Recruiting Strategy
Recruitment in the Age of COVID-19: Hiring for Newly Remote Jobs
HireHive Team
HireHive
HireHive Team
HireHive
HireHive Team
HireHive
HireHive Team
HireHive
As the COVID-19 crisis sweeps around the globe, businesses all over the world need to rethink how they manage employees, work from home, and hire new team members. Jobs that weren’t remote before are now being handled from home, and hiring managers need to pivot to ensure they’re still bringing on top talent when necessary. While it may have taken a little while to get into the grove of remote working, most employees are working well under very stressful conditions. This means conditions can be easily replicated in the best of times. What can companies do to recruit for these newly remote positions? Let’s take a closer look.
Hiring never starts with sourcing and interviewing candidates. There is so much more that needs to happen behind the scenes to ensure that you attract the best candidates from the beginning. And that’s especially true when you’re hiring for remote employees.
This is where building a strong employer brand comes into play. Think about some of the companies whose branding is inseparable from their identity. Google, for example, is very open about their company culture and what it’s like to work for them. This helps them attract top programmers from around the world. Your company needs to showcase your personality as well.
If you’re finding yourself in the position of hiring remote workers for the first time, it’s important to know that there are resources that can help you target people looking for remote work. There has already been a culture of digital nomads and other work from home candidates available, you just need to tap into that network.
There are multiple websites designed specifically for employers to source and hire remote workers. Companies like WeWorkRemotely and Flexjobs are only the tip of the iceberg. Software like HireHive can also give you the tools you need to hire and manage new employees.
For many people around the world, face to face interviews can’t happen at all right now. Even when we can return to a more normal work environment, you may wish to continue with remote work systems in place. This means you can tap into talent from anywhere, but you also need to create a new process for interviews.
The great news is that video conference software is becoming more common. Zoom has become a household name in the U.S., but Skype is still a reliable international source and there are several more, many of which are free to use.
You may also wish to create an online assessment process for new remote employees to complete. These resources are available already, you just need to implement them. Online skills assessment tests are easy for job seekers to use at home and the results are instant for the hiring company.
You can also partner with a staffing service that provides these types of online assessments to reduce the time you invest in the beginning part of the hiring process.
How has your current team transitioned to working at home? They probably know plenty of professionals in their networks who have found themselves without a job due to the pandemic. Talk to your employees first, they’re a great resource.
Employee referrals have long been a reliable source of new talent across many industries. That doesn’t change just because people are working from home. Your employees can refer people directly who will go through the same vetting process as any other candidate. And you can provide referral bonuses to your employees based on a successful onboarding experience with the new team member.
It may be easy to take remote workers for granted in this new employment atmosphere. You may believe that working from home is benefit enough, but that’s not the case. Not only will you need to provide the typical employer benefits, but offering additional meaningful benefits will keep your team engaged even when they can’t come into the office.
For example, don’t overlook a vacation policy just because your employees work from home. You should still provide paid time off. And don’t expect your employees to be available 24/7, be sure to encourage a reasonable work/life balance. You should also always invest in their continued career growth by extending opportunities for online learning.
Hiring doesn’t end when the person starts on their first day. And now, more than ever, the onboarding process is essential to engage new workers. Onboarding can sound difficult when you’re remote, but it’s critical.
Of course, your employees will need to complete their new hire paperwork. Providing the forms digitally with the opportunity to e-sign will expedite the process. To get your new hire excited about joining your company, put together a “welcome to the team package,” which can include company swag and other goodies, especially things like electronic gift certificates. You also need to ensure your new employee has all the tools they need. Don’t assume that they will have everything at their fingertips just because they can work remotely. Provide necessary items like laptops or phones and set them up with all of the digital tools and internet security.
What are your biggest questions about hiring remote employees in these times? HireHive wants to hear from you.
“HireHive makes the team a lot more productive. We’d be lost without it. Team Leaders can do it all themselves if needed or jump in at the right time and know exactly where everything is and what’s happening.”
Hilary Dempsey Head of HR at Life Credit union
