The State of Hiring – Pandemic Exposes New Pain Points

The pandemic has spawned its own set of challenges for how hiring is done, demanding organizations be agile and adaptive. For the most part, organizations have responded accordingly.

• 65 percent have adjusted their approach to how hiring managers align with colleagues and/or recruiters on job requirements

• 72 percent have adapted their process for how candidates are assessed through an interview process

• 82 percent have shifted how they onboard new hires

It is unlikely—or maybe impossible- for businesses to return to their pre-pandemic hiring practices. But most importantly, the pandemic required overnight transformation– a kind of triage in the emergency situation of COVID-19– which gave organizations little opportunity to consider these adjustments thoughtfully or thoroughly. Instead, change was haphazard, a bandage to address a pressing challenge rather than a carefully considered, long-term, more permanent solution. A closer look at the concerns hiring managers have had in recent months reveals the implications of this crisis-driven conversion.

RECRUITING

54 percent of hiring managers reported facing concerns about recruiting. This included sorting through more applications than usual– given the additional talent on the labor market following earlier waves of layoffs– or simply not having enough candidates apply (for instance, in industries suddenly in high demand). Initially, most of us were not prepared to communicate virtually with colleagues and/or recruiters, let alone with job candidates equally unfamiliar with that process!

As a result, there may have been vital information lost in translation between human resources professionals and hiring managers. That lack of alignment on job requirements– which 15 percent of hiring managers said has become more difficult to achieve during the pandemic­– can make properly assessing candidates difficult!

INTERVIEWING

The vast majority of organizations can no longer offer in-person interviews. 87% said they’ve conducted virtual interviews since March 2020, and hiring managers told us it’s more difficult to really get to know someone virtually. Without the ability to observe candidates’ body language or easily build rapport with them—processes that rely heavily on non-verbal cues, including our posture and even how we breathe—it’s no surprise that just over 60% of hiring managers reported having interview related concerns while hiring in recent months.

These concerns present challenges in getting to know a candidate, difficulty assessing if they’ll succeed in a virtual environment (for example, whether they can be productive with limited supervision), and even just adapting to virtual interviews. Although knowing candidates well is absolutely essential to hiring managers’ ability to assess their pool of candidates, very few seem to recognize their conundrum: Only 8% of hiring managers said knowing what to focus on during interviews is more challenging since the pandemic. This suggests they’re not adapting to their new environment or using virtual interviews to their fullest potential. (Hint: Appropriate pre-hire assessment tools can help fill in the information gaps!)

SELECTING 

The challenges of interviewing mean hiring managers face a bigger, more consequential, and longer-lasting problem: selecting the right candidate.

In fact, nearly one-third (30%) of respondents felt that determining which candidate is the best fit has become more challenging during the pandemic. Without truly getting to meet someone, it seems impossible to identify the candidate who will be most successful in the long run.

That level of uncertainty is not only unsettling (“Did I make the right decision?” “Who did I miss out on?”), but also costly: The Department of Labor estimates a bad hire can cost an organization up to 100% of the employee’s first-year salary! With heightened budgetary scrutiny and pandemic-related revenue shortfalls, mistakes of this magnitude now have an outsized impact on the bottom line!

ONBOARDING 

Onboarding in a virtual environment has emerged as a concern among 56% of respondents.

This includes working to effectively onboard new hires in a virtual environment, as well as keeping them engaged while working remotely. In fact, 6 in 10 hiring managers reported that onboarding has become more challenging in recent months. After all, it is difficult enough to ensure that existing employees are sufficiently engaged, productive, and satisfied in our remote world; achieving the key goals of onboarding now requires wading through added layers of complexity. (Note: Our online and easy Onboard Forms solution can save you time, reduce errors, and allow distancing!)

Consider, for example, the task of training someone new in the workflow, processes, and systems of the team and organization. Sharing such knowledge virtually can be tricky, especially when the absence of shared office space means managers and employees have difficulty identifying and rectifying points of misunderstanding or confusion. And what about helping new employees feel like a part of the organization? With limited opportunities to “meet” colleagues or connect across teams—and no more casual conversations in the hallway—new hires may struggle to find their place and develop a sense of loyalty. This may, ultimately, jeopardize their retention.

Stay tuned for our next article, where we will be covering how instinct and inconsistency hinder the key goals of hiring.

And in the meantime, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation call to review your hiring process with one of our friendly professionals!