Category: COVID-19

Leading in the New Reality: Keeping Employees Engaged Across Flexible Work Arrangements

Posted on by jpatel

Improved employee satisfaction and overall productivity have proven that the new models of flexible work organisations implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be going anywhere any time soon. In fact, 83% of U.S. companies surveyed by Mercer are considering implementing flexible working at a greater scale than they were prior to the pandemic. In order to improve employee engagement, just as leaders had to adapt to managing remote teams at the onset of the pandemic, they will again need to readjust their approach as they lead teams across a variety of locations, schedules and unique work arrangements.

At PeopleScout, implementing flexible work to support our people is something we know well. One example of this is Emily Gordon, a single mother to a pediatric cancer survivor and PeopleScout’s vice president of global implementation.

In late 2016, when Emily had her final interview before joining PeopleScout, she was sitting in a hospital hallway while her daughter was finishing her fight with pediatric cancer – or so she thought. Emily’s daughter was nine years old when she battled cancer the first time and almost 11 when it returned. As a result, Emily’s goal was to find a company in which she could both work remotely and continue to support her daughter and family. But, prior to COVID-19, there were limited options for people who needed to be adaptable and still work full-time to support loved ones. Thankfully, PeopleScout’s work flexibility options gave Emily that opportunity.

Emily’s team was willing to work with her on video, which enabled her to be in the hospital with her daughter for more than 100 days in a year, while also exceeding work goals and supporting one of PeopleScout’s largest RPO clients. In turn, Emily has been comfortable hiring people who also need flexibility, such as in part-time or split-shift roles. As Emily’s story illustrates, the need for flexible work options exists outside of COVID-19. These unique situations existed before the pandemic and will continue when it eventually passes; it’s up to organisations to have flexible strategies in place to support their workers.

Even with the variety of benefits of workplace flexibility, the management of it is not without its challenges. Chief among them is how to improve employee engagement, especially during COVID-19. When employees cannot safely interact in close quarters, making sure they remain motivated and attentive is not always easy. In this article, we outline tips for how to effectively manage teams and improve employee engagement through the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.

“My team was already leveraging technology and reporting to support communication, and when COVID-19 hit, we amplified that across the whole portfolio. We meet twice a week for up to an hour to just talk, listen, give updates and support one another. All it takes is a willingness to over-communicate. Flexibility does not mean less work or performance. In my experience, it means people work harder to achieve goals because they are grateful for the support and understanding that work is not one-size-fits-all.”

Emily Gordon, VP of Global Implementation

Focus on Communication

Communication was important before and throughout the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that a strong communication strategy is at the top of the list for best practices in the new work reality. Regardless of whether you’re leading in-person teams remotely, leading a remote team while you remain in the office, or a combination of both, frequent communication is paramount.

Specifically, managers should schedule regular check-ins with the team as a whole to quickly solve challenges, share knowledge, and communicate openly about what’s working and what might need improvement. Likewise, one-on-one meetings are also important so managers and employees can share feedback and stay on the same page even if they’re working in different locations. Keep in mind that, because many of these flexible work arrangements are still new, it might take some time to find the right meeting cadence that works for both parties. For instance, while it might start out as a weekly check-in, you may find that one employee prefers ad-hoc calls while another prefers a set schedule to keep them on track. Try to remain as flexible as possible when it comes to these check-ins; they’re crucial for helping employees feel connected and cared for.

Quick Tip: Remember to trust your people and approach communications with a sense of empathy and a people-first focus.

Improve Employee Engagement Through Collaboration

Because employees may be scattered across different locations, working different hours or job-sharing, it can be easy to feel a little disconnected from each other – especially for workers who are not regularly going into the office. Fortunately, leaders can help solve this challenge by leveraging the following tools and strategies that foster collaboration and connectedness across teams.

Create a Team Brief

Your flexible work model may see some people working special hours to care for kids or loved ones, while others are using a hybrid model to work both in the office and remotely on alternating days. To ensure everyone is on the same page, it can be helpful to create a short team brief that outlines key expectations, covers how and when you’ll communicate, and transparently shares each employee’s schedule.

Quick Tip: Utilise tools like Teams and Slack (or your preferred communication platform) to set messages for when you’re away and when you’ll be back online.

Encourage Video Meetings to Improve Employee Engagement

While some employees are working in-person because their job duties require them to or they don’t have the means to work effectively at home every day, others may be fully remote for safety and family obligations. However, if you’re not careful, these employees can easily feel left out because they’re missing out on the face-to-face interactions and impromptu conversations that naturally occur when people work together in the same office.

