“We’re Hiring!” I’m seeing that sign in so many of the businesses that I come across on a daily basis. And it’s not just in my neighborhood. It’s the pattern all over right now. Last week I was speaking with a business friend in Scotland, who is finding the exact same thing. Businesses are open, but the employees aren’t coming back. So, what are you supposed to do if you need to hire post-pandemic? The following tips can help
1. Prioritize your needs
If you had substantial growth during the past year or if you lost most of your employees from shutting down or scaling back, you may be in dire need of help. Before rushing into the process, take a minute to prioritize your needs.
Remember that you don’t have to rehire the exact same positions and in the same order that you originally hired them. See if there are any adjustments that you need to make to help your team be more efficient as they come together. Get the input of your current staff members to see what their suggestions are as you hire.
Getting the right people in place can help alleviate pressure from your entire team, making everyone more productive.
2. Be flexible
Is remote work still possible? Can you offer a flexible work schedule? Think through the different perks that you can offer to make coming back to work easier for employees. Some people still aren’t comfortable being around a lot of others and some just don’t want to be in the office if they don’t need to be.
Carefully consider what options you can provide. Many of the younger generation employees in the workforce prioritize these types of perks and the pandemic only increased their desire for them. Remember, while you may have been anxiously awaiting being able to bring employees back to the office, not everyone feels the same way. If you find ways to be flexible it might help attract strong workers to your company as opposed to others.
3. Have systems in place for training
It’s always easier to have systems in place before you need them. This is especially true with training employees. Have a plan for how new employees are going to be trained instead of just expecting them to jump right into the mix. Make sure you take time during their first few days to really show them the ropes and introduce them to everyone. if you’re unable to do this yourself than make sure you have another employee that is assigned to be the go-to trainer.
The better your training system is the easier it’ll be for new employees to join the team, feel included, and be confident in their new role.
4. Look for the right person even if the qualifications don’t seem like an immediate match
Studies vary but it’s looking like around 25% of employees are switching occupations as a result of the pandemic. That means there is a big pivot happening in the workforce right now. If you’re looking to hire for a position that doesn’t HAVE to have certain requirements, be willing to be flexible.
There are highly talented individuals looking for employment in a new line of work right now. If you’re willing to train them for the specifics of the job you have open, it could be a gold mine. Remember you can train people on the specifics of how to do a job, but you’re not going to be able to train most people on things like good work ethic, having a moral compass, and other key character traits.
If you find someone that feels like a great fit for your company culture, it very well might be worth investing the time in training them in the areas they need to grow and develop.
5. Incorporate diverse perspectives into your team
Along with the pandemic, there was a lot of awareness around diversity and inclusion in the workforce last year. As people are beginning to return to work, think about how you can include diversity into your company. This can be through things like gender, race, and age. Having all these different perspectives on your team can help you see new opportunities to serve your target market that you may have been missing before.
How SPEARity can help
There are a number of ways that SPEARity business coaches can help with leadership growth and training within your business. If you’re interested in learning more, contact us today.
