Human Resources and hiring processes have undoubtedly changed forever.

Some changes are well overdue for traditional companies who still rely on spreadsheets and legacy systems, whereas other organizations have been catapulted forward by utilizing advanced technology and specialized software. 

It may appear to be an Employer’s Market with multiple job applications to vacancies and Hiring Managers who are expecting stronger skills and experience. But is it really? According to an article published by the Harvard Business Review late 2020, employment patterns are tracking very differently to previous recessions. The Covid 19 pandemic has produced anomalies where there is still significant unemployment throughout the US, yet ‘job openings have remained at unprecedented high levels’. Some businesses have closed whereas others have thrived or rebounded quickly. But now that the US Elections are over and the vaccine rollout is gaining traction the general economic situation will improve. Companies are already hiring again for vacancies that were terminated or furloughed in 2020.

HR and Hiring will be very different moving forward; the pandemic merely hastened these changes. Businesses will continue to run lean with their existing permanent staff and then call up a temporary/flexible workforce to fill their gaps. There may be a reluctance to employ new workers and candidate screening will be more thorough than usual to ensure they hire the right person first time. The last thing a business needs is someone who will just treat their new job as a stop-gap role until the market improves. 

Local skilled workers can be hard to find, however the potential to tap into a larger candidate market is huge if the work can be completed online. This is an excellent option to access and hire Americans who live throughout the States, especially if they don’t want to relocate for a job. As a business community we will always try to employ local Americans first to support our existing employees, their families and neighborhood. But if there is no local talent and the job can be completed remotely then why not advertise a remote based role throughout the country?

A very popular change with workers is home-working/flexi-working/remote work options and ideally these should remain after the pandemic. Business management and employees quickly understood that an employee choosing working hours and location is a major advantage for everyone involved. In order to help employee engagement and increase retention businesses should retain this option in future, especially for remote based staff who may be in different time zones and weather.

“Businesses will have to become employee-centric as well as customer-centric,” states recruiting strategist Jack Whatley.

Online hiring software technology is a huge advantage for remote workers to conduct their tasks effectively. It provides a vast offering of options to meet any physical distancing guidelines, remote hiring and mass-recruitment. They often include:

• Chatbots to engage with candidates on a personal level.
• Online screening/questionnaires/video analysis.
• AI Talent Sourcing and Headhunting.
• Virtual interviews via MS Teams, Zoom and other video conferencing methods.
• Pre-employment assessment options.
• Advanced Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
• Audit trails for analysis and reporting – no more lost or destroyed paper files.
• Online onboarding documents – essential for multiple candidate hires.
• Remote based training is also gaining popularity due to offices remaining closed.

QJumpers Recruitment Software provides many of these requirements and has done for years now. We love technology and are always excited about the latest advancements in our sector. In fact, we are trailblazers anticipating what will be the next trend and developing solutions to match before you even ask for them.

The disruption of Covid 19 has certainly had negative impacts on the Hiring and HR sectors with fluctuating employment levels and an uncertain market. But there have also been excellent improvements in Technology/AI/Cloud based programs that have developed in scope and delivery in quick response to workers becoming more agile in their tasks. As a pioneer in the recruitment software industry, QJumpers has been around long enough to know what’s hot and what’s not. We will provide you with intuitive hiring and onboarding software that also offers ongoing candidate communication to keep them engaged with your hiring process. Get in touch now for a free demo.

~Kathryn Stewart, Recruitment Consultant