The economy has lost 13 million jobs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States in March. Despite this grim statistic, many organizations are still hiring. An August 2020 survey of 600 human-resources and finance chiefs by Paycor found that more than half of small and midsize businesses plan to add full-time employees to their staff this year.
The job landscape of today is significantly different from the labor market at the beginning of the year. One open job can have hundreds of applicants, and most organizations are conducting their interviews virtually. Companies’ hiring needs are changing quickly.
These are the top insights in the hiring landscape amid the pandemic that you should be aware of:
1. Remote job opportunities are increasing significantly. Reopening the workplace is complicated with the need for strict social distancing, hygiene, and sanitation practices. Telecommuting is becoming the new normal as a result. The number of remote jobs that have been posted on Glassdoor has increased 53 percent compared to a year ago. Consider allowing your staff to work remotely at least some of the time to minimize the number of people inside your facility.
2. The interview process is becoming completely virtual. Most companies are conducting the entire hiring process, from screening to interviewing to testing, virtually from their computers. Even though you’re not face to face with your candidates, you can still provide them with an exceptional hiring experience by connecting with them via a video communication platform, such as Zoom or Skype, and keeping open lines of communication with them over email.
3. There has been a growth in online networking and training opportunities. Networking doesn’t have to be meeting people in person and having conversations for hours. Many companies are organizing virtual networking events and webinars, or have moved their courses and conferences that were initially supposed to be in person online. A few examples in the EHS industry include The Safer Safety Leadership Conference hosted by EHSToday, EHS & Sustainability Management Forum hosted by The National Association for EHS&S Management (NAEM), and our environmental training courses at Aarcher Institute.
The hiring landscape has changed significantly as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. We will likely see more changes as employers continue to navigate the pandemic. As a hiring manager, it’s critical to stay current with industry trends to ensure you can provide the best hiring experience possible and secure high-quality job candidates.
Resource:
The New Rules for Landing a Job in the Covid Era, Kathryn Dill, The Wall Street Journal.