In light of the pandemic, hundreds of companies were forced to lay off hundreds, and even thousands of employees worldwide. As the country and world slowly begins to recover and businesses begin to have an increased need for staffing, employers are going to have to consider the talent strategy for recruiting new employees. Even under normal circumstances, a lot of effort is required to successfully recruit top talent that is qualified, dependable, a cultural fit, and capable of doing the job successfully. However, as the economy begins to open back up, employers will be faced with new challenges, all while competing with thousands of other businesses to find and attract new employees.

Companies will have to find new ways and partners to recruit new employees effectively. The competition in the job market will be very high, especially to start, as many Americans were laid off as the pandemic spread. Furthermore, potential employees are far less likely to trust workplaces who participated in mass layoffs when the crisis hit.

What Recruitment Techniques Will Be Most Effective?

Americans are going to be primarily focused on job security as the job market begins to bloom again. Many individuals lost jobs they thought were secure and are now going to want to be able to assure themselves that they can restart their careers once the threat of COVID-19 has passed. Recruitment campaigns should be focused on job security, retention, and the growth of the market to provide employees with the reassurance that the company is able to provide long term security.

Additionally, benefits and compensation will be considered. The pandemic has severely impacted the economy, and millions of Americans lost their access to a stable income and benefits included with employment. Employers who offer valuable compensation packages for their employees are more likely to attract top talent. Providing a comprehensive compensation package are more apt to give employees the peace of mind that, should they need it, they are able to receive the healthcare they need.

Utilizing this platform, as well as providing transparency in-regards to company culture, retention rates, and an accurate description of the job role and expectations will help entice the best talent to the company. Companies and Recruiters should keep in mind that for many Americans, trust in the job market is low, and they should utilize this information to attract their ideal candidates.

What Will Employees Be Looking for in a Job?

Another thing to consider and market in job postings is what potential employees will be looking for in a job moving forward. Of course, they will all be looking for adequate compensation and benefits packages. However, many employees are going to have much higher expectations of the job market in the post-pandemic world, giving recruiters a challenge. To find candidates that fit the job’s role, employers will have to find a variety of ways to stand out among competitors.

Community Impact

Several large companies are currently standing out due to their response to the coronavirus. Many of these companies were careful to ensure that they were positively impacting their communities amid growing concerns in-regards to the virus. This is vital, as potential employees will likely look for positions in which employers have made an active effort to seriously address the situation and provide services to the community.

Response Time

Thousands of companies across the United States have transitioned to remote work – which was vital, in many cases, to the safety of their employees during the pandemic. We should be asking, why were many of these companies unwilling to transition to this type of work before the government required all non-essential businesses to cease physical operations. Companies that are able to advise candidates that they effectively responded to the seriousness of the outbreak, and are able to explain how they responded to the very real threat of the virus, will more easily attract candidates.

Flexibility

As the world begins to return to something resembling normal, many employees are going to be looking for flexibility. This may stem from a variety of different reasons, including:

  • childcare availability.
  • transportation issues.
  • health and care of a loved one.
  • Implementation of social distancing measures.
  • adjustment to work from home arrangements during the pandemic.

Each of these factors may cause a potential employee to be looking for a work from home position, or potentially look for a more flexible schedule than the traditional 9 -5 careers can provide them. Employers who are willing to make these accommodations will win the top talent.  Those that don’t, will lose.

Providing flexibility as employees’ lives begin to return to normal is also going to allow candidates who are potentially a great fit for your business to fill essential roles within your company quickly. Millions of Americans are concerned about their overall ability to return to the workforce as jobs open up due to current circumstances, making flexibility extremely important.

Conclusion

Ultimately, employers should consider the lives of employees and the changes that COVID-19 has inflicted upon the job market and the day to day lives of the working class.

Providing flexible and remote work options, being creative with their recruitment campaigns, working closely with marketing, and partnering with strategic recruitment partners will be imperative to attract the best talent AND deal with the influx of applications.

When the job market once again expands, many candidates will still find themselves in positions in which they are required to take on full-time responsibilities at home. Creating a recruiting culture of open communication, honestly, transparency and flexibility will drive the candidate pool and provide employers with the best talent for the company.