COVID-19 has rapidly changed the way that businesses make new hires. Social distancing measures have made it hard to conduct in-person interviews, wherever possible healthcare staff members are being urged to work from home and even when COVID-19 is over, it’s unlikely that things will entirely go back to normal. 

Remote working may become the new norm

In 2019, according to research by OWL Labs, approximately 50% of US workers were able to work remotely for at least one day a month. Since the start of COVID-19 and the implementation of social distancing measures, the number of remote workers has grown significantly, and as employers begin to see the benefits of flexible working practices it is predicted that many of them may continue with remote working initiatives well after the pandemic ends. It is widely known that flexible working practices can help to improve productivity, not to mention that they also attract the top talent and assist with retention, and so without knowingly doing so, COVID-19 may have sparked the biggest work-from-home experiment of its time and could lead to a dramatic shift in popular working practices. 

Shifting to a remote hiring process

Whether remote working becomes the new norm when the COVId-19 pandemic ends remains to be seen, but for now and in preparation for the future it is important for growing healthcare businesses to refine their remote hiring processes. 

How to hire remotely

Hiring remotely can be daunting – here are some tips to help businesses get it right. 

Use virtual recruitment solutions

Virtual hiring solutions have always existed, but given the current circumstances, they are now more relevant than ever. Virtual recruiting solutions can help businesses that are new to hiring remotely by offering them an inclusive platform in which they can screen their candidates and conduct their interviews, keeping all of the necessary information in one place. 

Have face-to-face time

Although you may not be able to meet potential candidates in person, it’s still important to have a level of face-to-face time, albeit through a computer screen. Especially in public-facing roles, it is essential that you are able to assess how a candidate presents themselves, and face-to-face time will also enable you to pick up on the more subtle parts of communication such as mannerisms and facial expressions.

Make it a team effort

Although a candidate may be working remotely for now, when COVID-19 ends they could find themselves in the office and working in close quarters with other members of the team. Don’t neglect the importance of fit when assessing remote candidates and be sure to include team members who will be working with the candidate so that you can take on board their comments. 

The future of recruitment and hiring post-COVID-19 may currently be speculation, but it doesn’t hurt to prepare yourself for the possibility that, where possible, remote working may be here to stay. For businesses to continue to thrive in the current climate it is vital that they remain agile and adapt quickly to their changing environment.