The year 2020 was severely impacted by Covid-19. This pandemic came and reshaped the world and everything that works in it. Applications like Zoom, Teams, and Skype became part and parcel of the corporate world as more and more employees worked remotely.
Upwork, a popular platform for freelancers, reported that in the late 2020s, around 41.8% of the American workforce was working from home. It was predicted that this figure is more likely to increase to 36 million Americans working from home in the next five years. Hence almost an 87% rise in remote working is possible.
There has been a strong shift to remote working and this is having huge and varied impacts on the way recruitment is done.
Digitalization of Recruitment
The shift towards remote working inevitably increased remote recruiting. Since workers are working remotely, this changes the entire dynamic of how employee onboarding and training used to be done previously. Furthermore, recruiters have also changed as to what they used to seek out when screening and shortlisting candidates.
Overall, every aspect of the hiring process required restructuring, from screening profiles to conducting final interviews and eventually onboarding a candidate. The entire hiring process has been revamped.
Selecting and Shortlisting Candidates During the Pandemic
As the world shut down, businesses shifted towards digitalization, and so did talent acquisition.
Traditionally, candidates were shortlisted according to the job requirements and were then called in for a face-to-face interview. Sometimes tests were conducted to select the right candidate.
However, the pandemic forced the HR department to adapt and change the already established system. Advanced technology allowed recruiters to vet profiles and utilize applications like Zoom to interview and assess candidates that were the right fit. This remote working made the recruitment system much faster and flexible.
Pre-screening Candidates
Although video conferencing tools were already available before Covid-19, most of these digital tools were not fully utilized until the pandemic hit. Remote working became a norm and common practice. The launch of Zoom and Teams allowed recruiters to have a quick chat with candidates to help them evaluate various candidates without needing to meet face to face.
The virtual hiring process meant that recruiters could now also view profiles of candidates based on different locations as well. This widened the pool of candidates and gave some organizations a strong competitive edge.
Skills Testing
Organizations have different requirements when it comes to selecting candidates for jobs. A lot of job roles require candidates to sit through technical and analytical assessments. In a world where remote working has become a norm, these skill tests can be performed virtually using online platforms. These online pre-screening tests help organizations to identify the right candidate for the job role in place.
Communication
In this era of business, communication is of paramount significance. Well-drafted cover letters and thank you notes are now read and considered by HR professionals more than ever. Demonstration in quality communication skills is now considered a vital skill set in landing remote jobs.
Since all the stages of the hiring process are exclusive and online, all the communications are through email. Therefore, it is essential to write concisely and clearly without any grammatical errors. Proper and straight communication helps minimize every possibility of misunderstanding between recruiters and candidates. In this way, the recruitment process becomes more streamlined and faster by communicating clearly.
Onboarding Candidates
One of the toughest challenges for HR professionals is to onboard candidates. Remote working makes it more complex to introduce new employees to the organization and helps them mingle with the rest of the staff. Another task for HR professionals is to find creative ways to train their employees.
As technology advances, these challenges become easier for recruiters. Now, offer letters to new candidates are sent online. Also, e-signatures and virtually shared portfolios are acceptable by firms. New employees can be introduced through online team meetings and proposing matters to make them comfortable and part of the team.
Remote Hiring is Here to Stay
Organizations are now more dependent on technologies than they were ever before. An increased number of employees prefer working remotely. Companies may save high expenses of overhead costs in this way. Furthermore, remote working has opened new prospects for recruiters as the talent pool widens. Employees living off the grid can also regard as potential candidates that provide organizations with a competitive advantage.
Organizations now are assessing, investing, and supporting new ways of working. The bottom line is that Remote hiring is here to stay.
Undoubtedly, these developments are unlikely to change even if the pandemic comes to an end. Therefore, a wise choice for recruiters and HR professionals would be to regroup and adapt to new working practices. Virtual job offers, interviews, and onboarding processes have effectively reduced costs for businesses and streamlined the hiring process.
To attract and retain top talent within the company, HR professionals need to think remotely. This means introducing new ways to incorporate remote-friendly culture, as well as marketing the employer brand to create a better employee experience that is, therefore, unique for everyone.
