How to Start Hiring Again After COVID-19

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the economy has dramatically changed. Many workers have been made redundant or furloughed, remote working has boomed, and recruitment has been put on pause.

In the middle of the pandemic, it can be difficult to remember that the economy will flourish again and that businesses will need to resume hiring. It will happen, but the job market is going to look a lot different.

There will be a boom of the remote recruiter and worker, with a lot of tasks running online. Soon, remote work will be the new normal. We can expect reduced business travel, virtual workshops, remote roles, and a whole lot more.

But with all these new changes, how do remote recruiters and HR managers adjust the employment process?

We’re here to spill all. Ready to learn how to start hiring again in a post-coronavirus job market? Keep reading.

Have a Succession Plan

While many countries are beginning to ease lockdown laws, that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods when it comes to contracting coronavirus.

Now, more than ever, brands should plan on what to do if their CEO becomes ill. While large corporations often have a succession plan in the works, smaller organizations tend not to. This can leave them unprepared for emergencies.

To help organizations run smoothly so hiring can resume after coronavirus, businesses should discuss who would make critical decisions should the CEO or manager become ill. This can also apply to different departments.

It’s impossible to predict who might contract coronavirus, so preparing for the worst ensures operations and hiring can continue when staff members become ill. A good move is to ensure that some employees are ready to step into certain positions within a 24-hour notice if possible.

In some cases, coronavirus may spread within a whole organization, so alternative methods of working must be planned should offices have to close. These processes and plans must be documented and shared among key staff members so that an effective and efficient method is made should any emergencies occur.

Learn How to Recruit Online

While a lot of recruiting is already online, more of the hiring process must go virtual.

Offering video interviews is crucial. Video interviewers are quicker, more efficient, and cost-effective, and soon they’ll be the norm.

After months of using video interviews in the hiring process during COVID-19, recruits will expect this option to remain to make their time more worthwhile.

Apps like FaceTime and Zoom are safe to use and make the interview process streamlined and straightforward. As the apps are so easy to use, most people are comfortable using them too. They also offer an excellent opportunity for various interviewers in different locations to log in.

But virtual recruiting requires more than just downloading apps like Zoom. Sure, virtual interview technology is important, but brands will need to ensure that the onboarding of the role and early performance management is conducted virtually.

Start Hiring Now

While many companies haven’t yet opened, many remote recruiting opportunities are beginning to crop up now. If you wait until your company is ready to start trying to fill empty roles, you may find that you lose valuable time and talent.

While not all offices are welcoming back workers, as a recruiter or hiring manager, you should use the time to fill roles on your radar actively. Even if you aren’t permitted to do this, there are still plenty of ways to get yourself ahead of the game.

Your company should be active on social media platforms to let recruits know that you’re still alive and kicking with plenty of job opportunities to distribute when everyone’s back online.

There will be a huge amount of work available when society gets the all-clear. In the meantime, you can complete initial interviews virtually, line up candidates, and make reference checks.

When your company is ready to work as usual, the final interviews can be the ones that are in-person.

Consider Interim Hires

Once the economy starts running again, it may be that your business has many roles to fill. This is especially if lots of people were made redundant due to coronavirus.

For many companies, a missing team can be daunting when they’re trying to get back up and running as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Consider filing some roles on a temp or interim basis. This protects the possibility that bad hires are made to fill roles as quickly as possible. If you like a candidate, you can always convert them to full-time once they prove their worth.

Allow Remote Work

Before COVID-19, remote work was slowly gaining acceptance. But today, it’s a lifeline for many businesses. While allowing remote work isn’t practical for all businesses like grocery stores, hospitals, and food services, any brand that can go remote should at least experiment with the idea.

It goes without saying, but right now and in a post-coronavirus world, remote recruiting is the next big thing.

Three out of four Americans are on some type of lockdown, meaning that there are millions of staff members working remotely. Many organizations and employees are only just realizing that work can be just as productive at home.

As we don’t know how long coronavirus will go on for, or if there will be a second wave, offering remote work to candidates is attractive for both parties.

Many roles are expected to go permanently remote, and brands run the risk of missing out on great talent if they don’t adapt.

Learn to Manage Remote Workers

Those companies that master the art of remote work will be in the best positions. Organizations can be proactive in their approach by creating training methods to transfer their in-person skills to the digital world. Many brands have even discovered that remote work has improved the productivity of their workforce.

Of course, it’s important to understand that managing a remote workforce is different from managing a traditional in-house team. Increased efforts from key staff members are crucial to keep productivity, morale, and spirits high.

Leaders must implement a routine in the workforce. A good idea is to begin the day with a message to the entire team at the beginning of the shift. A group message using the Slack workflow platform that’s both casual and engaging brings the team together and sets the standards for the day.

Likewise, managers should set clear tasks and deliverables to ensure a steady workflow throughout the working week. Open a check-in schedule to monitor progress, address any problems, and to make any edits before a deadline.

If staff have enough resources to guide them and help them complete their work, you’ll find that productivity is a lot higher. Be sure to check in once a week or so to check how employees are coping, especially at the beginning of the remote work transition.

Reduce Business Travel

Business travel is expected to reduce too. With the spread of coronavirus, remote workers have discovered that meetings held with apps and programs like Zoom and Microsoft Teams can be just as efficient as in-person meetings. As every participant is visible to everyone in the team throughout the meeting, this is an incentive for all members to stay focused during the meeting.

Likewise, when meetings and interviews are remote, this cuts the cost for business expenses like travel and accommodation. In the long run, this can offer hefty savings for companies.

 A reduction in air, vehicle, and train travel is also beneficial to the environment. With a bigger interest in sustainability, many staff members and customers value a business with a greener footprint, making it more attractive as a brand.

Working as a Remote Recruiter

When we face a pandemic in the future, with these tips on working as a remote recruiter in a post-coronavirus world, we’ll be far more prepared.

The job industry has faced many changes due to the pandemic, and now we know what shifts are necessary for the economy to thrive should a similar situation occur.

Although the job market has felt bleak in recent months, a hiring frenzy is upon us, and HR managers and recruiters should be prepared. If you haven’t made any adjustments yet, you should take a serious look at your current hiring process so you can grab the best talent quickly.

If you’re a recruiter or HR manager and you’d like some help for managing hires in 2020, check out our recruiting guide.