Quick Tip: Ensure employees have the tools necessary for high-quality video calls, including proper audio and video equipment.

Fortunately, according to OwlLabs, 93% of people agree that video conferencing is effective at improving the connectedness of remote employees. Therefore, encourage calls to be taken on video so virtual workers have the opportunity to view and share non-verbal reactions, as well as their verbal insight. At the same time, pre-determine which meetings will be on video so employees have a chance to prepare. And, to combat video fatigue, be flexible in allowing people to remain off video if it is not conducive for them on a given day.

Quick Tip: Create a digital space where meeting attendees can post thoughts and notes once they’ve reflected on the call. This can give remote employees the chance to contribute to the “meeting after the meeting” that often occurs in person.

To enhance participation in video calls, show people how to ask questions in the chat, virtually raise their hand, and/or use breakout rooms so everyone has a chance to work and connect with one another.

Utilise Shared Dashboards

With people working various hours and in different places, staying aligned on goals and the work that is being done can be a challenge. However, by leveraging available technology, you can create team dashboards that share which projects are currently in progress and who is working on what. This can then give the whole team insight into the work that everyone is contributing, as well as the progress being made toward goals –regardless of when and where they’re working. Digital project management dashboards are also a great way to assign tasks, track targets and share ideas.

Quick Tip: To boost connectedness, create sub-channels within your communication platforms to group individuals with similar professional skills and personal interests.

Build Community to Improve Employee Engagement

It’s important that neither the in-person nor the remote teams become isolated from the other. As a manager, it’s your job to ensure you’re not mistakenly focusing more on one team over the other. To that end, a great way to build team culture and community is to spend some time each month on a virtual happy hour, coffee break or other team-building activity perfect for hybrid teams. Then, when the pandemic is no longer looming over us, it will also be important to make time to see people in-person when possible. For example, if you are traveling to the same location as an office or remote employee, set aside some time to meet them for a cup of coffee or lunch. Or, if you normally have a virtual check-in at the time you’re visiting, conduct your meeting face-to-face.

Quick Tip: To create equity between your remote and in-person teams, try to find unique ways to extend perks to virtual team members, as well. For example, when providing lunch for a meeting at the office, offer your remote workers a gift card for their lunch at home.

Create opportunities for hybrid teams to connect with each other on a personal level. For example, if it’s “bring your kid to work day” in the office, allow remote employees to bring their child to video sessions. This is an easy way to stimulate real connections between colleagues.

Flexible work models are quickly becoming the norm and are already proving to be an integral part of the way we work during the pandemic. The modes of work established in these instrumental months will pave the way for a future of flexible work beyond the current global health crisis. In that future, leaders will need to prioritise communication, collaboration and connectedness to create sustainable team engagement, productivity and culture.

COVID-19 and the Workforce: May 6, 2022

Posted on by jpatel

TOP HEADLINES 

Littler Survey: Competitive Talent Market and Pandemic Uncertainty Complicate Return-to-Office Policies 
Littler – May 4, 2022 
Tenth annual survey of nearly 1,300 executives finds U.S. employers split on vaccine mandates but aligned on reopening offices and benefits of flexible work models. 

U.S. Jobless Claims Jump in Latest Week by Biggest Amount Since Last July 
MarketWatch – May 5, 2022  
Initial jobless claims rose by 19,000 to 200,000 in the week ended April 30, the Labor Department said Thursday. This is the biggest weekly rise in claims since last July and the highest level since mid-February. 

Intersection of ADA, COVID-19 Requires Creative Reopening Policies, EEOC Official Says 
HR Dive – April 12, 2022 
The EEOC has received hundreds of charges involving both COVID-19 vaccination and the ADA, according to Evangeline Hawthorne, the agency’s Tampa field office director. 

What’s New from the CDC 
Keep up with all the latest information on COVID-19 directly from the resources created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

GLOBAL NEWS 

AUSTRALIA 
The Latest COVID-19 Case Numbers From Around the States and Territories 
ABC News – May 5, 2022 
Here’s a quick wrap of what’s happening with COVID-19 figures across Australia. 

CANADA 
Producing Made-in-Canada Vaccines and Creating Hundreds of Good Jobs 
Government of Canada – April 29, 2022 
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced that COVID-19 vaccine developer Moderna will build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Quebec to deliver made-in-Canada vaccines. 

