How the Hiring Process Has Changed Since the Pandemic

When governments decided to shut down their nations’ respective economies to try and slow the spread of COVID-19, their actions set in motion a host of changes to the ways companies recruit and hire staff members. While almost nothing is still shut down, the hiring process has experienced many long-lasting alterations that may become permanent factors of the new hiring landscape.

Read on to know more about the ways the hiring process remains changed since the pandemic.  

More Important to Advertise Openings

The pandemic was a factor in The Great Resignation. In early 2022, about 20 million people resigned from their jobs, and many wound up taking new ones. Because it’s been more difficult to hire in this kind of environment, it is now doubly important to advertise job openings well and post them in as many places as possible. 

Employer branding is part of this effort particularly on social media, where posts about hiring can be widely seen and shared amongst a wider network. Referral programs can also be an important part of sourcing quality candidates and attracting those with whom employees want to work.

More Rehiring of Previous Employees and Candidates

It used to be fairly verboten to rehire an employee that had previously left the company. Why would you want to take back someone who didn’t see fit to keep working for you? At least that used to be the thinking. 

Part of this mentality goes back to the days when employee loyalty over decades was expected, and people didn’t change jobs every few years like they do now. As a result of the most challenging hiring environment in modern history, employers have started looking at former employees that wanted to give their companies additional chances. 

Change is rapid in today’s corporate environment. It’s easy to see the company an employee left just 5-10 years earlier might be substantially different than it was at that time. About 20% of those who quit their jobs in The Great Resignation regret doing so. Those willing to admit their regret and ask to come back may be welcomed with open arms by employers desperate for qualified candidates who already know how their environments function. 

More Technology in Recruiting

The pandemic brought a rapid evolution of recruiting technologies to many companies as they were forced to move their entire hiring process online for safety reasons. Applications and resumes had to be done online or sent through the mail if someone needed to get a job. Interviews took place over Zoom or were recorded, and onboarding ended up being online for jobs that would be done remotely. 

Recruiting software was able to automate many of these functions, streamlining the process and speeding it up so hiring could be done faster than ever before. Even now, as many workers have returned to their offices and with the emergency part of the pandemic largely over, the majority of interviews are still conducted remotely as it’s easier and more efficient for hiring staff, recruiters, and candidates. 

Candidates Less Limited by Geography

Because many jobs are now being done remotely, recruiters and hiring teams can source candidates from a much larger talent pool. Someone living in Oregon can take a job with a company in Vermont if they never have to show up to an office. 

This means there should be more candidates available for given jobs than before they were remote, but companies still need to find them. Recruiters and software tools can help with this process in new and surprising ways. 

It may seem like more of a gamble to hire someone remotely that you’ve never met in person, but it’s something that happens regularly in the current labor market. Background checks and reference checks are necessary to help avoid fraudulent applications. It’s considered safe to hire this way if companies perform due diligence throughout the process. 

Evolved Screening

For jobs that require drug testing, the pandemic was a challenge because many facilities were closed or not conducting in-person testing. Applicants may need to use at-home kits in place of in-person testing or requirements may be waived for remote workers as the risk scenario may be different. 

Focus on Employee Life Experience

When employees previously showed up to work in an office and left at the end of the day, it wasn’t really necessary for managers or employers to know much about their lives outside the office. Remote work and Zoom meetings changed all that, as supervisors got to see spouses, children, pets, and other parts of the home environment through the camera.

Suddenly, workers seemed like real people. They always were real people, but now their managers and supervisors were getting to know them on deeper levels. 

Over time, many employers began to reckon with these changes and focus more on their employees’ lives as a whole rather than just their work lives. Some things that happened included training and learning opportunities for family members rather than just employees, marital therapy, more paid time off, and mental health resources to support an employee as a whole person.

Employers that provide support for employees’ life experiences outside work are reaping the benefits of this practice. These employers have 21% more high performers, and 23% more report better mental health, while 17% report better physical health. 

Being able to offer this kind of holistic approach when hiring may help in the recruitment process, and employers may attract better quality candidates using this approach.

GDH offers help with recruiting for companies that need talent. Contact us to find out how we can improve your company’s hiring.

Posted on August 01, 2022, 12: 56PM