Walking out with the mask has become the ‘new normal.’ Post COVID-19, all companies are going to face a major recruitment-related obstacle that will have an adverse effect on the business continuity plan. The inability to conduct effective hiring on account of the pandemic has led to the strangulation of mobility.

Companies are at the risk of losing out on the best talent as recruiters are not able to fill in the positions as they can’t appear for face-to-face interviews due to the social distancing norms.

In this backdrop, to overcome the problem, employers are now moving toward cutting-edge virtual hiring solutions with an aim to decrease the loss of potential candidates. Such solutions, drawn on the power of the online ecosystem to eliminate local restrictions, allow organizations to recruit and manage talent seamlessly wherever they are.

According to SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), employees who are overaged or those living in unhealthy conditions should not come back to the office this early as they can be more prone to COVID-19 infection.

Changing role of the human resource manager

Constant changes amid the pandemic have also changed the way we live and work globally, thus affecting the role of the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO). Even though top priorities for the current situation is the health and safety of employees, at the same time, business continuity and engaging employees weigh a similar amount of importance.

In addition to introducing tools such as Zoom and Slack to keep employees connected, CHROs need to think bigger and step into a much larger role, one that prioritizes overall organizational agility, flexibility, and adaptability — and they need to do so in the face of a global crisis.

1. Faster, more agile people management

The sudden change from onsite to remote work created urgency for getting employees the tools and resources they needed to be productive.

This accelerated shift should be a wake-up call to the CHROs (Chief Human Resource Officers). Various factors like flexible work arrangements, greater independence, remote options, self-service capabilities to manage their work, devices, benefits, growth are directly proportional to performance.

To enable this new model, CHROs must take the reins to develop the strategy, policies, and practices.

2. Get to know your employees

The more distributed the company is, it becomes more necessary for the administration to centralize an employees’ data. In the future, CHROs would need a form of consolidated and access to on-demand data about their people. CHROs may require some sort of “Find My People” app to navigate the modern paradigm, as the present situation forms the future of employment.

3. Stronger desire to manage expectations

To meet employees’ expectations, begin by setting appropriate goals, increasing the number of check-ins, and enforcing policies defining what is planned. Use technology to measure feelings, gauge employee satisfaction, and find out how to help make their work and work-life balance smoother. During this time, the staff would recall how you treated them. Prioritizing their joy and fulfillment now would produce a more significant outcome.

Virtual tools for hiring

The pandemic situation demands connectivity with virtual tools, which has to be digital even for the process of recruitment. For example, by integrating digital solutions such as online proctoring and Human Resource Manager (HRM) can revamp the recruitment processes to conduct virtual exams and use state-of-the-art virtual hiring platforms to allow for seamless virtual screening and interviewing experience.

In addition to addressing current business demands, the interactive solution portfolio also provides a superior experience compared to conventional predecessors. For instance, a tech-based online environment enables recruiters to use a range of new-age talent management tools to source, screen, pick applicants, provide job offers, and encourage them to enter.

Getting back to new normal

As things are returning to normal, but not similar to what it was before the pandemic, thus every business and organization have to find a way out and adapt to the situation. As per a very old adage, many of us might have heard often “Survival of the fittest,” the same is being very carefully experienced in every scenario. Let that be business, job opportunity, or a person, till the time one does not adapt to the environment, he cannot survive the pandemic. Find more such content and information in our latest whitepapers on human resources.