INDIA 
Majority of India’s 900 Million Workforce Stop Looking for Jobs 
Bloomberg – April 24, 2022  
India’s job creation problem is morphing into a greater threat: a growing number of people are no longer even looking for work. 

UNITED KINGDOM 
UK – Number of Active Job Ads on the Rise but Job Market Remains Tight 
Staffing Industry Analysts – May 5, 2022 
The number of active job adverts across the UK has risen steadily since late March, according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Emsi Burning Glass’s latest Labour Market Tracker. 

UNITED STATES 
COVID Cases Rise Across Bulk of the U.S. 
Axios – April 28, 2022 
COVID cases are on the rise in all but six states and Washington, D.C., as the Omicron subvariant continues to spread across the U.S. 

POLAND 
Poland to Lift State of Epidemic After Two Years in Force 
The First News – April 29, 2022 
The state of epidemic threat involves fewer restrictions as well as milder counter-epidemic measures compared to the state of epidemic. 

The Returning to the Office after COVID: Rethinking How & Where We Work

Posted on by edyson

Returning to the office has taken on a new meaning. As we return to work, we now reflect that more than a year ago, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. So, in the years to come, we’ll look back on how the pandemic’s lasting effects have permanently reshaped the workplace and the world at large and how organization’s handled the return to work.

So what does a return to work look like? Right now, the fog of the present obscures what our “new normal” will look like. As work becomes increasingly digitally enabled and uncertainty continues, many employers are wondering when or if they should return to the workplace, as well as how exactly to go about the process.

So, in this article, we’ll cover what employees expect from employers during their return to work, how employers are leveraging the hybrid workforce model, and strategies that organizations should consider implementing while planning a safe return to the workplace.

The Return to Work: Employer Preparations Versus Employee Expectations

return to work

The pandemic has tested the employee and employer relationship. Employers have supported their workforce to an unprecedented degree in ways they hadn’t before and under greater scrutiny. Meanwhile, workers have shown incredible resilience and adaptability as they worked to remain productive amidst the challenges of the pandemic.

Then, the development of vaccines raised confidence in returning to the workplace, but uncertainties remain about how to bring employees back safely. As such, employers should develop a return strategy that helps meet their business goals, while also addressing employee expectations and the need for increased flexibility.

According to PwC’s U.S. Pulse Survey, employees reported that their preferred work arrangements were:

return to office after covid

Interestingly, according to a report from The Conference Board, returning employees to the workplace is more important for U.S.-based employers. Specifically, the survey found that, among U.S. executives, 22% said returning employees to the workplace was a priority, while only 5% of their global counterparts agreed.

In the next section, we’ll discuss how employers and employees can find common ground through a hybrid workplace model.

Returning to the Office: The Workforce of the Future is Hybrid

While both employees and employers have varying expectations on what a return should look like, one thing is clear: everyone expects more flexibility in the workplace, and a hybrid workplace model combines characteristics of remote and on-site work. In a hybrid workplace, some or all employees are free to choose where and when they work; they can also divide their time between working from home, a co-working space or their organization’s office.


Granted, whether an employer can offer a hybrid workplace model depends on multiple considerations, most notably the industry and job type. While there are a variety of careers and roles that require employees to be on-site every day, Gartner estimates that nearly two-thirds of employees—mostly knowledge workers—can work remotely at least some of the time. They can fully focus on tasks without the noises and interruptions of the traditional workplace environment. They can choose to work when they’re feeling most productive, whether that’s in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. When employees are happier, better rested and less stressed, they do better work.

Employee Wellbeing and Returning to the Office

Being free to work when and where they please has a significant positive influence on employee satisfaction. For instance, in a SurveyMonkey study, employees who worked remotely reported feeling happier than their colleagues who remained working in the office. However, for others, working remotely can be isolating and even distracting. Clearly, a hybrid workplace mitigates many of the downsides of pure remote work to create a professional space outside of the home for employees to collaborate and socialize with colleagues.

Lowered Costs

In a hybrid workplace, there’s no need for row after row of assigned desks. Instead, once an organization knows how many employees will be in the office at any given time, employers can plan around new occupancy levels to cut down on the cost of rent and other expenses.

Safety

For extra safety returning to the office, a hybrid workplace also helps keep employees safe during the pandemic by: reducing the number of people in the workplace at any one given time; creating ample personal space; and making it easier to stay distanced. Flexible workers can also commute during off-peak times or work from home if they or their family are at particular risk.

