April 24th, 2020
How hiring and interviews will change after the COVID-10 pandemic.
The COVID-19 outbreak has certainly disrupted “business as usual” for many companies in the United States and around the world. Businesses that had once hired new employees on a regular basis, whether due to administrative and clerical staffing needs, call center staffing needs, or other such employment opportunities, now find themselves sitting on the sidelines.
When the business world kicks in again and workers are ready to enlist the services of an employment agency, your company should definitely be ready. To get you started, we’re going to give you some tips on how to hire employees after the outbreak is over or, at the very least, relatively contained. This should give you a great starting-off point.
Start with a Written Digital Interview
If you’d like to avoid face-to-face interviews when searching for new candidates, a good place to start is to conduct written digital interviews. This process consists of sending questions to an applicant’s email address, which will give them a reasonable time to respond. While this may not allow for off-the-cuff responses, the answers you’ll receive are likely be more thorough and will tell you a lot about an applicant.
Follow Up Through Video Interviews
Today’s technology allows you to conduct an interview with the use of video, so why not take advantage of it? If an applicant has shown promise in a digital interview involving emailed responses, then the next step is to engage with him or her through the use of video technology. However, if an applicant doesn’t have this capability, you definitely should not use it against them unless the position calls for familiarity with this type of application.
Assure Them of Safety Protocols
Many applicants who will be returning to the workforce and utilizing the services of an employment agency after COVID-19 are going to be concerned with their personal safety. They’re very likely to be worried about the possibility of additional infections. Give them a full rundown of the safety precautions that your company will be taking and answer any questions they may have about the procedures.
Hire Remote Workers, If Possible
If there’s one thing that this pandemic has taught us in the business world, it’s that remote workers are absolutely invaluable. To ensure everyone’s safety, many businesses had to shut their doors, but quite a few of those were able to continue doing business because their employees could work from home. Not only has this helped many companies stay afloat during this crisis, but it has also helped employees stay safe and healthy.
Explain Your Current Outlook
Some applicants may be excited about getting back into the workforce, but they may also be a bit hesitant. After all, for many of them, it’s been kind of a strange year for employment. Even if things get back to normal rather soon, the effects of COVID-19 will definitely be lingering for a while. Therefore, you need to give potential employees an idea of what your business model looks like for the immediate future and far beyond.
Don’t Take Advantage of New Hires
Just imagine what would’ve happened if healthcare workers or even grocery store clerks had refused to go into work during the outbreak. It’s important to remember that we’re all in this together. Many of your new applicants may not be in the most advantageous of negotiating positions. Now is definitely not the time to remove employer benefits or lower salaries while hiring new employees simply because so many people are out of work. If anything, this is when you want to increase those things so as to ensure loyalty and improve employer/worker relations.
Contact PrideStaff for All Your Staffing Needs
PrideStaff has proven itself as the premiere Fort Lauderdale staffing agency by providing exemplary service to all of our clients for many years. If you need more tips on how to hire employees or would like to enlist our services and learn how to hire employees, contact us at (754) 800-2850.