Lockdown vs Recruitment – advice for small businesses
COVID-19 has thrown businesses a range of challenges over the last 12 months, and recruitment is no exception.
The good news is, in theory, only the delivery has changed.
You still need to:
- Review CVs and application forms (although with the rise in unemployment, you may have a few more to sift through)
- Choose your selection criteria
- Match the best candidates to the role
- Decide how you are going to assess the candidates and invite them to be assessed e.g., interview, aptitude test
- Select the best person for the role
This is where the change comes in –
1. You may need to arrange the interviews/assessments online.
You should treat this process as you would a face-to-face interview/assessment and plan accordingly.
Things like ensuring both parties have arranged a quiet setting for the interview/assessment where distractions and disturbances will not occur; and setting aside sufficient time for the interview/assessment taking into consideration that loss of connection or technological issues may occur.
2. Inductions are key to how your employee remains engaged with you going forward.
Remote onboarding needs some planning. Video calls will need to be scheduled to allow the new employee to ‘meet’ their colleagues.
Calls will need to be scheduled in to provide training and to give information from all those who have knowledge to share. The induction programme is just like the face-to-face version – but online, and presentations can be recorded for later recall by the new recruit.
An induction plan with scheduled meetings should be developed in exactly the same way as before lockdown. Nothing has changed – other than the delivery method.
3. Tools to do the job
The manager should ensure that their new team member has the correct equipment and setup to work remotely. As before lockdown, a home working risk assessment should be conducted. The worker should have all the equipment they need to work efficiently and comfortably. Physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing are equally important, and the effects of isolation should be considered and addressed.
If you need help with advice with the above or anything else people-related, please do get in touch with Lisa:
Lisa Trent is our HR guru
There really isn’t very much to do with people that she doesn’t know about! Whether it’s furloughing or people management, she’s on hand to help, but also listen.
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