Return to Work: The Hybrid Workforce in Action

For example, at IBM an employee’s office attendance requirement is determined by work deliverables or the need for team collaboration. While at, Ford office workers are required to be on site for specific meetings or projects, otherwise they are permitted to work remotely. At Uber, Citigroup and H&R Block employees are required to be in the office two to three days per week.

Conversely, some employers place workers into tiers. For instance, Salesforce divided their hybrid workforce into three tiers: flex employees in the office one to three days per week, fully remote employees and office-based employees required to be in the office four to five days per week. Similarly, TIAA will group employee roles into four categories: fully remote, mostly remote, mostly on site, and fully on site.

Supporting Your Employees Return to Work

As expected, balancing the physical and emotional wellbeing of employees with the business needs of the employer has been a top challenge for talent and HR leaders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As an example, when PwC’s COVID-19 Global CFO Pulse Survey asked, “Which of the following is your company planning to implement once you start to transition back to on-site work?”, CFOs responded:

returning to office after working from home covid-19

Mental Health and Workplace Stress

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone’s mental health to some degree, so feelings of anxiety and hesitancy around returning to the workplace should are to be expected.  Now more than ever, leaders and managers need to demonstrate compassion and understanding. Employers should invest in new mental health resources for employees in need. This can take the form of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or a referral to external organizations that can crisis intervention, counseling, or other assistance. Plus, easy access to and promotion of an employer’s EAP can help provide many helpful resources for employee mental health in the workplace.

Flexible Paid Sick Policy

For workers with limited paid sick time, testing positive for COVID-19 comes with potential repercussions to their livelihood. To mitigate the potential loss of income, employer should consider implementing a flexible paid sick policy that offers employees additional paid time off if they do contract COVID-19. This may put employees, who would otherwise worry about the repercussions of getting sick, at ease. Paid sick leave policies should also communicate the importance of staying home when feeling unwell (even if unsure) while making it clear that doing so will not impact that employee negatively. For more information and guidance on sick leave policy and returning to work after

Create Clear and Consistent Communications

An action plan for returning to the workplace is only as effective as an organization’s ability to clearly articulate the details of the plan to employees in a way that everyone understands. Moreover, communicating with employees about plans to reopen can help keep them engaged and provide a sense of normalcy. Employees will want to hear about their employers reopening plans, from social distancing to wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as details about workplace layout and exactly who is required to return and when.

Returning to Work After COVID: Conclusion

Returning to Work After COVID

COVID-19 has taught us a lot about how we live and how we work. It has laid bare that our usual routines are not set in stone, and that alternative ways of working and building community within in organization are not just viable but can have a lasting impact on our happiness, productivity and wellbeing. The future of work is flexible, and more businesses are turning to the hybrid model as a way to achieve the flexibility their employees need. Going forward, the concept of the workplace in the minds of many employees and organizations will no longer be confined to a physical space, rather a hybrid mix of places and spaces where work can be accomplished. 

Navigating the Great Rehire

Posted on by akessler

There’s quite a bit of noise about “the great rehire,” an anticipated economic bounce back leading to a spike in job vacancies. Whilst nobody really knows exactly when this will happen, many agree that most economies including the UK’s will see a significant bounce. It all sounds very promising, especially considering that some forecasts show unemployment may reach as high as 7.5% or maybe even 10% in the coming months.

With many more looking for jobs post-furlough and the anticipation of new vacancies opening up, does this mean the war for talent is over? Will vacancies get filled quicker? In some cases, this will undoubtedly happen, but for recruitment teams, it will create a whole set of new challenges!

What we’re already seeing across many of our clients is a spike in applications compared to historical numbers. In many cases, the majority of these candidates are deemed not suitable for the role. Given the particular sectors that have been impacted by the pandemic, it is essential that employers start to think more open-mindedly about transferable skills from industries they wouldn’t normally consider hiring from.

But, for harder-to-fill roles requiring specific skills and experience, recruiters will be under pressure to protect the candidate experience as app numbers rise. Finding the right fit will be potentially just as hard as it was pre-pandemic. The difference now is that there will be more candidates to sift and manage. Thus, it’s important to invest in your candidate journey and your talent technology to support “the great rehire”. This will help you get the candidate experience right and not fall into the trap of rushing things.

