2020 has shaped out to be a year to be remembered for the ages. As much as we want to put it all behind us and look ahead to a fresh start in 2021, we must admit that the are lessons we learned about ourselves amidst all the chaos. Some of these lessons are personal, while other lessons have shown businesses some new things about themselves.
Today, we will be highlighting some of these lessons and how they can help businesses get ahead of their competition with hiring as we continue to navigate through the current economic landscape for a brighter future.
1) You can hire talent from anywhere
If there is one thing that has become more apparent than ever before, it’s that the workforce can be effective when working away from the traditional office setting. 2020 has made businesses adapt to the concept of remote working, and for most part, it was not the disaster that many had thought it would be. As businesses shift more and more of their workforce to remote working, this opens the potential talent pool of candidates that you can choose from and you can focus on someone’s skills and experience, rather than where they live.
2) The entire hiring and onboarding process can be virtual
While most businesses and offices had to be shut down these past 9 months, for some businesses, the work kept coming and more staff were needed to keep up. This meant that their HR team had to adapt quickly and changing the way they hire. Luckily, with the rising popularity of video conferencing tools like ZOOM and Microsoft Teams, this was made possible without skipping a beat. We have learned that you can make great hires even without having to meet with the individual in person even once. It is all about having the right process and execution.
3) There is talent available where you may not have looked before
Nothing only has COVID greatly changed our personal lives, it has also left significant damages and changes to entire industry landscapes. Many businesses that were thriving for years were stopped in their tracks and forced to close their doors. Some of those businesses may live to fight another day, while others are not as fortunate. This has left many people losing their jobs with no clear outlook for 2021. Many of these workers may have skills that are transferable across different sectors and just needs the right company to find the hidden gem that they are.
4) Remote working is here to stay
While some businesses are anxious to be able to go outside again and return to their pre-COVID lifestyle, many changes have been made this past year and with no sight of reversing. Gone are the days where people are questioned about their ability to be effective working from home as we have proven this past year that it can be done. Organizations should prepare for a new wave of requests and expectations from their staff on continued remote working arrangements as we’ve experienced it first-hand and many people like it.
5) Continue to build your digital Corporate Identity and Culture
In these times of distress when many people feel hopeless without a job, organizations can really separate themselves from their competition by focusing on their identity and branding and making a digital presence. Focus on what is important for a business: it is their people. Show your empathy and understanding of the challenging times that everyone is going through will draw more interest from potential candidates. People gravitate towards businesses and leaders who is looking out for working parents that may have kids they also need to take care of while remote working, or the skilled and talented workers who were laid off from a struggling business and just needs an opportunity to prove themselves.
We have still got a long road ahead of us and the decisions we make today will shape what we will become in the future. As businesses look to bounce back in 2021, remember the lessons that we have learned in 2020 and use it to your advantage as we step into a new year, a new start!
Contact Us today to speak with one of our Recruitment Specialists and let us help you build your team with talent today!