Given that most of the country is sheltered in place at least until the end of April, we’ve decided to spend this month exploring some of the questions that leaders and organizations have about telework, hiring new employees, and managing a remote workforce.
In February the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% according to the Labor Department and many organizations were actively recruiting and interviewing for new talent. Covid-19 has impacted the economy, our organizations and our personal lives. At Brighter Strategies we are striving to be thoughtful and strategic about how we continue to support our clients and our colleagues during this time of uncertainty.
Hiring Right Now
If your organization was in the middle of a hiring search that has been put on hold, make sure to reach out to potential candidates and update them with as much information as possible. Everyone understands that this is an unusual time but taking the time to provide updates to potential candidates is not only considerate but will serve to protect your company’s brand.
For organizations that need to staff up during the quarantine, you will want to take extra care to make sure you are set up to do so adequately. Despite the chaotic times, stay focused on your hiring strategy. To that end, take a moment to visit our March Focus on Talent blog series where we explained the 5 components of our hiring process.
As you begin to conduct candidate outreach and interviews in addition to role specific expectations, be prepared to communicate the steps your organization has undertaken to ensure the safety of the workforce and its customer base. Depending on the role requirements you will need to assess if potential new hires have access to adequate technology (i.e., wi-fi, printers, laptop/computer, phone lines, etc.) they will need to fulfill the job requirements.
It is imperative that you address these questions prior to engaging candidates to ensure the most efficient use of time and resources.
In addition to assessing skills, qualifications, and technology capabilities part of your interviewing process should include showcasing and defining your organization’s culture.
Consider adding a phase to the hiring process that allows top tier candidates the opportunity to connect with potential colleagues and team members for informal conversations that examine the expectations, experiences, philosophy, and values of your organization that that hold it together and make it unique.
Onboarding Today and in the Future
Overall your onboarding process will vary depending on your organization, but make sure the process for employees hired during quarantine is as welcoming and informative as it can be. Designing an onboarding that allows new hires to virtually connect with key members of their new work team and other members of the organization. Our Onboarding blog published in March will provide you with some solid insights on how your program should be structured.
The current crisis surrounding Covid-19 is opening up the possibility of working remotely for a lot of organizations and employees. If you need help considering how you might be able to bring some of your employees “online” let us know.