Attention:
One does not need to be an expert on market research or labor to understand that the employment landscape has changed significantly since the end of 2019 and, as the COVID-19 pandemic looks to be gradually abating, the world is faced with fresh post-epidemic issues, including the challenges faced by recruiters. The post-pandemic circumstances have fundamentally altered the recruitment space. Not everything in this space is inferior, though. A significant redeeming quality fostered by COVID-19 is a reoriented operational agility along with an employee-first mindset of companies. Given the perceptible sea change in the needs of the employees, the way businesses were working in the pre-COVID era, and the strategies that worked wonders for companies then have also undergone a drastic change. The enormous extension of the talent pool made possible by telecommuting is one of the most exciting developments the pandemic has brought to the hiring process. Recruitment companies have changed their business models to address staffing challenges and to operate in remote or hybrid contexts.
Interest:
The repercussions of what seems to be a persistent labor shortage, along with the appearance of the phenomenon called ‘The Great Resignation’ are among the most critical of the staffing challenges being faced by companies. The prolonged lockdowns and layoffs have allowed employees time to reassess their priorities, values, and needs concerning their employment. Threatened by the potential of the virus to harm health, employees are generally not too eager to return to the workplace. This is among the biggest challenges faced by recruiters. It becomes crucial, therefore, to put the various and frequently intricate demands of the employees first while hiring in the post-pandemic age. This means that employees are actively looking for companies that will support them in achieving work/life balance now more than ever. Recruitment companies will henceforth need to adopt new hiring procedures to address staffing challenges and broaden the scope of their search well beyond the conventional geographic bounds to take full advantage of the prospects made possible by the post-pandemic virtualization of modern office space.
Desires:
It is well recognized and a recorded fact that job openings decreased during the Covid period more quickly than they had in the 2008 recession. There were recruitment challenges during the pandemic. The hardest-hit industries included retail, aviation, and hospitality. It has been a gloomy period but things have started looking up. Rehiring and reboarding are on their way as the path to recovery in the context of recruitment challenges and solutions. Businesses that were previously forced to lay off employees are now rushing to rehire. The situation has completely turned around in several industries, and recruiters now face talent shortages. There are other challenges faced by recruiters. The talent war has returned with a vengeance. Jobseekers are starting to feel overrun with endless employment possibilities. The winning recruitment teams will be those that adapt and rehire quickly. The increased application volume is also stress-testing platforms and processes like never before. The selection and recruitment technologies that employ AI to support human decision-making at speed and scale come as a solution to recruitment challenges and are now a top priority. Recruitment companies are also facing intense pressure to increase their impact or run the risk of alienating potential employees, thus impeding the company’s ability to recover. In the given new circumstances, it becomes imperative for recruiters to make changes to their systems and procedures to show potential recruits that the organization is aware of employee demands. The nature of work, in general, is changing to better prepare for the post-pandemic workplace. After all, no potential customer wants to sign on with a business that is lagging and unable to adapt to changing market conditions and employee expectations. Further, organizations that did not treat their employees appropriately ran the risk of damaging their reputations for years to come. Building relationships and developing talent are now becoming indispensable. Treating each customer with dignity, respect, and compassion is the order of the day. Offering flex time or hybrid and remote work choices can be a tactical staffing solution and a key selling point for a workforce less willing to put up with the standard 40-hour, 9-to-5 on-campus workweek. Diversity, inclusion, and globalization are to be the keywords and strategies in fending recruitment challenges and solutions. This is especially important in the post-COVID era because female and minority workers may find it challenging to obtain a regular on-campus job due to the impact of COVID on their personal lives. There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected almost every part of our lives, including the methods with which we work and learn as well as how we connect and interact with each other. The outcomes have not been favorable for many. Looking for staffing solutions, companies would have to help workers improve their quality of life and aid in healing from the global trauma of the pandemic period. Economic revival undoubtedly depends on more than just increasing employment, it also hinges on regaining people’s trust, safeguarding the company brand, and adjusting to the new working and hiring styles.
Action:
The post-recruitment phase is thus one of rehiring and reboarding, so says the Fosway 9-GridTM Talent Acquisition Report 2021. Businesses are found hiring more people than ever before. Rebuilding labor strength has become crucial for business recovery. The success of new hires has always depended on effective onboarding. Now, the stakes are particularly high because a quick return to total productivity is essential for a successful corporate recovery. A thorough onboarding procedure can assist new hires in quickly integrating into the company and becoming productive. Recruitment companies are also considering rehiring former employees (laid off because of recruitment challenges during the pandemic) or reintegrating employees who have been on leave. Even these employees who are not starting from scratch would require fresh onboarding as they could face difficulty adjusting to new procedures in new teams. The game, in a nutshell, has changed since COVID, and even companies who believed they were in an advantageous position are reorganizing themselves and reorienting their staffing solutions to remain competitive. The solution to all challenges faced by recruiters post-COVID, thus lies in critical factors of employer branding, candidate experience, drawing in increased applications, diversity and inclusion, and onboarding.
