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Covid-19 had a significant impact on the year 2020. This pandemic swept around the planet, altering everything in its path. As more and more people worked remotely, apps like Zoom, Teams, and Skype became commonplace in the workplace.
According to several different types of research, roughly 41.8 percent of the American workforce worked from home in the late 2020s. In the next five years, it is expected that this number will rise to 36 million Americans working from home. As a result, a nearly 87 percent increase in remote working is conceivable.
There has been a significant transition to remote working, which is having significant and varied effects on the recruitment process.
The transition to remote employment eventually resulted in an increase in remote recruiting. Because workers are now working remotely, the traditional employee onboarding and training methods are no longer applicable. Furthermore, what recruiters look for when screening and shortlisting prospects has evolved.
The entire hiring process had to be restructured from reviewing resumes to conducting final interviews and finally onboarding a candidate. The hiring procedure as a whole has been overhauled.
As the world came to a halt, corporations moved their focus to digitalization, and talent acquisition followed suit.
Candidates were traditionally shortlisted based on job requirements and then invited in for a face-to-face interview. Testing was sometimes used to choose the best candidate.
On the other hand, the epidemic prompted the HR department to adapt and replace the existing system. Thanks to advanced technology, recruiters analyzed profiles and used tools like Zoom to interview and assess applicants who were a good fit. The recruitment system became significantly faster and more flexible as a result of remote working.
Pre-screening candidates
Despite the fact that video conferencing tools existed before Covid-19, the majority of these digital tools were not extensively employed until the pandemic struck. Working at a distance has become the standard. With the introduction of Zoom and Teams, recruiters could have a fast discussion with candidates to assist them in evaluating different candidates without having to meet in person.
Recruiters could now access candidate profiles depending on different regions thanks to the virtual hiring process. This increased the number of people available and offered certain businesses a significant competitive advantage.
Skills testing
When it comes to hiring candidates, different organizations have distinct requirements. Many job jobs necessitate applicants undergoing technical and analytical exams. These skill tests can be conducted electronically via internet platforms in a world where remote working has become the standard. These online pre-screening exams assist employers in identifying the best candidate for the position.
Communication
Communication is critical in today's corporate environment. HR professionals are reading and considering well-written cover letters and thank you notes more than ever before. Quality communication abilities are now regarded as a necessary skill set for landing remote jobs.
All discussions are conducted via email because all stages of the hiring process are confidential and online. As a result, it's critical to write clearly and without grammatical faults. Proper and direct communication between recruiters and candidates helps to eliminate any potential for misunderstanding. By communicating properly, the recruitment process becomes more efficient and speedier.
Onboarding candidates
Onboarding candidates is one of the most difficult tasks for HR professionals. Remote working complicates the process of introducing new employees to the company and allowing them to interact with the rest of the team. HR professionals must also come up with innovative ways to train their personnel.
These issues are becoming easier for recruiters as technology progresses. Offer letters to fresh candidates are now sent via the internet. Companies also accept e-signature and virtually shared portfolios. New employees can be welcomed into the team by holding online team meetings and presenting topics to make them feel at ease.
Rethink the skills needed in today's world
Covid-19 has prompted businesses to rethink their fundamental competencies, culture, and what traits make an individual truly effective in today's workplace. Recruiters can use digital hiring tools like pre-hiring evaluations and virtual interviews to better understand an employee's work fit by keeping these attributes in mind.
Candidates that will be successful in 2021 will have excellent communication skills, be comfortable with technology, and have a flexible, adaptable approach to their work. Recruiters who test for these characteristics will speed up the hiring process and, in the long run, improve employee performance and happiness.
Go digital
Some businesses may be concerned that incorporating AI into their hiring and screening processes may make their organization appear impersonal. However, the inverse is true. Automation allows individuals to be more available and in high touch by offloading tedious, process-driven chores to a bot.
People on both ends of the hiring process should be included in a successful hiring process. Intelligent automation, rather than replacing the position of the recruiter, can augment it by filtering through data swiftly, transparently, and without error. This frees up time for recruiters to focus on the most critical areas of hiring, such as building personal relationships with prospects.
It is by paying attention to individuals that morale is maintained and a more resilient workforce is created.
Eliminating bias in the hiring process
If there's one place where bias shouldn't exist, it's in the hiring and screening process. Through data, impartiality, and prediction models, AI-driven solutions can aid in the elimination of bias. OutMatch's video interviewing technology is one example of how automation can help applicants compete on a level playing field. Decision-makers can conduct the same video interview with the same questions on every candidate using automation-supported video interviews.
Companies should focus more on developing a culture where diversity can thrive in 2021 rather than seeing diversity as a quota to satisfy.
Final thoughts
Organizations are now more technologically reliant than they have ever been. A growing proportion of employees desire to work from home. In this approach, businesses can save a lot of money on overhead expenditures. Furthermore, as the talent pool grows, remote working has opened up new opportunities for recruiters. Employees who live off the grid can be viewed as viable prospects who can help companies gain a competitive advantage.
Organizations are now evaluating, investing in, and promoting innovative working methods. At the end of the day, remote hiring is here to stay.
As a result, recruiters and HR professionals would be advised to reorganize and adapt to new working habits. Businesses have successfully lowered costs and streamlined hiring by using virtual job offers, interviews, and onboarding processes.
HR professionals must think outside the box in order to attract and retain top talent within the organization. This entails bringing new ways to adopt a remote-friendly culture and marketing the employer brand to create a better work experience that is unique to everyone.
