The year 2020 completely changed work and recruitment. Almost all businesses had to change their processes since most of their workforce had to work remotely from home. There were many difficulties in this process, but these businesses certainly found a way to be successful and thrive. Many of them even grew their operations, marketing jobs, teams and business as a whole. However, one of the more difficult parts is the recruitment process during COVID-19 was successfully on-boarding and introducing new employees to the team.
Remote Recruitment
As mentioned previously, recruiting new employees is quite difficult in this current climate. However, there are many more potential candidates available that are ready to start almost immediately. Even though it is strange to be unable to meet with potential candidates in person, this is quickly becoming the new normal since everyone is adapting to working and meeting in virtual spaces. So, if you want to recruit remotely then you will need to shift how you think and become a bit more imaginative. We can still find perfect candidates now as we did previously. We still meet our candidates virtually first before they are forwarded to any employer. This is done through video interviews so that we can learn about each potential employee and not just work with CVs. By doing this we are able to provide great candidates. We even share our initial interviews with employers so that you can get a first impression and save time. After all, you may not want to do numerous interviews.
Even though it isn’t possible to meet candidates in person, this doesn’t change your recruitment ability and process. First there is a short interview followed by a longer and more serious interview. The second more serious interview can be used to test particular skills via tasks and you can even ask the candidate to create a presentation.
Onboarding Reassuring & Communicating
When it comes to a new job, most people get very nervous and anxious. This is compounded by COVID-19 and it is even more stressful than before. As a result, talent or line managers have to be as open as possible and provide clear communication and reassurance. To demonstrate this, one of our candidates that got the job relayed how the manager contacted them to welcome them into the company and then later sent an email which included their personal contact information and a note saying that they can contact them anytime. This is great as it keeps communication open without being imposing.
Technology Assistance
It would be almost impossible to navigate these new times without Zoom, VPNs, Slack, mobile devices, laptops etc. It’s definitely a great time for those secret IT and technology experts. So, make sure you do all that is necessary to have your technology set up as soon as you can.
Welcome Program
Next, having structure is necessary, especially for a new employee. This can be done with a welcome program. However, make sure that you don’t put too much information in this program but it should have a clear path for the first week. For example, the welcome program can include introductions to the rest of the team via a Zoom call. There should also be a presentation on the company and the culture in addition to daily tasks.
Contact
Make sure that you keep in close contact with new employees and ensure that they are able and comfortable calling if necessary. You should strive to make them feel a sense of openness and trust and that you won’t micromanage them or check in on them all of the time. You can start with having a daily chat on Zoom or even a normal call during the first few weeks. Then, over time you can schedule calls less frequently especially if everything is going well.