Hiring has been deeply impacted by COVID. In fact some aspects of hiring may never go back to what they were.

Businesses have had to let go of great talent that they scrupulously hired, meaning there are some great candidates who are looking for work. Hiring plans have halted, brands have been affected and what people are looking for has also shifted. Working remotely has allowed in some cases for people to reflect on their role and what is important to them. Not commuting has for some people opened up other opportunities, be it doing the school run or being able to work for a company further away from home. For businesses, this has opened up the talent pool. And of course how a business acted during COVID towards its people and how it is acting as we emerge from this worldwide pandemic is something that future candidates are going to want to know about and take seriously.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when recruiting in a post COVID world:

Clarity and Preparation
Transparency on the company’s position will be top of a candidate’s list of things to ask. Being open about this is critical and candidates will respect a company more in the long term. There will likely be some questions that are not easy to answer, and preparing your interviewers is really important.

Flexibility
With the requirement to work remotely for the majority of this year, candidates will have new expectations from their employers for their working locations. Whether its fully remote, or the ability to work flexibly, be prepared to offer this where you can. Think about how you want your culture to look going forward and ensure that you present this to candidates whilst taking into consideration what they are looking for.

Out of the box thinking 
During times of disruption, challenging the norm can help to strengthen your team and grow your organisation. Being creative in your search for talent and being able to consider people who before might not have been suitable, such as someone in a further location, or someone who needed flexible hours, will expand your talent pool. Consider part time work and job shares too to broaden your search. Take the time to hear people’s stories about why they are looking for a role. The unprecedented times have caused unprecedented situations for people.

Be brave
Flexibility and agility in both mindset and process are going to be key to success, and sometimes this involves taking risks. Listen to your teams and hear what they have to say. Ensuring your employees are happy is so important, to decrease the risk of attrition.

Ensuring that your business is able to respond to the new world we are entering is going to be key to successful hiring.