissions in 2020, with 88% of individuals without bachelor degrees and 84% of unemployed learners report career benefits from enrolling.
These reports clearly show people have taken the pandemic period as an opportunity to learn relevant skills, either in their fields or in new ones, and make themselves available to the industries that need their relevant skills.
A Shift in Thinking About Mental Health
The pandemic has shown its light on a topic that had little attention in the past in the workplace. That topic is the one on mental health. We have seen recruiters, HR, and companies raise mental health awareness as their staff work from home. Coursera had over 1 million people worldwide enroll for "The Science of Well-Being" by Yale University.
A sign people around the world are paying more attention to mental health. There is an obvious need for understanding mental health and how you take care of yourself and those around you. Now, recruiters want to make sure that candidates suit the values and work environment of companies.
Some companies go as far as employing a candidate with the option to end their contract within the first three months without repercussion.
The pandemic affected every industry, including the economics of countries and unemployment rates. It has also forced us to do what we do best as a race, adapt to different situations. Companies have had to see 5-6 years' worth of technological growth in the space of months.
These changes will stay in one form or the other as different businesses redefine how they operate post-pandemic. In the end, one thing that we have seen in this period is the resilience and strength we have achieved because of COVID-19.