No one could have imagined the extent to which COVID-19 would affect our lives, jobs, and enterprises when most people first became aware of it. Our typical ways of living and working have come to a halt just a few months later, and we're not sure how long it will be until we feel a sense of normalcy again.
COVID-19 has produced a labor conundrum, with some employers cutting off or furloughing hundreds of employees while others are scrambling to hire as quickly as possible. You probably weren't anticipating your hiring needs to look the way they do, regardless of whose side of the equation you're on.
If your company, like many others, was caught off guard by an unexpected surge or decline in talent demand in your industry, you've had to pivot rapidly to discover a new path forward. The aim now is to devise a hiring strategy that will serve you well not only during COVID-19 but also in any future circumstances that necessitate quick changes to your strategy.
RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) is the best answer for recruiting in a crisis (and beyond) because it provides you with the flexibility and resilience to react to whatever the current business climate throws at you.
Here are eight ways to use RPO to make your recruiting approach more crisis-proof:
1. Create a flexible, scalable recruiting process:
Hiring requirements can shift quickly, especially in an uncertain economy. For example, the COVID-19 epidemic has increased demand in areas such as healthcare and supply chain, while others have had to put hiring freezes in place. NVR makes it easier to deal with these shifts by allowing you to switch off recruiting if you need to put a stop to hiring or turn it back on if you need to fill positions quickly. Because you're working with an NVR solutions provider, you can easily shift your focus from one department to another if, for example, you need to hire thousands (or even a few) more people to satisfy demand, as Amazon and Kroger did.
2. Count the costs:
Outsourcing some or all of your recruiting can save you money by lowering your per-hire costs and ensuring that you employ the correct person for the position the first time, avoiding costly attrition and replacement costs. NVR engagements with variable pricing models alter price dependent on your hiring volume, unlike a full-time recruiter. As a result, you'll never be charged for services you don't utilize. Costs are low when hiring is low.
3. Emphasize both quality and speed of hire:
When hiring demands increase, you must fill positions quickly without sacrificing talent quality. Working with an RPO business can cut your time-to-hire by up to 25%. And those new workers will be doing more than just filling seats. They'll be well-qualified personnel who have been recruited for their credentials as well as their cultural fit, resulting in a greater retention rate over time.
4. Transition types of hire:
If your hiring plan gets dealt a curveball, you may need to shift your recruiting strategy rapidly. You could need to hire more part-time workers and fewer full-time staff, for example. NVR can swiftly absorb those changes and keep your engagement running well.
5. Continue to prioritize diversity recruiting strategies:
Diverse businesses see improved financial performance, more employee engagement, and increased innovation. More importantly, supporting diversity in the workplace sets the tone for your culture from the top down. When your recruiting needs spike, working with an NVR service offers you access to a far larger network of sources, allowing you to keep looking for excellent diverse candidates. RPO providers, for example, can assist you with diversity sourcing, talent pipeline development, campus recruiting, employer branding, market intelligence, and other initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining diverse applicants.
6. Tap into technology resources:
NVR can assist you if you're concerned about the cost of investing in technology to support your recruiting strategy. As part of your engagement, your RPO business will normally provide the essential technologies for recruitment marketing, sourcing, screening, interviewing, and other recruiting operations. You'll have access to best-in-class technology and won't have to worry about maintaining many, pricey contracts.
7. Choose a source agnostic recruiting technology:
RPOs are source agnostic, meaning they use all available sourcing channels to bring you the finest talent. Traditional sourcing avenues such as industry job boards, job fairs, and organizations, as well as alternative sourcing outlets such as veterans' associations, complimentary industry resources, social media, passive candidate recruiting, and networking, are all included. The bottom line is that an RPO firm will locate the best individuals for your needs, regardless of where they are located.
8. Create a remote workforce recruiting strategy:
Remote work has become more important than many organizations anticipated. And it's not going away, even once COVID-19's crisis conditions have passed. Many firms (such as Twitter and Shopify) are in the process of converting portions of their workforce to a permanent remote workforce. If your firm is considering this transition, you'll need a remote hiring and virtual training strategy for sourcing, screening, hiring, and onboarding virtual staff. An RPO company can assist you with this project and supply many of the resources you'll need to move your conventional processes to a remote setting.
Working with a partner you can trust is the final stage in crisis-proofing your recruitment and employment strategy. Our recruiters at NVR will work alongside you, within your parameters, and provide as much or as little hiring assistance as you require. They will also assist you in achieving all of the aforementioned objectives by providing you with flexible, scalable recruiting solutions tailored to your specific needs.
NVR gives you the business advantage you need to weather the storm, whether you're handling an increased need for personnel owing to COVID-19, suspending your hiring operations for the time being, or planning for the future.