The other key consideration here is your company’s DE&I agenda. There’s plenty of evidence to support that certain minority groups typically take longer to move through a recruitment process, especially if you have automation or online assessments. The temptation for hiring managers and recruiters is to make the required skills more specific or increase pass marks. None of these actions will support your company’s desire to increase diversity.

Questions you should be thinking about now include:

  • Has the size of your recruitment team decreased?
  • What workforce planning is being done?
  • What plans have you made for increased candidate activity, and how will you protect the candidate experience and measure adverse impact?
  • What technology are you using to help your teams and enhance the candidate experience?

The pandemic has changed the game for talent acquisition, and TA leaders should think about how to best build resilience and agility into their workforce strategy. Ensuring you’ve got the ability to scale up (and down) your hiring capacity—whether in-house or through RPO—will help you navigate “the great rehire” and ensure you can access top talent.

COVID-19 Series: What Work Means Now

Posted on by nfuqua

As organizations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re talking to our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

We are focused on the safety of our employees and clients, friends, families and loved ones. However, it is important for many organizations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organizations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, this podcast shares insights from a wide-ranging conversation from our UK team about the impact of COVID-19 on recruiting and hiring. The pandemic is impacting everything from how we conduct interviews to how candidates view recruitment marketing.

In this conversation, you’ll hear from Simon Wright, managing partner, Robert Peasnell, deputy managing director and Vanessa Hawes, senior employer brand and communications strategist.

COVID-19 Series: The Future of Work and A Global Look at the Role of HR

Posted on by nfuqua

As organizations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re talking to our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

We are focused on the safety of our employees and clients, friends, families and loved ones. However, it is important for many organizations to keep their talent acquisition functions moving – whether to provide essential services or to serve our communities by providing jobs. Many organizations are also now adapting to a newly virtual workforce.

In that spirit, this podcast shares insights from three of our leaders here at PeopleScout about how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the future of work, and what HR leaders should be thinking about right now.

You’ll hear from Jennifer Mattocks, PeopleScout’s managing director of the Americas; Robert Peasnell, deputy managing director of the United Kingdom; and Guy Bryant-Fenn, managing director of Australia and New Zealand.

On-Demand Webinar: What Work Means Now – How to Attract and Retain the Talent You Need

Posted on by mhill

Join Simon Wright, Managing Partner for this on demand webinar ‘What ‘work’ means now – How to attract and retain the talent you need’.

In this webinar,  we look to the future and discuss the next normal and what is means for you:

  • What changes can we expect to see to the world of work?
  • What will this mean for the relationship between employers and both current and potential colleagues?
  • What will the impact be on the ability for organisations to attract and retain talent moving forward?

Staying COVID-Safe: Are You Ready to be a Health Business?

Posted on by akessler

This week in the UK, many businesses are considering how to safely return their employees to construction sites, field work and offices in larger numbers. Schools, nurseries and—dare we hope—shops, bars and restaurants may follow in June and July.

What does your workplace look like today? Is it an empty office or a packed manufacturing facility? Wherever your employees and colleagues are, their health and safety have never been more important.

Post-pandemic, the vigilance around employee care will move from wellness to health. I don’t want to downplay a strong wellbeing policy, and it’s cool to have a yoga studio, but it’s essential to provide protection from harm. Government guidelines will likely mean it’s not a matter of choice, but it’s not legislation alone that will drive this cultural change. 

Some new examples of business responses are highlighted in a recent article from the BBC, from onsite medical teams to implementing temperature checks for employees and customers.

“We used to say every business will be a digital business. But today we say every business will be a health business.”

Gianfranco Casati, Chief Executive for Growth markets, Accenture

Businesses with high-risk environments have recognised the importance of keeping employees safe and healthy for a long time. I worked with an offshore drilling company who set ‘Safety’ as a cultural objective for all employees. It’s  sound reasoning—a payroll clerk doing their job with unerring accuracy gives someone on the drilling platform one less distraction on the job.

So, how does this impact recruitment and talent acquisition?

Candidate Experience 

In your communications plan, information on health and wellbeing should be mandatory information, not just positioned as a benefit. Recruiters and interviewers must demonstrate higher levels of responsibility and care to candidates, including guidance on safely accessing your sites.

Technology 

Implementing virtual hiring solutions can help to protect your employees and candidates by eliminating face-to-face interactions while allowing you to continue moving forward with your recruiting needs.

Employer Brand 

In late 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, prospective employees who wanted to understand a company’s culture and values asked their interviewers how they and their colleagues were treated, and how well they were cared for.

