RECRUITING TIPS FOR A PANDEMIC-PROOF WORKPLACE
As I work with clients every day on strategic search assignments across the country, I have seen a trend developing that appears to be a direct result of all the uncertainty the pandemic has created for families. There is a reluctance for a growing number of candidates to be willing to make a job change at this time. To be clear what I am talking about is that group of people in the workforce that we in Talent Acquisition refer to as the passive talent pool. We define this group as “still working” but seeking job or career advancement.
We see and hear two things that are driving candidates into what I call a cocooning phase when it comes to job search. First is a driving concern for health and safety reasons and a reluctance to change to a new environment at this time. We have had a number of candidates report back that they have had feedback from their spouse or family members that express concern on making a job change right now. They will say something like, “normally I would be interested in making a job change, but not right now but maybe at a later date or after the 1st of the year. The second thing we hear is the concern over work schedules. Many families report having a lot of stress caused by the ongoing school closures (virtual classrooms) and the impact this has had on one or both of the heads of household.
All of this disruption and uncertainty is shrinking the availability of the available talent. This comes at a critical time when retirements are accelerating and there was already a shortage of qualified talent pre-pandemic. In the Home Furnishings sector, we have also seen a significant sales surge with most stores reporting record sales levels and or being up double digits over the prior year.
We strongly encourage you to hold onto the team and talent that you have. You can do this by connecting with them frequently and rewarding them for all the hard work done during this dramatic period of change.
Here are some tips we put together to help you manage your current team and continue to connect with talent and manage the workload by maintaining productivity.
Technology
use it to Manage Communications, Productivity, and Recruitment
Earlier this year I wrote a Blog article and subsequently published in Furniture World. Here is a link to the article Tips to Boost your Recruiting - Post Covid. I would encourage you to look at your Career Page and make sure it is up to date and easy for candidates to apply. For the current COVID environment, make sure you also update your career page to speak to Safety practices and Covid Measures that your company has implemented. Many companies have done this at the top of their home pages, but these messages tend to be specific to the public and not to prospective employees. On your career page I would include a message that relays the company commitment to safety and protocols being followed in the workplace.
Video Interviewing
is here to stay
In a very short time, I have seen quick adaptation by clients and candidates and nonprofit groups that were reluctant to use video conferencing in the past. There are so many options and nearly every provider has improved their platforms - MS Teams, Google Meetings, Zoom, Go to Meeting and Web-Ex being some of the more popular platforms. Be sure to verify with your current email software suite, G-suite and Microsoft 365 have just updated and included a Google meetings and Team respectively that should allow you to use their platform as an included feature and without additional expense. Tips and guide on how to Conduct Video Interviews
Support a remote work environment
adjust for the new normal
Our affiliate office MRINETWORK published an article on managing remote workforces titled Manage the Work not the people and it outlines some steps to maintain productivity during these challenging times.
Provide employees with the best equipment and tools. This allows them to do their best work from anywhere. “That includes providing high-quality monitors and headphones and ensuring meetings are set up for participation regardless of location.
Schedule regular check-ins. Once you have set clear expectations for work assignments, it is important to regularly touch base with remote workers to make sure they have the resources they need and are on target to hit their goals. “Don’t micromanage them or give the impression that you are constantly monitoring them to see if they’re working. And always encourage them to bring up challenges or problems they’re having before they become insurmountable.”
Introduce redundancy. The current situation is an opportunity for employers to upskill their workforces. You may have had to furlough people, and now you need to figure out who is going to pick up the slack, she says. You may be surprised at how willing your team is to take on new roles or to train for new skills. Problem solving on this level changes the relationship you have with your employees. You become partners committed to the same goals.
There is a lot of communication right now within the HR community about how Chief Financial Officers and CEO’s are all coming to terms with remote work and starting to adapt seeing clear benefits to both productivity and the bottom line. This has some far reaching and long-term implications across industries and will likely change the way office work and teams collaborate. Technology is rapidly changing and advancing allowing companies to do a complete paradigm shift in record time.
Connect with talent socially
build YOUR pipeline
The importance of social media and extending your brand across social media has never been greater. Take the time as a company leader to update all your business leaders’ profiles on LinkedIn. This projects a great image and also connects you with talent and this is an important element in projecting a company brand and image across business social media. Be sure to use Facebook for business and Instagram to highlight team success and community involvement. Candidates are looking at both you as a leader and your company and they are interviewing you as much as you examine their backgrounds. Today’s candidates are looking for that cool factor. If your company looks tired and projects a less than optimal web and social image, you may find yourself facing headwinds in attracting top talent to your team.
Flex Staff
Why it makes sense in times of dramatic change?
We believe that post pandemic that there will be a renewed focus on talent and a continued shortage of available white collar and front-line workers. Recently we wrote a blog detailing the benefits of Interim Staffing during a Crisis and it details the benefits. Implementing a flexible staffing strategy that includes contract employees in the mix during the current crisis allows companies to cost-effectively staff up or down and back up or down again to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing business environment.
Preserve your workplace culture
Consider a thank you reward for all the front-line workers!
We sent out a Social Media post earlier this week highlighting what a local company did here for their employees. We featured a move that our local Credit Union (UVA Credit Union) did across the state impacting thousands of employees. They announced publicly that they were closing for the day this past Monday as a way of saying...thank you, to their front-line employees. They closed their retail branches and provided an additional paid holiday. I think this was simple and yet a very effective strategic move with a focus on team. This small step conveyed a message to the community that they are a great place to work and transact business.
So, go ahead and get creative, preserve, and promote a great workplace culture and place to work - even in these dramatic COVID times.
Bill O’Malley is President of Connector Team Recruiting a firm headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia specializing in the Furniture | Appliance and Sleep verticals. Connector Team is an affiliate office of MRINETWORK, Philadelphia, PA. Connector Team is a full service Search Firm offering permanent placement recruiting and interim staffing solutions.
Feel free to contact Bill at bill@connectorteamrecruiting.com.