Streamlining Recruiting & Hiring During COVID-19

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has changed the workplace. The impacts have been felt across all industries and in all sizes of businesses. Some companies have been decimated; laying off staff and struggling to maintain operations. Some companies have found unprecedented success and growth. But all companies have had to adapt to the limitations of stay-at-home orders, quarantines, physical distancing, and numerous other interruptions to normal workflow. For any company that has weathered the COVID-19 storm, it is time to look forward to building a workforce that will contribute to recovery and success as we move towards what comes after this world-changing pandemic. 

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Building A Resilient Workforce

Businesses have had to adapt and pivot to remain operational through the current workforce disruptions. Restructuring the workday, the workplace, and the way the workforce connects allows companies to weather the pandemic challenges, remain competitive, and position themselves to rebound as we move towards the end. These same challenges have changed recruiting and hiring practices and necessitated flexibility in managing staffing amid COVID-19. Having a streamlined and effective strategy to rebuild and reinvigorate your workforce is vital.

Effective Recruiting & Hiring In a Pandemic And Beyond

As you work to create a staffing blueprint to carry you through the economic recovery and the realities of a new workplace model, these important considerations can position you for the most successful hiring experiences:

Workforce Planning: The financial and operational realities of the economy now make a careful analysis of your staffing requirements and an efficient plan to grow your workforce crucial. Weathering the pandemic may have highlighted gaps in your productivity, inefficiencies in your workflow, or even excessive and costly bloating of your labor force. A plan that allows you to operate with the skills and talent you need with contingencies for staff shortages due to illness or quarantine, but without expensive overstaffing can help you determine exactly who you need to hire.

Employee Profiling: Operating during the pandemic may have highlighted competencies that weren’t as important to your operations before. Beyond the formal training and expertise required by a particular role, soft skills like adaptability, time management, self-discipline, and communication may have emerged as vital as your operations have shifted to a remote model. Define clearly the exact qualities you need candidates to possess to round out your existing team and ensure your workforce can function effectively today and in the future.

Focused Recruiting: Online tools for recruiting have become fairly standard over the past several years, even prior to COVID-19. But leveraging every available network and emerging technology to streamline your recruiting process ensures you have access to the most talented, skilled, and suitable candidate for your organization. With the rise in remote workspaces and virtual offices, you have access to a truly talent pool and your options for engaging with compelling candidates across the globe is a real option now.

Virtual Screening: Gone are the days of face-to-face interviews. Like many aspects of operations, the evaluation process has moved online. Ensure that your hiring team has developed best practices for video interviews to ensure an online engagement with a possible hire is productive, informative, and engaging. An online interview can be more flexible in time and location and allow a candidate to connect from a familiar and comfortable environment. But keep in mind that it is even more important to verify a candidate’s credentials when your talent pool opens.

Structuring a comprehensive recruiting and hiring plan in the midst of a pandemic is challenging. Especially when you want to ensure that the work you put into your strategy can carry your organization through the recovery of our workforce and economy. If your labor force is already taxed managing the challenges of business operations consider partnering with recruiting specialists like the team at Wide Effect. Our recruiters are knowledgeable, experienced, and accomplished in creating staffing solutions for all sectors of the construction industry. Having worked with many of the nation’s top construction firms, we have a wealth of resources to share with you.

 

Partner For Solutions

Wide Effect is the nation's top recruiting force for Construction, Maritime, Renewable Energy, Oil & Gas, and Safety Personnel. If you have staffing challenges at any level, from labor to leadership, and are looking to build a robust recruiting and hiring process,  we have the solution. Connect with our recruiters in all 50 states now and learn more about our staffing blueprint for success.

 

FAQ

What are the protocols for interviewing during COVID-19?

It is recommended that you check your current local restrictions and health protocols for advice when considering an in-person interview. But we recommend that all hiring managers have processes for online, virtual interviews in place so your recruiting flow is not impeded by public health changes.

Is virtual interviewing effective?

Conducting candidate interviews online can allow you to connect with a candidate just as effectively as in person. And in fact, you can benefit from more flexible scheduling options and the ability to connect with potential hires anywhere in the world. Ensure that your hardware connections are strong and create a compelling interview process to engage effectively with your applicant.

What aspects of recruiting and hiring can Wide Effect help with?

Wide Effect has the experience and knowledge to create customized recruiting and hiring plans and can implement strategies that are just right for your staffing needs. Learn more about our workforce solutions here.