In a way, that shouldn’t feel new. People and culture are most companies’ greatest assets. Leading organisations recognise this and demonstrate it to their employees and candidates. Protecting your people must be more serious now, but it’s likely always been a priority.  

Haven’t you always been a health business?

Keeping Candidates and Employees Safe with a Virtual Hiring Solution with Allison Brigden

Posted on by edyson

As organisations around the globe confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, even the most seasoned talent leaders find themselves in uncharted territory. We’re creating a mini-series with our experts here at PeopleScout about the issues that are most pressing during this uncertain time.

This profile shares insights from PeopleScout Global Leader of Affinix Client Success and Strategy, Allison Brigden, on transitioning to a virtual talent acquisition solution. Allison leads the Affinix Client Success Team and our strategic technology partnerships.

Allison shared her insights about virtual hiring solutions from her home in Chicago.

Allison, we know that things are hard right now, but a lot of organisations that provide essential goods and services need to keep hiring and it’s important to keep both employees and candidates safe during the process. What’s the best way to do this?

The best way to do that is to continue your recruiting process, but do it virtually. Recruiting has undergone a digital transformation and essentially all of the recruiting steps can be handled virtually. By moving to this type of process, you can provide access to jobs in a completely safe environment without contact for both the employer and the job seeker. Of course, candidates have been able to apply online for a long time and recruiters can review resumes online, but most interviews have still been done in person. 

Interviews can be done virtually through technology that allows you to have a live, two-way video or a pre-recorded video that the candidate can do on their timeline, at their convenience. Later, the audio or video recording can be reviewed by both the recruiter and the hiring manager.

This technology can easily support a process that can be fully virtual from the time candidates apply through the offer and onboarding. As I said, the technology has been available for a while, but it hasn’t been fully adopted. This is an opportune time for us to use the available technology. 

A virtual hiring solution allows us to put health and safety first, but also provide access to jobs for those who need one during this challenging time. There’s also been a huge spike in jobs for remote workers in the past few weeks. A virtual hiring solution is directly aligned to that remote work environment as well, so it’s a very good time to introduce that and transition to a virtual process for your recruiting.

So, what does a virtual talent acquisition solution look like?

A virtual hiring solution leverages technology, but it can also have a highly personal touch. By using technologies to their full advantage, recruiters can and will have more time to spend with applicants. Technology can engage one applicant with multiple interviewers and live two-way video engagement. You can even have a panel interview with five different interviewers connecting with a candidate at the same time.

You should strive to make your virtual conversations feel more personal, just because you are leveraging technology doesn’t mean that you have to lose that personal touch as part of the process.

To further answer this question, I think a virtual hiring solution should involve the following components:

First, you should have an easy application that can be done on a mobile phone. It should feel like an online shopping experience and should only take four to eight minutes. There should also be an immediate next step, so that the applicant can drive the process.

This could be a text exchange where you’re asking questions about the interview schedule or the requirements of the job, or it can be a video exchange or a candidate-friendly assessment process. All this can be done on their mobile phone. 

Another really important component is automated self-scheduling. This allows the candidate to look at the available interview times and select one for themselves, either via text or via an online web experience. This also allows candidates to drive that next step – whether it’s a phone interview with the recruiter or a live video interview. Giving the candidate the ability to drive forward in the process is also a very important component of a virtual hiring solution.

The offer and the post-offer process can also be done virtually. This has been done over the phone for a long time, but there are also more options for a personalised and engaging onboarding experience, which can help right now when people are feeling a little bit isolated or disconnected. 

As an example, after someone has accepted an offer have a welcome video sent to their phone or preferred device where you welcome them and tell them what to expect on their first day. 

The entire virtual hiring process can be fully branded to elevate your employer brand and the connection you have with applicants. These are the components you’d want to have in place while building your virtual process.

In summary, a virtual hiring solution can be very safe while still being highly effective. It doesn’t require contact, but it also gives you that chance to connect with potential new employees and provide them a personalised experience.

Can you tell me some of the short-term and long-term benefits that people would see with a virtual hiring solution?

Things are changing quickly and it’s very important to remember that we’re all in this together and we need to be understanding and flexible as things develop. PeopleScout can definitely help with both short-term benefits for the job seeker as well as long-term benefits for the company. 

Short-term benefits are fairly clear. The virtual interview and scheduling process provides a completely safe, no-contact method to further the recruiting process, which is a clear short-term benefit. Another short-term benefit is speed-to-hire. We typically see a reduction of four to eight days in the time it takes to fill a job.

