The New Recruiting Reality: Everyone’s Business

With the new reality that the pandemic is taking us through, and for the years to come, organizations will have to revise their strategies, adapt them to the new reality that is emerging. Necessarily, the skills required of employees, managers and leaders will change – and should be reflected in the hiring process of companies. 

 During this time, the objectives of the candidates change. I had the opportunity to confirm this by talking to the many candidates who have contacted me in the past few weeks, while their goals for achieving themselves and their expectations are evolving. 

 Olivier Schmouker’s blog of May 12 on the Les Affaires website also highlights this through the analysis of a study carried out since the start of the crisis in Europe. 

 Several elements will have to be considered, and strategic thinking in this direction, if it is not already started, will have to be quickly looked upon by the management teams. 

 This week, I suggest a few thoughts in these regards. 

 Share your opinion and anything else you think should be considered – and if you have already started the process, how you get through it! 

Recruitment: Part of strategic planning 

People are who make a business successful. It is therefore essential to plan well any strategic change by including the human aspect. 

The success rate in implementing a new strategy is multiplied when a complete understanding of the human element within the company is present. 

What new skills will be required? 

How can the knowledge of existing employees be upgraded? 

What are the operational axes of the company that may require skills that are absent in the company? 

By ensuring that hiring managers are actively involved in strategic thinking, the chances of a successful transition are maximized. 

Communication at all times 

Unfortunately, perception and interpretation are too often the cause of confusion, dissatisfaction and even the departure of employees who were assets in the company. 

To avoid these situations, the message must be uniformly presented by management to their teams. Do not have the answers? Reassure people by taking note of their questions and letting them know you will get back to them – be sure to keep them updated on developments. 

It will be important that individual meetings are completed by the team managers, to ensure that the team members understand the new strategy. By validating the personal objectives of the latter, by determining with them how they can contribute to the success of the company, and that this one can contribute to the achievement of the employee, the commitment and the retention will only be increased. 

When we take into account that around 62% of voluntary departures are explained by the search for new challenges, particular attention can then be paid to them in an attempt to reduce this element and reduce the recruitment challenges associated with it. 

Is the plan still working? 

If the business strategy changes, the human capital requirements are likely to change just as much. 

Companies with a workforce management plan will need to revise it to make sure it is still in line with new business leadership and the reality of the market. 

You may also need to review the benefits and conditions to ensure that you are maximizing attractiveness and retention. 

The employer brand will also take on its full meaning and will only be improved if the transition is successful. A great opportunity to demonstrate how the company has successfully weathered the crisis through, for example, testimonials from employees who describe how they were engaged in this transition. 

We control what we measure 

The Ministry of Economy, Science, and Innovation estimates that an acceptable turnover rate is between 4% and 5%. 

“According to the study published by / INSERT LINK FOR PROXIMA / Proxima-Centauri” The big 2018 survey: Attracting and recruiting in Quebec “, 62% of companies said with a turnover rate of more than 5%. 

“According to the HR Barometer of the Ordre des CRHA, organizations can see almost half of their employees change over three years. “ 

 Do you know your overall turnover rate? By department or by position? The causes of departures? 

To put in place a plan to support staff retention, knowing the past causes can already provide a portrait and help to correct the situation. 

Companies that have already implemented tools and concrete actions will have to continue to monitor the indicators and revise them to adapt to the new reality. Organizations that have not adopted this approach should consider doing so, at the risk of increasing turnover and adversely affecting the overall performance of the business. 

All of which can influence the recruitment aspect of companies. 

Renewed recruitment begins now 

Despite the crisis, recruitment continues – at a different pace, but still present. 

Even in a downturn, people are leaving their jobs for a new challenge, and others, having been temporarily laid off, are doing the same. 

Personal and professional goals, ambitions and expectations of employees are changing, and perhaps the new company’s strategy will no longer be in line with what they are looking for. 

This musical chair therefore requires extraordinary agility for those in charge of recruiting – the hiring of replacement positions will already have to reflect the new needs of the companies in terms of skills and personalities. 

Recruiters, internal and external, will need to be informed of this new reality to adapt their recruitment strategy. 

Job descriptions, posting, interview process – everything will need to be revised. A great opportunity to review these aspects which sometimes no longer reflected the needs before the crisis. 

Gather experience and succession 

Unity is strength and fostering the involvement of all employees can only be beneficial for the company. 

As underlined in my recent articles on productivity in Quebec and on the need to switch to industry 4.0, new skills will be needed to ensure the sustainability of the but without neglecting the knowledge acquired in the past. 

Aware of the operational reality and having key information, more experienced employees could thus be paired with their colleagues with recent technological knowledge and make this compulsory passage more efficient. 

While training existing employees will be necessary, recruiting will need to know and consider the new skills required for future candidates. 

Without a doubt, these are all facets of businesses that are evolving towards the post-crisis. 

 The recruitment strategy should not be postponed. On the contrary, it must be embedded in the overall strategy that leaders and managers will soon adopt. 

 Because recruitment with its new reality will start … immediately upon the next hire.