SoloPoint Insights

Hiring During COVID-19

HIRING DURING COVID-19

The Spanish Flu was termed as the “deadliest pandemic of the 20th century” because it had infected one-third of the world’s population and took the lives of 50 million people worldwide; 675,000 in the U.S.

Image Credit: CDC.gov

It took two years, three waves, and several intermittent lockdowns before herd immunity was reached.

Can modern businesses wait 2 years for COVID-19 to pass to fill much needed critical roles?  Even with the latest technology, hiring, on-boarding, training, and collaboration are still challenging obstacles.

Here are some examples of how some companies are tackling these challenges:

HIRE REMOTE WORKERS FROM OUT OF THE AREA

Take advantage of Work from Home.  In a survey conducted by Gartner, a research and advisory firm, 74% of 317 CFOs and Finance leaders on March 2020 said that they will move at least 5% of their previously on-site workforce to permanently remote positions post-COVID 19. This opens up new possibilities for employers to expand their candidate pool to talents who do not live locally. Prior to COVID-19, 98% of workers live within 50 miles away from their offices. Working remotely has allowed people to pursue careers outside of their commute range.  This is advantageous for employers to widen their range when seeking talent with specialized skillsets.

VIRTUAL JOB FAIRS

With 83% of in-person hiring being canceled due to the pandemic, employers are utilizing online tools to meet with prospective workers – including virtual career fairs. Virtual career fairs are online events where candidates can meet with companies using teleconferencing tools or live telecasts of recruiting personnel from the comforts of their own home. In recent months, Brazen, a virtual event hosting company, has seen demand increase from employers to host online career fairs. Vice President of Marketing Joe Matar said, “Before the crisis, we were hosting about 100 events per week. Now it’s up to 300-500 events per week.” Virtual career fairs allow employers to interview multiple candidates in a short period of time, and also utilize online tools to review candidates’ resumes and LinkedIn profiles in real-time.

CONTINGENT WORKERS

One thing that employers are looking into is utilizing contingent employment to have flexibility bringing in essential talents. In another survey conducted by Gartner, 32% of 4,000 employers and HR Managers said they plan on using contingent workers for added flexibility. Another 12% said they’ll use contingent workers to fill in the gaps left by employees who go on leave due to illness.

Hiring workers on a contract or contract-to-hire basis can give employers the allowance to moderately grow and recover their workforce while navigating the uncertainties of the economy. This also allows them to outsource employer responsibilities such as payroll and benefits administration, which offers relief to back-office constraints.

To see how your company can benefit by utilizing contingent workers, contact the staffing experts at SoloPoint Solutions today!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email