While recruitment has seen a brief hiatus in some industries during lockdown, many other industries, for example healthcare, have had to increase to meet demand. And with other sectors now beginning to come out of lockdown, recruitment is set to see a boom as the economy gets back on its feet.
But in just a few short months, the world of work has become almost unrecognisable. While less than 5% of the workforce previously considered home their main place of work, recent research estimates that 60% of UK adults were or are working from home during lockdown.
Employers who had previously believed certain roles on-site only have been forced to reconsider in order to keep business operations going, and now, having experienced proven results, will be hard-pressed to argue that in many situations, remote working is not only possible but advantageous.
But increased home working is just one of the ways that Covid-19 has changed working practices forever. To meet government guidelines, recruitment and HR departments have had to make swift adjustments to their practices, these lessons will provide a valuable roadmap for the future of recruitment, screening, and onboarding.
Virtual Interviews
With people forced to stay at home and adhere to social distancing, the physical in-person interview has become a thing of the past and will likely remain that way for many employers who have experienced how much more efficient a virtual interview is. This mirrors the general trend towards virtual collaboration across all working practices, as people and employers learn that they can get more value out of their working hours by reducing unnecessary travel time and premises overheads.
Automation
In many cases, employers have had to furlough workers, leaving fewer people available to carry out necessary tasks. It is crucial that employers look for ways to exploit technology to reduce the burden on labour strapped HR departments. Specialist HR software can massively reduce time consuming practices and carry out bulk operations such as sending out interview invites or requesting background checks. Similarly, digital screening can also create useful insights which can be shared digitally and securely, tracking applicants through recruitment and into employment.
Background checks
With online or virtual screening now firmly replacing traditional techniques, background checking is more convenient than ever before. With more people working from home, access to data may have changed, prompting a necessary rethink on the clearance levels of current staff members. Now would be a good time to consider rescreening staff to ensure that all checks are up to date and mitigate new risks posed by the increase in home working.
While recent developments to the working landscape may have made some employers nervous, there are many specialists ready to provide expert guidance during this difficult time. Veremark are leading the way by offering 100% digital global background checks and can offer crucial advice on safer recruiting for all industries and sectors.
