The workplace has changed so rapidly in such a short time, with organisations around the world moving to remote and work from home arrangements in a bid to slow and ultimately stop the spread of coronavirus. However, there is no denying that flexible and remote working was already on the rise before COVID-19 and was likely to increase anyway. The current situation has simply accelerated that process.
Some organisations had already started preparing, investing in cloud-based technology that supported remote working, and for these organisations, the change was relatively smooth. For others, with a more traditional business model centred on face-to-face working, COVID-19 has forced their hand to either start making better use of their existing platforms or invest in new technology.
As a ‘people’ orientated industry, recruiters have traditionally relied on building face-to-face connections with clients, candidates, and industry partners to grow their businesses. Current social distancing measures have completely changed this landscape, and there’s no denying this has created additional challenges.
Here are three tips to keep recruiters on track during COVID-19.
#1 Reset the focus on goals
For many industries, the impact of COVID-19 goes beyond simply working from home. Unlike many other industries, where businesses may have collectively experienced a downturn, the impact on recruitment has been varied. For those who work with the healthcare and essential retail sectors, there may have been an increase, whereas those outside these sectors have likely seen a sharp decline in demand for services.
Wherever you sit on this scale, it’s critical that everyone is informed about what is happening in the business and clearly understands what is expected during this uncertainty.
It may be a good time for managers to reiterate KPIs and goals and explain how these have adapted or are contextualised to the current landscape to keep everyone on the same page and moving toward the same goalposts.
It’s also a good time for businesses to make sure they have the right meeting schedules in place, that everyone understands how and when they can contact each other, and that all staff are making the best use of technology to support this.
#2 Make better use of communication tools and technologies
There are thousands of technologies and tools out there to help you communicate remotely and, whichever ones you choose, it’s critical that it is embedded in your daily operations. Think about the way your team communicated in the office, from the scheduled meeting to a quick chat at the desk and how they used these channels to get jobs done.
You can’t completely replicate these with technology, but you can provide avenues to encourage your team to continue to interact regularly. For example, video conferencing can be used for scheduled meetings and is a better way to maintain a connection than the phone or email.
For the quick desk or hallway chat, you need a method that is equally instant and less disruptive than starting a video call. Instant messaging software, like Salesforce’s chatter, is a great way to quickly connect for those quick questions.
Whatever tools you use, it’s best to choose a single platform for each communication type to avoid overload of communication channels and give everyone clarity over how, where and when they can contact each other.
#3 Integrate your ATS/CRM into daily operations
Now, more than ever, it’s essential to make sure you are utilising your ATS/CRM to its full potential. This should be the single source of truth and while this is always important, it’s critical when all staff aren’t working from the same location.
Your ATS/CRM should increase productivity in a remote workspace. By recording and logging your day-to-day activities, such as calls made, emails sent and meetings attended, you are providing a clear understanding of what you have achieved. This enables consultants and the management team to understand a client or candidate situation in detail, make more informed decisions, stay on track with achieving KPIs and, of course, deliver a high quality of service.
For you and/or your management team, effective use of this platform gives you access to analytics and reporting that can help you better understand the state of play and make faster decisions that can drive business results, help you navigate uncertainty, and maintain a focus on client outcomes.