Virtual interviews and automated scheduling reduce the amount of time it takes to fill a job and that’s a short-term benefit in getting an essential worker on the job sooner. By providing a more automated applicant-driven process, you can enhance the candidate experience and lead to acquiring better talent faster. 

Virtual interviews and automated scheduling are also a long-term benefit because companies will see improvements in their business outcomes as people reach productivity faster.  A few additional benefits include saving money and travel costs for interviews, if you would normally have candidates travel in for an interview and a lower overall cost-per-hire.

Once you have a virtual process in place, you don’t need to return to previous hiring practices, you can continue the virtual process and reap the same benefits.

Giving candidates more control in the process, whether that be the option to record an on-demand video or audio interview, or scheduling an interview themselves, puts them in a position of controlling the process, or driving the next step, which is a great improvement in the candidate experience. If you implement this virtual process today, you’ll see these short-term and long-term benefits that you can carry forward as the future unfolds.

How do you transition or implement a virtual hiring solution?

The good news here is that this transition is more of a light lift than a heavy lift. Most likely, a large part of an employer’s process is already virtual. Everyone can apply online. Recruiters can work online to interact with the systems already in place.

Mostly you need to focus on the steps that are traditionally face-to-face, like the interview itself or some parts of the onboarding process. You probably don’t need to overhaul the whole application and hiring process, but rather just introduce this virtual interviewing and scheduling component. And, if you’re working with a provider, like a recruitment process outsourcing partner, they can actually handle much of that transition for you. Even if you just have an in-house team, it’s not a very difficult transition to make.

The biggest challenge will be the adoption and training. I would definitely want to have an employer focus their efforts on helping the hiring managers understand the process and share the short-term and long-term benefits so that they can drive adoption within their organisation.

For a lot of organisations, hiring face-to-face may be deeply ingrained into the culture. How can you make virtual interviewing work in a way that still feels authentic and personal for both the hiring manager and the candidate?

A big part of this is comfort level. And the only way to truly get comfortable with something is to start using it. So, the comfort level will increase for everyone involved as they continue to use the technology. This is true for candidates too. The first time they do an interview like this, they might have increased nervousness. 

After they’ve been through it once, we’ve seen that the next time they become more comfortable. But there are things you can do to make it the best experience possible, and to make it feel authentic and personal.

Even though this is a virtual interview, as a recruiter, you want to be prepared so that you have meaningful questions to ask. Make sure you have pertinent information about the job on-hand, and make sure you’ve reviewed the resumes so you’re not going in cold to this interview experience.

As a candidate, you want to be sure that you have the same level of professionalism that you would have in a face-to-face environment. This extends to not just how you dress for the interview, but making sure that you have a quiet place to participate, etc. Another best practice would be to test the technology first. Most virtual interviewing technologies allow you to test your video and your sound, so you’re able to see what the video looks like before you begin the process. 

For employers, I also recommend testing your connections and making sure everything looks and sounds good. Once the video interviews begins you should also reinforce your employer brand by letting the candidate know unique things about your company culture that may appeal to the candidate. Displaying your company culture is important during the virtual hiring process, as candidates do not have to opportunity to visit your facility.

Beyond displaying your company culture and employer brand, you need to make sure you ask the right questions during the interview to better understand a candidate’s experience and competencies, and very importantly, communicate openly and authentically about the role and your expectations. 

After the interview is done, it’s important to provide some sort of feedback to the candidate, and let them know what the next step is in the process. Whether or not a candidate is moving forward in the process or not, provide them that information in a timely way so they’re not left wondering and feeling disconnected from your brand and keep all of the interactions warm. 

Are there any final thoughts you’d like to leave us with?

I would just say that it is important for those essential workers that we need in the healthcare industry and front line retail and essential goods industries to be able to hire at this time. Being able to move forward with this process and keep recruiters busy and employed to fill these critical jobs is very important and it’s a great way to help in this uncertain time. And then lastly, I would just say keep safe everyone. Follow the recommendations of the CDC and the world health organisation and we will all come through this challenging time together.

To learn more about ways employers can respond to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, visit our Resource Centre. 

Building a Modern Business Continuity Plan

Posted on by jpatel

With the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), many companies have had to put their business continuity plans to the test — shedding light into areas where their plans may not have been as complete or effective as expected. Without a solid and tested business continuity plan in place, organisations may find themselves confused — which can lead to delayed response time and in some cases, a negative impact to the services or products a business provides. 

