How Businesses Have Adapted in 2020
It’s safe to say that every industry in Ireland was without question affected by the pandemic. Online companies may have felt positive effects. However, more traditional businesses have been less successful. Undoubtedly, it took some time for companies to come to terms with this new reality and furthermore try to navigate through it. This meant making a few tweaks to processes or a complete upheaval.
I think we’ve all heard and shared some of the same challenging experiences over the past 6-8 months. You even have grown tired of hearing each day new stories of continued strains on industries across Ireland. That’s why we wanted to shed some light on interesting and positive trends and developments we’ve seen during this second lockdown phase in comparison with the earlier months of this year. We’ll be focusing on ways in which the recruitment process has changed in late 2020.
From the outset, one of the main priorities for companies was to comply with ever-evolving social distancing guidelines. It made us not only realise just how connected we all are but at times, how much we took for granted. It is only when something so drastically changes that we realise the ubiquity of it in our day to day lives. So, how could business continue with minimal social contact? This was the big question companies faced. How could they now manage and hire staff without face-to-face interactions?
Businesses had to make some challenging changes and decisions, with no exception to the recruitment process.
Revisions to the Recruitment Process
In the first and second quarter of this year, most businesses were faced with a scenario they never expected. Remote working for many companies was a foreign concept. Roll forward to November and we can see a clear difference in the impact felt. Numerous businesses have made some important and necessary shifts in priorities and procedures when it comes to the recruitment process.
So what’s changed?
Quicker Processes
Each company will have its own recruitment process from consulting with a recruiter all the way to employee placement and onboarding. With various stages including multiple interview rounds and candidate vetting, it would rarely be a quick process. With all interviews being conducted online, this process has consequently quickened.
Added Focus on Company Branding
With in-person interviews out of the question, businesses are taking a closer look at their brand identity and the message and impression they are giving to prospective candidates. Impactful branding can provide insights into your company’s ethos, reputation, values, work environment and also the company culture. Providing a clear message can attract valuable and relevant candidates and also deter those that may not be a good fit.
Less Resistance to Online Business Practices
We all must embrace that the internet is now at the forefront of trade. Taking a look at the overall company and individual stances on the use of tech in business, we can see that opinions have certainly changed over the past 6-9 months.
Employers and employees have become more comfortable and open to recruitment and other day-to-day business processes being conducted online. Something like an online interview, which used to sound unnatural and unfamiliar, is now something we all have become accustomed to and accept as a standard part of the business.
Employers, this time around, are now fully equipped to carry out procedures and tasks through online technology showing our adaptability in trying and uncertain times.
Networking Changes
There is no doubt that even before the pandemic, online networking played a primary and vital role in recruitment. In March, we saw some resistance and uncertainty from businesses who preferred and were probably used to the more traditional methods of recruitment. We are now seeing that many companies have adapted and embraced this inevitable change in networking which has actually provided wider reach and scope in finding and recruiting the right candidates.
We get it. More than likely, you are trying to keep things ticking over until we can return to some form of normality. Some of the above trends and insights really do show the resilience and determination of businesses around Ireland who continually try to find solutions to the inevitable problems we’re facing day-to-day.
Recruitment Plus pride themselves on keeping up to date with all recruitment trends in order to provide the best service possible. So, if you’re looking to explore your options or are just looking for advice, you can contact one of our experienced consultants HERE
