The Post COVID-19 Look at Culture and Hiring

This article will take a look at the future of the workplace as businesses try to navigate the aftermath of COVID-19. We’ll start by looking at some of the bigger changes HR and recruitment teams will face when it comes to hiring, before looking at how company culture will be different in a post-pandemic world.

Hiring after COVID-19

With many businesses temporarily closed and entire workforces encouraged to work from home, the pandemic saw a big slowdown in hiring. Even those businesses that did need to find extra staff during the crisis (healthcare workers, supermarkets, delivery drivers, etc.) had to  utilize new ways to recruit and interview people before they could offer them a job.

These changes in recruitment strategies might have been catapulted into the spotlight as a result of the virus, but many of these techniques will carry on into the future. Here’s what the future of hiring might look like:

The gig economy will continue to rise

The gig economy has been a huge talking point in recent years, with more organizations opting to hire freelancers or short-term contractors instead of full-time staff. As we move forward after the pandemic, it’s estimated that as many as one in three (32%) organizations will replace full-time employees with contractors as a way to cut costs.

Remote working will become the norm

Remote working has been crucial for the survival of many businesses during the pandemic and this looks set to continue, with huge organizations like Twitter claiming they’ll keep their workforce entirely remote in the future. In terms of hiring, this means that more businesses will be looking for remote workers.

While this poses new challenges for employers, such as having the technology and recruitment strategies in place to source, interview, and hire from different locations, it does open them up to a much bigger talent pool.

Organizations must focus on employer branding

As people look for new jobs in an uncertain world, they're going to be looking for organizations with a great reputation and one which promotes long-term job security and opportunities for growth. As such, more focus needs to be given to building a strong employer brand that is going to attract top talent.

Candidate quality will be paramount

Of course, candidate quality has always been important to employers but as we move forward after this crisis it will be absolutely paramount. Organizations can no longer afford to take risks or hire someone who isn't quite right just to lose them a few months down the line. Because of this, recruiters and HR teams will need to do their research and ensure thorough interview processes to better their chances of onboarding the perfect candidate and one that will stay with the company for a long time.

Corporate culture in a post-pandemic world

It’s not just hiring that will see changes after the pandemic; corporate culture will shift too as organizations adapt to remote workforces or welcome their teams back to the workplace. The pandemic revealed a lot in terms of diversity, inclusivity, and wellbeing, and the result of this is that businesses must seamlessly incorporate these into their culture:

The wellbeing of employees will take priority 

Coronavirus has brought our health to the forefront, not just physically but mentally too. Lockdowns and the ongoing uncertainty have understandably taken their toll on many people. Moving forward, employers must place more importance on caring for the wellbeing of their staff and looking after both their physical and mental health.

There are several ways this can be done; through regular feedback and one-to-one catch-ups, the promotion of honesty and open communication, and by offering health services such as counseling or discounted gym memberships to employees.

Diversity and inclusivity will be more important than ever

One of the biggest issues that COVID-19 revealed is that some groups were more adversely affected when it came to their work. For example, statistics showed that Black people, Latinos, and other minority groups were disproportionately affected by the virus and that lower-income workers (and perhaps those that need it the most) were 52% more likely to lose their job or have their pay cut. This began raising questions about diversity and inclusivity.

In order to build a truly innovative and happy workforce, diversity and inclusivity must be built-in to the culture. Organizations and their HR teams must work to ensure everyone feels valued and is offered the same opportunities, as well as making sure that diversity is considered during the hiring process.

Trust must be an integral part of the culture

Despite the uncertainty, the pandemic did do one good thing: it encouraged people to come together and support one another. HR teams had to effectively communicate what was happening with all teams and create a sense of community despite everyone no longer being in the workplace together.

This level of trust and transparency will need to continue post-pandemic and become ingrained in the company culture. Whether you're welcoming staff back or keeping your workforce remote, trust and transparency needs to be a priority.

Organizations will need to tackle the social gap

The final key challenge for organizations moving forward is being able to keep teams connected and create a sense of unity while working remotely. Being able to socialize, get to know each other, and form friendships is a key part of building a successful workforce and HR teams must find innovative new ways to keep everyone connected and feeling like a team despite social distancing measures and remote working.