In this article, I’ll outline the importance of having a business continuity plan, tips for creating a thorough plan and who should be involved in the planning process. 

The Importance of Having a Business Continuity Plan 

Before I highlight its purpose, let’s start with the basic definition of a business continuity plan. It can be defined as: 

A step-by-step business strategy built to be executed at a time when there is a disruption in services to protect people and assets and have the ability to resume operations in an expedient and controlled fashion. In addition, it identifies requirements and an execution strategy related to business operations and people.  

It’s important to have a thorough and complete plan because it’s the only way to ensure organisations are effectively prepared for a business interruption. A solid plan enables organisations to continue critical business processes to minimise the impacts to customers and employees. 

As an example, our business continuity plans at PeopleScout allow us to continue service delivery to clients in any type of adverse condition and lower the overall cost of disruption from incidents, all while ensuring we are meeting our contractual obligations. When it comes to our clients, we always make sure we have a current, tested business continuity plan in place to effectively support their business in any situation.  

Creating a Thorough and Complete Plan 

What should the business continuity plan look like? 

First, it’s important to note that “thorough and complete” does not necessarily mean “complicated” or “difficult to understand.” Also, the technology used to capture the details of the plan is less important than the accessibility of the details that are included along with the plan itself. 

An effective business continuity plan should clearly define: 

  • What to do 
  • How to do it 
  • Who will do it 
  • When to do it 

In addition, a business continuity plan should be easy to use and be detailed enough for any team member to successfully execute. When putting your plan together, take these components into consideration: 

  • Identification of the planning team 
  • Defined processes 
  • Employee list/call list to reach out to 
  • Vital records associated with the process 
  • Telecom needs 
  • Work area recovery strategies 
  • Applications (software, equipment, supplies) 

What steps should an organisation take when building the plan? 

While certain events cannot be planned for, the optimum scenario is to build the business continuity plan when there isn’t an event or disaster happening. Attempting to develop real-time responses during a crisis situation is much more difficult than following a plan that was already created.  

When building your plan, it is important to evaluate, identify and ask questions. 

  • Evaluate your organisation. Understand the unique needs based on location, technology that’s used, number of employees, processes that are completed, etc.   
  • Identify the key participants to be included in the planning effort. This should include a combination of leaders and subject matter experts.  
  • Ask questions! It’s in the answers to those questions that you will truly understand what is needed to build an effective plan. 

After you do those three things, the basic methodology that a company should use to finalise their plan includes: 

Strategic Planning Phase: This is the phase that prepares us for the incident. It includes risk analysis (what could go wrong?), business impact analysis (what are the maximum acceptable downtimes?), requirements analysis (what do we need to recover?) and recovery options (how will we recover?).  

Tactical Planning Phase: This phase tells us how to respond to the incident. The organisation should ensure effective documentation of how to engage the recovery option when the time comes. Lay the groundwork for what you would need to do in the event you need to execute your plan. 

Consider these tips for building a thorough and complete business continuity plan: 

  • Always look for opportunities to improve your plan. The plan should be a living, breathing document that is reviewed on a regular cadence. 
  • Consider hypothetical situations and plan accordingly. If you change how you do things today, consider how it impacts your business continuity strategies. Do they also need to change? 
  • Ask yourself: Is your plan detailed enough to allow junior-level team members to execute the plan at time of incident if your planning team is compromised? 
  • Lead tabletop exercises to discover other opportunities to improve your programme and plans. Does everyone on your team know what is expected of them during a business interruption incident?  

For more information on tabletop exercises and who should be involved in them, listen to this article’s accompanying podcast.  

Advice for Developing Your First Business Continuity Plan 

When you think about developing a business continuity plan, especially for the first time, it’s very easy to get paralysed when you’re starting with a blank sheet of paper. One thing to remember is that the primary objective is planning — this is what creates the ability to recover.  

So, physically writing the plan or documenting specific instructions is the secondary objective. Look at your plan and ask: 

  • Does it clearly state what to do? 
  • Does it indicate how to do it? 
  • Does it reflect who does it? 
  • Does it identify when to do it? 

If the answer to those four questions is yes, and you verify that to be true through the process of testing, then you’re sure to have a plan that should serve you well in the event of an incident and ensure you are prepared for any event that may occur.  

To learn more about ways employers can respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, visit our Resource Centre.