Leveraging Social Media to Rapidly Staff During COVID-19
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the U.S. federal government faced an unprecedented surge of unaccompanied minors crossing the border. In response to this urgent humanitarian crisis, GDH collaborated with a leading federal contracting company to rapidly staff and care for these children, leveraging social media and community referrals to hire over 800 staff members quickly.
CHALLENGE:
The challenge was to swiftly staff a newly established facility amidst stringent background checks and health screenings, compounded by the safety concerns and restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The urgent need to scale up to 800+ workers in a short timeframe, coupled with the requirement for bilingual staff fluent in Spanish, presented significant hurdles in sourcing qualified personnel capable of providing care and support to the children.
SOLUTION:
GDH devised a targeted social media campaign aimed at engaging and attracting qualified candidates to meet the staffing needs promptly. Leveraging platforms like Facebook and Instagram, GDH recruiters disseminated information about the job opportunities and provided contact details for interested applicants to apply or inquire further. GDH also tapped into referrals and community resources to expedite the recruitment process and identify suitable candidates. Additionally, GDH also provided a 5 person project team who collaborated with the client and worked onsite alongside new staff.
Collaborating closely with the federal contractor responsible for creating a medical environment for testing unaccompanied minors, lodging, supervision, and establishing essential infrastructure, GDH ensured seamless hiring and staffing operations. This partnership facilitated the alignment of staffing efforts with the overall project goals and requirements, ensuring that the recruited personnel were well-integrated into the broader operational framework.
As part of the comprehensive solution, the federal contractor, with GDH’s support and 5 person project team onsite, established a self-contained facility resembling a small city. This facility included schools to provide education to the children, recreational activities to foster their well-being, and robust IT infrastructure to support communication and operational needs.
RESULT:
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, GDH successfully sourced and hired over 800 staff members to care for unaccompanied minors within a remarkably short timeframe. These staff members were employed across three separate shifts; day, midday and overnight. Moreover, GDH maintained staffing levels throughout the duration of the project, ensuring continuous support and care for the children in need. The swift and effective response underscores GDH’s commitment to meeting critical staffing requirements, even in the most challenging of circumstances, while collaborating seamlessly with the federal contractor to achieve shared objectives.
- 800+ Workers Hired Quickly
- Leveraged Social Media to Find Potential Staff
- Overcame Significant Challenges in Sourcing, Vetting & Hiring
- Comprehensive Solution, Establishing Essential Infrastructure
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